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Important Message
The existence of this website should not be misunderstood as an endorsement by Rabbi Wolfson of Internet use. To the contrary, Rabbi Wolfson strongly discourages use of the Internet because of the great spiritual dangers that it poses. This site is being made available for those who use the Internet in any case and can benefit from the shiurim we offer. Those who wish can have CDs or MP3s shipped to them by mail.
Regarding Internet use, Rabbi Wolfson asked that we state the following: To protect the purity of one’s neshamah by carefully shielding one’s eyes from viewing the forbidden is a very precious form of service to G-d.
This is the disclaimer on their website.
I am aware of it.
WAT?!?!?!?!?!?!? If you view it as a chas ve’shalom, then its hypocritical to have a website, send a catalogue out instead!
Vogue
Read the disclaimer again. If you are using the internet anyways they want you to use it for Torah so they make the shiurim available online.
Its like giving clean needles to drug addicts.
We are the masters of the work-around – Pruzbul, selling chometz, charging interest to non Jews, so why should servicing a bedieved even when you claim the lechatchila is ossur be any different? A revenue stream is a revenue stream, and donors want to see the “product” go out to as wide an audience as possible.
We are the masters of the work-around – Pruzbul, selling chometz, charging interest to non Jews
How is charging interest to non Jews a loophole (work-around)?
Sorry, I missed half of the last example. In Baba Metzia ayin alef omud alef there’s a discussion of a loophole – lending money to a non jew at interest, having him lend it to to a Jew at interest, essentially creating a third party loan, it is discussed and is acceptable. That’s the work around. Another example is heter iska.
Gotcha. I still don’t know why you’re cynical about their motives, though.
DY, unfortunate experience. I try to be don l’kaf zchus, but I’m troubled by what I have encountered too many times.
As well, it bothers me that this, which is essentially a compromise with what is deemed ossur, is OK because it is ostensibly lshem shomayim, while other compromises by other frum yidden are perceived as not only unacceptable, but challenging to the legitimacy of their frumkeit whatever the rationale is.
I don’t think this is hypocritical. The rav is saying he personally discourages Internet use. However, if one is already in a position where they need to use the Internet, (for parnassah or school, for example) they might as well use it for good by listening to shiurim.
That seems very creative and is also being mekadesh shem shomayim by using a potentially dangerous kli for good. Shkoyach to this group!
Yichusdik, I think you err in assuming that they hold it’s inherently assur.
“The rav is saying he personally
discourages Internet use. However, if one is already in a position where
they need to use the Internet, (for parnassah or school, for example)
they might as well use it for good by listening to shiurim.”
Your logic here is absurd. If someone needs internet for parnassah or school, they should use it for that and no more. Why should they stay on the internet longer to also use it for shiurim? During the time they don’t need it for business or school use they should be no different from the default psak, which is to not use internet even for torah.
Rather, he means for those who are already freely using the internet, despite the psak not to, to have torah available to them as an alternative to non torah. See my moshol above.
“If someone needs internet for parnassah or school, they should use it for that and no more.”
Easier said than done. This is the entire argument of the anti-internet rabbonim- that some access will lead to temptation and addiction.
People that use the internet for parnassah often need to be on it for long periods of time answering emails, writing documents or doing whatever. However, they also have some amount of free time where they can do what they want. This timeframe is what emunas yisrael is marketing to.
I don’t think the Rav would ask those who are directly ignoring the peak not to- wouldn’t he think they’ve already gone too far off to be helped? It makes more sense that the site is aimed at people who have a heter to use it, since that would make the Rav more comfortable that only they are on it, I assume.
Your logic here is absurd. If someone needs internet for parnassah or school, they should use it for that and no more. Why should they stay on the internet longer to also use it for shiurim?
It’s not like a choleh eating shiurim on Yom Kippur. There’s no inherent issur, it’s a sakanah to have it because it may lead to issur. Once you have it, though, you’re a chossid shoteh if you don’t use it for useful shiurim and shmoozin.
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