The introduction of the new smichha in the 14th century meant that for Ashkenazi communities, rabbinical candidates could no longer be self-styled scholars, or of questionable integrity. How was a layman supposed to decide who was and wasn't a qualified rabbi? Now, no one could present himself to a community without documentation. This system was in place for some 350 years. Around 1700, a new institution arose in Eastern Europe; the Yeshiva. There had been Yeshivot before, but they were generally students gathered around a particular rabbi. Now, great academies were set up, with several scholars, albeit with one as the Rosh Yeshiva (dean). Students were expected to spend every waking hour in study of Talmud and halachah. As this was just after the Shabbetai Tzvi debacle (see my series on Kabbalah), care was taken to keep the new Yeshivot strictly academic, so as not to arouse emotions that might lead to more heresies. There would soon be a backlash, in the form of Hassidism, which is based primarily on emotion and spirituality, which generally disparaged the Yeshivas system. That, however, is a story for another day. After a student had studied for years, and had a formidable knowledge of Torah sources, and had shown himself worthy in other ways, he would be granted smichah from the Yeshiva. However, that smichah would NOT entitle him to accept a communal position. He would first apprentice under a recognized and qualified rabbinic figure. He would participate in marriages, divorces, adjudication of disputes, ruling on menstrual questions, kashrut questions, and more. After a period of a few years, the mentoring rabbi would give him his personal smichah. He could now present himself to a community. These mentoring rabbis usually had communal positions, but also had their own Yeshiva as well. The brightest and best often became teachers in these Yeshivot, completely dedicated to in depth study. Soon, the shift of European Jewry shifted from following their own rabbi, to looking for guidance from these Rashei Yeshiva (heads, deans of a Yeshiva). We now had two kinds of rabbis; the lesser scholars out "in the field", and the all star rabbis who had plunged into the depths of Torah in a way that one who was involved in day to day communal life could never hope to.These latter became the "Gedolim". the "great ones". Although this makes a lot of sense, it also means the rabbis of great influence were not involved with, or even aware of, the needs of communities. This situation is still the norm in "yeshivish" communities.. When a rabbi presents himself to a community for consideration, a question he is always asked is "who will be answering the questions we ask you?" The "A list" rabbis are not the one's in the communities., They are the Rashei Yeshiva; the "Gedolim". Many congregational rabbis are far too busy to have in depth study sessions. So, we see, even in the "Yeshiva World", rabbis are not created equal. The communal rabbis are almost always beholding to a "Gadol" to make the tough decisions. In a sense, they are merely his representatives. Independent thought is discouraged. But storm clouds were on the horizon. Hassidism from the East, and Reform from the West, would challenge, and ultimately break away from the new system. New definitions of the word "rabbi" were to arise. That will be the next part of our story.