A special Vaad Ruchniyos has been established in the Sanzer Chassidic community in Eretz Yisrael, in Kiryat Sanz in Netanya. This vaad made make critical decisions pertaining to the use of computers and technological wonders. The members of this vaad were appointed by the Rebbe Shlita and they decided what electronic gadgetry and technological advances will be deemed acceptable.
The regulations will be sent to each and every home, along with a form that every chossid must sign, committing to adhere to the regulations. The forms signed by parents will be returned to the mosdos of the chassidus.
Some excerpts from the new Rules and Regulations:
COMPUTERS
One not requiring a computer for earning a living may not have one in one’s home.
A computer must be locked to prevent children from using it
No computer games
Regarding laptops, no Internet connectivity and this will be done by technicians hired by the vaad to ensure this feature is disabled. The technician will then have to submit a signed form attesting to this.
A computer may not be used by children under any circumstances.
Suggestion: One who requires a computer for work, or to write chidushei Torah should try to leave it elsewhere, other than at home.
Anyone with a computer for reasons other than mentioned, the children will be banned from mosdos chinuch.
No information may be used from the Internet, even towards educating the children. To eliminate the need for seminary students to maintain a computer at home, specified computer access hours will be set in school for those females learning a profession. This computer room will be in the mosdos, not at home.
INTERNET – EMAIL
The use of the Internet and/or email is prohibited, even towards earning a living. Those who absolutely require access must apply to receive a special dispensation in writing from the members of the vaad. The vaad members include HaRav HaGaon Mordechai Barnett, HaRav HaGaon Yitzchak Shimon and HaRav HaGaon Mordechai Levinstein.
Efforts will be made to limit access to email but in cases deemed absolutely necessary, access to approved websites will be granted. This will be done in cooperation with the vaad, principals and directors of mosdos. The latter will be responsible that the computers in the mosdos have only the approved limited access.
MOBILE PHONES
The use of any non-kosher phones, including Blackberry® and iPhone® or phones similar in abilities is prohibited with the exception of those who receive a written ruling from the vaad stating otherwise.
Even those with kosher phones, it goes without saying that their use must not be in public, using the example of one permitted to eat on Yom Kippur, must do so in private. Ditto for the mobile phones – anyone in violation of these rules will lose their “license” to have the phone.
VIDEOS – MOVIES
Gedolei Yisrael have already ruled and viewing movies, even those labeled “chareidi”, “educational” or “censored” is prohibited. Viewing family movies is permitted b’dieved, only “time to time” such as during bein hazmanim and a parent must be present to supervise.
DVDs are prohibited under any and all circumstances.
PLAYERS (MP4)
Gedolei Yisrael have already ruled and they have prohibited MP4 players.
Parents are strongly advised to giving much thought to permitting the use of a MP3 despite the fact that on the surface, they are innocent. Without constant supervision, one cannot imagine what content may be placed on them and to where they may lead. Therefore it is incumbent upon parents to remain vigilant and cautious regarding the use of MP3s for children.
If parents permit it, they are obligated to check units from time-to-time to validate the content. It is also advised to be cautious and permit authorized technicians to check the units from time-to-time.
An MP3 must be disabled that it can no longer serve as a radio as well.
DISK ON KEY
The children may not have such a device. Seminary students who require one for their studies must receive special permission from the school’s principal and director.
NEWSPAPERS
Baruch Hashem in our community there is no need to warn regarding the threat of secular newspapers. There is a need however to warn of the new and growing trend, the spreading of news by various means, radio, telephone lines (cellular and regular), flyers, and other free handouts circulating in the frum community.
In addition to the bitul zman aspect and the waste of money, these items are usually void of worthwhile content and simply not suited for our tzibur, with many introducing foreign hashkofos which are not acceptable to our way of life.
Therefore, each home must set its guidelines as to what may be brought home regarding newspapers, circulars, flyers, pictures and the like. One may not listen to the radio and all appliances capable of serving as a radio must have this component disabled. One must not listen to the news, including the chareidi news delivered by phone.
HOME PHONES
We are all aware that today, these phones may serve as vehicles towards introducing unwanted content into our lives. As such, the vaad has reached agreement with Bezeq to enable us to offer a “clean line”, blocking access to dubious numbers.
Every home must do this for every phone line to prevent the phone serving as a michshol.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
Have got sanzer lineage in history good job it got broken somewhere along the way!
I hope these so called askonim after feeding the rabonim with trash (something which they will have to explanin after 120) get normal on the drech boys at least, but they way it semms to be going not only will you get a few off boys you will get a lot more off boys and probably would have become mental from their oppresive childhood!
I dont expect much response to be anti my comment or pro this new takono as if you are a sanzer chosid or even take this takono very seriously you will be a bit of a hypocrite surfing on ywn.
A dictatorship always seeks to limit the knowledge of its people, to keep them poor, stupid, and subservient.
You forgot to mention that the use of indoor plumbing is forbidden as well as having the accursed electricity in one’s house. In reality, there is a need for parental supervision when computers are involved. We must learn how to live with them in a kosher style rather than ban them completely.
These people will be glad they listened to their Rebbe, what could be wrond from staying away from such garbage
NO LASHON HORA – and remember:
people CHOOSE to be in a chasidus, if they don’t like it no-one is forcing them to be e member.
If you join a club, you obide by the rules. don’t like it, leave it.
There are hundreds of sanzer chasidim who DO want this way of life – everyone’s has the right to choose.
And if you look at real hard stats, you’ll see where problems start…certainly not because youth are not exposed to the internet!!!!
So don’t be so presumptious.
If you can’t understand others, at least LIVE AND LET LIVE.
sad, so very sad.
The full text of the takona can be downloaded directly from the Sanz website…
stop arguing
the rabbi is doing a wonderful think
Vadim,
They Sanz got a website? Talk about “oxymoron.” Is not the website against everything mentioned in the article? The Sanz rabbanim sound like they want their cake and eat it too?
Maybe they should rethink this article or at least take the isuue of no internet out of the clause as they need to practice what they preach or don’t preach at all.
By the way in no way am I being disrespectful just trying to understand what they are saying. Say one thing but do another.
I admire them for having the courage to tackle this out of control problem. Maybe it seems overboard, but better that way than a lot of others who only give this problem lip service.
Baruch Hashem. This is a tremendous step forward, and hopefully not too late. lazerc’s comment above, comparing the internet to plumbing is quite apt – ask anyone who has:
a) had backed up toilet and sewage in their home
b) had a child or other family member become addicted to the internet and/or certain awful content
Many of our takanos like not blowing shofar on Shabbos are not for giburim like you, my friends, rather to protect the weakest among us.
Whom did Amalek attack? The weak stragglers. If we take care of our weakest – yes, even though it may restrict the stronger ones – Amalek cannot attack. Think about it.
If you maintain your own closed phone network, you can maintain your own closed internet, since the internet is actually just an extension of the telephone network (even if voice communication is increasingly handled through internet applications). Being without email will be a problem in the long run, since it appears that “snail mail” is on its way out.
One should also note the article in today’s papers on falling SAT scores, which might be attributable to people losing the ability to get information from printed sources due to overuse of videos, computers and the internet. It isn’t all that foolish (from a secular perspective) to not want children heavily exposed to online materials.
If only we all have such Mesiras Nefesh for Kedusha. We follow the words of our Gedolim. Does anyone think that Rav Eliyashiv, or Rav Kanievsky or many others would have a difficulty following this takona? Absolutely not, this would never even be a question in their homes. This is exactly why they are the Gedolim and we follow their advise. If this sounds extreme to some of us, its because we can’t imagine our lives without these new toys that we got in the last 20 years or so. If only we would know how many families were destroyed because of Internet and how many children lost their innocence because of a cell phone.
Don’t critisize the rabbonim for these takonos. Every single rav today has heard tons of horror stories due to the internet. They hear multiple new ones EVERY SINGLE WEEK!! It would be completely irresponsible for them not to try to stop the destruction.
The problem is people use the internet destructively in private and others are not aware what is going on.
The internet is correctly called “THE SILENT KILLER”. The best way to LIVE is without it!
FORGIVE US MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, PLEASE! For we know not what we do !!!
Rabosai: Hashem created different Haskofos because he created different people to be attracted to different Haskafos!! If this Hashkafa is what attracts you then by all means it is for you. I personally am attracted to a different hashkafa, and that’s fine too !!! Moshiach hasn’t come yet because we don’t YET understand that others are entitled to their Hashfash as much as I am entitled to mine. As long you follow the Hashafah of a Rav or Rebbe, YOU ARE SERVING GOD. Lets put an end to Judging who’s Haskafa is right. ALL HASHKOFOS ARE RIGHT as long as you have a Rav or Rebbe guiding you !!!!! There are Shiving Panim LaTorah because there are Shivim types of Jews, each attracted to one of the Panim of Torah.
Please pass this message along and maybe, Please G-d, we’ll be Zocher to Moshiach TODAY !!!!!