Se’if 4ד׳
אָסוּר לְאָדָם לְהוֹרוֹת לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ לְעוֹלָם, וְכָל הַמּוֹרֶה לְפָנָיו חַיָּב מִיתָה. הַגָּה: וַאֲפִלּוּ נְטִילַת רְשׁוּת לֹא מְהָנֵי תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְסָאוֹת, אִם הוּא רַבּוֹ מֻבְהָק. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם תּוֹסָפוֹת פ"ק דְּסַנְהֶדְרִין וּמַהֲרִי"ק שֹׁרֶשׁ ק"ע וַאֲגֻדָּה שָׁם וּסְמַ"ק סוֹף עֲשִׂין י"ג בְּשֵׁם ר"י וּפֶרֶק אַף עַל פִּי). וְאִם הוּא רָחוֹק מֵרַבּוֹ י"ב מִיל, וְשָׁאַל לוֹ אָדָם דְּבַר הֲלָכָה בְּדֶרֶךְ מִקְרֶה, יָכוֹל לְהָשִׁיב. אֲבָל לִקְבֹּעַ עַצְמוֹ לְהוֹרָאָה וְלֵישֵׁב וּלְהוֹרוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא בְּסוֹף הָעוֹלָם, אָסוּר לְהוֹרוֹת עַד שֶׁיָּמוּת רַבּוֹ אוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ רְשׁוּת. הַגָּה: וְכָל זֶה בְּרַבּוֹ מֻבְהָק, אֲבָל בְּתַלְמִיד חָבֵר, אֲפִלּוּ תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְסָאוֹת שָׁרֵי (רי"ף וְרַמְבַּ"ם כִּדְאִיתָא בְּבֵית יוֹסֵף). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּמִכָּל מָקוֹם לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ מַמָּשׁ אָסוּר (ריב"ש סי' רע"א), וַאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו מַמָּשׁ, אִם הִתְחִילוּ בִּכְבוֹד הָרַב לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּשְׁאֲלוּ לָרַב, אוֹ שֶׁהָרַב מֻפְלָג בְּחָכְמָה וְזִקְנָה, אֵין לְהוֹרוֹת בְּעִירוֹ. (בְּבֵית יוֹסֵף מִגְּמָרָא בפ' הַדָּר). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּתַלְמִיד גָּמוּר תּוֹךְ י"ב מִיל חַיָּב מִיתָה, אִם הוּא מוֹרֶה. חוּץ לְי"ב מִיל, פָּטוּר אֲבָל אָסוּר. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּדַוְקָא בְּרָגִיל לָבוֹא לְעִירוֹ שֶׁל תַּלְמִיד. אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ רָגִיל לָבוֹא שָׁם, רַק בְּדֶרֶךְ אַקְרַאי, מֻתָּר, כָּל שֶׁהוּא חוּץ לְג' פַּרְסָאוֹת (מָרְדְּכַי בְּשֵׁם ריב"א). תַּלְמִיד חָבֵר תּוֹךְ י"ב מִיל, פָּטוּר אֲבָל אָסוּר. וחוץ לְי"ב מִיל, מֻתָּר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנָּטַל רְשׁוּת מֵרַב אֶחָד, לֹא סָגֵי, עַד שֶׁיִּטֹּל רְשׁוּת מִכָּל רַבּוֹתָיו הַמֻּבְהָקִים. הַגָּה: וְהַאי מֻבְהָקִים לֹא מַיְרֵי כִּשְׁאָר רַבּוֹ מֻבְהָק שֶׁרֹב חָכְמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, דְּאִם כֵּן לֹא אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת לוֹ הַרְבֵּה רַבּוֹתָיו מֻבְהָקִים, אֶלָּא ר"ל תַּלְמִיד גָּמוּר, לַאֲפוּקֵי תַּלְמִיד חָבֵר דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּתְגַּדֵּל בַּתּוֹרָה וְנַעֲשָׂה חָבֵר לְרַבּוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא קָרוֹב לִהְיוֹת גָּדוֹל כְּרַבּוֹ. (מהרי"ק שֹׁרֶשׁ ק"ע וּבֵית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם רשב"ם פ' יֵשׁ נוֹחֲלִין). מִיהוּ יֵשׁ חוֹלְקִין וּסְבִירָא לְהוּ דְּאִי קִבֵּל רְשׁוּת מֵרַבּוֹ אֶחָד, מְהָנֵי לְהוֹרוֹת חוּץ לְג' פַּרְסָאוֹת. (תְּשׁוּבַת הָרַשְׁבָּ"א סי' קי"א וריב"ש סי' רפ"א). אֲבָל תּוֹךְ ג' פַּרְסָאוֹת, לֹא מְהָנֵי לֵיהּ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּכָל שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַבּוֹ מֻבְהָק, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין רֹב חָכְמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, תַּלְמִיד חָבֵר הוּא (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם הָרַמְבַּ"ם).
It is forbidden for a person to ever issue rulings in the presence of his rabbi, and anyone who issues rulings in his presence is liable to death [by heavenly decree]. Gloss: And even receiving permission does not help within three parasangs (parsot) if he is his primary rabbi (rav muvhak) (Beit Yosef in the name of Tosafot, the first chapter of Sanhedrin; and Maharik, root 170; and Agudah there; and Semak, end of positive commandments 13 in the name of R.I.; and chapter Af Al Pi). And if he is distanced from his rabbi by 12 mil, and a person asks him a matter of Jewish law (halakha) by chance, he may answer. But to establish himself for instruction and to sit and issue rulings, even if he is at the ends of the earth, it is forbidden to issue rulings until his rabbi dies or until he gives him permission. Gloss: And all of this applies to a primary rabbi. But for a student-colleague (talmid chaver), it is permitted even within three parasangs (Rif and Rambam, as found in the Beit Yosef). And some say that nevertheless, in the actual physical presence of his rabbi, it is forbidden (Rivash, Siman 271). And even when not in his actual presence, if they began to honor the rabbi by saying that they should ask the rabbi, or if the rabbi is exceedingly distinguished in wisdom and old age, one should not issue rulings in his city (Beit Yosef from the Gemara in chapter Hadar). And some say that a complete student (talmid gamur) within 12 mil is liable to death if he issues rulings; outside of 12 mil, he is exempt but it is still forbidden. Gloss: And some say this is specifically if the rabbi is accustomed to coming to the student's city. But if he is not accustomed to coming there except occasionally, it is permitted as long as he is outside of three parasangs (Mordechai in the name of Riba). A student-colleague within 12 mil is exempt but it is forbidden, and outside of 12 mil it is permitted. Even though he received permission from one rabbi, it is not sufficient until he receives permission from all of his primary rabbis. Gloss: And this term "primary" does not mean a standard primary rabbi from whom most of his wisdom is derived, for if so, it would be impossible for him to have many primary rabbis. Rather, it means a complete student, excluding a student-colleague—meaning he grew in Torah and became a colleague to his rabbi, meaning he is close to being as great as his rabbi (Maharik, root 170; and Beit Yosef in the name of Rashbam, chapter Yesh Nochalin). However, there are those who disagree and hold that if he received permission from one rabbi, it is effective to allow him to issue rulings outside of three parasangs (Responsa of the Rashba, Siman 111, and Rivash, Siman 281), but within three parasangs it does not help him. And some say that any rabbi from whom he did not derive most of his wisdom, he is considered a student-colleague regarding him (Beit Yosef in the name of the Rambam).