In the wake of the directives issued by Israel's maranan
verabonon, the gedolei Yisroel regarding the
serious prohibition of misusing the Internet, which as they
said, "constitutes a terrible danger for kedushas
Yisroel and the continuation of the generations," the
gedolei HaTorah in the United States have joined their
call, publishing a warning to American chareidi communities
about the great danger of connection to this destructive
device.
The roshei yeshiva of Beis Medrash Govoha--Lakewood,
which includes more than 3000 families, attached the call of
the gedolei hador of Eretz Yisroel to their
own. Their letter, written in English, was signed by HaRav
Malkiel Kotler, HaRav Tzvi Shustal, HaRav Yisroel Tzvi
Neuman, HaRav Yeruchom Olshin and HaRav Matisyahu Chaim
Solomon, the roshei yeshiva and mashgiach of
Lakewood.
In the letter, they explain the immensity of the danger.
Among other things, they say: "We join the gedolei
Yisroel of Eretz Yisroel who forbade keeping the
Internet in one's home and wrote that its danger is a
thousand times worse than that of television. On the
Internet, one can see the worst indecencies, Rachmono
litzlan. With a mere switch of a button, pictures from
the depths of the abyss: horrid pritzus to which
Chazal's statement, `There is no safeguard against
arayos' applies."
In their letter, the Lakewood roshei yeshiva expand on
the great danger of the Internet, especially when used by
people who are not on a high spiritual level, and on the
danger of its lures for those who expose themselves to this
destructive device. By its nature, they explain, it
cultivates man's power of curiosity, which lacks limits and
restraint.
At the end of their letter, the Lakewood roshei
yeshiva warn against misleading advertisements by the
Kosher-Net company in the United States, presenting itself as
a kosher Internet. In their letter, they say, "We must know
that according to the experts, the innovation called Kosher-
Net and all other ideas purporting to safeguard us against
the Internet in general, is only a small hatzoloh
which cannot offer sufficient protection against the grave
danger."
