The Jerusalem Peleg faction has changed its stance regarding ‘kosher internet usage for its followers.
The group, which has gained notoriety following their continuing protests that blocked city streets in Jerusalem and other cities across Israel in protest of Charedim being drafted into IDF service, has opened a new committee aimed at giving a hechsher to censored internet usage.
Over the past few days, representatives from the Peleg met with various companies in order to arrange a partnership in which the group could arrange for kosher internet and smartphones that would be permitted by the rabbinical leadership of the group for its members.
This is a surprising change of position for the Peleg group, who until now has castigated other forms of censored of kosher internet. Peleg leader Hagaon HaRav Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach has previously attacked, in a very aggressive manner, internet providers such as Natib, who provide kosher internet options for Charedim. He said that due to such companies, Charedim who use the internet have become completely secular people.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
Why re-invent the wheel? Didn’t the Stoliner Rebbe do this 12 or so years ago? It seems that Johnny just woke up! Tommy and Jack should soon awaken too from their hibernating slumber.
Why would peleg under the leadership of rav Auerbach suddenly reverse thier stance on kosher internet when up till today he fought very hard against it.? Something does not sound very kosher here.
It is a bit like the Haredi parties in the Knesset: they will do anything for money. The Peleg mob will do anything to keep their “troops” in touch to receive instructions on where to next inconvenience as many fellow Yidden as possible.
Why would any reputable internet service provider or PDA distributor want to assist these anarchists and terrorists? If having internet access allows them to better communicate and coordinate their violent protests, what possible rationale would you have??
So what would a “kosher” internet look like:
1. Text only (the old “Pine” type email) solves a lot of problems. But it would be hard to pictures of your grandchildren (except as a file, using the old “FTP” protocol). However many types of critical official and commercial documents are only sent as graphic emails (in spite to laws to force text-only to benefit blind users with automated readers).
2. A “frum” brower that allows only vetted sites – meaning someone has to ask a site be vetted (labeled as acceptable) but once done anyone could access the site. This recognizes that even basic business and retail research requires access more than to “frum” websites, e.g. the first time someone looks for, as an example “B&H” (a non-frum website that happens to be owned by Jews), the system would block it, a human looks at once and approves it , and adds it to the list). However we would have to “pay” someone to do the checking. At my employer this is done for all browsing, and it usually take a few hours for someone to look at the site and move it to a white list.
3. An interesting question is whether “social media” sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and probably YWN, are kosher is another issue. If one banas “Lashon ho’ra” and “Bitual Torah” one probably has to ban the internet in its entirety.
4. One also has the question of what to do with sites that can be misued, e.g., one wants a store selling women’s clothing to be able to send pictures of their products so women can shop online – but one doesn’t want the adolescent males in the house to look at those pictures.
I know somone who asked Rav Shmuel Aurbach years ago about his wife using internet for work, and his response was that it was permitted for him.
Until i see a unedited video from r Auerbach stating that he is rescinding his original psak that kosher internet is asser ,until that point i wont believe this article. Most likely his henchmen and thugs are publicizing this lie.
Instead of speaking LH agains Rav Shmuel Auerbach SHLITA (and no I am not one of his followers….) why not find out if it is true and if so – why?
I think Rerb Shmuel is a ADOL BYISROEL – so how can u write that way????
I am sure YWN will bw more than happy to do that – right monitor?
Lebedik. Since ehen is rav shmuel a posek hador? Even if he did pasken that its pk for that individual does not mean he is going to say its ok for the general kllal.
Question is, would this site be permitted, given all the Zionism it spews forth.
Are they going to post information about demonstrations, and will people who either want to avoid the demonstrations or want to go and counter demonstrate be able to use it to plan their schedules?
to Yeushalmit
A DOLL byisroel??? Sounds a bit funny! Spellcheck guys
Fake news can we get a quote from anyone affiliated with the peleg about this? Anyone?
To Warren:
You are relatively close to the real purpose. They will be like the food trucks and post the time and location of the demonstrations so you can either RSVP or decline to attend. They will sell advertising on the newly created Peleg website for soliciting contributions to their various mosdos, promoting a new line of Peleg endorsed gas masks and and Teflon “hat-keepers”, and a special “daf yomi” for those who want to learn all the halachos dealing with behavior in jail and confinement.