posek means decisor; legal scholar who decides the Halacha in cases where previous authorities are inconclusive or no halakhic precedent exists. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why this word is great
POSEK — [Noun] A decisor; a legal scholar in Jewish law vested with the authority to determine binding rulings (Halacha) in cases lacking clear precedent. Borrowed from Hebrew פּוֹסֵק (posék, "arbiter, one who decides"), from the root p-s-k meaning "to decide, to cut (a verdict)". Unlike a "rabbi," a general title for a teacher, or a "talmid chacham," a scholar of great erudition, a posek is defined by the active, burdensome authority to issue binding legal rulings (psak) for the living community. It is the weight of a specific, un-googleable question whispered in a study-house alcove; the scholar’s lamp burning late over a dilemma of modern medicine unknown in ancient Babylon; the solitary hand drawing a clear, unwavering line through a thicket of conflicting opinions so that others may walk in clarity. He is the human instrument through which an eternal law speaks into the fleeting present.
noun
- decisor; legal scholar who decides the Halacha in cases where previous authorities are inconclusive or no halakhic precedent exists.“Standard disclaimer.... I am not a posek. Always consult a real posek if you want a real p'sak. Poskim don't waste their time answering Usenet postings. :-)”