Matzav Shmooze: Do We Need To Take These Questions More Seriously?

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Dear Matzav Shmooze, 
A video of an open forum featuring Rav Elya Brudny and Rav Ahron Lopiansky has made it way to social media and not for the right reasons unfortunately.
In a short segment towards the end of the forum, the choshuve panel addressed feminism in Judaism, particularly the issue of pictures of women in Jewish media.
Some factions did not appreciate the answers given and posted it to social media to fuel their leftist agenda and promote the idea that frum women are ‘trapped’ by the patriarchy, whatever that means.
There is no question of who is right. But we live in a time where any person with a social media account has access to a wide variety of opinions that were not always readily available. Specifically with social media, anyone with a following can spout their anti Torah values and the message is then played in the homes of their hundred Jewish ‘followers.’
Granted, no one should be allowing such noise into their house. But the fact is that some of the noisiest ones have hundreds of followers, and these followers have kids and these kids are going to Bais Yaakov with other kids. We’re living in a day and and age where a small influence can have a far reach.
It is a sorry state that in our generation gedolim should have to compete with the attention of social media. But if we don’t step up and give clear Torah guidance on issues that seemed like a joke just a few years ago, we risk giving ammunition to those who mock us and want to upend our mesorah.
Worried for this Dor

7 COMMENTS

  1. The issue should not be in “Jewish” media but in chareidi media. The fact is, chareidim in general have more shmiras eynayim than other Jews. A few years ago Matzav wanted chareidim to enjoy their site too and omitted pictures of women, until … for political reasons, they changed their policy and lost readers who are careful with shmiras eynayim.

  2. Rav Ahron Lopiansky anwered the question very seriously and articulately. He gave clear Daas Torah on this matter. He didn’t laugh it off.

  3. When a frum publication blacks out the face of a 5 year old girl, we have a problem. The question was not asked properly, and the answer was incomplete. This is a serious issue.

  4. What is the problem? Specifically, why can’t the publication have a red line that they don’t post pictures of women? You obviously agree that not all pictures of women are appropriate for a frum publication. So why not have such a policy? It’s not because the 5 year old is not tznius, it’s so they don;t nee to rehash the question for every picture. There’s a policy, and that’s it.

    • That’s the issue. Why shouldn’t those who have yiras Shamayim be able to even go to the few Jewish sites and see what’s going on in the world? There are enough sites and magazines for those who don’t care about yiras Shamayim.

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