Editing Halakha (section)

=== Flexibility ===
Despite its internal rigidity, ''halakha'' has a degree of flexibility in finding solutions to modern problems not explicitly mentioned in the Torah. From the very beginnings of Rabbinic Judaism, halakhic inquiry allowed for a "sense of continuity between past and present, a self-evident trust that their pattern of life and belief now conformed to the sacred patterns and beliefs presented by scripture and tradition".<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VahYCwAAQBAJ |title=Jews, Christians, Muslims: A Comparative Introduction to Monotheistic Religions |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |first1=John |last1=Corrigan |first2=Frederick |last2=Denny |first3=Martin S. |last3=Jaffee |first4=Carlos |last4=Eire |isbn=9780205018253 |edition= 2 |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> According to an analysis by Jewish scholar Jeffrey Rubenstein of Michael Berger's book ''Rabbinic Authority'', the authority that rabbis hold "derives not from the institutional or personal authority of the sages but from a ''communal'' decision to recognize that authority, much as a community recognizes a certain judicial system to resolve its disputes and interpret its laws."<ref>{{cite journal |last= Rubenstein |first= Jeffrey L. |title= Michael Berger. ''Rabbinic Authority.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. xii, 226 pp. |journal= AJS Review |volume= 26 |issue= 2 |edition= 2 |year= 2002 |pages= 356–359 |doi= 10.1017/S0364009402250114|s2cid= 161130964 }}</ref> Given this covenantal relationship, rabbis are charged with connecting their contemporary community with the traditions and precedents of the past.

When presented with contemporary issues, rabbis go through a halakhic process to find an answer. The classical approach has permitted new rulings regarding modern technology. For example, some of these rulings guide Jewish observers about the proper use of [[electricity]] on the Sabbath and holidays. Often, as to the applicability of the law in any given situation, the proviso is to "consult your local rabbi or [[posek]]". This notion lends rabbis a certain degree of local authority; however, for more complex questions, the issue is passed on to higher rabbis, who will then issue a ''teshuva'', which is a ''responsum'' that is binding.<ref>Satlow, Michael, and Daniel Picus. “Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” Lecture. Providence, Brown University.</ref> Indeed, rabbis will continuously issue different opinions and will constantly review each other's work so as to maintain the truest sense of ''halakha''. This process allows rabbis to maintain a connection of traditional Jewish law to modern life. Of course, the degree of flexibility depends on the sect of Judaism, with Reform being the most flexible, Conservative somewhat in the middle, and Orthodox being much more stringent and rigid. Modern critics, however, have charged that with the rise of movements that challenge the "divine" authority of ''halakha'', traditional Jews have greater reluctance to change not only the laws themselves but also other customs and habits than traditional Rabbinical Judaism did before the advent of Reform in the 19th century.