A poll taken among members of Israel’s dati leumi community reveals that more people prefer to turn to Google with questions than to a rav. About half of the dati leumi tzibur refrains from turning to rabbonim in general, and the characteristic that most of the public is looking for in a rabbi is not necessarily for his Torah knowledge and education, but rather his humility and modesty. In addition, most respondents said that in case of halachic issues, they simply turn to ‘Rabbi Google’.
According to the poll conducted by the Miskar Institute headed by the One to One Fund and the Barkai Institute for the Certification of Rabbonim, 400 persons, men and women in the dati leumi community, were questioned. It was revealed that 90% of the respondents have a regular rav or wish they had one to enable them to consult with when the need arises. Over 50% stated the most important characteristic in selecting a rav for them is ‘modesty and humility’, while 38% feel that they will select a rav based on his Torah knowledge.
Another important fact revealed in the poll is that the connection with a rav is not a halachic one. For example; 35% of the liberal dati leumi community confers with rabbonim regarding matters that are not directly related to halacha. Among the dati community, almost 50% of the respondents explain the most important matter that they will bring to a rav is one of pikuach nefesh, while only 28% will consult a rav regarding their spiritual development.
The survey also reveals that more women than men turn to a rav for a response to a halachic matter, with 38% of women reporting they turn to a rav for a halachic response as compared to 31% among women. 53% of the young respondents’ report that they have a regular rabbi with whom they are comfortable approaching when they encounter a halachic matter.
Rabbi Yitzchak Neria, founder of One to One (אחד לאחד): “I am pleased to see the data from the survey showing how important it is for so many under 30 to maintain a connection with a rav, for this connection beautifully illustrates the need to raise our own talmidei chachamim to become a spiritual address and compass. However, the religious Zionists have a challenge called the internet, which has become a quick and reckless solution to a halachic issue, but not a qualitative one. Therefore, it is very important to raise a generation of outstanding avreichim in Zionists yeshivot to fill the demand for high quality rabbonim who are familiar with religious Zionism and all its varieties”.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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Wall Street Journal 11/16/17 – Google Has Picked an Answer for You—Too Bad It’s Often Wrong
Going beyond search, the internet giant is promoting a single result over all others, and many are contentious, improbable or laughably incorrect
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I hope YWN’s article means they are using google to search reputable sources and not what Google offers. Because the percentages are pretty bad. I’ve even had people – on non-religious matters – quote google to complete with non-relevant sentence fragments!
This is good news; asking rabbis what to do if there is threat of a hurricane is a bizayon hatorah of the first order.
When these Torah institutions start sending out LEADERS, instead of Halacha whiz’s, this issue will be solved. Unfortunately (or fortunately in most cases) being a good leader requires the development of certain characteristics and mannerisms, both of which have been largely ignored by our blind & lacking leadership figures. People are looking to connect to something greater than themselves, to do this correctly we need real leaders who can see the big picture. Having archaic reasons that no one identifies with anymore to keep the largely overall Jewish community separate just won’t work anymore. The youth mainly don’t care about things like kitniyot, because we know it has nothing to do with why we celebrate Pesach. Let’s start looking at the big picture here, lets cut the anchors of our past and embrace a united future for all of us. I understand the importance of having something like kitniyot to keep a common identity among a similar group of people. but we are not in the Arab towns, or shtetls of Europe anymore. Let’s move on from what we picked up from those places and cultures (that attempted to destroy us, time and time again for 2+ millennia), and start embracing how we once were 2500+ years ago. Let’s rebuild the Anshe Kenesset Hagedolah, let’s start keeping halachot/minhagim that bring us together instead of separate us. Let start creating an overall common identity more than being just Jewish. I will also mention I am not advocating to cut peyot (just an example) or infringe on how people want to personally keep our religion (ultimately our religion is between us and Hashem). Let’s start coming together more, and breaking down the barrier that separates us (mainly minhagim, yes there are those who don’t like this idea, but so what? these minhagim are not written or recognized in the Torah nor are they specifically recognized by any of our MAJOR leaders throughout history.). I’ve gotten push back on this idea, but I truly believe this will bring us to our next step as a people (Moshiach). Achdut should be one of the top priorities of our leadership, but I have not seen one of them make any significant push for it. Please don’t bring tragedy as an example of our achdut, that’s not good enough. it’s obvious the tragedy was put there by Hashem to bring us together, but we never keep at it, we just get over it, move on, and get back to our lives. Let’s work to really keep it! We are all so physically close together for the first time in 2500+ years. Let’s make something of it. Or we can continue waiting for Moshiach, and not actually do anything to bring it (we always had the power to bring him, it was us and our ways that made that not possible).
people who take their health seriously know not to turn to google for medical advice. The same is with Halacha. If observing the Torah is important enough and real enough only a Rabbi who is consulted can give an accurate answer.