Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Role of rav and yoetzet

12 December, 2004
Question:

I am writing a paper for a class on hilchot niddah. My topic of choice is the rabbi’s role in niddah. I know that the point of yoatzot is to make the whole process less embarrassing… i have a few questions:
Are there any tzniut issues with asking questions to a rav directly?
Are there any sources that support the idea that the person who is paskining should really know the person for whom they are paskining? (Meaning how can a rav paskin for a situation where an anonymous envelope is just dropped at his door?)
What are the sources that support that these issues or questions should be taken to a rav, or someone who is more knowledgable?
Thank you – if there is any other information you would like to share on the topic that would be great.


Answer:

For more elucidation of our purpose as yoatzot, see Rabbanit Henkin’s articles: Yoatzot Halacha: Fortifying Tradition through Innovation and New Conditions and New Models of Authority: The Yoatzot Halacha .  Dr. Joel Wolowelsky also wrote about us recently in Tradition.

Tzniut can be subjective.  On the one hand, aside from a rabbi or doctor, women do not discuss their intimate bodily functions with any men but their husbands.  On the other hand, the rabbi is a professional who does not take a prurient interest in these questions.

Halacha is rarely black and white.  Personal factors can prove decisive.  Asking an anonymous question via envelope limits the give and take between questioner and rabbi.  Information relevant to the halachic decision may not come to light.  How deep a decisor’s knowledge of a questioner should be is hard to quantify.  Sometimes limited anonymity, such as in a phone call, can help questioners open up.

Traditionally, Jews address their halachic questions in all areas to rabbinical authorities.  Questions in taharat hamishpacha are attested to in the Talmud (for example, Niddah 20b) and alluded to in the Torah (Devarim 17:8).

This internet service does not preclude, override or replace the psak of any rabbinical authority. It is the responsibility of the questioner to inform us of any previous consultation or ruling. As even slight variation in circumstances may have Halachic consequences, views expressed concerning one case may not be applied to other, seemingly similar cases. All health and health-related information contained within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for consulting with your health care professional. The advice is intended to offer a basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider but not individual advice. Although every effort is made to ensure that the material within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is accurate and timely, it is provided for the convenience of the Web site user but should not be considered official. Advice for actual medical practice should be obtained from a licensed health care professional. For further questions or comments:  The Nishmat Women's Health and Halacha Site is a public service of Nishmat, The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women. This project and others like it are made possible by contributions from people like you. If you have benefited from the service, and wish to enable us to help others, click here to donate.
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