Dan asks:
What are the two ways one can become a guardian for children (apotropis)?
I think that it would either be if the apotropos was appointed by the father of the kids or by beis din, or if the orphans board with the householder, he becomes their guardian.
Dan, New York, NY, USA
The Kollel replies:
Yes, this is correct. In addition, I think that we can learn from the first line of Rashi on this page that the householder only becomes the Apotropos if the father or the Beis Din did not appoint anyone, which suggests that the best way would be for the father to appoint an Apotropos before he dies, and, failing that, the Beis Din has the Mitzvah to appoint someone.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom