In the debut episode of The Shtender, R’ Shlomie Silverman sits down with Rav Micha Cohn, Rav of Bais Medrash Kol Yaakov of Oakley Hills, Rebbe at the Mesivta of Long Beach, Posek for Kof-K Kashrus Supervision, and a close talmid of Rav Dovid Feinstein, zt”l.

Through a fascinating discussion of Rav Cohn’s sefer, Shu"t Imrei Micha, we get an inside look at the way a posek approaches complex shailos, not simply searching for an answer, but understanding the sugya, weighing the different tzadim, and knowing when a shaila is truly a “groise shaila.”

Rav Cohn shares what he learned through years of shimush with Rav Dovid, including why a posek may see the same question differently in different circumstances, and how mesorah, lomdus, practical reality, and sensitivity all come together in psak halacha.

Along the way, the conversation explores some of the remarkable shailos found in Imrei Micha DNA and yichus, cochlear implants under the chuppah, end-of-life decisions, tola’im, modern medical technology, electricity on Shabbos, Siamese twins, mental health, and much more.

The Shtender, powered by Judaica Plaza, brings you inside the world of sefarim with the experts who live and breathe them. Drawing on Judaica Plaza’s renowned sefarim department and deep relationships with leading mechabrim, rabbanim, and talmidei chachamim, The Shtender opens the sefer, meets the mechaber, and brings the Torah behind every page to life.