The front page of the Sunday morning HaMevaser continues to carry the cry against the internet and chareidi websites. YWN-Israel checked, and at the time of this report, the website of R’ Meir Porush, who runs HaMevaser, is still operational.
This time the newspaper quotes HaRav Yisrael Hager Shlita, the son on the Vishnitzer Rebbe Shlita, who calls on the tzibur not to buy tefillin and mezuzos from anyone connected to so-called chareidi websites. The Rav’s comments come at the start of the Shovavim period, beginning with parshas Shemos and ending with Mishpatim.
The Rav connected his message to a dvar Torah from the Ksav Sofer, as well as quoting his father the Rebbe Shlita, adding that mosdos should not accept children from homes with internet connectivity. The Rav stated even if they only see “chareidi sites” they should not be accepted, warning over and over of the danger of bringing this ‘tuma’ into our homes. He added that teachers and rabbonim who are not committed to distancing themselves from the internet should not be employed in chareidi mosdos, deeming them untrustworthy for the responsibility of the next generation.
Rav Hager Shlita explained those rabbonim and teachers unwilling to heed the word of Gedolei Hador Shlita are simply unsuited to educate the children.
PREVIOUS LINKS: For previous YWN stories on the Internet ban: Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
27 Responses
Remember, if a person lists a phone number, or accepts a credit card, or a bank check, they are using the internet. Stick to people who rely on paper mail (no tracking, as that involves the internet), and who use cash (paper money or coins).
It should be noted that in some places, the power grid is linked to, and controlled, by the internet (but then again, until 100 years ago very few frum Jews used electricity, and one can always generate one’s own power).
When a Rav explains how some internet is acceptable, and others aren’t, or alternatively bans all use of the internet (especially telephones, which are widely used for Loshon Horah, and are probably worse than blogs), he’ll be taken very seriously.
With due respect to the assembled Rebbeim and Poskim shlita, I do not believe that chachmei Yisrael are genuinely banning Am Yisrael from using a tool that has helped to spread Torah faster than anything I can think of. Now we are prohibiting am yisrael from purchasing cheftsaos shel mitzvah over the internet!? what if they live in an isolated community and can not get to the store everyday? are we to be matriach these people or should they just stop wearing teffillin and putting up mezuzos
Nothing like erecting a wicked windmill to fight, rather than deal with the real issues of the day.
This whole concept is sooooo foolish. The internet is ONLY dangerous if one chooses to make it that. If one has a bottle of whiskey in front of him, he has the option of drinking an ounce for l’chaim or drinking himself into a drunken stupor. The choice is his. Consequently, the rabonim have no right to ban people from “living” their lives, they should only be suggestive.
Be inspired by R’ Yisroel Hager saying selichos……..posted on the Internet…..
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/video_viewer.php?clip=5YZ7pABMJmc&player=y
I am curious if Rabbi Hager would not accept money for his mosdos that were done through the internet. Furthermore, would he suggest that all monies donated to organizations through the internet be returned?
I invite all to join in my personal ban. Let’s band together in not purchasing tefillin and mezuzos, in not using the shechitah, and not giving any business for that matter to anyone associating themselves with groups of thugs and hooligans masquerading as “askanim.”
Ve’chol ha’OSKIM be’tzorchei tzibbur sheloh be’emunah Hakadosh Baruch Hu yeshalem onsham.
I believe that this rav has no idea what the internet is!
It is some …. people around him that are feeding him with misleading information.
All these Rabanim Should stop taking money from people that have internet in their homes!
Can I buy sforim from a store that has a website?
Can I donate to a yeshiva that advertises an event on the web?
Can I use myzmanim.com to verify time for tefillah?
The fact of the matter is that the internet can and is used for many positive things, but at the same time it can be very destructive. Our GEDOLIM are feel that the negative out ways all the positive that may come from it. They are really just out for our well being. They have nothing to gain from the internet.
“daboss” sorry but I disagree with you. First off I was once told by a great GADOL that “the best way to fight the YEZER HORAH is to avoid the YEZER HORAH”. Secondly GEDOLIM do have the right to dictate yes dictate how we live our lives.
lMAASEH,
We’re all oiver the ban just by being here. BTW I bought my son’s tefillin for $2000 from a guy who sells to gedolei Yisroel. No he’s not connected to the Internet but he sold possul l’chatchila to hundreds if not thousands of people. Oh, there waw a bes din but they decided not to be mefarsaim the psak due to concern for his “mishpacha”. The Internet is the least of his problems R”L!
GIG1
According to your posts you are flagrantly disobeying the Gedolim.
13- True story. And he was the best “botim macher” in Eretz Yisroel, and was found stuffing the botim with comics, cartoons, and newspapers.
While I don’t pretend to know what the answer is, and obviously I am using the internet now myself, let’s NOT minimize the danger!
Who out there can say that they (or their children) NEVER got a pop-up on their screen of something inappropriate for a Yid to see?
Even if we don’t intentionally go to inappropriate websites, often an innocent typo of ONE wrong letter in a web address can lead one to a shmutzig site.
The possiblity of accidental exposure to serious shmutz is real and is great.
The yetzer harah for MANY, MANY FRUM Yidden is real and is great.
As I said, I do not know the answer, and the need to use the internet for legitimate, kosher purposes is getting greater every day, BUT the dangers are VERY REAL!!!
Eichler’s on Coney Island Ave in Brooklyn has a large web site where they sell tefillin, mezuzas etc.
Am I to conclude that Eichler’s is now off limits for these items? Furthermore, most other places that carry Tefilin and mezzos either have a web site or the sofer is connected to the Internet. Are they also banned? What about seforim? Can I buy them from Eichler’s or do they also come under the ban?
Do those issuing these bans really understand the role that the Internet plays in commerce and the rest of our lives?
Yitzchok Levine
fear of scientific advances….
My father(a”h)brought home the first Bobover Record in 1961.
It had a plain cover with a boldfaced disclaimer
” This record was made without the consent of the Bobover Rebbe Shli”ta ” radio… newspapers… how come the telephone is “potur” doesn’t it have “900” numbers???? Isn’t this the old ” fire and water” discussion: each can be used for good and for evil ???
#18 there IS a difference between a phone and the internet.
YOU have to dial a 900 number to reach one.
On the internet, the “bad guys” get your screen name and come TO YOU, so you or your child can innocently open what looks like an innocent piece of mail and find…
I think that fighting the internet makes as much sense as fighting Global warming
To #1 (daboss) In addiction counsling they tell the people they have no controll and its not in their power to choose! They have to stay away from it ,far away. So there is one very big reason for this ban. And a phone is a big difference t by internet its. visual and your alone.
Seems that R’ Yisroel Hager Shlita is a day late and a dollar short, in his decision to ban the Internet.
I am wondering to whom the ban is directed. Certainly not people who have computers and connect, without consulting with the Rov. And the other people who do consult with the Rov probably have not connected to the Internet yet, anyway. So, to whom is the psak directed?
I have been connected since 1988. I have had a computer in my house since 1979, when I worked from home for haredi mosdos. I am wondering, at what point did my computer work become assur? By the way, I did not consult with the Rov on this issue.
I have a problem with present day rabayim who are mechadesh new issurim. I have enough just to keep the existing issurim. Who wants new issurim? I certainly am not looking for new issurim.
Can anyone declare with certainty, “My mind rules over my heart 24/7?”
If you can’t, you’d better steer clear of the internet.
Where there’s a will, there’s surely a way.
GO YESHIVANET!
this thread is a perfect example of the reason why chareidi websites are disasterous. here we have 22 people that (probably) never spoke to R’ Yisroel Hager Shlita, and are talking about him as if he fell from the moon. if you had a converstation with him you would walk away quite impressed. (the same is true for many of the rabbanim that regularly get bashed on these sites. after speaking with them once, you would realize that there’s a reason why thousands of people ask them advice.) don’t be so naive, go speak the rabbanim and voice your concerns to them. see what they have to answer you. you may be surprised that they thought of all your “geonus” allready, and have numerous reasons why they are acting the way they are.
if you would hear the stories that he hears, and if you knew the details of all the families destroyed by the internet, you be encouraging him in any attempt to minimize the usage of internet in people’s homes.
all the above comments are rubbish. anyone with mild intelegence can refute them.
He didn’t ban stores from having websites, he just does’t want stores advertising on the charedi websites that they are trying to encourage to close. isn’t that simple?
All the good done by the internet doesn’t counter the bad by a long shot. i think that’s pretty obvious. would you send thousands of yiddishe neshomos off the derech and through divorce, heartache etc.. just to make torah available to unaffiliated jews?? if you do that’s your opinion, but let’s not mock an adam gadol who differs with you.
Maybe we should only live in sealed ghettos where there are no telephones,newspapers,goyim,radios,computers and secular books.Only speak Yiddish (which is very much old German),get water from wells,believe the earth is square and if you explore too far,you will fall off. Can’t people learn responsibility and self-control? Don’t parents run the homes in “frum” families,anymore???Art Scroll,Feldheim,Israel Book,etc must now get off the internet,as must all of us and Yeshiva World. That’s what Communist and Facist dictators did and we suffered . Freedom of the press with controls is the best way for intelligent responsible Jewish people to thrive on.
I started reading some of the comments but then I stopped because I realized that anyone on this website must be connected to the internet.
Actually, #26, I have YeshivaNet, so I’m not connected to the internet. I have access only to the sites I need.
No, I can’t Google anything.
Yes, it’s worth it to preserve the purity of my home and prevent hours of wasted time.