QUESTION:
1) I’ve seen the Rav’s words on the severity of Internet use, and while people sense that there is truth in these words, they feel that in the end of the day the Gedolim allow Internet use under certain conditions, so the question is: Why are the Gedolim silent about Internet use, and why aren’t the Gedolim as severe as the Rav is?
ANSWER:
Already close to a decade ago, Rav Elyashiv zt”l organized here in Eretz Yisrael a group of Rabbonim to rule on technology matters and to establish clear-cut rules about it. I met several of those Rabbonim, and they said to me that they never personally examined these devices and what the different types of filters are, and they rely on the experts in technology for information on it, based on their understanding of how computers work, and accordingly, the Rabbonim decide what to do, based on the information they are receiving from the technology experts. These Rabbonim themselves expressed their pain over the fact that this is what’s running the process, and they were very worried about what will result from all of this. There were also several Rabbonim, such as the Bedatz Beis Din in Bnei Brak who ruled that those who already own internet-capable devices must get the best filter possible. But gradually as time went on, the opposite happened. Those who previously had a kosher phone began to purchase filtered smartphones, etc.
One faction of Rabbonim were in great doubt about what to do about it, because it was a severe issue of transgressing Torah prohibitions versus financial loss for so many people, and to prohibit all internet use would certainly take away livelihood from the families of Bnei Torah, and all of religious Jewry in general. So they ruled that it is permissible to have such devices only for the purposes of parnassah (livelihood), and the ruling was publicized in signs all over the country. But slowly, those signs were taken down, and then newly ‘edited’ signs began appearing, in which they only advertised the kosher certification of the Rabbonim for internet use, without specifying the condition of parnassah uses only. Another faction of Rabbonim felt that the tzibbur will not listen at all to the conditions, and ever since then they have been treading a thin rope on what to permit and what they should ignore.
QUESTION
2) It seems that the Gedolim do permit Internet under certain conditions, so why should we be more stringent than the Gedolim?
ANSWER
More than 20 years ago, I heard from Rav Yechiel Yaakovson who heard from the tzaddik Rav Yoel Kluft zt”l that the day will come when Rabonim will permit certain things and every person will have to examine well his soul to see if the heter (leniency) is really appropriate. It’s astounding! He certainly meant internet.
QUESTION
3) The Rav said that the Gedolim are leading the generation according to the level of the generation, and that is why the Gedolim are silent about certain matters or are lenient in certain matters. According to the Rav’s words, this is leading the generation towards destruction. How can it be that the Gedolim are leading this generation into destruction chas v’shalom?
ANSWER
This is the hanhagas hayichud (Hashem’s way of oneness and higher mode of conduct) as the Ramchal discusses in Daas Tevunos, and it is a mode of conduct of Hashem that is very hidden and concealed.
QUESTION
4) According to the Rav’s words that those who remain connected to the 50th level of tumah via having internet, how can it be that most of the generation won’t make it to Geulah chas v’shalom or Olam HaBa chas v’shalom? Hashem is our merciful Father, surely He will save all His children and make sure that all of them make it to the Geulah and Olam HaBa!
ANSWER
Because we are in the final sorting process. The sefer Chesed L’Avraham says that if chas v’shalom we are not zocheh to the Geulah to come before its time, there will only be 7000 Jews who will be alive at the Geulah. The sefer HaDor HaAcharon brings together all the words of Chazal about this.
QUESTION
5) I am so heartbroken over the fact that so many Jews might not make it to the Geulah or lose Olam HaBa, chas v’shalom. I am especially worried for my family and grandchildren. I am crying for them and I am so distressed over this, and I am getting high blood pressure from thinking about this. What can I do to calm myself down?
ANSWER
On one hand, take your mind off from thinking about this, and on the other hand, connect yourself to emunah that since it is Hashem Who is doing everything, He knows better than we do, and that is the best emunah peshutah you can have.
QUESTION
6) Should we make known to the Gedolim in chutz l’aretz about the Rav’s words concerning all of this (the connection between Internet, Geulah and Olam HaBa) so that we can scream about this and save the generation? How I just sit by and watch the generation go to destruction???
ANSWER
It would be proper to do that, but only according to what you can handle emotionally. Do not overdo yourself when it comes to this, because if one becomes too involved in dealing with evil and in how much we need to separate from it, that can actually cause a person to fall very much.
One faction of Rabbonim were in great doubt about what to do about it, because it was a severe issue of transgressing Torah prohibitions versus financial loss for so many people, and to prohibit all internet use would certainly take away livelihood from the families of Bnei Torah, and all of religious Jewry in general. So they ruled that it is permissible to have such devices only for the purposes of parnassah (livelihood), and the ruling was publicized in signs all over the country. But slowly, those signs were taken down, and then newly ‘edited’ signs began appearing, in which they only advertised the kosher certification of the Rabbonim for internet use, without specifying the condition of parnassah uses only. Another faction of Rabbonim felt that the tzibbur will not listen at all to the conditions, and ever since then they have been treading a thin rope on what to permit and what they should ignore.
QUESTION
2) It seems that the Gedolim do permit Internet under certain conditions, so why should we be more stringent than the Gedolim?
ANSWER
More than 20 years ago, I heard from Rav Yechiel Yaakovson who heard from the tzaddik Rav Yoel Kluft zt”l that the day will come when Rabonim will permit certain things and every person will have to examine well his soul to see if the heter (leniency) is really appropriate. It’s astounding! He certainly meant internet.
QUESTION
3) The Rav said that the Gedolim are leading the generation according to the level of the generation, and that is why the Gedolim are silent about certain matters or are lenient in certain matters. According to the Rav’s words, this is leading the generation towards destruction. How can it be that the Gedolim are leading this generation into destruction chas v’shalom?
ANSWER
This is the hanhagas hayichud (Hashem’s way of oneness and higher mode of conduct) as the Ramchal discusses in Daas Tevunos, and it is a mode of conduct of Hashem that is very hidden and concealed.
QUESTION
4) According to the Rav’s words that those who remain connected to the 50th level of tumah via having internet, how can it be that most of the generation won’t make it to Geulah chas v’shalom or Olam HaBa chas v’shalom? Hashem is our merciful Father, surely He will save all His children and make sure that all of them make it to the Geulah and Olam HaBa!
ANSWER
Because we are in the final sorting process. The sefer Chesed L’Avraham says that if chas v’shalom we are not zocheh to the Geulah to come before its time, there will only be 7000 Jews who will be alive at the Geulah. The sefer HaDor HaAcharon brings together all the words of Chazal about this.
QUESTION
5) I am so heartbroken over the fact that so many Jews might not make it to the Geulah or lose Olam HaBa, chas v’shalom. I am especially worried for my family and grandchildren. I am crying for them and I am so distressed over this, and I am getting high blood pressure from thinking about this. What can I do to calm myself down?
ANSWER
On one hand, take your mind off from thinking about this, and on the other hand, connect yourself to emunah that since it is Hashem Who is doing everything, He knows better than we do, and that is the best emunah peshutah you can have.
QUESTION
6) Should we make known to the Gedolim in chutz l’aretz about the Rav’s words concerning all of this (the connection between Internet, Geulah and Olam HaBa) so that we can scream about this and save the generation? How I just sit by and watch the generation go to destruction???
ANSWER
It would be proper to do that, but only according to what you can handle emotionally. Do not overdo yourself when it comes to this, because if one becomes too involved in dealing with evil and in how much we need to separate from it, that can actually cause a person to fall very much.
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