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The Lessons for Us Revealed in the Words of 2 Major Torah Sages in Modern Times

4/11/2020

 
There's an excellent article at Hamodia called Through the Eyes of a Gadol, regarding the Internet.

It presents interviews with 2 Gadolim [major Torah Sages], Rav Gershon Edelstein of Ponevezh Yeshivah and Rav Dov Landau of Slabodka Yeshivah, plus excerpts of speeches by Rav Edelstein.

Listening to the actual words of a big talmid chacham always creates an eye-opening experience.

They both think & feel very differently than the average person.

For example, one thing they do is ask "why." Or "what."

I noticed this in encounters with other Gedolim, like Rav Shteinman.

They want to delve into the issue & understand. So they ask "why."

So in this article, for example, Rav Edelstein asks, "What's the problem?" and "What do you mean by 'they need it'?"

Rav Landau asks, "Can you not do there what you do here?" and "Why is it different?"

And then they both listen to the reply.

Both opine that the Internet is extremely harmful. Yet they still inquire into the details and the listen.

Attitude: Sympathy

While Rav Edelstein speaks strongly against unfiltered Internet ("It is Gehinnom on earth and in the World to Come. It’s a double Gehinnom"), he also comes off as sympathetic to those who desire Internet.

For people who initially acquire Internet for their livelihood, but then end up using it throughout the day for other things (and only 10% of it for parnassah), Rav Edelstein doesn't criticize their desire or tell them to get rid of it completely (perhaps showing he understands that most people feel they simply cannot do that). Instead, he repeatedly emphasizes the need for a filter.

He doesn't expect people to make it on their own. He understands people need help.

He understands the tremendous pull of the Web, even though he personally does not struggle with this at all.

​Likewise, Rav Landau acknowledges that it is a terrible nisayon, and not a nisayon faced by previous generations.

Again, he doesn't castigate people, but focuses on what a thorny & unique nisayon it is.

Rav Landau also focuses on the people who are doing things right, like the success in Internet filtering in Eretz Yisrael (far from perfect, but there has been success) and emphasizing the yirei Shamayim & talmidei chachamim in America.

Clearly, both talmidei chachamim give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Baby Steps Matter! You're Fabulous! Your Efforts MATTER! You're Making Yourself Great!

Then Rav Edelstein goes into a passionate description of gloriousness of people who overcome their yetzer hara in this nisayon [a very trying challenge], mentioning how this wonderfulness is true regarding any nisayon.

He praises small efforts: 
"...one moment spent doing teshuvah and good deeds in this world is better than all the World to Come. Even a single hour of teshuvah and good deeds! More than the entire World to Come!" 

Very encouraging.

He says a lot of good things about how the zechus [merit] created by overcoming this particular challenge brings success in parnassah [making a living] and with children.

I found this phrase particularly encouraging:
"Any time someone combats his nature it is a tremendous zechus..." 

"Every bit of improvement, every effort, every hardship faced. You cannot measure its value."

I have some major nisayonot (and not just the Internet), and I get really miserable in the struggle to overcome them. It's often all very wearisome.

And then I wonder if it's really worth it. And I wonder if I'm doing things right anyway. It gets confusing at times.

But seeing these statements from Rav Edelstein put new fire in me. 

I hope this renewed fire lasts at least until tomorrow—b'ezrat Hashem!

​I think the most amazing & encouraging statement from Rav Edelstein came regarding the people who hold strong in the Internet nisayon:
"They can give people brachos!"

"Absolutely! They can give brachos. They have siyatta diShmaya [Heavenly assistance]!"

They have the power to bless others? Seriously?

Whoa.

​But it must be true.

​Rav Edelstein would never say empty words.

Humility & Unity

Many talmidei chachamim today consider Rav Edelstein a Gadol.

But when he advises how to combat unkosher Internet usage, Rav Edelstein says that it's up to the Rabbanim...as if he isn't one—or as if he isn't one that committed American Jews wouldn't listen to (but he is!).

Rather than taking the reins, he outsources to the Rabbanim in the USA.

Likewise, when they speak with Rav Landau, he asks if they consulted with Rav Edelstein already.

When they reply in the affirmative, he responds, "We will follow whatever he says...Klal Yisrael cannot work if everyone gives an opinion."

Needless to say, Rav Landau's opinions are significant. He clearly knows his own mind & also the Torah. Yet he defers to Rav Edelstein as if he is not Rav Edelstein's equal. And he does so for the sake of what's best for the entire Jewish people.

In other words, no ego.

Finally, Rav Landau blesses the entire Jewish people:
"The Eibershter should help that everyone will be able to do what they need to do."

The entire interview shows how Rav Landau feels connected with his fellow Jews.

When the interviewer blesses Rav Edelstein that he should merit to greet Mashiach soon, Rav Edelstein replies:
"All of us together. All the Jews."
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Avigail
5/11/2020 06:07:08

Hi Myrtle,
I enjoyed this article, but I have questions. I have always felt that I do not need an internet filter. I have no children that use my computer; my husband uses his cell. I use the computer for email, reading Jewish sites and blogs, and the news (independent, conservative sites). I do not use facebook or twitter or any other social media. I do have what's app to communicate with friends, family and belong to some groups, all Jewish. I also read some health sites like mercola, cooking site like the Healthy Home Economist, interests involving cooking, plants, health,sometimes shopping if I need something specific.

I admit I spend too much time on the internet reading news, esp. with the political situation and ongoing election woes. It stresses me big time. I do forward news information to friends, a compulsion I seem to have, wanting to share what's really going on.. Sigh. So anyway, I do miss the days before the computer when I didn't follow political situations so closely

I always thought internet filters were to address the issue of pornography. Well, I don't have a problem with that.

So, what is your take on this, the need for women to filter internet?

Myrtle Rising
5/11/2020 11:15:17

Shalom Avigail!

You're asking about an important issue that isn't given the attention it should: What's the problem with Internet for women who aren't looking at the really skanky stuff?

And especially since you're not on the insidiously destructive social media (yashar koach!), then what's the problem?

It also sounds like you're using the Internet for useful reasons, but you're also honest about feeling compelled to use it in ways that seem meaningful, but also cause stress & spending too much time in it.

You bring up really good points, so here's what others have said & also my own observations:

First of all, the biggest problem for women is that it's like a magazine that never ends. You can just keep on reading forever, endlessly surfing from article to article.

That seems innocent, especially if it's kosher or useful material, but unless it's real Torah material, it's tends to develop into a time-sinkhole (even though a lot of it may feel useful) & it habituates a person to idleness & also to that trance-like state induced by surfing or video-watching.

Furthermore, even non-Jewish writers admit to getting caught up in "research" and falling into the bottomless sinkhole of endless articles & videos & podcasts related to their topic of fascination.

(And just to be upfront about things: This has repeatedly been a massive stumbling block for me personally, and a prime reason why I switched to a stricter filter & am looking to switch to an even stricter filter.)
_____________________

Additionally, women find themselves online when they could be (or even should be) saying Tehillim, interacting with family & community, carrying out necessary tasks, doing teshuvah, learning, dealing with issues, and so on.

As another example, one frum female blogger noted that when she looked up recipes to make her family a chicken-mushroom dinner, she got so caught up in looking through dozens of recipes, she lost track of time & found herself with no time to actually make the chicken-mushroom dinner. Instead, the sudden time limit forced her to throw together a dinner of boiled noodles & tomato sauce.

And sure, that happens even without the Internet, but the Internet causes this kind of thing to happen more.

Even if you're more organized than that & it doesn't happen to you personally, but just speaking in general, it's a stumbling block for a lot of women.
_______________________

Another problem running parallel to the reading is all the videos available.

Even if they're not Hollywood movies, people can get lost in an endless stream of seemingly innocent videos about makeup application, how-to, influencers, cooking, politics, science, and much more.

Again, watching a cooking video is certainly not the end of the world & I've done it myself. (Yes, I admit I wanted to know how to make the best meringues possible! And the best pie crust! ☺) But there's a tendency to get lost in it.

Podcasts present a similar problem to videos. Even the seemingly innocent or useful ones end up taking up too much time & often include ideas that aren't in line with the Torah's goals.
________________________

Regarding the Jewish blogs:

Some contain lashon hara (some of which may seem like it's either lashon hara for a good reason or not lashon hara at all, but it actually is forbidden).

Some unknowingly mix in a lot of non-Jewish ideas & attitudes—not out of deviousness, but simply because the blogger honestly doesn't realize.

We all have our blind spots (me included) and those blind spots slip into our writing without us even realizing.
________________________

Finally, Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus's book for women, Nefesh Chaya, revealed something that I'd never heard before: As bad as unwholesome images are for men, they're even worse for women.

That shocked me.

He discusses it in depth, but to explain it standing on 1 foot: While these images get into men's minds & destroy their souls, it doesn't get into their essence.

Due to an innate difference between men & women, these images affect women at their very essence—which means that the stain is surprisingly harder to remove for women than for men.

So with all the unwholesome images that are a routine aspect of ads, the news, and much more...as bad as it is for men, it's in a way even worse for women.

(BTW, if you or anyone else reading this hasn't read it already, Nefesh Chaya is one of the best books for Jewish women I've ever encountered. You can tell that Rav Pincus genuinely valued women & the role of a Jewish women, and he obviously had very loving, positive, healthy relationships with the women—like his mother, wife, daughters, etc.—in his life.)

Okay, there's a lot more to say on this important topic, but that's it for now.

Thanks so much for bringing it up, Avigail.

Avigail
5/11/2020 23:19:50

Thanks for your answer! I will check out filters. I think my internet protection has a filter but I've never looked at it....I'll do that. If you have any recommendations, please share.

Myrtle Rising
6/11/2020 01:09:37

As far as filters go, Nativ is American-based & the most comprehensive, most protective, & run by frum people. And with Nativ, you need to decide if you're ready for a whitelist filter, because that's what makes Nativ different.

Netspark is very popular in Israel and I'm pretty sure it's also available in America. It strives to be competitive & constantly improving itself. It seeks to filter properly while providing a seamless Internet experience.

Others available in America are Qustodio, DNS Filter, NetNanny, and Mobicip.

Also, there's an app for Chrome & Firefox that hides all images called Image Blocker Ex+9000. It's great. You can choose how much time you want it open. You can have it permanently open on some sites & closed on others. It's very easy to use with only occasional inconsistency.

In the interest of full disclosure: Most (maybe all?) filters take time to get used to and can be frustrating at first. This is because the Internet hates boundaries & limitations.

(If you haven't already, you can see a post on that topic here: http://www.myrtlerising.com/blog/hi-tech-hates-boundaries)

Anyway, I feel it's important to be upfront about this with people because forewarned is forearmed, so to speak.

Okay, Avigail—wishing you the best with everything!


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    Myrtle Rising

    I'm a middle-aged housewife and mother in Eretz Yisrael who likes to read and write a lot.


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