At the end of davening, a man approached me who was looking for a halachic authority [Rav Poseik] to ask a complex question. I looked around and saw a prominent Rav Poseik affiliated with the Badatz of the Edah HaChareidis who was davening in that very same minyan. I was very pleased and directed the man to him. I was very moved, because I had never seen that Rav daven in Zichron Moshe, and on that very day, he davened in this minyan.
Moreinu HaRav continued and said: “Another story that I experienced regarding ‘Make for yourself a Rav’: An avrech (young Torah scholar) came to me and asked: ‘I have moved to live near my aging parents. Since I moved there, I feel a significant spiritual decline. I want to move back to my city, where I was growing spiritually, and not continue, chalilah, to deteriorate. However, my parents request that I remain to support them in their old age.’” The avrech sought a ruling on this difficult question. After considering all sides, I ruled and said: “Your life takes precedence, as is explained in halacha.”
He went on his way, and then my heart struck me — this is a question that requires a halachic Poseik, since it involves honoring one‘s parents versus the weight of his spiritual life. But now that he has left and I do not know him, what shall I do?! While I was still troubled by the thought, the avrech appeared at the door. He thought he had forgotten something in my house and returned to search for the lost item. I instructed him to consult with a Rav and act according to his ruling.
I rejoiced that HaKadosh Baruch Hu watches over me, that a mishap should not come through me.
I will add and say: I constantly cry out that it is necessary to study halacha, and that everyone should learn at least the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch or any other kitzur according to the customs of his father’s house. And at the same time, each person should have an accessible and trustworthy Rav to ask questions. There is no contradiction between these two things, because a Rav has a broad perspective on the halacha, and when questions are asked, one sees clearly that learning alone is not enough — one also needs the practical guidance of Talmidei Chachamim.
One of my students told me that his eldest daughter found, under the baby carriage, a package of pretzels during Chol HaMoed Pesach (it turned out that after bedikas chametz, the younger child had placed the package in the clean carriage). He studies halacha and knows that chametz must be burned, but still, he called a Rav to clarify precisely what should be done and how — perhaps it would be better to pour a strong substance on it and discard it in the trash? To his surprise, the Rav instructed him that the best course of action would be to place the sealed package in the chametz cabinet that had been sold to a non-Jew (each person should consult his own Rav). That had not occurred to him... Therefore, one must study halacha, but at the same time ask a Rav. Many times, there are surprises that we did not anticipate.
