In 1971, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly faced a critical institutional crisis, revealing the tensions between its ambitious 1948 mandate and operational reality. While successfully arbitrating specific religious matters like Sabbath observance and kashrut regulations, the Committee had fallen short of its core mission: fundamentally reevaluating halakhic interpretation for modern Jewish life. Through analysis of Committee proceedings and institutional documents, this research traces the organization's evolution from its pre-1948 configuration—characterized by a small group of traditionalist scholars—to its expanded scope under Rabbi Morris Adler's comprehensive six-point program. Comparative analysis of pre- and post-1948 Committee structures reveals that effective membership requires four essential qualifications: deep knowledge of Jewish law, diverse perspectives and experiences, practical wisdom (sekhel), and decisive engagement with complex issues. Despite procedural challenges including oversized membership, poor attendance, and paralysis from unanimity requirements, the Committee's foundational structure and 1948 programmatic vision remain viable. Rather than wholesale reorganization, targeted administrative reforms could restore the Committee's capacity to fulfill its original mandate of dynamic halakhic leadership.