Yoatzot & psak

Thank you for reaching out to us.

The answer to this question depends on how one defines the term “psak halacha”.

We define it as an original halachic ruling, as opposed to disseminating established rulings. The vast majority of questions that come to us are clear cut matters of disseminating established halacha, or matters on which our Rabbanim have ruled many times in the past.

We also receive a significant number of questions involving extenuating circumstances, on which we work carefully with our Rabbanim.

Questions that require a novel psak arrive less frequently. Sometimes, our role in receiving them is to guide a woman in asking her Rabbi or to communicate directly with him.

Halachic responses sent through this website are personally reviewed by our Rabbinic Supervisor, Rav Kenneth Auman, even when they do not require an original psak. Rav Yehuda Henkin ztz”l was our founding Rabbinic Supervisor until his passing in 2020.

This response was updated on 3 August 2023.