Answer:   No. For many generations, there hasn't been any ''authentic'' semikhah, though rabbinic tradition has continued from teacher to student. Authentic semikhah was suspended with the disbanding of the Sanhedrin by the Roman Empire, may HaShem blot out its memory. Authentic semikhah can only be granted in the Land of Israel and only by a panel of three rabbis at least one of whom himself has authentic semikhah. This was only made possible recently. See the articles on the History of the Sanhedrin and the article "The Great Sanhedrin - What It Is and Why It is Important" for further details.

Answer:   The process on how to reestablish authentic semikhah is explained in detail by the Rambam in his seminal work, Mishneh Torah (See also the next question). In fact two other times in history, there was an attempt to reestablish authentic semikhah, but they failed (see History for further details).

Answer:   The only source on how to renew semikhah and Sanhedrin are in Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah and his seminal work, Mishneh Torah (Book of Judges, hilkhoth Mamrim). There he writes that if "kol" ("all") the Hakhamim (sages) in Israel choose to ordain one sage, he is officially ordained, or "samukh." This newly ordained rabbi can now proceed to ordain a court of 70 other sages, with him at its head.

   "All" in Hebrew is synonymous with "most." This is how the book of Yehoshu`a (Joshua) records that "all" the Canaanites were wiped out by the Israelites and then proceeds to tell about the few Canaanites who remained. Insistance on the term "all" meaning 100% is a weapon of Christian missionaries. Citing the Torah verses that failure to obey 100% of G-d's commandments ("kol mitswothai") is an annulment of the Covenant, they claim that the Mosaic Covenant was only given to prove it could not be kept, and therefore is obsolete, G-d forbid.

   For two decades, rabbis such as HaRav HaGaon Dov Levanoni shlit"a, Rav Dov Stein, and Rav Tzvi `Idan (a former judge on the beith din of the great Kabbalist HaRav Kaduri) labored to influence the leading rabbis in Israel to form a Sanhedrin, but to no avail. Very few people can truly understand and appreciate the delicate political climate leading rabbis find themselves in, and the volatile nature of their positions of leadership in their respective communities. Reinstating the Sanhedrin is beyond what could be expected of them. There was no choice but to proceed with a grassroots approach.

   A Committee was formed for this massive undertaking. The first step taken was to directly inform every single Orthodox Jewish community in Israel of the imperative to renew semikhah and the Sanhedrin, and to notify them of an election for a first samukh that would take place. 50,000 copies of this notice were distributed across 10,000 Torah centers across Israel - synagogues, kollels, community centers, yeshivot, etc.

   It must be noted that not every rabbi with a certificate of "semikhah" from an Orthodox institution is a "Hakham" or "sage," and not every worthy Torah scholar in Israel has a certificate of "semikhah." The committee chose 700 rabbis they felt represented the majority of the truly outstanding Torah leaders and scholars in Israel, including all official Dayanim (judges) of the Israel rabbinate. To this panel, a ballot was sent for the rabbis to approve or disapprove of a candidate for the first "samukh." Beyond that, the universally recognized "gedolei HaDor" (great rabbis of the generation) were all sent Rav Tzvi `Idan's book, Asoth Mishpa`t, providing every legal source on the imperative to renew the Sanhedrin and how it can be done in this generation.

   From the votes that were collected by the Sanhedrin founding committee, one Gedol, whose name sadly cannot be officially publicized, received a clear majority of votes. The same sage received the blessing of HaRav Shalom Elyashiv and HaRav `Ovadiah Yosef (the most widely recognized heads of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewry) as truly fitting to be the first samukh, the first ordained sage through whom official semikhah would be renewed. A delegation of four rabbis presented the sage with a list of signatures of the voting rabbis and the blessing of the two Torah giants, and he accepted the ordination. To date, after articles publicizing the new Sanhedrin on Arutz Sheva` (Hebrew and English), in The Jerusalem Post, and in the largest Haredi-Orthodox newspaper in Israel, HaModia, not a single rabbi has publicly objected to or denied the return of genuine semikhah to Israel.

   At the request of HaRav Dov Levanoni, the rabbi then ordained Rav Levanoni according to Halakhah, in the presence of those at hand. In turn, Rav Levanoni, who at age 83 is too old to head the Sanhedrin, ordained HaRav Tzvi `Idan through whom the court of 71 was established in Tiberia on 28 Tishrei, 5765 (Oct. 13, 2004).

   Despite the gargantuan efforts and tacit acceptance the Sanhedrin has received, many are still unsatisfied with the lack of rabbinical consensus endorsing the Sanhedrin. In truth, whoever understands the stark reality of life in the modern State of Israel can appreciate that what has been achieved is no les than a miracle. The rise of the Sanhedrin is a slow process in time. We have full faith, given the difficult current events in Israel today, that the Sanhedrin will in due time achieve the support and assume the power it deserves in the government G-d wants for His People.

Answer:   No, this is not forcing the Hand of Heaven, as the Torah clearly delineates that we are supposed to appoint a Great Court of Elders (The Beth Din HaGadol also known as the Sanhedrin). All commentators (Rambam, Ramban, Sefer HaHinukh, et. al.) teach that it is a positive Torah comandment that is incumbent upon the Jewish Nation at all times. However, as the Rambam mentions, the difficulty lies in getting all of the sages of the generation to agree. As far as waiting for the MashiaH, it states clearly in the sources that Eliyahu HaNavi will come to the Sanhedrin to reveal the identity of the MashiaH. Clearly, from these sources the Sanhedrin must be reestablished before that could happen.

Answer:   In truth, the question needs to be directed to them. All the current members of the Sanhedrin have taken their position on the condition that they would vacate their seat if a more appropriate candidate joined. While both Rabbis Yosef and Elyashiv have approved of and given their blessing to the renewal of semikhah, along with many other great posqim (rabbinical authorities), to our regret they haen't taken their rightful place on the Sanhedrin. We encourage their supporters to ask them, and encourage them to join in fulfilling the Torah commandment of establishing the great court.

Answer:   Not at all. In fact there is precedent throughout our history. Long before the First Beth HaMiqdash was built, there was a Beth Din HaGadol. After the exiles returned from Bavel, Ezra, Daniel, and the last prophets sat on the Beth Din HaGadol (Sanhedrin) while the Second Beth Miqdash was being built. In fact, you need a Sanhedrin to establish the next Beth HaMiqdash.

   A tradition is recorded in the Talmud (Tractate Megilla 17b, Rashi) that the Sanhedrin will be restored after a partial ingathering of the Jewish exiles, but before Jerusalem is completely rebuilt and restored. Another Talmudic tradition (Eruvin 43b; Mahrats Hayath ad loc; Rashash to Sanhedrin 13b) states that Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) will present himself before the duly ordained Sanhedrin when he announces the coming of the MashiaH (Messiah). This indicates that despite common misconceptions, a Sanhedrin is a pre, not post-messianic institution.

Answer:   The crux of knowing 70 languages is that the Rabbis of the Sanhedrin should be able to hear testimony without an interpreter. (70, aside from some of its more esoteric meaning, is related to the 70 nations (or national families) of the world. While no one sitting on the Sanhedrin today actually knows 70 languages, most of the world's languages are covered, including Hebrew, Arabic, English, Russian, Spanish, French, Yiddush and probably more. There is even one Rabbi who speaks Cantonese. The members of the Sanhedrin are experts in Written and Oral Torah, as well as 'outside' secular knowledge. A number of the members are also heads of yeshivot and posqim (rabbinical authorities) in their own right.

Answer:   The Sanhedrin membership includes well-known Torah scholars, posqim (Torah legal authorities) of the highest echelon. However, it includes many others whose achievements in Torah are no less, yet they remain relatively unknown. There are also a number of Sanhedrin rabbis who only meet the minimal requirements of a Sanhedrin judge.

   From the greatest to the smallest, the reputations of all the ordained sages are at risk, due to widespread ignorance of the importance of the Sanhedrin and the basic Torah commandment it fulfills - much less the laws of how it must be reinstituted according to halakhah (Jewish Law), the basic requirements of a Sanhedrin judge, and the facts as to how this Sanhedrin was legitimately renewed according to halakhah.

   What is least known about the new Sanhedrin is the humility and self-sacrifice of its members, who give of their time and risk their reputations for no salary whatsoever, in complete anonymity. They assumed their seats entirely "le-shem shamayim" (for the sake of Heaven), in order that the Great Court could be formed. Each member, from the Nassi (President) himself to the rabbi in seat number 71, is waiting for the opportunity to give up his position as progressively greater and wiser rabbis join over time.

   Because the sensitivity of the Court's reputation in its infancy, and the fact that some of the rabbis may be vacating their seats shortly, a decision was taken not to publish a full list of the Sanhedrin rabbis. However a partial list of a few rabbis was given to Arutz Sheva:

   Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz - Nassi elect of the Sanhedrin - Regarded as one of the world's leading scholars and rabbis. He holds a degree in mathematics from the Hebrew University, in addition to his extensive Torah study. At the age of 23, he became Israel's youngest high school principal and went on to found the Israel Institute for Talmudic Publications. He has published 58 books to date on the Talmud, Jewish mysticism, religious thought, sociology, historical biography, and philosophy. These books have been translated into Russian, English, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Japanese, and Dutch. His commentary on Pirkei Avot, "Ethics of the Fathers," was translated into Chinese and published in 1996. Rabbi Steinsaltz is best known for his interpretation and basic commentary of the Babylonian Talmud, a 30-volume task he began some 25 years ago.

   In Israel, Rabbi Steinsaltz is the Dean of the "Mekor Chaim" network of schools, which encompasses kindergarten through high school. In 1988, Rabbi Steinsaltz received the Israel Prize, the country's highest cultural honor. Rabbi Steinsaltz is also very involved in the future of the Jews in the former Soviet Union, having set up various educational institution for Jews still living there. He still travels there once a month.

   Newsweek Magazine said of the Nassi-elect: "Jewish lore is filled with tales of formidable rabbis. Probably none living today can compare in genius and influence to Adin Steinsaltz, whose extraordinary gifts as scholar, teacher, scientist, writer, mystic and social critic have attracted disciples from all factions of Israeli society."

   Rabbi Nachman Kahane - Rabbi of the Young Israel of Jerusalem's Old City and head of the Institute for Talmudic Commentaries, which is involved in the study of the Temple rituals and ceremonies, as well as cataloging of all known kohanim (priests) in Israel. He is the brother of murdered JDL leader and ex-Knesset Member Rabbi Meir Kahane hy"d.

   Rabbi Yisrael Ariel - a former Yeshiva head and founder of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, which has produced many of the vessels to be used in the Third Temple. He was one of the paratroopers who took part in the 1967 liberation of the Temple Mount.

   Rabbi Yoel Shwartz - Founder and rabbi of the "Nachal Hareidi" IDF unit specifically designed to enable the hareidi-religious public to join the IDF. He is a teacher at Yeshivat Dvar Yerushalayim and author of approximately 200 books on Jewish law and theology, including influential guides for gentiles seeking to serve G-d and observe the Seven Laws of Noah.

   Rabbi Dov Stein - A pioneer in the Sanhedrin's renewal for the last 20 years, he has been secretary of the Sanhedrin since its inception, dealing with logistical aspects as well as interacting with recognized Torah scholars and inviting rabbis to join the body. He manages the www.beith-din.com web site.

   Rabbi Yehuda Edri - A prime initiator of the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin, an accomplished author and leader of the Movement for the Rebuilding of the Temple.

   Rabbi Dov Levanoni - An elder Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi and expert on the Holy Temple.

Answer:   Certainly not. While it is true that the Sanhedrin is meant to be both the secular and religious authority for the Nation of Israel, it should be remembered that the Sanhedrin was in existence when the Roman Empire, may their memory be lotted out, ruled in the Land of Israel. The goal of establishing the Sanhedrin is to unify the Nation of Israel, not further divide it, and all the members are sitting with that goal in mind.