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Blog Update: Why This Blog Took a Long Break & Why It's Happening Again

28/10/2022

 
As regular readers & subscribers have noticed, two things happened with this blog:

  • The Feedburner subscription stopped working for real around 2 months ago.

In other words, subscribers will no longer receive new posts in their Inbox.

Long before this happened, a blog post went up warning of this, plus a notice sits in the sidebar.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience or "Huh?" that occurred from this (even though it's not my fault Google phased out Feedburner).

Having said that, I decided not to sign up for a new free subscription service. So anyone interested in new posts will need to come here to see them (which won't be often, as explained next).

  • I was mostly offline for around a month.

That's why this blog didn't get updated for so long.

What happened was this:

​I switched to Netfree's Limited Plan, which blocks access to ALL websites except those appearing on this page:
https://en.forum.netfree.link/

(For me, this page appears in Hebrew, but a friend outside of Eretz Yisrael said the page shows up in English for her.)

It happened suddenly in the middle of the night, when hit by the realization I simply must switch immediately.

It felt rude, like a host who invited everyone to an open-house, then suddenly disappeared without explanation.

I felt bad about the rudeness (and I apologize), but also realized I faced no other choice.

(It's hard to explain because, for some reason, I kept pushing off the switch in order to post an announcement on the blog, but kept pushing off that too, and then realized I needed to just DO it. Again, not sure myself how to explain what was happening.)

On Netfree's Limited Plan, I cannot even conduct a search on any search engine.

Also, Netfree "fines" users 20-25 shekels for switching to a more open plan.

(Though a small amount of money, it still acts as a wonderful deterrent.)

It also takes 2 hours for the switch to a more open plan to occur, so no instant "hit" or gratification—very wise.

And on the Limited Plan, I cannot access my own blog...nothing, other than the boring utilitarian sites seen at the above link.

This means that if you send me a link, I will not be able to access it (unless it is one of those boring websites featured in my plan, as appearing on the page in the above Netfree link).

(If they really want me to see an article, some people copy the text, paste it into an email, and send it to me instead of a link.)

So that's what happened.

I'm on a more open plan very temporarily for now, but am switching back to the Limited Plan pretty quickly.

Internet Ups & Downs

​Why did I do that?

And why am I doing it again?

First of all, I'd been having conflicts over my Internet use for ages.

It's too much to go into the whole history and back-and-forth...sometimes I had Internet, sometimes not at all, sometimes only email, plus I went through 3 different filters using their different plans, etc.

In short, this is personal and varies for each individual.

Each person needs to be honest with themselves about why they have Internet and why they have their particular plan/filter to access the Internet.

At one point, I switched from email-only to Internet for parnasa.

I didn't realize no respectable rabbinical heter actually existed for this in the way many people assumed.

​(Rav Itamar Schwartz explains this in detail here: https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/24/the-gedolims-view-on-internet-use/)

For me, this loomed as a big mistake only realized later.

Upon honest analysis, the benefits and positive results do not outweigh the negative—at least, not for me.

Hashem showed me over the past year that even the reasons I initially thought I needed Internet were actually not so true...and at this point, they no longer held true at all.

(This made me sad and still pangs me in some ways, but the truth often hurts—at least in the beginning of a transition. Later, that same originally painful truth can paradoxically end up feeling great!)

A Significant & Unique Benefit to Living in Eretz Yisrael

I'm very lucky that in Eretz Yisrael, you really don't NEED the Internet. 

I think it's different in the USA and most other modern countries because it seems certain services simply cannot be accessed without an app or some kind of Internet connection.

Not 100% sure, but this is my impression.

Yet because of the burgeoning religious clout in Eretz Yisrael, most services offer a non-Internet option.

Is it as convenient?

No.

But it exists.

Heck, I even lived without my own cell phone for the past couple of years.

Because I live in a charedi community (where it's admittedly unusual to not have a cell phone at all, even the little dinky "dumbphones"), people still managed with me—and did so non-judgmentally—even though I seemed to be one of the only people with no cell phone at all.

(Recently I started working almost full-time at a charedi gender-segregated office, and it made sense to have one. So now I have a little dinky Internet-free text-free cell phone.)

Having said all that, I know some extremely & sincerely frum people who finally caved in to get a computer with email ONLY.

Charedi communities also host Internet centers using a Netfree filter, so a person in real need of an Internet connection can use those.

I personally won't be doing that because it ends up being too stressful, (I find the need for passwords extremely aggravating for some reason—also at work!), the sometimes lack of privacy & being around other people when I'm an introvert at heart, going so much out of my way to get to the place (even though 2 Internet centers are within walking distance!)...

...and when I tried to access my own blog to post articles at one of these places, I could not access it for some reason—which likely has a solution because I knew of another Weebly-user who posted regularly from an Internet center to her blog—but it's too much aggravation for my kind of personality & in the phase I'm in now.

​And that's the gist of it.

The Surprising & Liberating Result of Severe Internet Limitation

Initially, I expected to feel very bored without any real Internet access.

I thought I'd suffer some kind of withdrawal.

After all, when I switched to Netfree in the beginning, there were certain sites I secretly longed for over several months.

After all, the only websites available on the Netfee's Limited Plan are ones like "The Municipality of Ashkelon" or "Bank Hapoalim" or "Train Schedules" or "Gmail."

In other words, only utilitarian sites remain available.

For example, no temptation exists to go surfing through the Discount Bank website with its pages of Hebrew text.

Sure, I could spend a lot of time in my Gmail account, but am not compelled to...so I don't.

To my surprise, I did experience only a couple of phases of boredom, but remedied them by doing something in the house that needed to be done, or running an errand, or reading a good book I hadn't read in a while.

In general, I felt much better too.

Even more oddly, I stopped pining for that tiny handful of sites I'd really enjoyed before Netfree.

Why did cutting out the Internet so drastically eliminate my longings when limiting it moderately did not?

I'm baffled.

Anyway, I also started going to sleep earlier, getting more things done both in the house and out (despite an actual decrease in time due to a new work schedule), and in general felt happier.

Also, I fully expected to miss the sites I visited the most...yet didn't.

Now that I've been back online for a week, I see why it's so bad for me. 

The War for Your Brain

Self-discipline is not the problem here.

The Internet (and its tentacles of social media, apps, etc.) are built & fine-tuned to suck you in by your brain chemistry (to funnel money & control to their greedy creators).

​I've written here before about our brains being under attack. We're wired a certain way and the creators of these technologies know all about it.

For example, please see these posts on the topic:
  • www.myrtlerising.com/blog/why-this-generation-is-so-astounding
(Scroll down to "Your Brain under Attack" within the post.)
  • www.myrtlerising.com/blog/did-you-get-your-normal-dosage-of-awe-anxiety-and-anger-today
  • www.myrtlerising.com/blog/standing-for-nothing-usa
  • www.myrtlerising.com/blog/what-i-learned-about-taming-my-email-habits
  • how-to-avoid-being-a-victim-of-mind-control.html

I know people who boast of being perfectly self-disciplined about their Internet use, but I see they are not. They simply adjust their standards to fit their self-serving principles and definitions.

Not purposely, but instinctively. They're honestly not aware of what they're doing.

Again, we're all on different levels and different stages of our journeys.

This is where I'm personally holding.

​I wish I could get down to having just email, but I'm not ready for that.

A Short Note before Saying Good-Bye Again

Initially, I planned this week to finish up any half-finished or three-fourths-finished posts hanging around, and to post a couple of new ones rolling around in my head.

But I didn't! I just re-posted an old post and created another mostly from copy 'n' paste...and that was it.

Even this post, which I meant to write immediately, only got done now!

I just couldn't do it. Not sure why.

So I'm going back to the Limited Plan.

In other words, this website will remain online, but I'm not actually here.

In the meantime, if I manage it, I will write posts in Word, and then switch plans again to access this blog, post a series of scheduled posts, then go back to the Limited Plan again.

​I don't think that's a perfect solution, but it's honestly where I'm holding now.

Someone brilliantly suggested sending out posts by email subscription and avoiding the blog entirely.

That's actually a real good alternative, but I'm hesitant about encountering the same response I had before to some who subscribers who felt the need to immediately respond in a way I found challenging whenever triggered by a post. 

(And they could go off-topic or misunderstand the whole meaning of the post in their triggered state. Not bad people at all, but just people who didn't realize what they were doing, by misunderstanding, getting triggered, then responding in that emotional state and lack of understanding.)

This happened davka with those who received the post directly to their Inbox as opposed to reading it on the blog. Most people did not respond that way, but some did.

It seems something about receiving it as an email created that dynamic.

So maybe I will do that, but not sure yet.

​Thanks for reading.
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These are questions asked by Rav Moshe Chaim Luzatto in his masterpiece: Da'at Tevunot.

A True Story of How Taking a Small Step in the Right Direction regarding Internet Filters Brought about a Yeshuah

24/10/2022

 
The following is a verified true story (courtesy of the Doeihu organization) that happened this month:
Rosh Hashana 5783

This story was told by R’ Yosef Panet Shlit’a, Rav of Beis Medrash Meor Hatefilla in Boro Park, on Shabbos Shuva.

This story happened to a mispalel in his shul on this past Rosh Hashana 5783 [September 26-27, 2022].

​The Doeihu staff reached out to Rav Panet to get a firsthand account of this powerful story.

Following is what Rav Panet shared:


Rosh Hashana night after Maariv, everyone filed past to give and get a l'shana tova.

In the crowd before me was also R’ Yankel (*not real name). After I wished him a l'shana tova, he looked at me with pain-filled eyes and asked me to give him a bracha for parnassa tova [a good livelihood] as well.


I know R’ Yankel who is part of my kehilla for many years. He has a few successful businesses, and to top it off he has a large Amazon selling business.

I knew that in the past he was doing very well, but from his tone and expression I realized that something was going on.

He doesn’t usually ask for such a bracha, and especially not in such a manner.


I watched during the Rosh Hashana davening the next day he wrapped himself deep in his tallis and davened with unusual kavana as if oblivious to the world.

Noticing his pain and worry, I decided to approach him right after Rosh Hashana and ask him if he needs any financial help for yom tov, or if there is anything else I can do.


Before I even opened up the conversation, R’ Yankel told me that he wants to share a personal story.

He said,


“The Rav knows that I have a large Amazon account from which I make a nice parnassa. A few weeks ago I got an email from Amazon informing me that due to suspicious activity on my account they were not going to give me access to the money from any transactions on my account. In other words, I could continue selling without earning. Whoever is in this line knows that if Amazon shuts you down, trying to get them to reopen your account is like talking to a brick wall.

"I had a huge bill from all the merchandise that I had bought for the coming season, which I started to pay off with my side businesses. But while sales were continuing on going, money was not coming in, aside from the fact that Yom Tov bills were piling up. I was in a huge dilemma.

"Finally, I managed to get a zoom conference meeting with Amazon for the Monday before Rosh Hashana. The meeting showed me what I was up against. They drove me crazy about minor details, asked to see very many documents and proof, and nitpicked wherever they could. They were not here to help me out at all. I thought that, after all the documents I showed and the questions I answered, that I had proved my innocence and proof of identity, but they felt otherwise.

"They decided that they can only open access to the money in my account if I send them every invoice from every transaction I ever made on Amazon from day 1. After that, I met with a major Amazon consultant in this field to see what steps I could take to save my account. He explained that usually when they nitpick on every invoice, they are not satisfied with what they get. Apparently, what they want to see and the way that our community does business doesn’t mix well. He told me to send what I have and hope for the best. From his tone of voice, it didn’t sound like he expected good results.

[Note: The "way our community does business" means we aren't available on Shabbat or chagim to deal with business issues & orders. I've heard before that Amazon penalizes anyone who isn't available to deal with issues within 24 hours, and a lot of shomer Shabbat sellers struggle with this. This goes back to how the Internet hates boundaries: hi-tech-hates-boundaries.html — MR]


"I was watching my whole business come crashing down. I was shipping out goods and not getting back any money for a few weeks now. To continue this way would bring me to bankruptcy. I decided that I would first do my best to daven for a good new year on Rosh Hashana and send in my documents only after making that hishtadlus.

"Now the Rav knows what was behind my request Rosh Hashana night. With all I was going through, I was barely holding myself enough together to make a seudah. ”

R’ Yankel continued,

“Rosh Hashana morning it happens to be that I daven Musaf in a different shul. Before tekias shofar, the Rav got up and gave over some divrei hisorerus [words to ignite spiritual arousal]. Particularly, he spoke passionately about technology and the importance of filters. He ended by encouraging everyone to make a kabbalah in the area of technology at whatever level they are on. I was very inspired, knowing what I was up against and the yeshuah that I needed, and I made my kabala right then and there to install a filter on all my internet devices, and as well to fully block Instagram 
(*see Editor’s note below)  with the hope that this would bring a yeshua to my business.

"Yom Tov passed in a daze of fervent tefillos. I davened harder than ever before in my life. And then came Motzei Yom Tov, terrified about what I am about to go through.

"An email from Amazon was waiting in my inbox…. I opened it with trepidation to find good news! It said that my account had been cleared and they were going to forward my money very soon. The email had been sent the first day Rosh Hashana at 1:07 PM. Exactly the time that I made my kabala before tekias shofar!”

Rav Panet concludes,

“The story is not yet over! One day later, R’ Yankel went to Tag to fulfill his kabala and he got a call as he was sitting in the Tag office. It was a buyer who he was after for a while and never was able to get him to buy from him, but today the buyer reached out to him, and wanted to place a huge order. It was clear to R’ Yankel that the immediate turnaround in his company came about as a result of his kabala in technology.”

* * *

 
According to halacha and the ruling of all Gedolei Yisroel a filter on a computer is a necessity.

Therefore, even if one does not need a particular yeshua one must put on a filter.

However, when people hear such stories it’s like a wink from heaven, a sign from Hashem that this is the right thing to do.

​These stories give people chizuk to overcome what gedolim are saying is the challenge of our generation. 
וממנו ילמדו וכן יעשו.
 
(*A note from the editor: Instagram itself cannot be filtered, therefore having it open is considered having unfiltered internet. And, as mentioned many times, one "must" put a filter on all internet devices, which means that keeping the Instagram app (site) etc. regularly open is assur - because it is open, unfiltered internet (and leads directly to immodesty).

First of all, thank you so much to NEJ for sending me Doeihu emails, including this one.

In addition to providing clear halachot for behavior in the office and other places, Doeihu also provides stories like the above, true stories about regular frum people and their struggles in the work place.

They don't always show huge results like the above.

Sometimes, it's baby steps, like following the correct halacha when it's mildly uncomfortable, yet obligatory.

Many times, there is no fantastic ending (i.e., "And then I found a shidduch, managed to buy a luxury home, got super rich, and finally had a baby!")...but simply the basic satisfaction of doing things right.

This daily interesting and extremely practical newsletter is available in English, Yiddish, or Lashon HaKodesh.
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Please note I get nothing for promoting Doeihu and they don't even know I'm promoting them. I've just really benefitted from their material and believe others will too.

Fascinating Links to Enrich the Understanding of Parshat Noach

23/10/2022

 
The stories told within Parshat Noach remain popular worldwide throughout generations.

Echoes of this fundamental transformation of the world reverberate through the ancient mythologies of every culture.

Delving into Parshat Noach via the authentic Torah commentaries reveals layer after layer of fascinating lessons & anthropological revelations.

Here are past links to enrich one's understanding of Parshat Noach:

From the 1730 Ladino masterpiece on the Torah Me'am Lo'ez:
  • the-7-universal-noachide-commandments-according-to-the-meam-loez.html​
  • what-noach-teaches-us-about-the-power-of-true-teshuvah.html
  • the-nations-established-by-the-sons-of-noach-where-are-they-now.html
  • the-meam-loez-on-the-descendants-of-the-sons-of-noach.html
  • the-generation-of-the-flood-has-reincarnated-into-our-generation-heres-the-evidence-also-what-you-can-do-to-protect-yourself-others.html
  • communications-from-stars-or-angels-in-todays-ufo-cults-nothing-new-the-generation-of-the-flood-did-that-too.html

From the 1602 Torah commentary Kli Yakar:
  • the-kli-yakar-parshat-noach.html
  • the-kli-yakar-on-parshas-noach-why-did-hashem-destroy-the-world-with-water-and-what-is-the-connection-to-hurricanes.html
  • the-hidden-sin-of-the-flood-generation-what-we-can-learn-from-it-today-aka-the-kli-yakar-on-parshat-noach.html

From the 19-Century Torah commentary of the Malbim:
  • the-malbim-on-parshat-noach.html

General:
  • The Invasion of 3 Ancient Generations: How to Explain the Current Chaos & Corruption of the Modern World​
  • some-torah-insights-guidance-for-the-path-of-bnei-noach.html

​About the phoenix on Noah's Ark & Its Real Story:
  • discover-the-torah-truth-of-the-phoenix-bird-stripped-from-its-mythology-what-is-the-real-story-authentic-spiritual-meaning-and-jewish-symbolism-of-the-phoenix.html​
  • 2-ways-to-understand-how-noach-spoke-with-the-dove-the-raven-and-the-phoenix.html
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    I'm a middle-aged housewife and mother in Eretz Yisrael who likes to read and write a lot.


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