Eretz Yisroel – Educators (mechanchim) are being called to attend meetings with the principals of mosdos as they establish guidelines regarding how to deal with talmidim whose homes have Internet connectivity.
According to the latest HaMevaser report on the Internet concerns among Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, the organization of the nation’s seminaries are planning a kinos this coming Sunday to address the pressing matter. Principals of Chinuch Atzmai affiliated mosdos are also expected to convene in the near future to address the Internet problem.
Rabbonim have indicated they will not permit talmidim in mosdos if they come from homes with Internet connectivity. The same holds true for children of people who own, operate, or maintain an affiliation with chareidi websites, which have already been ordered shut, resulting in partial compliance.
With all due respect, to date, no mention has been made regarding mosdos accepting funds generated as a direct result of Internet connectivity, a question that is being raised by a growing number of givirim today, frum members of the community who are reliant on the Internet for their livelihood, as is most of the world today, Jewish and otherwise.
Some are also questioning the legitimacy of chareidi MKs appearing on the Knesset and other official websites, containing photos of them and information about their lives; as well as some who even maintain their own websites.
There is also the question of chareidi MKs and deputy ministers, who regularly grant interviews to Internet news agencies, frum and otherwise, as well as the large number of chassidic courts and Litvish institutions in Eretz Yisroel that regularly send media releases and accompanying photos to chareidi Internet news agencies for publication.
PREVIOUS YWN STORIES ON THE CURRENT BAN AGAINST THE INTERNET IN ISRAEL: Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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29 Responses
Nu, next time a meshulach comes over to me, I guess they can’t accept my donations!
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every year the poverty among haredim in e”y is greater than the previous year.
i wonder how this ban will affect that reality….
“mosdos accepting funds generated as a direct result of Internet connectivity” Common reaction: kill the chicken then we will scream that we don’t have any food to eat. Just like the convicted criminal who is up for sentencing for murdering his parents who pleads for mercy as he is an orphan.
Are we going to become like the Amish, spurning most modern technology?
It’s not just those who choose to earn a living through the internet, it’s invalids who cannot physically work or have any choice to go out and earn a living.
How about those who have been rejected by, or cannot afford shadchannim and look for a shidduch on dating websites?
The Al Pi’ Teva reason the Nazis gained enough power was through years of propaganda and lying about all the “evil things” Jews have supposedly
done to control the world.
What about those who go on websites like youtube to tell the truth about these evil lying nazis and jihadists, in some attempt to get the truth out there so that undecided people have another side to hear?
There are many necessary reasons to use the internet like elderly or lonly people who cannot find people to talk to in their area with very few frum (or possibly any at all) Jews.
How about those who cannot get time or cannot afford to go to yeshivah so they learn online from the wealth of Torah online.
How about those who have questions and go on Askmoses.com to ask a rabbi when they cannot find answers in their communities?
These may be parents in some of these situations, parents of yeshivah bachurim who would then be banned because their parents needs to be on the internet for one of these reasons or a reason I have not mentioned but still, a legitimate reason.
Even if they do not have any bochurim in yeshivah, they still might be shunned by others who think they are doing averas even if they aren’t.
Let parents and Yeshivas teach Yiras Shomayim [‘awareness of Hashem’ as Rav Miller zt”l used to translate it], then people would know what is ok and what is not – and act accordingly.
Banning things is NOT the answer…
We should ban all food, because some are not kosher, we should ban all books/seforim because some have bad hashkofos, we should ban….
TheReader – couldn’t agree more…
It seems that the HaMevaser (daily newspaper) as a case of internet-phobia. Can that be due to the Internets affects on its bottom line?
A few days ago I sent out the following cynical message. However, in light of this, what I wrote may soon take place! Yitzchok Levine
_____________________________________________
Exclusive from the Torah True Times
An anonymous source (What else?) is reporting that the ban on use of the Internet may soon be widened. “The ban needs some real teeth in it, and this will provide this!” he said.
The proposal is to ban acceptance of any funds from any organization that has a web site. This means that aniyim will no longer be allowed to accept funds from such organizations as Ezras Torah (http://www.ezrastorah.org/ ) and Reb Meyer Baal Haness (http://chibasjerusalem.com/). Of course, one should not donate to any organization that has a web site or even an Internet connection in its office.
This source continued and said, “They are also considering banning attendance at any yeshiva that has Internet access.” The Torah True Times reporter, who was speaking to this source over the phone, was shocked to hear this. He replied, “But virtually every yeshiva in America has Internet access. Without it a mosad cannot apply for government funds. This would mean that virtually every yeshiva in America would close!”
Without missing a beat, the anonymous source replied, “Since when does money have any influence over Torah principles? The Olam must be willing to sacrifice for Torah, and if this means no more learning, then so be it!”
Please watch for updates as they become available.
Who are you, #1-6, to challenge Gedolei Yisrael Shlita? Do you think you know better than them? Chutzpah at its extreme!
The reader in my opinion doesnt know the dangers with such dangers only a blanket ban can help
Chopnik – Who are you to say that WE aren’t Gedolim as well? YOUR chutzpah is extreme.
p.s. allow me to remind you that you have yet to appointed as appointee of gedolim-appointer.
Who are these “Gedolei Yisrael Shlita”?
#8 – Chopnik
Interesting, that this only applies to EY? No word from Gedolim in other countries…
There are nisyonos in every day life. We are expected to pass them [with a bit more Yiras Shomayim]. Were all nisyonos of past generations taken care of by bans?
And before labeling people with ‘chutzpa’ try to find out why only a few Rabbonim are banning this.
#8 – Then why are you on the internet? Shouldn’t you be listening to these Gedolim?
Anyway, in my opinion, this ban will only backfire. If they don’t allow students into Yeshivos, high schools, or seminaries because their parents have internet, one of two things (or more) can happen. A) The students will resent their parents and view them as “not frum enough” and see their parents as the cause of their problems. B) The students could chas v’shalom rebel against frumkeit altogether.
Yes we have to be careful of what’s on the internet. But don’t we have to be careful in all other areas as well? When a bus passes by with a provacative picture on it, should we ban all transportation? Go to the mall – look at all the disgusting posters plastered all over. Don’t go shopping. Etc etc.
Bottom line – we have to be strong in our convictions. We have to know right from wrong.
There are plenty of wonderful frum websites. It would be a shame to lose them.
According to their (il)logic, they also MUST stop accepting money from the state, since they government also has several websites.
I find it rqaather strange that a group he continually condemns the state cries louodest when they do not get what they feel the are entitled to.
What is a “Mosdos”?
It is spiritual laziness to ban something that is not usser, just because it poses certain difficulties. Life is fraught with difficulties sent from Hashem to improve us. That is the essence of our life here. Meet the challenge and the reward in olam haba will be tremendous. Perhaps there are individuals who need to meet the internet nisayon by completely avoiding it. Something like an alcoholic avoids drinking at all. However, that should be determined on an individual basis and certainly with help from one’s rav. I cannot see what is possibly gained from running from the world as if we were mice being chased by cats. We are supposed to fear nothing but Hashem — giving anything else that type of power over ourselves is close to avodah zorah. Banning a tool through which yidden save time and money, learn torah, connect with family and perhaps even earn a parnassa, because we are scared of saying no to our yetzer hara from time to time is foolishness.
This will never work.
Families with internet are no longer a small minority that can be bullied into conforming.
They will stick to their own convictions as a group and the institutions will self destruct or be forced to go back on their efforts to control.
Indeed, if they want to ban the internet, do it all the way. As akuperma said, ban having a bank account, ban using a phone, ban using electricity. Ban money raised through the internet.If you want to be a kanoi, do it right!
Chopnik, you are a hypocrite! You are on the internet for crying out loud!!
I just received a letter from my daughters school asking me to fill out information for a gov’t grant for their internet connections amongst other technological equipment that they use and this is a prominent mosad. There is no way this can happen here in the states. Is there anyone who can mention who the “Rabonim” are that are behind this? Or is this some person manipulating them? The reason why so many people are going “off” is because things like this are being stuffed down childrens throats! Why not ban all telephones not just cells, people can do terrible things on any type of phone.
That doesn’t mean that internet dangers shouldn’t be mentioned in schools! But in this day and age its impossible to ban internet in homes, I know I wouldn’t have a job if I didn’t have it.
#9 -MirBocher
Why are you on this website and on the internet????
To #8 & #9 – We are always told, maasei avos siman l’bunim. I’d like to know why the Gedolim are not following the actions of Yakov Avinu. In parshas Vayechi our patriarch gave an extra blessing to Yosef’s children, and the Chochomim say its because they were brought up in a spiritually detrimental environment and needed the extra chizuk to stay on the correct path.
It seems to me, b’siyata d’ishmaya,that children with internet in the home need a yeshiva education even more than children that don’t have it, in order to help them combat what they could be exposed to. Instead, our Rabbis are advocating we throw them out. I think Yakov Avinu knew better than our Rabbis today.
The Talmudic Rabbis specifically say (I believe its in Horayot, but I’d have to check)do not place laws on the people they cannot follow. The people will ignore the law and its embarrasing to the Torah. Obviously we have always been a people that question our Rabbis when we don’t understand where they are coming from. We were never mindless, obeying robots or the Talmudic Rabbis wouldn’t have put in the warning. Our Rabbis are not the Pope, and we don’t believe in infallibility except when it comes to G’d.
I wonder why it’s always ‘Hamevaser’…
The article said that gedolei yisroel said so, so we MUST listen to them. That really should be the end of the debate. Or, does someone here doubt that we MUST listen to the gedolim?
#13, #21, and to anyone else out there who is doubting the thought process of the gedolim: gedolei yisrael need not to answer your questions about following yakov avinu, etc. They have daas torah and that alone should settle things, not our own arguments from “logic”.
Mr Chopnik please clarify why EXACTLY you are on the internet when the Gedolim, who you say we MUST listen to, have said not to. Indeed what are you doing on YWN?
Why can’t everyone ask their own rov and pasken accordingly. Their rov understands their matzav and their community. This blanket ban business is a joke which nobody takes seriously. Only people who have no clue what the internet is anyway could seriously accept this.
The article said that gedolei yisroel said so, so we MUST listen to them. That really should be the end of the debate. Or, does someone here doubt that we MUST listen to the gedolim?
No… but there may be some who doubt any of the following assumptions that are implicit in your statement and not necessarily proven:
— that the reporter of the article got all his/her facts correct
— that the gedolim actually said this
— that the gedolim were given accurate information regarding both the positive and negative uses of the internet and not simply “scared” into the ban
— that we always hold by the gedolim in every instance (including this one — especially considering the gedolim aren’t identified)
The Wolf
Chopnik – Where in the Torah does it say we are not allowed to question the gedolim? I’ve read in the Torah we have to follow them whether they say left is right or right is left, but no where does it say we can’t ask them why they say left or right.
Also, do you remember the procedure for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur? He was watched by other cohanim to ensure he performed the service correctly. If he didn’t, he was removed and another cohen took over. It happened a couple of times. You mean to tell me our Gedolim are on a higher level than the Kohen Gadol was and so can’t even be questioned?
Milk the cow, Churn ther butter, Shear the lamb, Sow your own seed, Send mail by horse and carriage, burn wood….
The Wolf,
In response to your first two points, well it was reported here on Yeshiva World News, so I believe it. About 3., you can say that about any of their decisions in non-halachik matters. Is that what you think? 4. So we just pick and choose?
All for the Boss,
If their decision here is questionable, are all decisions by gedolim questionable and open to debate? Don’t we believe that the gedolim thought about it all? Are we asking for the reasons so that we know how to apply their rulings in other scenarios or because you think we can change their minds?
I can’t stop laughing.
If R’ Chopnik is for real why is he still on here?
Get off the internet as the gedolim say