Gedolei Yisroel from every stream of Torah-true Jewry
have set up a special rabbinical committee, assisted by legal
and technology experts, to lead a campaign against the
spiritual stumbling-blocks caused by cellular phones. (See
remarks of HaRav Wosner in this week's "Opinion" section.)
Last week the committee announced a ban on all advertising by
cell-phone companies in the chareidi and religious press
until a solution is found to the problem of unfit content,
saying that no compromise solutions will be considered.
Newspaper executives said they were glad to take part in
efforts to halt the spiritual damage cells phones have been
wreaking, particularly among youth. The committee's
consultants are currently examining ways to block all content
services. Due to efforts to rake in large profits from
content services, simple cell phones are no longer
manufactured. But company experts say it would be easy to
make existing devices function as phones that only allow
conversation.
Although technological advancement, including the
communications industry, has brought various conveniences to
life, it has also created problems for Jews of all ages--
regardless of standing, orientation or background. The
chinuch problems associated with the devices pose a
threat to schools, talmudei Torah, yeshivas,
kollelim, seminaries and every Jewish home.
Even Jews far from the world of Torah and mitzvas are
concerned by the destructive effects of licentious
communications, particularly in telephony.
The chareidi sector, which cherishes the mitzvah of lo
sosuru and educating children in purity, is even more
troubled by the easy and immediate access to the outside
world, namely secular society and all that it represents and
inculcates nowadays. Gedolei Torah have repeatedly
issued warnings but it has been found that without a single,
united front the breaches cannot be stopped.
Due to the growing spiritual dangers posed by cell phones,
which are making every form of evil readily available,
maranan verabonon have joined forces to save the souls
of the generation, particularly the young generation. The
committee will be authorized to use every means it deems
appropriate in presenting demands to the cell-phone
companies, in its efforts to prevent spiritual pitfalls. The
committee will determine to which companies cell-phone users
are permitted to subscribe, which types of devices, upgrades
and contents may be used, what will be permitted to advertise
and sell within the chareidi sector, and more.
Committee members include HaRav Tzvi Friedman, the rov of
Bnei Brak's Ohr HaChaim neighborhood and a member of the
Badatz Shearis Yisroel, HaRav Boruch Shragah, rov of
Jerusalem's French Hill neighborhood and av beis din
of the Jerusalem Rabbinate and the Badatz Beis Yosef, HaRav
Yisroel Fishbein, a member of the Badatz Agudas Yisroel,
HaRav Yosef Binyomin Wosner, a member of the Badatz of Elad,
and HaRav Amram Ofman, a moreh tzedek at the Badatz
Eidoh Chareidis of Jerusalem.
The committee has appointed two leading jurists of national
reputation, Attorney Dr. Yaakov Weinroth and Attorney Yaakov
Aviad, along with a team of legal and technological experts,
to meet with cell-phone company representatives.
Consulting with Gedolim
In Elul a meeting of roshei yeshivos was held at the home of
Hamashgiach HaRav Shlomo Wolbe to survey how serious and
widespread the problem is. Participants shared stories of
houses that have been wrecked and talmidim who have
fallen victim to the perils and stumbling blocks lying in
wait for them outside the beis medrash--both from cell-
phones and the street at large. They discussed ways to
safeguard yeshiva students from these perils, such as keeping
the handful who have veered off the path from influencing
others. They also spoke of making parents of yeshiva and Beis
Yaakov students better aware of the inherent dangers and of
their responsibility to prevent spiritual disasters from
taking place. During the meeting they also reached a decision
to consult Maran HaRav Eliashiv on the grave problem.
A delegation of roshei yeshivas went to the home of Maran
HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, shlita, to discuss their
concerns over the extent and pervasiveness of the problem.
The delegation members told HaRav Eliashiv that while this
type of decay was once found only outside the beis
medrash, today the cellular companies have turned the
cell- phone into a tool of destruction worse than the
Internet and other forms of communications, and readily
available to bochurim, avreichim, baalei batim and
bnos Yisroel. They also spoke with him about
appropriate preventative and enforcement measures.
Maran acknowledged the seriousness of the threat, saying that
the rabbinical committee appointed by gedolei Yisroel
to handle the matter should make every effort to find a
suitable solution as quickly as possible and steps should be
taken to raise awareness among parents. He also said yeshiva
and kollel students should be informed that every
individual has a duty to influence others to avoid these
tools of destruction.
The delegation also met with other Torah gedolim.
HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman offered the roshei yeshivos
encouragement in their efforts, both inside the yeshiva halls
through gentle persuasion and elsewhere by instituting
restrictions. He sat with them at length to discuss ways to
attack the root of the problem.
HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz also expressed deep concern,
suggesting ramim show greater love for their
talmidim and keep abreast of their respective
spiritual states, thereby thwarting disasters before it's too
late.
