In a rare and vary sharply-worded letter published this past Monday, written in his own holy land, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky warned, "Surely those who have in their possession a treif communication device are in grave danger on Yom Kippur."
This letter, exceptional in its sharpness, is meant to shake up the last of those owners of Internet-accessible devices who have not yet exchanged them for kosher ones, in anticipation of Yom HaDin. And who, after all, is not in trepidation of that Heavenly judgment?
It should be stressed that HaRav Shteinman has also appealed to the rabbonim of communities everywhere to warn the public at large of this danger in their upcoming Shabbos Shuva droshos, and to stress the vital importance of adhering to the established rabbinical safeguards designed to rescue this generation in this area. The Rosh Yeshiva said that chas vesholom, one should not be lenient in use of the Internet even for financial purposes unless proper screening is intact, and those who do not need it for parnassa should desist altogether from this dreadful hazard which has felled many a victim, as they would from fire.
Ever since the establishment of the Rabbinical Committee for Fortifying the Walls of Religion, headed by the Rosh Yeshiva and HaRav Kanievsky, thousands of requests for advice have been directed to the headquarters which counsels individuals, organizations and work places on the various rabbinical approved options of proper screening for those who absolutely require Internet access.
The headquarters' phone is: 1599-550-330. In addition, this number offers educational counselling by the "Center for Protection Against Technological Dangers" and tools in combating the dangers, as well as organizing rallies and disseminating positive propaganda.
