QUESTION:
First I want to introduce this question by stating respectfully that I am asking these questions out of an earnest desire to know the truth, and not because I want to fight or attack. The Gra says in Mishlei (16) that the Sages of the generation are given special assistance from Heaven to give rulings to the public. We blindly followed the ruling of Gedolim to vaccinate – my wife got vaccinated but I didn’t. I was personally opposed to taking the vaccine. I didn’t take the vaccine because I had just recovered from corona, but my wife got the vaccine. Later we heard someone put out an announcement with the exact words of Rav Wosner shlit”a (the grandson of R’ Shmuel Wosner zt”l) who testified that scores of people (maybe more, I don’t remember exactly what he said) testified that they were highly damaged because of the vaccine. And there were even cases of death from the vaccine, which the government hid from people. And there was also a letter from Rav Karp shlit”a (but it’s an older letter from several months ago) saying almost the same thing.
Another story: About a year ago, the Gedolim from all different types of Jewry signed a letter of approval that people should donate to the organization “Hidabroot”, for kiruv and tzedakah purposes. But now R’ Kobi Levi is saying valid testimony that R’ Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a forbids any kind of kiruv through “Kosher TV” channels and through “Shidduch websites”, which were founded by Hidabroot. I think it’s safe to say that if R’ Chaim would know about everything Hidabroot is doing he probably would not advocate them. And in fact many Gedolim are also against Hidabroot, such as Rav Tzadka and Rav Mutzpi and others.
My question is: How do we explain such a thing, that Gedolim could be mistaken about something, and why isn’t this a contradiction to the words of the Gra that the Gedolim always receive assistance from Heaven to give the right ruling when they are ruling for everyone?
Also, how can we ever rely on anything said in the name of the Gedolim when it’s possible that they weren’t given the right information about something (like if people intentionally withheld certain information from them when conveying to them all their information about something)? How can I listen and trust the Gedolim when I suspect that people are misleading them with false or lack of information, if I don’t know for certain that they aren’t being misled by the public? Does Hashem want me to blindly follow everything the Gedolim say even if it doesn’t make sense to me? How can I be emotionally at peace with this, how can I trust their words when we can plainly see sometimes (maybe even many times, but I don’t know…) that certain important information wasn’t told to them?
Another story: About a year ago, the Gedolim from all different types of Jewry signed a letter of approval that people should donate to the organization “Hidabroot”, for kiruv and tzedakah purposes. But now R’ Kobi Levi is saying valid testimony that R’ Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a forbids any kind of kiruv through “Kosher TV” channels and through “Shidduch websites”, which were founded by Hidabroot. I think it’s safe to say that if R’ Chaim would know about everything Hidabroot is doing he probably would not advocate them. And in fact many Gedolim are also against Hidabroot, such as Rav Tzadka and Rav Mutzpi and others.
My question is: How do we explain such a thing, that Gedolim could be mistaken about something, and why isn’t this a contradiction to the words of the Gra that the Gedolim always receive assistance from Heaven to give the right ruling when they are ruling for everyone?
Also, how can we ever rely on anything said in the name of the Gedolim when it’s possible that they weren’t given the right information about something (like if people intentionally withheld certain information from them when conveying to them all their information about something)? How can I listen and trust the Gedolim when I suspect that people are misleading them with false or lack of information, if I don’t know for certain that they aren’t being misled by the public? Does Hashem want me to blindly follow everything the Gedolim say even if it doesn’t make sense to me? How can I be emotionally at peace with this, how can I trust their words when we can plainly see sometimes (maybe even many times, but I don’t know…) that certain important information wasn’t told to them?
ANSWER:
The Baal Shem Tov said that sometimes the nasi (the leader) can sin due to the sins of the nation, because the nation are like the branches that are intertwined with the root, their nasi (their leader), and the branch always has some effect on the root, as well as vice versa.
That is why when the majority is found in the less ideal situation, they can be influencing the “root” (the leaders), and understand this very well.
And sometimes, the branches (the nation) don’t merit at all to be influenced by their root (by their leaders). The Gemara in Bava Kamma gives a parable about a flock of sheep that don’t listen to their master [and run away and become endangered by the wolves].
Another example is the generation of the Judges, as Chazal taught, that the Judges ruled according to the level of the generation [Because the generation was at a low level, the Judges also were influenced by the level of the generation]. I heard these words from my teacher, HaGaon R’ Gershon Edelstein shlit”a, earlier than 20 years ago.
2) I heard from my father-in-law who was a student of R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, that once someone came to him to discuss a halachic ruling that was publicized in his name. R’ Shlomo Zalman told him, “I never said this”, and then he added, “I am telling you and ruling to you that you should not believe whatever you hear in my name. Only believe what you hear directly from me.”
That is why when the majority is found in the less ideal situation, they can be influencing the “root” (the leaders), and understand this very well.
And sometimes, the branches (the nation) don’t merit at all to be influenced by their root (by their leaders). The Gemara in Bava Kamma gives a parable about a flock of sheep that don’t listen to their master [and run away and become endangered by the wolves].
Another example is the generation of the Judges, as Chazal taught, that the Judges ruled according to the level of the generation [Because the generation was at a low level, the Judges also were influenced by the level of the generation]. I heard these words from my teacher, HaGaon R’ Gershon Edelstein shlit”a, earlier than 20 years ago.
2) I heard from my father-in-law who was a student of R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, that once someone came to him to discuss a halachic ruling that was publicized in his name. R’ Shlomo Zalman told him, “I never said this”, and then he added, “I am telling you and ruling to you that you should not believe whatever you hear in my name. Only believe what you hear directly from me.”
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