Moshe Heinemann

Rabbi Moshe Heinemann
Position	Rabbi
Synagogue	Agudath Israel of Baltimore
Personal details
Nationality	USA
Denomination	Orthodox
Residence	Baltimore, Maryland
Semicha	Rabbi Moshe Feinstein

Rabbi Moshe Heinemann is an Orthodox rabbi and Posek who heads the Agudath Israel of Baltimore synagogue and is the rabbinical supervisor of the Star K kashrus certification agency.^[1] He studied for many years in Beis Midrash Govoha under Rabbi Aharon Kotler, and was ordained by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein.

Rabbi Heinemann is widely consulted for rulings in matters of Halacha, often where complicated technology is involved. He is an expert Mohel, Shochet, and Sofer, and has trained and certified numerous people in these areas of practical Halacha. Rabbi Heinemann is also an expert on the construction of Eruvin and mikvehs, and is frequently consulted regarding these complicated areas of Halacha.

Shabbos Mode Ovens

Rabbi Heinemann has ruled for over a decade that, on Yom Tov, one may raise or lower the temperature on Sabbath Mode ovens.^[2] In June 2008, a number of prominent Poskim signed a Kol Koreh (public pronouncement) stating that this was unequivocally forbidden.^[3] The Kol Koreh referred to the lenient opinion as a Daas Yachid (a minority opinion that should not be relied upon - literally: the opinion of an individual). After the Kol Koreh was released, it was rumored by some that Rabbi Heineman retracted his opinion regarding this issue and ruled like the Israeli Poskim. However, no written record of his retraction exists, and the website of the Star-K, the Supervision Agency that is governed by rabbi Heinemann's rulings, continues to promote Rabbi Heinemann's view.

It has been noted, however, that Rabbi Heinemann's opinion is consistent with the rulings of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach regarding electricity.^[4] Rabbi Auerbach was not only one of the greatest Poskim of his generation, but his understanding of electricity and technology was probably unparalleled among any of his peers.^[5][6] Indeed, none of Rabbi Auerbach's sons or sons-in-law, including Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach,^[7] and Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, all prominent Poskim in their own right, participated in the Kol Koreh.

External links

• Free MP3 Lectures by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ See
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ See [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], and [8]; see also [9].
5. ^ This is evidenced by the fact that Rabbi Auerbach wrote a pioneering Halachic work on electricity when he was only 25 years old (Meorei Aish, first published in 1935, with glowing approbations from, among others, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski and Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer).
6. ^ Rabbi Auerbach took a more lenient position regarding electricity than did the Chazon Ish. However, although the Chazon Ish was perhaps the greatest Posek of his generation, his view, that virtually all use of electricity on Shabbos and Yom Tov involves a Biblical prohibition (even where no light or heat is created) is not the majority opinion. See [10]; see also Electricity on Shabbat in Jewish law.
7. ^ Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach is a son-in-law of one of the prominent signatories of the Kol Koreh, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv.

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Name	Heinemann, Moshe
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