Rabbinic authority

Do you have a source to confirm why a rabbi needs to be under a recognized authority (such as OU), as I have seen rabbis outside of such authority cause various issues

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

I am not completely sure what you are asking.

There is no universal or worldwide authority that certifies or endorses rabbis. Every rabbi must be judged on his own merits. If you feel that a certain rabbi is acceptable then that you may follow him. One can begin by determining where the rabbi was ordained, where he received semicha. If he received semicha from reputable yeshivot and rabbis, then there is a good chance that he will be reliable too.

More often than not, rabbis have reputations that “follow them” everywhere. If the rabbi is known as one with a good reputation that is a sign that one can follow him. And, if the reverse is true, one should avoid him. One can also look at the types of things that the rabbi has written (books, articles) or things he has said. The rabbi’s wife and family might also be a good source to determine whether a certain rabbis is reliable or not.

There are some rabbinical organizations that have a membership for rabbis who would like to join the organization. Such organizations will seek out references on a rabbi who is applying for membership to determine if he is fitting. If the organization has a good reputation, then it is likely that the member rabbi has a good reputation as well.

But, ultimately, there is no worldwide, universal, single, certification for rabbis. Yes, rabbis can bring much good and do much harm. We have to attach ourselves to the rabbis who do good, are God fearing and knowledgeable in Torah. Everyone must ultimately make this decision for himself.