hashkafah philosophy - Who has the right to come up with chiddushei Torah?

I am not at all learned in Torah, and yet I occasionally come up with what I think is a chiddush of Torah.

Of course, it frequently turns out that someone else has thought of my "chiddush" before me, and in such cases, I am reasonably reassured of being correct.

But what about in the others? Is it possible that some of my "original" chiddushim are right? Moreover, how could one know if they were?

Could any Jewish neshama, in principle, come up with a chiddushah Torah? Or is some minimal skill set required--perhaps the ability to understand language, for a start--or a great deal more?

Answer

See the Pele Yoetz's discussion of this in his entry for "Chiddush".

The basic idea (according to him) is that everyone can and should be mechadesh to the best of their abilities.

וכל אדם אינו חייב אלא כשיעורו רק שיעמול בכל כחו לחדש חידושי תורה

He defines being mechadesh chiddushei Torah as asking and answering in Tanach and Shas, or providing explanations of peshat/remez/drush/sod for Tanach and Shas.

דהיינו להקשות ולתרץ בתנ"ך ובש"ס או לפרש פירושים בפרד"ס על תנ"ך וש"ס

He states that it is very important to write down your chiddushim, as that is the only reason they were given to you.

וכתבו גם כן שעתיד אדם ליתן את הדין על שגילו לו חידושי תורה ולא כתבם שלא גילו לו אלא על מנס שיכתבם ויהנו ממנו ולמטי לה הנאה שיהיו שפתותיו דובבות בקבר

For those who cannot come up with any chiddushim of their own, they can study the chiddushim of others. When you learn something that you did not know before it is considered as if you were mechadesh it yourself.

ולמי שאין ידו משגת לחדש חידושי תורה מדעתו כבר יש תקנה שילמד חידושי תורה את אשר כבר עשוהו ונכתב בספר כל אשר ילמד וידע את אשר לא ידעו חשוב כאילו חדשו

Perhaps the best summary is where he says that whatever you do is fine as long as you have the proper intentions.

ואחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכון לבו לשמים