Rav Aharon Teitelbaum: Open Kosher Computer Rooms for People Who Need Internet for Business Reasons

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rav-aharon-teitelbaumAt the massive gathering held for the recent yahrtzeit of the Satmar Rov, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, the Divrei Yoel zt”l, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum of Satmar spoke about the dangers inherent in the internet. Rav Aharon said that following much discussion with rabbonim and askanim, it was decided that children of those who have a computer in their home will be refused entry into Satmar mosdos. The decision was made to protect the kedushah and purity of the mosdos of Satmar under Rav Aharon’s inspired leadership. Each parent is required to sign a document affirming that their home does not have a computer or internet connectivity.

Rav Aharon mentioned that he feels that for those who require access to the internet for business or other necessary purposes, special communal centers should be created in Kiryas Yoel. Thus, those who need it will be able to access the internet to take care of business matters in a controlled and supervised environment.

 {Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


9 COMMENTS

  1. This is a very troubling development as much as it is good news.

    While it is enough to have public access for people who need occasional email or conferences, it’s not enough for people with certain types of jobs where they need to be able to guarantee secure access to their computers.

    Commodities traders and programmers often have confidential or trade-secret information on their computers that has to protected by law. How does this plan accomodate people with those types of jobs?

    With the economy in terrible shape and much work being moved offshore, we need as much competitive advantage as possible, and this plan sounds like it will cause serious issues. I hope the Rebbe is planning to give heterim to individuals because I can see this plan falling short for several types of work.

  2. This issue has arisen several times and action has even taken to establish a communal office for frum women in Ezras Torah which is endorsed and supported by various rabbonim and gedolim worldwide. As a close friend of the founder of this office, I have heard from others firsthand how it is making incredible progress while simultaneously allowing for families and their homes to retain utmost kedusha! Yasher Koach to the founder!

  3. To Comment #1. from “Anonymous”:

    You raised an excellent inquiry regarding trade secret transactions. It would certainly seem that a communal computer/Internet center could easily have special partitioned off private sections for those people who need to do confidential business work.

    Regarding those people who need to do business with the Internet but are located in areas where there are no special computer centers, many Rabbonim — including what is implied by the statement of the Vizhnitzer Rabbonim that I mentioned above in Comment #4 — do permit Internet use IF IT SURE THAT THERE IS A PROPER SECURE TAMPER PROOF FILTER!!

    Again, where it is really needed, they DO permit Internet use, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY MUST BE PROPERLY FILTERED!!

    I think that we can correctly assume that the Satmer Rabbonim do not disagree with that. What they are probably saying is that WHEREVER IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE, then, we should have the Internet accesses ONLY at special communal centers. For at the centers, it is much, much easier to make sure that the Internet access is filtered.

  4. It should be noted that the grave concerns that our Gedolim are expressing about the Internet are also realized by many in the outside world too.

    In one of the computer rooms at the local junior college in my area (called the “Santa Rosa Junior College”), above the front desk is a sign, which has printed on it:

    “The computers are to be used for your college work ONLY. If you use them to look at ———– , your privilege to use the computer room will be terminated.”

    The school administrators who made this rule, may have not necessarily done so for religious reasons, for just from purely academic considerations, there is already an urgent need to have such a policy. For if students would be allowed to do whatever they wanted with the computers, they would spend most of the time on the bad things and never get any work done!

  5. #5 partitioning is not enough. The law often requires individuals to be in complete control of their computers. I don’t see how this can be satisfied by the plan discussed in the article.

  6. What about those of us who worked all our careers in businesses that require computers and spent alot of money acquiring office equipment? Are we expected to lose?

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