Towards a More Objective Method of P'saq - 2

Originally published 10/28/10, 9:30 pm.

Before coming up with an algorithmic methodology to force P'saq to become a cookie cutter exercise - here is a preliminary suggestion

Let's start with authorizing sources and "weighting" them

Not necessarily to force a bottom line decision,

Rather to take a more uniform approach to researching precedents

Illustrations:

• Yeshivat Chofetz Chaim is likely to follow Mishnah Brurah
• Chabad has SA Harav plus other texts, including Siddur Harav
• Some Iraqi communities have adopted Ben Ish Chai
• R Ovadyah Yosef [ROY] pushes the Shulchan Aruch
• The Yeshivah World and the YU world should set up its own set of preferences

Illustration

For the UTJ, I might make the following Proposal

• Make the Tur and Beth Yosef primary, and supplement it with Darchei Moshe, SA, and Rema
• Then use Aruch Hashulchan as the Batrai, supplemented as needed by Kaf HaHayyim and/or Mishnah Brurah
• I would also skip the primary nos'ei keilim and opt for the Ba'er Hetev and supplement with Shaarei T'shuva and Pitchei T'shuvah to round this out.
• For more modern questions, a Bar Ilan Search of Shu"t would be helpful

Shalom,

RRW