Hershel Schachter

American Orthodox rabbi

Hershel Schachter (born 1941 07 28) is an American Orthodox rabbi, posek (religious law authority) and rosh yeshiva (dean) at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), part of Yeshiva University (YU) in New York City. Schachter is a halakhic (Jewish law) advisor for the Orthodox Union, and has rendered notable decisions in a number of contemporary topic areas.

Hershel Schachter was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Melech Schachter, a rosh yeshiva (dean) at Yeshiva University (YU). Schachter became an assistant to Joseph Ber Soloveitchik at the age of 22. He earned a B. A. from Yeshiva College and an M. A. in Hebrew literature from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies in 1967. Schachter is a prominent posek (religious law authority). He is also a halakhic (Jewish law) advisor for the kashrut division of the Orthodox Union.

Schachter is considered to be amongst the foremost Poskim (religious law advisors) in today's Jewish Modern Orthodox community. Schachter served a pivotal role during the COVID 19 pandemic, publishing trailblazing responsa that guided and advised Jews in their observance of halakha during an unprecedented time. His responsa are noted for being "broad and well sourced" in addressing various issues that Jews were facing at the time, primarily due to quarantine and other preventative measures. He endorsed proper precautions and measures to protect people and those around them from catching the disease, while advising Jews how to adjust their lives to these precautions. Additionally, he maintained "sensitivity" for the broader role Jews serve in society and had a care for the "good of the whole." In the realm of medical halakha, Schachter does not allow Jewish doctors or medical students to work on Shabbat unless a person's life might be at risk. Jewish doctors and medical students should observe Shabbat, but that is trumped by the need to save a life. Schachter believes that the living status of a brain dead individual is a safek (matter of doubt), and thus requires that all decisions be made with the same stringencies applied to all cases where life and death is in doubt. This, therefore, forbids the organ donations of brain dead individuals, by considering them as possibly still halachically alive, but also requires chalitzah (release from the obligation of levirate marriage) in the case that a childless widow is left with only a brain dead husband as well as an able brother in law. In monetary law and taxation, Schachter believes that a graduated system of income taxes is "fair and reasonable" as they provide various necessary services to "take care of" fellow citizens. Thus, it qualifies as dina d'malkhuta dina (law of the land is law), and everyone is halachically obligated to pay taxes. Schachter holds that a woman is not allowed to serve as the president of a synagogue unless there is absolutely no other choice. He is supportive of using tekhelet on tzitzit and has developed his own tie which is widely used.

In a December 2006 speech, Schachter stated that mesirah (informing on a fellow Jew to the authorities) "is permitted in situations where one is a public menace or if one is physically or psychologically harming another individual (for example, in instances of sexual abuse of children, students, campers etc., or spousal abuse)." In a February 2013 speech to a London audience, Schachter echoed this sentiment. He did express concern that before going to the authorities, one should make sure that a potential abuse victim is credible by referring him to a competent rabbi or psychologist. Schachter cited concerns that if the child's story was a fabrication, it could result in a Jew being wrongly incarcerated. Schachter has been condemned for his use of the term shvartze (the Yiddish word for black, racially loaded when directed at a person): "The recent use of a derogatory racial term and negative characterizations of African Americans and Muslims, by a member of the faculty, are inappropriate, offensive, and do not represent the values and mission of Yeshiva University", a YU spokesman stated. Schachter is endorsed by the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot, a non profit organization that advocates for the elimination of abuse from the Jewish divorce process by, among other things, organizing public protests to compel husbands to grant their wives gittin (religious divorce documents).

Lawrence Kaplan, "The Multi Faceted Legacy of the Rav: A Critical Analysis of R. Hershel Schachter's Nefesh ha Rav," BDD (Bekhol Derakhekha Daehu: Journal of Torah and Scholarship) 7 (Summer, 1998): 51–85. Ferziger, Adam S. “Feminism and Heresy: The Construction of a Jewish Metanarrative.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 77, no. 3 (2009): 494–546.