Halachipedia:About: Difference between revisions
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Our goal is to create the greatest, most useful, and readily available resource for Halacha on the web. Our intentions are leshem shamayim. We aim to police the site to keep contributions true to torah misinai. We envision that an undertaking this massive would only be done as a joint effort by klal yisroel, hence we chose to use the open code wiki platform. Obviously open code can be misused. Please help us in the effort. This project can use lots of help. If you have time to volunteer towards populating, cleaning or checking references, please contact us at support@halachipedia.com. Note this is not the same as Halachapedia. | Our goal is to create the greatest, most useful, and readily available resource for Halacha on the web. Our intentions are leshem shamayim. We aim to police the site to keep contributions true to torah misinai. We envision that an undertaking this massive would only be done as a joint effort by klal yisroel, hence we chose to use the open code wiki platform. Obviously open code can be misused. Please help us in the effort. This project can use lots of help. If you have time to volunteer towards populating, cleaning or checking references, please contact us at support@halachipedia.com. Note this is not the same as [[Halachapedia]]. | ||
==Who are we?== | ==Who are we?== | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em"> | <p style="text-indent: 2em">The founder and editors of the site are students or graduates of Yeshiva University. My brothers and I came up with this idea a few years ago. At first, we thought it was impossible to organize and translate all of the halacha but thought perhaps it would be possible if it's done slowly and with the help of others. By the way, every edit or comment is greatly appreciated.</p> | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em"> In general, the site is meant to cater to Jews of all types | <p style="text-indent: 2em"> In general, the site is meant to cater to Orthodox Jews of all types and minhagim. Therefore, irrelevant of my background, I'm happy to to include as many Orthodox opinions as possible. However, as the site is growing and isn't finished it's very possible that a particular opinion on a particular subject was missed.</p> | ||
==Halachipedia in the News== | |||
Here's a few links to news articles about Halachipedia: | |||
* [http://blogs.yu.edu/news/2014/12/15/shining-bright/ YU News about the YU 2014 Hanukka Dinner] | |||
* [http://www.nachumsegal.com/nachum-welcomed-ike-sultan-jm-explore-great-torah-resource-halachipedia-com/ Halachipedia on JM in the AM] | |||
* [http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/feautures-on-jewish-world/halachipedia-where-halacha-meets-the-world-of-wiki/2013/10/23/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=halachipedia-where-halacha-meets-the-world-of-wiki Jewish Press Article] | |||
* [http://blogs.yu.edu/news/2013/02/26/click-here-to-learn-more/ An article from YUNews] | |||
* [http://nleresources.com/2012/10/17/halachipedia/ Jewish Educators Resources from Ner LeElef] | |||
* [http://thebeaconmag.com/2012/02/arts_and_culture/halachipedia-com-according-to-its-maker/ Article in YU's The Beacon Magazine] | |||
* [http://www.communitym.com/article.asp?article_id=103166&article_type=0 Article in Community Magazine] | |||
==Reliability of Halachipedia== | ==Reliability of Halachipedia== | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em">A question that I've gotten from many people is whether there's any Posek or Rabbi who looks over everything on the website and how do you know that everything on the site is reliable. So to address this I want to ask clearly that although there's no Rabbi who's officially in charge of checking over everything on the website, every edit that's made on the site is checked thoroughly for accuracy. Almost every day I check a special page that collects all the edits for any page on the site and whenever I see a new edit, especially, if it's a new user or someone I don't know, I make sure to read it over and see if it's accurate. If I have the time or if I'm skeptical I look up the sources for the halacha that was added and go from there. I'm not biased to anyone's edits but I'm just interested in maintaining accuracy and if you have good sources, all the better, however, if there's no source, Halachipedia's policy is that the halacha has to be taken down. </p> | <p style="text-indent: 2em">A question that I've gotten from many people is whether there's any Posek or Rabbi who looks over everything on the website and how do you know that everything on the site is reliable. So to address this I want to ask clearly that although there's no Rabbi who's officially in charge of checking over everything on the website, every edit that's made on the site is checked thoroughly for accuracy. Almost every day I check a special page that collects all the edits for any page on the site and whenever I see a new edit, especially, if it's a new user or someone I don't know, I make sure to read it over and see if it's accurate. If I have the time or if I'm skeptical I look up the sources for the halacha that was added and go from there. I'm not biased to anyone's edits but I'm just interested in maintaining accuracy and if you have good sources, all the better, however, if there's no source, Halachipedia's policy is that the halacha has to be taken down. </p> | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em">Just to clarify there are one page halachic articles that are put out in Yeshiva University from the contributors of Halachipedia and these one page articles | <p style="text-indent: 2em">Just to clarify, there are one page halachic articles that are put out in Yeshiva University from the contributors of Halachipedia and these one page articles have been looked over by Rabbi Mordechai Willig. To view these articles, see the [[Halachipedia Articles]] page. However, the content on the website that does not appear in those articles was not looked over by Rabbi Willig.</p> | ||
==Choosing a Posek== | ==Choosing a Posek== | ||
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==A possible argument against Halachipedia== | ==A possible argument against Halachipedia== | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em">One of the main concerns about Halachipedia is that it threatens asking the local Rabbi. However, after thinking through the issue, the challenge can be addressed adequately. A very common misconception is that any question about how to act in a certain situation requires a pesak from a certified posek and anyone who tries to find the halacha autonomously is arrogant and mistaken. However, one should notice that halacha is a process which has developed over time and there has been two main streams of halachic literature. The essence of Halacha is the body of literature, spanning from the Gemara to achronim, comprised of books that are devoted to clarifying and organizing halacha. Over the centuries, communities and even the whole of the Jewish people have accepted certain books as more authoritative. Determining which books are definitive is not a science yet certainly is not guesswork. Practically speaking certain books that are widely accepted become accepted practice (Minhag) of a group, community, sect, and sometimes all of the Jewish people. </p> | <p style="text-indent: 2em">One of the main concerns about Halachipedia is that it threatens asking the local Rabbi. However, after thinking through the issue, the challenge can be addressed adequately. A very common misconception is that any question about how to act in a certain situation requires a pesak from a certified posek and anyone who tries to find the halacha autonomously is arrogant and mistaken. However, one should notice that halacha is a process which has developed over time and there has been two main streams of halachic literature. The essence of Halacha is the body of literature, spanning from the Gemara to achronim, comprised of books that are devoted to clarifying and organizing halacha. Over the centuries, communities and even the whole of the Jewish people have accepted certain books as more authoritative. Determining which books are definitive is not a science yet certainly is not guesswork. Practically speaking certain books that are widely accepted become accepted practice (Minhag) of a group, community, sect, and sometimes all of the Jewish people. </p> | ||
<p style="text-indent: 2em">Therefore, if someone asks whether I can light a fire on Shabbat I don’t need a posek I just tell him that it's forbidden, it’s obvious, it’s a פסוק in the Torah! Similarly, many opinions permit relaying the rulings of Shulchan Aruch as is because of how widely accepted the opinion of Shulchan Aruch has become. Similarly, the Mishna Brurah is one of the most widely accepted books among Ashkenazim, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav among Chasidim, and occasionally the Ben Ish Chai or Yalkut Yosef among Sephardim. Without a doubt each of the above do not have | <p style="text-indent: 2em">Therefore, if someone asks whether I can light a fire on [[Shabbat]] I don’t need a posek I just tell him that it's forbidden, it’s obvious, it’s a פסוק in the Torah! Similarly, many opinions permit relaying the rulings of Shulchan Aruch as is because of how widely accepted the opinion of Shulchan Aruch has become. Similarly, the Mishna Brurah is one of the most widely accepted books among Ashkenazim, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav among Chasidim, and occasionally the Ben Ish Chai or Yalkut Yosef among Sephardim. Without a doubt each of the above do not have a monopoly on halacha and there are countless opinions that could be considered in any ordinary halacha. Nonetheless, relaying the opinions of established authorities is not considered pesak, it’s just called finding the appropriate page to answer your question. In learning halacha, it’s clear that a person does not need Semicha or ordination in order to collect opinions on an issue and even to a certain extent find some conclusion. Nonetheless, it’s certainly not the job of Halachipedia to arbitrate between the major opinions of our day and all the more so to arbitrate between the authorities of old, but rather it’s to collect the relevant modern day opinions which are most widely accepted, organize them, and allow the public to gain significantly in Torah and halacha. Yehe Ratzon Milfanecha that all those who put effort into this site with a pure heart be blessed with continued success in learning, and merit to reap the benefit of their labor in the world to come. </p> | ||
==What’s acceptable for Halachipedia content?== | ==What’s acceptable for Halachipedia content?== | ||
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==Attitude towards halacha== | ==Attitude towards halacha== | ||
===Uncompromising attitude === | ===Uncompromising attitude === | ||
Even if there’s difficulties it's crucial to realize one’s shortcomings and at the same time view the halacha | Even if there’s difficulties it's crucial to realize one’s shortcomings and at the same time view the halacha with great esteem. Chazal teach us that Hashem doesn't challenge a person except within his abilities and he's only expected to excel using his abilities. A God-fearing Jew should continuously work to try to achieve an uncompromising attitude towards Halacha even if the road to observance is difficult and long. | ||
===Don’t despair=== | ===Don’t despair=== | ||
If one realizes that one has made a mistake, no matter how bad it may be and no matter the length of time one has been erring don't despair because everyone sins and everyone can repent and be forgiven completely. | If one realizes that one has made a mistake, no matter how bad it may be and no matter the length of time one has been erring don't despair because everyone sins and everyone can repent and be forgiven completely. One shouldn't dismiss a halacha as impractical or archaic, rather with humility one should investigate how it properly applies to his life and see how best to observe that halacha. For this, it is important to have a rabbi as a religious rode model. | ||
===Catharsis=== | ===Catharsis=== | ||
A person can be inspired to follow halacha precisely because it seems to be overwhelming and it challenges man to overcome one's natural instinct and follow the will of the Creator. | |||
===Spirituality=== | ===Spirituality=== | ||
We don’t serve Shulchan Aruch, we serve Hashem. One's intent should always be focused on serving Hashem's will and bringing | We don’t serve Shulchan Aruch, we serve Hashem. One's intent should always be focused on serving Hashem's will and bringing oneself closer to Him in a spiritual sense. | ||
