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WinnieThePoohParticipant
The girls in my neighborhood jump rope all the time. My little girl is trying really hard to learn…but so far she has mastered jumping near a rope about a minute after it swings by.
WinnieThePoohParticipantLB, that was the way it worked for generations- or if the father could not, he hired a melamed (teacher) for his children. Organized yeshivos for children is a relatively “new” thing- I would guess a couple of hundred years or so. Today it is done in families that live in places without decent yeshivos- for example, in a kiruv community where the rest of the kids are not at the level of the children of the rabbanim/kiruv workers in the community, the father might supplement the boys’ kodesh education until they are old enough to go away from home.
The only “dilpoma” given out by a yeshiva is semicha, and that requires a specific course of advanced study focused on Halacha and its applications. Bachelor degrees can also be given for Talmudic studies (BTL), but nothing official at the lower levels.WinnieThePoohParticipantDon’t forget about the prevalence of “antibacterials” in soaps and cleansers. Really bad idea.
In addition to mutation of the drug target gene itself, or developing mechanisms to inactivate the drug, block it from binding its target, prevent its uptake or increase its efflux, resistance can be transferred from one strain to another by gene transfer- is that what you are referring to Health when you said that bacteria “talk” to each other?
WinnieThePoohParticipantThanks DaasYochid and Joseph. I actually did eventually figure out that the yiras shamayim phrase was meant to be connected to the first part of the response, and not the last part that I quoted, after I posted my question. Amazing the power of a comma or a dash!
WinnieThePoohParticipantDaaasYochid- I don’t understand what you wrote: “because yiras shomayim in our generation is lacking, meikar hadin, the owner is trusted (if he is a shomer Torah umitzvos).”
Wouldn’t a lack of yiras shamayim mean that owner should not be trusted?WinnieThePoohParticipantThe supermarket I go to even has plastic spoons they give out so you can eat your yogurt/pudding/ice cream cup. So I guess some store-owners don’t mind giving an advance to their customers on the food they will purchase.
Shopping carts of the future will actually check out the food as it is inserted into the cart (these are actually being tested in some stores already), this should take care of any issue someone might have. I wonder though, if you take out the package to eat something, and then put it back in the cart, if it scans it a second time.WinnieThePoohParticipantObviously you have to move to accommodate the new pet (you can’t disappoint your child by breaking your promise, and you don’t want to get into shalom bayis issues with your spouse) to a house with large lawn (they like to eat fresh grass) and pool (they are semi-aquatic animals). Maybe CTLawyer will let you guys move in- his place sounds ideal. The money he saves on hiring someone to mow his lawn will be in lieu of rent.
WinnieThePoohParticipantSelf-certifying? Wouldn’t that be a huge conflict of interest?
Basically they are saying they have no hashgacha, trust them. Which is fine if you were eating in their home, but not in a commercial establishment where they have a profit motive.WinnieThePoohParticipantIt’s in the owner’s best interest to let people snack on their purchases while they shop. After all, a snacking kid is a happy kid and so Mommy can continue with her shopping and load up her cart, including the snack item she may otherwise not have bought, A kvetchy hungry kid means Mommy rushes through shopping, does not buy as much, a loss for the store. And coming back without the kvetchy kid is also not as good for the owner, since shopping with kids promotes impulse buying.
Also, many stores sell snack items like cold drinks and ice cream, ices that are meant to be eaten right away.
Although I understand why the cashier finds it unpleasant.WinnieThePoohParticipantMeno, I’m with you. And I imagine a lot of others too, or the stores would not bother putting things on sale.
Back to tuna:
When eating fish, one has to weigh the health benefits versus the risk of mercury contamination. There are fish with low mercury levels that give all the health benefits- for example salmon. Tuna is not the only fish in the sea.
While pregnant women may be a minority here on YW, there are probably many women of child-bearing age (it takes a long time for the body to get rid of mercury, so it’s not only relevant to pregnancy itself), men who are married or will be married to such women, and people who have kids/grandkids that they are preparing food for, so I think this warning is very appropriate.
Here’s some info I found on Google:
“These recommendations are based on EPA guidance and estimates of mercury in the most popular canned tunas:
Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6–12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat it up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).
Canned light — the safer choice (0.12 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to three 3-ounce portions per month. Older children and adults can safely eat it once a week. But look out for “gourmet” or “tonno” labels. They are made with bigger yellowfin tuna and can contain mercury levels comparable to canned white.”
Note that the tuna most often used in Sushi has the highest mercury levels:
“*An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of light tuna contains 18.11 micrograms of mercury.
*An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of albacore tuna contains 49.53 micrograms of mercury.
*An average 5-ounce serving of tuna steak or tuna sushi could contain up to 97.49 micrograms.”WinnieThePoohParticipantJust a note on tuna, since it came up, and another reason why people would avoid fresh tuna other than the price. Tuna is high on mercury, fresh tuna is apparently higher than canned, and white albacore, higher than light tuna. Too much tuna poses a health-risk, especially for children and pregnant women. There are official recommendations about how much of each kind one can safely eat, and these recommendations have recently gotten stricter. Sorry, don’t remember the details, but a google search can give you the info if you want it.
WinnieThePoohParticipantI don’t think frum Jews came to America in order to be able to be frum- in fact it was the opposite, until about mid twentieth-century, the likelihood of staying frum in America was much smaller than becoming not-frum. In Europe, one could be frum if one chose, the issues were poverty, persecution, induction to the army, wars and destruction, and of course, genocide, which is what drove people to come to America despite the spiritual risks.
Russian Jews, although they could not practice their religion in the former USSR, by the time they were freed, most knew so little about their religion that it was unfortunately no longer a factor. There were some individuals (refuseniks) who did try to be frum in the USSR and learn about Judaism, were persecuted for it, and wished to leave. I think most of those went to E”Y though, not America.
Perhaps the only population that does fit that description are Iranian Jews after the fall of the Shah. Although, again, many were very weak in their Judaism by that point.
I’m not sure I like the reference to Pilgrims though- first of all, they are a Protestant Christian sect, you can’t be Jewish and a Pilgrim. Second, while they left England so that they could practice their own religion, which did not follow the Church of England, they were not tolerant of other religions once they established their own settlement in the colonies. So it would be ironic to equate Pilgrims with freedom of religion.June 16, 2017 5:12 am at 5:12 am in reply to: What did the mraglim do wrong? (non political) #1298008WinnieThePoohParticipantI haven’t seen this in any meforshim, these are my own thoughts.
As far as I know, Eretz Yisroel is the only inanimate “object” on which it is assur to speak Lashon Hara. And that may be related to what Jakob was saying. Eretz Yisroel was created for Bnei Yisroel to keep the Torah, it is perfect for their needs for that purpose. To malign E”Y is therefore to reject that principle, which is harmful to the relationship of YIsroel-Torah-Hashem and shows tremendous ingratitude to Hashem. So I think that is why it is assur to speak L”H about E”Y, specifically.June 13, 2017 8:11 am at 8:11 am in reply to: Rumor about Ivanka Trump Spurs conversation about Geirus #1294773WinnieThePoohParticipant“The source of this rumor is stormfront dot org May 5, 2016. It is based on Zelnick being a Jewish name which IMHO does not even qualify it as a rumor because Zelnick is not a uniquely Jewish name.”
Ok, so Ivana is Jewish because maybe her father has a Jewish name? By that logic, her mother is also Jewish because after she got married she also had a last name that might be Jewish? You would think the rumor mongers would do better than this. Unless Marie Francova is Jewish, as TrueBT states, then the whole theory is debunked.
A quick web search reveals that her two brothers did not marry Jewish women- Vanessa Hayden, Donald Jr’s wife is not Jewish, although her father was (family was originally called Hochberg). And the rumors about Lara Yunaska, Eric’s wife, being Jewish seem just as tenuous- they are based on the fact that Jared officiated at their wedding, which made the press jump to the conclusion that it was Jewish wedding and that she is Jewish, which she denies.
Besides, would a beis din go thru the farce of pretending to do a geirus (and a controversial one, at that) and risk its reputation and make a mockery of all geirus as a result? Supposedly just because Ivana doesn’t want anyone to know she is Jewish?WinnieThePoohParticipantJakob, if he gets his full night’s sleep before he is on child-care duty, then great. That’s a huge difference from what you said before that he sleeps during nap time.
If the father is willing and able and and can give the kids what they need, then why not?June 8, 2017 12:46 pm at 12:46 pm in reply to: NYC vs Jerusalem for Shidduchim (Yeshivish/Ashkenazim) #1292085WinnieThePoohParticipantIf you want to live in America and date an American, the best place to start is in America, in a place with a large number of frum Jews of your type, but also one where you have connections and people know you. For some, if they tried that for several years and were not successful, then changing locations and dating fresh in a new place can be a good idea.
In Jerusalem, you will find shidduchim with Israelis, or Anglos who want to stay and live in Israel, or BTs who are in or have completed learning programs. If that fits what you want, then Jerusalem would be a good place to look. A worker/learner type would probably find it more difficult in Israel, though, where the norm for chareidim is to be learning long term.WinnieThePoohParticipantTo add to Bmyers comment a ways up, the supporter of Torah (“zevulun”) in some ways is valued more than the learner (“Yissachar”) since the latter is devoted to Torah but gets the pleasure from learning Torah, so it is “easier” for him to do so, while the latter is devoted to Torah without getting that personal pleasure of learning, so his job is harder and therefore his reward is even greater (based on the Chasam Sofer).
June 8, 2017 8:44 am at 8:44 am in reply to: Do women avoid seeking necessary medical care out of modesty? #1291811WinnieThePoohParticipant2-cents, I don’t know if the authors did give a reason behind their findings- they just presented the data showing extent of testing/screening done in different neighborhoods, and urged that things be done to correct the sub-optimal use of important screenings in certain neighborhoods. The possible reasons that I wrote in my post were my speculations, based on the topic of this thread.
June 8, 2017 7:17 am at 7:17 am in reply to: How come all frum Jews today aren’t Chassidic? #1291809WinnieThePoohParticipantLB, you described your issues with 2 examples- being able to set limits with how much you give of yourself to people, and how much emphasis you should be placing on shidduchim as a priority. Neither of these examples have anything to do with chasidish vs litvish hashkafa. Nor did the Rebetzin’s answers. A Litvish mentor would have told you the same things.
What I think you are saying is that you might have certain insecurities, emotional handicaps, and that you find the emotional/spiritual approach of chabad can help you fill in what you are lacking. This is true for many people, which I think might explain the popularity in our generation of Breslov and Carlebach, and music in general, and the need for even LItvish people to get close to a Rav in a Rebbe-type of relationship.
Keep in mind (and maybe this does not apply to you and I am reading too much into your comments) that a Torah-true life, when done properly, should elevate a person and as a side-effect, make him feel emotionally complete, but taking on mitzvos and adapting a particular hashkafa is not meant to be done as therapy. Doing Mitzvos is about serving Hashem, doing what He wants, and being a true Eved Hashem brings happiness, but it is not meant to be first and foremost about pleasing ourselves.June 7, 2017 4:07 pm at 4:07 pm in reply to: Do women avoid seeking necessary medical care out of modesty? #1291575WinnieThePoohParticipant2scents- I was referring to certain tests and screenings routinely performed for healthy women, not health care in general. I have read articles (sorry don’t remember the sources) that certain religious neighborhoods in Israel lag behind other neighborhoods in performing such tests. It may be a tznius issue, but it may also be that their insulation and non-exposure to “regular” media means that they are not as educated on the latest health recommendations, or a combination of both, since such issues are not considered appropriate to be discussed in magazines/newspapers that the community does read.
WinnieThePoohParticipantThe question was not whether the young toddler (we’re talking about a 1 yr old here also) needs stimulation, but whether he needs to be with a bunch of other toddlers in a play-group type of situation, whether it gives something that a parent cannot provide at home. I would say no. Most parents, when they need to send their very young children out will search for a babysitter situation that most resembles the home/mother setting- a loving babysitter with as few other children as possible, so she can address the child’s needs, or maybe even one who comes to the child’s home. I remember checking out a babysitting situation for my 1.5 yr old- there were 2 women with about 8 toddlers. Lots of stimulation there! They changed diapers assembly line fashion- every kid got changed once each morning, with their little knapsacks lined up on the bed, each kid got changed one after the other whether they needed it or not (didn’t notice any hand-washing in between). I imagine dirty diapers got attention even when not on schedule, but not wet ones.
Interaction is important, stimulation, playing, but you don’t have to be another 1 yr old to provide this for the child, the parent can provide these things and so much more. At some point, as the toddler gets older, he will benefit from “playing” with other kids. Don’t forget there are 2 kids involved here- so they have the built-in playmate and presence in the room that you are talking about, LB.
But in this case, I am not sure that the parent can provide this for the kids. The father is going to get a night’s sleep (6-7h) while the 2 kids nap? The kids must be very well trained to always go down for their naps at the same time for the same amount of time. Nap needs/times for 1 and 2 year olds are usually very different. This would make for a very sleep deprived parent. Would that very tired father hear the kids’ crying while he sleeps? If he is only sleeping while they nap, would he not doze off while he was watching them? I would suggest that they send the kids out in the morning so that he gets full sleep, and then he can watch them in the afternoon.June 7, 2017 2:36 pm at 2:36 pm in reply to: How come all frum Jews today aren’t Chassidic? #1291460WinnieThePoohParticipantJoy in avodas Hashem is not exclusive to Chasidim. Litvish Jews also grow up loving and enjoying the Torah. Ever see Simchas Torah in a litvish yeshiva? Nor do Chabad have an exclusive on chasidus. My husband and I once went thru the alphabet and we came up with several names of chasidus sects for practically every letter (ok, maybe not Q or X).
This is probably very simplistic, but I would say the differences are that chasidus has more of an outward show of that joy, an emphasis on avoda and kedusha, and the centrality of a Rebbe to channel/develop a person’s avoda. Litvish traditionally placed more of an emphasis on Torah learning, the Rav is a teacher of Torah and a guide in Halacha and Hashkafa, but is not needed for an individual to get close to Hashem.
Most Litvish people I know would never consider becoming Chasidish, and vice-versa. Of course, FFB don’t usually choose their derech, but follow more or less what their families/communities do. So while certain chasidish sects are very appealing to Baalei teshuva, you don’t see significant movement towards them from other frum streams.
That said, the line have blurred significantly in the past few generations. Many chasidus streams are very into Torah learning, and many Litvish people treat their Rabbanim the way chasidim treat their Rebbes. I would dare to say that both movements have gained from the others.June 7, 2017 2:21 pm at 2:21 pm in reply to: Do women avoid seeking necessary medical care out of modesty? #1291466WinnieThePoohParticipantI don’t think it applies to heart attacks, but I know there are some communities where women’s health issues are neglected, probably for that reason. There are concerned medical professionals who try to address this thru education and by opening community clinics for women that address their sensitivities.
WinnieThePoohParticipantToddlers don’t play with each other. It is called parallel play- they play next to each other at the same time. That is, when they are not fighting over the same toy. They do find other people and other children interesting though, and I think they do benefit from being around other kids- whether it is siblings or kids in the park or arranged play dates. I doubt that a babysitter with several kids to look after and feed and diaper can give a 1-2 yr old the kind of stimulation and attention that a stay-at-home parent can. At that age, sending to a babysitter is done out of necessity, not for the child’s benefit. So the question is really, can the dad take care of the kids all day- will he handle nap time and feedings and entertaining/stimulating the kids? And, if he is working the night shift, when will he sleep?
WinnieThePoohParticipantIt does seem pretty pointless to honor kabbalas hatorah by giving off from learning Torah.
For that reason, my boys’ school had a half day, with a special chavrusa-style learning session in the morning. That really got them excited about shavous night learning. Then they came home and had plenty of time to nap in the afternoon.
The girls had off.WinnieThePoohParticipantI don’t think kollel wives need day care- free or any other kind. But their children might.
I doubt though that it is just expensive day care for babies that are making kollel couples reconsider the husband staying in kollel. There are lots of expenses in raising a large frum family, and even if someone would be able to sponsor free day care, that would not solve the issues of how to pay for school tuitions, insurance, rent/mortgage, clothing, etc etc on just one salary.WinnieThePoohParticipantI think it is important not to give a child a name that will make him stand out and could be used to make fun of him. Giving a Jewish boy the name Chris would probably fall under that category- whether the parent is a ger or not. One has to realize that different communities have different attitudes towards names. In many communities in Israel, Yiddish names are not used, and a child with a Yiddish name would feel strange. In other communities, there are many Yankels and Faigies running around, and it is normal to have a Yiddish name. Other communities will use modern Hebrew names, and names like Sora and Dovid would sound strange. Then there are communities- for example, some modern orthodox, and Yekkes (at least in the past) -that give their children English names in addition to their Hebrew/Jewish names. So Yosef will be also known as Jason. The Hebrew name is used for aliyas and in school for limudei kodesh, the English name at other times. I would hope that your hypothetical Chris’s parents would still give him a Jewish/Hebrew name. In fact, if it is really important to them, they can give the non-Jewish name, and that is what they tell the non-Jewish “relatives”, but use the real name, the Hebrew name, at all other times. In general, how to relate to non-Jewish relatives would be something that the ger should discuss with his rav, because these may be tricky areas to navigate.
WinnieThePoohParticipantThanks LB, I think though that at least of the solutions mentioned here could work-either I can use my “smart” camera, or as was suggested, a stripped down kosher smart phone (has apps but no browser), or maybe what chaver suggested, running the app from a regular laptop. I still have some time, I will have to speak more with the IT people and figure out what works best. For the SMS issue, seems that there are several possibilities. Thanks all, for understanding my dilemma and for all those who have offered solutions. And for those who feel like I do, keep strong- the responses on this thread here are proof that one can stick to ones convictions, with a little creativity and a lot of chizuk from others!
WinnieThePoohParticipantLB, I am not sure if this is a theoretical discussion or you are actually suggesting it for my case, but I think in my case, it would be very difficult to say that having a smart phone goes against my religious beliefs since so many frum people have one (even though the reasons I don’t want one stem from my religious beliefs)! Also, no one is forcing me to work from home, not everyone has these tokens- I have one because working from home accommodates my needs as a working mother, and my workplace requires a long commute. The token is a matter of convenience, which for me is important because of my specific needs, but from work’s point of view, it’s not mandatory, I can work at work.
WinnieThePoohParticipantIf you can see your life with emuna, then you have already reached a high level. Very impressive.
I think what you are saying is that when you can understand things, it is easy to have emuna (ie retroactively in your own life) but when you don’t understand things (ie others’ lives) it is hard.
The point is to accept that we can’t possibly fathom Hashem’s ways (even when we think we do) but still we need to believe that everything He does is for our best.
A great (and famous) mashal I heard from R’ Leff many years ago- imagine looking thru a peephole at a surgery in process, not knowing what it was all about. You would see a strangely dressed and masked person, surrounded by others, brandishing sharp weapons and attacking a helpless, sedated person who cannot defend himself. But no, actually the masked man is helping the sick person, the “bad” cuts and “attacks” are meant to cure.
Only when we humble ourselves, and acknowledge that we cannot understand everything, then we can grow in emuna.WinnieThePoohParticipantKitov- Because the promise that R’ Yonasan ben Uziel made that he would intervene and help people get married as a tikun was specifically attached to the person coming to visit his kever. So the quality of that action counts. As opposed to other instances of davening, when it is the davening that counts, not how you got there. Although, lfum tzara agra always applies.
Nechama- I heard that story too, although I don’t think I ever heard who it was about. Real or urban legend?WinnieThePoohParticipantRebYidd, that is a possibility, but OP was asking specifically about “typically non-Jewish names”, which I thought to mean names that Jews would not normally use.
WinnieThePoohParticipantI doubt that a non-Jewish name is a real “name” – when we talk about names affecting the person’s identity, we are talking about their Jewish name. One exception- the name Alexander. It is for Alexander the Great, Shimon Hatzaddik made a promise that baby boys would be called after him in appreciation for the good he did for those in Eretz Yisroel on his way to conquering the world. The name has been passed thru the generations, and you can still find some around today.
I doubt a ger, who has broken away from his past and made a new future by connecting himself to am yisroel would give his child a name reflecting his past. And even if he did for whatever reason, the child would also be given a Jewish name, which would be his real name, no matter what it says on the birth certificate.WinnieThePoohParticipantI just got an inspiration.. some of the possible solutions just clicked, and I think I might have the solution already at hand. A while back, we got a Samsubg Igalaxy camera for a present. It happens to be a great camera, and I use it as a camera and ignore all the other myriad things it can do (it has internet connectivity and some apps on it..I have no idea what). Basically, it sits in its box until one of the grandmothers reminds me that they have not seen pictures of the kids lately. It can hook itself up to our home wifi, but once out of the home it is unconnected and basically, just a camera. Maybe I can have IT download the app on that? Then I can use it at home when I am working. Since this particular device poses no threat to me as it is (why would i want to use this small screen when I have a comfortable laptop?), I won’t be sacrificing anything!
WinnieThePoohParticipantYou leave your siddur behind with your name, number, and picture- it helps if you can somehow get it to the other side of the mechitza.
(how do I insert one of those smiley faces?)
Actually, R’ Yonasan ben Uziel never promised that one would find his zivug at the kever itself.WinnieThePoohParticipantJoseph, only for those looking for instant segulos/yeshuos.
WinnieThePoohParticipantOnce upon a time Amuka was an inaccessible valley. Someone needed a lot of mesirus nefesh to visit the kever, hence the segula. Nowadays, tour buses drive up easily on a paved (ok still windy) road to a fully accessible tziyun. Doesn’t every seminary take their girls there at the end of the year? While nothing wrong with davening at kevarim of tzaddikim, I think the mesirus nefesh factor is no longer a part of it, which is why that this has not solved the shidduch cirsis.
WinnieThePoohParticipantThanks guys for trying to help me. Yes there are 2 issues- the SMS one, and the passcode one. The SMS one is annoying at times, but not critical. I remember at some point having something online that received the SMSs- somehow I forgot about that, probably because that matter is not so pressing. And I have actually gotten voice mail messages to my landline that were originally texts- don’t know how though. The problem is, though that these websites ask to enter a cell phone number- which in Israel has 1 more digit in the area code than a regular number and always starts with 05- (for that reason I don’t think an american number would work either), so I can’t trick it into sending me a voice mail text. Somehow, the cell phone doesn’t seem to be able to convert the text- unless I just haven’t figured it out. But that problem could be solved by getting a non-kosher dumb phone with texting ability (do they still sell those?) We also did try one of those shechted phones that Daas Yochid mentioned, since my husband was finding it difficult not to be able to get his work emails when he was not sitting in front of the computer. But somehow the SIM didn’t work with the phone, we tried two different companies and then gave up on it. We still have that phone- SIMless. Theoretically, I could try that to work, try other companies that might be compatible with that particular phone.
To clarify, I am not against technology per se. The title did not say that technology is bad. I use technology all the time, as many posters have pointed out (by the way, I think we can all agree that when we say technology we are talking about recent inventions and not things that may have been technological advances 100 or even 30 years ago). My concern is that devices that are not neutral (meaning not only bring us benefit but also can do us harm) are taking over everything, and we no longer seem to have free choice in whether we can use it or not. Let’s compare it to tv- if I feel that it is harmful to me for whatever reason- a time waster, exposure to inappropriate content, then I can choose not to have/watch one. That is my choice. But when it comes to smart phones, I am losing the freedom to make that same choice, and that is what I meant that the battle is lost.WinnieThePoohParticipantGefilte, I think that the way you predict how the shidduch process will work for you and how you will decide to get married shows that perhaps you are not ready at this point. Perhaps spend some time learning about what makes a good relationship and marriage.
WinnieThePoohParticipantRebYidd, the word technology in the title is not wrong. It is just a generalization, one with an implied specific meaning in the chareidi world. Titles are meant to spark an interest and encourage people to actually read the content. If anyone had any doubt, the first sentence in the OP would clarify it.
besides that, I think there is something more. we have been programmed to accept the fact that advances and inventions are good. They make things more efficient, give us more capabilities, allow us to live longer, get around quicker and farther, give us better means of communicating and interpreting the past and present, etc. So yes, we were happy with pen and paper, and the cotton gin and the railroad and the printing press and GPS and even the potato peeler. The objections, if there were any, fell away as the new thing (notice I am avoiding the “T” word) became popular. An underlying question to my OP, is, do we continue accepting the new as inevitably better forever without exception? Forget about Luddites and Amish who resist new inventions. Now we are facing the exact opposite- a type of worship of the new and innovative, by definition the next “generation” of any item has to be better. And things are advancing at such a quick pace nowadays, the new becomes obsolete before we even learn how to use it, that we cannot possibly do an analysis of whether the advance is actually good or not before it takes over. And can any one individual do anything about this potentially dangerous trend? from the majority of the responses, the answer seems to be no, even if your are Amish!
By the way, I read an article somewhere how the makers of these smartphones and/or their apps don’t use them because they better than anyone else know how destructive they can be.WinnieThePoohParticipantThis thread has gotten very confusing since, at least by me, the sub-responses are gone, instead posts are in chronological order, and it is impossible to know to which post newer responses are responding to!
I had a few comments to various posters, I will just put them all here.
to AvrhamMD and ZD: Work is not giving out phones, the passcode App is being installed on private smart phones. I don’t know if filters would interfere with such Apps, they probably have never encountered such a case. I informed IT that I do not have a smart phone, and asked if there was any other way to get the passcode without the token and was told no.
flatbush, apology accepted. I figured you did not understand where I was coming from, so I added more details. In Israel, the frum world is still a bit behind the US is these issues, so that there are many who function quite well without a smart phone or even any internet access, as Lilmod was saying. But it is harder to do that, especially for those who are not exclusively in kollel/chinuch, hence my OP.
Lilmod, your points are good ones, and no, it is not easy to think of whom to ask for such an eitza- because, as you said, it is more than just a halachic answer is it muttar/assur. i will have to do some thinking, luckily my current token will work until the end of Dec.WinnieThePoohParticipantHmm…I’ve been accused of lying and now called a rasha. My OP was pretty clear about what I was talking about. Thanks Syag for your support and for understanding where I am coming from.
Moderators, so that people will stop the horse-and-buggy routine, can you change the title to something that will make everyone happy- like instead of technology, use “21st century portable digital technology with wifi capbaility” Does that make everyone happy? (Does it fit the character limit?)WinnieThePoohParticipantFunny description, considering how much of the latest cutting edge technology comes from said country’s silicon wadi
WinnieThePoohParticipantdoes a DSL line with an american number count?
WinnieThePoohParticipantOh well, I guess it is not the solution for me then. unless I get someone in the US to sign up for me?
WinnieThePoohParticipantCan you explain? What is a google number? Do you mean that google will get the SMS, and then it will come to email or something?
WinnieThePoohParticipantNaturally, but I am afraid that the rav might say it is ok to get one…
WinnieThePoohParticipantLying about what? Not having a smart phone? I live in Israel. In frum neighborhoods, the default is a kosher dumb phone without SMS capability. and only for adults.
Again, I am not worried about content- that is B”H not my taayva. It would not be for the kids to use, and anyway, a filter is easy enough to install. I am fine with using technoogy in a kosher manner, but I am worried about technology taking over. I will use it for work. And then take it with me when I travel so I can have waze, and then use it to take and send pictures, etc etc. Basically, I don’t see what is so smart about a smart phone, and I rather not have one.You are obviously not familiar with my bank in Israel. I got a new credit card. The code for the ATM came separately in the mail, but got misplaced. When I asked for a new one, they said they can send it by SMS, or send it to the bank. My branch is not local, and by the time I was able to get there physically, they did not have it and their response was, we will send it by SMS. Back to square one, have no code since I can’t get SMS. Also for my online banking, they keep asking me to update my personal information, but to do so, they need to send a password for verification to the cell phone by SMS. Can’t do that, so have not updated the info. Just praying I don’t get locked out from the online access as a result of not having updated the info.
By the way, my american bank would not let me make a wire transfer without verifying the deal by sending an SMS to my cell phone….I had to settle it the old fashioned way by writing a check.WinnieThePoohParticipantWhy do you equate being sheltered with being immature?
WinnieThePoohParticipantIt’s way more than inappropriate content – my laptop would pose the same problem then, but that is not an issue for me. It’s that I don’t want to be tied to it, don’t want it accompanying me everywhere I go. i want technology to serve me and not vice versa, and I see that with smartphones, that is hard to do.
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