One of the most important aspects in the development of halachah as we know it is the famed "שו"ת" - the "Responsa." Throughout the ages, Jews have been sending in questions to their Rabbis and receiving answers, expanding and formulating the scope of Jewish law.
What if you're a Rabbi and wish to share a thought, but did not yet receive the letter in the mail prompting you to reply - how would you teach the world your ideas?
Well, you can compose your own "questions." R. Yisroel Isserlan was a Rabbi who wrote many teshuvos, collected in the sefer "שו"ת תרומת הדשן". His voluminous work serves as an important source for Ashkenazi law, oft quoted by the Rema in Shulchan Aruch, and indeed, he authored many of his own questions.
Knowing that, the Sha"ch rules that any ideas that could be gleaned from his questions have halachic force. In fact, if the question implicates a stringency over the answer, we follow the chumrah of the question.
ש"ך יו"ד סי' קצ"ו סק"כ
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