CA on last week's issue

[Received by email]

Dear Mr. Bear:

Sorry I was out of town and missed your posts on second-guessing the gedolim. But,for what it's worth, here's my take on the issue:

Apologists for the gedolim and daas Torah like to make the analogy of the special expertise claimed by medical specialists. "When you have a medical problem, don't you do what the doctor tells you?" they ask.

Well, not always. For example, my dentist recently suggested that I need about $20,000 worth of dental work. Did I just meekly go along and get a second mortgage? After all, he's the one who went to dental school for 4 years, plus residency and other advanced training, plus all his years of experience. What the hell does a layman like me know, especially considering that I don't even bother to floss my teeth every day? (Surprisingly, my gums are actually in pretty good shape. My problem is I grind my teeth.)

Well, I hate to disappoint, but I'm not following the da'as of the dental gadol, I made an appointment with my wife's dentist for what is charmingly called in the profession a "second opinion." And my dentist had no problem with this.

So what's wrong with second-guessing a rabbi? Just because they're learned means they don't make mistakes?

Yours,

CA.