At the event of Matan Torah, Hashem placed the decisive power in the verdict of Beis Din shel Matta. Torah, and specifically the halachic verdict of Beis Din, has the power to change the reality of our world.
Based on the words of the Yerushalmi- Nedarim 6:8
נאמר בתהלים (נז, ג) "אקרא לאלקים עליון, לא-ל גומר עלי". ואמרו במדרש תהלים על הפסוק, "אמר רבי סימון בשם רבי יהושע, בשלשה מקומות הסכים הקב"ה עם בית דין של מטה . . המעשרות, ומגלת אסתר, ושאילת שלום בשם".
ועל דרך זה אמרו (דברים רבה ב), "אמר רבי יוחנן, כשמתכנסין מלאכי השרת לפני הקב"ה לומר אימתי ר"ה ואימתי יום הכפורים, הקב"ה אומר להם, לי מה אתם שואלים, אני ואתם נלך אצל בית דין של מטה". ובמדרש שוחר טוב (תהלים ד) הביאו גם על ענין זה הפסוק הנ"ל "לא-ל גומר עלי".
ועוד אמרו בענין זה (ירושלמי כתובות פ"א ה"ב), "אמר רבי אבין אקרא לאלקים עליון לא-ל גומר עלי. בת שלש שנים ויום אחד ונמלכין ב"ד לעברו, הבתולין חוזרין. ואם לאו, אין הבתולין חוזרין". היינו, שבכח פסק הדין של חכמי התורה משתנית המציאות בעולם. והובא לדינא בשו״ע אה״ע ס״כ ס״א ברמ״א ובש״ך. וראה גם בש״ך יו״ד סי׳ קפט סקי״ג. והאריך בזה הרשב״א במשמרת הבית, והובא בש״ך שם.
גם אמרו חז"ל (ב"מ נט, ב) שכאשר יצאה בת קול להכריע הלכה כרבי אליעזר, "עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו ואמר לא בשמים היא . . אין משגיחין בבת קול". ועוד אמרו (שם פו, א) שכשנחלקו קוב"ה ומתיבתא דרקיעא בדין ספק בהרת אמרו "מאן נוכח, נוכח רבה בר נחמני" (וראה בכס"מ על הרמב"ם, הלכות טומ"צ ספ"ב).
שמכל זה מובן שפסקי התורה נקבעים לפי דעתם של בני ישראל בעולם הזה, היגעים בתורה ומתעמקים בה להבין אותה לאמיתתה. ופסיקות אלו שלמטה מתקבלים בבית דין של מעלה. ולפי זה נקבעת המציאות בעולם.
ועל פי כל זה הננו בהצעה, היות שכל בני ישראל מחכים בקוצר רוח וכליון עיניים לביאת המשיח, שחכמי ישראל יעיינו בתורתנו הקדושה ויפסקו על פי דברי תורתנו הקדושה שהגיע זמן הגאולה. ובית דין של מעלה יקיים הפסק של בית דין של מטה. וכן יקום.
It says in Tehillim (57:3), “I will call upon my G-d, Most High, to the G-d who fulfills for me”. Commenting on this verse the Midrash Tehillim says, “Said Rabbi Simone in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua, in three instances Hashem concurred with the lower court: tithes, Megilas Esther, and greeting another using Hashem’s name.”
A similar idea can be found in Dvarim Rabba 2, “Said Rabbi Yochanan: when the ministering angels gather together before the Holy One Blessed Be He to ask when is Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, He answers them, ‘Why do you ask Me? Let’s go you and me to the lower court’”. The Midrash Shochar Tov (Tehillim 4) brings this teaching commenting on the pasuk quoted above, “to the G-d who fulfills for me”.
The idea is further elaborated upon (Yerushalmi Kesubos 1:2), which quotes Rabbi Avin who said regarding the verse, “ I will call upon my G-d, Most High, to the G-d who fulfills for me”. The Shulchan Aruch rules as such (Even Haezer chapter 20 section 1 also quoted by the Rama and Shach. Also, see Shach Yoreh Deah chapter 189 subsection 13. The Rashba too elaborates on this in Mishmeres Habayis and is brought down by the Shach there.) which informs us that the lower court has the power through their ruling to change the very nature of existence.
Our sages further say (Bava Metziah 5b) that when a Heavenly voice proclaimed that the law follows Rabbi Eliezer, “Rabbi Yehoshua rose to his feet and said, ‘it is not in Heaven… we don’t follow a Heavenly voice” (when it pertains to matters of halacha). Another example of this is found (Bava Metziah 86a) where the Gemara discusses a disagreement between Hashem and the Heavenly court regarding the laws of a bright spot of eruption on the skin. They asked who is present (to rule) and the response was Rabbah the son of Nachmani. (See Kesef Mishana on the Rambam laws of Tumas Metzorah end of the second chapter)
Yechidus with Reb Mordechai Eliyahu
Cheshvan 5751
“Hence, when the Jewish people issue a Psak-Din that the time for Geulah has arrived, for all the kitzin have passed and teshuvah has already been performed – this shall immediately come to be, and the Geulah will arrive instantly!”
(Maamor “Anochi” 5749; Toras Menachem Sefer Hamaamorim Melukat vol. 3 p. 313)
10 Shevat, 5736 • January 12, 1976
Living Torah
Image
Title
During a Yud Shevat, 5736 farbrengen, the Rebbe asked 72 of the Rabbonim present to issue a p'sak that Eretz Yisroel belongs to the Jewish people for all of eternity. Several of the Rabbonim actually said a few words on this topic (Rabbi E. Yolles, Rabbi S. Elberg, Rabbi P. Hircshprung, Rabbi Z.S. Dvorkin, and others), after which the seventy-two Rabbonim were counted and written down on a list. The Rebbe then asked the crowd to say “L’chaim” and sing a joyous niggun, in accordance with the custom of the Sanhedrin to conduct a festive meal after drawing the conclusion of a psak (regarding “Kiddush Hachodesh”). In a yechidus with Rabbi E. Yolles on Chol Hamoed Pesach, 5740, the Rebbe assured him: “The psak you issued on the prohibition against giving away territories in Eretz Yisroel is effectual, and brings about good results, along with the rulings of all the other Rabbonim on this matter. The fact that this ruling has been issued down here has an effect up in heaven as well...
“As a result, even those who wish to give away land, or those who are indecisive about it will change their minds, for the spiritual effect will have an impression on them as well; חזי מזלייהו, for even if they are not conscious -”it” their soul, nevertheless perceives [and is effected by] it.”
Image
Title
During the nichum aveilim after the Rebbetzin’s histalkus, in 5748, the Rebbe was visited by Rabbi Menashe Klein, the Ungvarrer Rov and author of “Mishne Halachos”. He noted that he remembers the early years of the Rebbe’s nesius when the crowd was quite small, and now the Rebbe has been mekarev so many more thousands of “Yiddishe kinder”. The only thing missing now is that the Rebbe should lead us to the final Geulah! The Rebbe responded, “Issue such a ruling in Mishne Halachos!
Image
Title
Rabbi Yochanan Sofer, the Erloyer Rov, was also instructed by the Rebbe to issue a psak about the Geulah. On 5 Adar II, 5749, he visited the Rebbe during “dollars” and the Rebbe spoke of the importance that the Psak Din about the geulah be fulfilled, and wished him that “you should merit to be from those who issue this psak about the geulah, and that your psak should be carried out...” Rabbi Sofer said: We already have a Psak Din from the Rebbe, and all of us, Klal Yisroel agrees with this psak. Surely then, the psak will be heard on High and fulfilled in actuality!
The Rebbe replied; “Don’t rely only on a yochid…the rabbim needs Moshiach. Let the Rabbonim issue this verdict in the name of the rabbim, and then it bears significance "הן א-ל כביר לא ימוס", “Behold G-d is Mighty and does not despise; and He is Mighty in the strength of His heart.” (Iyuv, Perek 36)
Image
Title
Some years later, in a famous talk delivered on Parshas Mishpatim 5752, the Rebbe went so far as to point out that the UN Security Council meeting at which the US and Russia agreed to reduce and eventually eliminate weapons of mass destruction -- an event the Rebbe described as the beginning of the fulfillment of Yeshaya’s prophecy of an end to all war at the time of the Geulah -- was the direct result of a psak din about Geulah signed by many Rabbonim.