I have been frequently privileged to be received by the Rosh Yeshiva and to hear his clear-cut stand. It is a marvel to begin with, that a man of his years, distanced from the outside reality by seventy-eight years, is able to see so clearly and size up the situation.
In the course of several conversations I have had with him, when he was approached with the idea of creating a kosher device, he immediately objected and said, 'There is no such thing as a kosher device, rather, some are less treif.' He stated a remarkable principle which applies universally regarding a lack of value for time.
He described it through the phrase of `Hashem sanctifies Yisrael and the `times'.' The power of Jewry lies in its power to be in control of Time. Hashem created an entity called Time which did not always exist; rather, it [this fourth dimension] was the first thing Hashem created. The Gaon writes in Aderes Eliyahu that Time is what bonds a person to Torah. In order for Torah to exist, it must be coupled with Time and those commandments connected to time. There are the morning mitzvos, the Shabbos ones and those of the new month. Time is the vessel which Hashem created in order for man to be connected.
The matter of Internet, aside from its impact on our access to Gan Eden and so on, is taking Time and bringing it to other places altogether [than where it should be]. To begin with, the Internet robs its users of Time — which is originally designed to be used for Torah and avodoh. Few of us utilize perfectly every minute in our lives, but as long as I am not addicted to something which completely sucks me into it and disturbs me from my daily schedule, then I remain the master of my Time. The sanctity of Jewry lies fundamentally in the fact that it is master over Time. It owns Time.
Maran the Rosh Yeshiva shlita spoke the truth when he said that the Yetzer Hora is smarter than all of us. It is 6,000 years older than we are. What can we do? It says, Mishmeres lemishmarti: fences upon fences, restrictions upon restrictions. We must know that even with the devices that are protected there is a danger of addiction. There is also a danger that someone who is very sophisticated may access things that those who designed them did not anticipate.
The Chofetz Chaim brings a parable of a king. When he leaves the city, he is escorted by dignitaries. When he reaches the small villages, the escort is composed of lower level dignitaries. The farther it gets, the lower are the escorts.
There is a chariot of the Shechinah that has been travelling since Creation. First the Fathers escorted it. Then it was Moshe Rabbenu and his generation. It went on and on. Today we are only small policemen. But can the small and insignificant policemen deny that they are escorting the Shechinah? The Chofetz Chaim says that if those who are supposed to escort the Chariot in the remotest outposts will not escort it, then they will upset the Chain of the Generations. As Maran the Rosh Yeshiva always says, we have to pull the wagon until Moshiach comes. Each and every one of us must know that he is responsible to guard the Chariot until Moshiach comes.
