At a kinos marking the end of Tishrei, HaRav Yisrael Hager of Vishnitz addressed today’s world and the rapidly advancing technology, along with all its accompanying gadgetry. The rav stated that when one travels on a plane today one must undergo several security inspections, including examination of one’s luggage, to make sure bags do not contain forbidden items.
He drew an analogy from these security inspections, explaining that in Tishrei, we too filled out luggage and there simply is no space allotted for internet and its devices.
“We filled our suitcases with hisorarus, dveikus, mitzvos and minhagim kedoshim,” Rav Hager stated. “In order to bring the suitcase on board, we must be certain there are no prohibited items such as internet and unacceptable communication devices. If these items are present, we cannot pass the inspection station and bring them to Shomayim as it were”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Rav Hager knows kol hatora kulla. i don’t. i do a lot of learning using online sources from the www , and i have found many perushim which are useful. The more torah that gets published on the web the better the learning from it will be.
What about the pritzus on the web? What about the pritzus in the streets. We have to train ourselves not to look and go to sites that are acceptable.
No ATM machines. No banks (the banks are run on internet connections, both in dealing with consumers and each other).
Obviously no credit or debit cards. Cash only.
Might as well skip telephones since their connected as well.
Snail mail (but no tracking, and remember to bring currency for the stamps).
I wonder why our ancestors never ended up like the Amish? There is no precedent for rejected technology. Indeed, in many cases we were “early adapters” and pioneers (e.g. printing).
Luckily most of the Vizniters I know don’t have such a dwarfed view of life. They use email, as does the Viznitz Mosdos etc. etc.
No theyeshivaworld.com
Learn how to use technology properly.
“ma rabu maasecha hashem”….what an opportunity for chinuch teach the young and old how to live, function and manage with the newest technology.