Newspapers, Radio, and Television

Motek

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 4:07 pm

the following is from an unofficial translation of a sicha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, from Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5714-1954, published in Likutei Sichos vol. 18, p. 459-61:

We all want the best for our children ... we make sure they get only the very best in nutrition and the most wholesome environment ... similarly, as Jewish parents, we ardently desire that our children develop into conscientious Jews .. we therefore take care to give them only the very best in spiritual nutrition, the best education at the best Torah schools ..

At home too, our duty as parents is to provide our children with the most wholesome Torah environment possible. To ensure that our children see only positive images and hear only positive messages, we provide them with inspiring Torah literature and wall decorations. We also take care to keep out of the home any potentially harmful influences.

As they grow up, children do encounter negative influences outside their home. But at least they know that these have no place in the safety of their parents' home and set of values.

When, however, such influences are allowed to enter the home, children are simply not yet equipped to differentiate between the positive and the harmful. They are at the mercy of their own lower instincts that they have not yet learned to control.

Certainly we need to control reading material coming into our home and what we hear on the radio. But the most potent influence even upon adults, certainly upon much more impressionable children and teenagers, are the visual media: television, movies, for these grab our total attention.

p. 459-61 ... Television is an unparalleled departure from the bounds of Torah morality. Even non jews have recently raised a storm of protest against television because of its destructive influence on the youth .. It's a disgrace that Jews have to learn this from non jews.

... Furthermore, even if someone thinks he'll watch only the "kosher" programs that he feels he's allowed to watch, how can parents guarantee that their children won't watch other programs that the Torah explicitly forbids us to watch? ...

And who can guarantee for the parents themselves? ...

Another problem results when others find out that such a respected person who wears a full beard has a television. They don't know of course whether he watches only such programs that he feels are allowed, so they'll watch all programs ...

Some may ask why others who are religious or even Chassidic Jews have a television. However, we should not look at them as an example. ... No one's perfect, one does as much as one can to keep Torah and mitzvos, so why learn from someone else's faults?

No one who has a television will argue that he bought it for the purpose of improving his yiras shomayim or good middos. Everyone has an excuse ... end of quote
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Can we deduce from here what the Rebbe would say about the Internet, or is the Internet different? After all, television never had parsha, Chassidus, etc. and the Internet does ...

Last edited by Motek on Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

proudmom

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 4:28 pm

I personally think that the internet is the same as a TV. Because like you said ... Furthermore, even if someone thinks he'll watch only the "kosher" programs that he feels he's allowed to watch, how can parents guarantee that their children won't watch other programs that the Torah explicitly forbids us to watch? ... The interenet you have very bad websites. A child that is old enough to spell and use the computer can put in a web address and by mistake press in the wrong letters can go to the bad sites or when they decide to browse the internet they can go see the bad sites too without relizing it.

Motek

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 5:54 pm

Uh, aren't you using the Internet right now?

as far as children and the Internet, hope I don't offend anybody with this, but I think parents who let their children use the Internet unsupervised are crazy.

A woman told me that her 20+ child does not know the Internet password in her house! She said that she told him that in HIS house, he'll do what he wants, but in HER house, no unsupervised Internet.

proudmom

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 6:10 pm

Of course I am using the internet, I am talking about a child. I know how to use the computer so I dont have anything to worry about.

Motek

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 6:40 pm

what I mean is, if you think Internet is the same as TV, and many Torah authorities said/say not to have a TV in the house, then ...

in fact, many Torah authorities say that one should not have Internet at home, so why are we using the Internet, hmmmm?

proudmom

Tue, Sep 21 2004, 11:16 pm

Because people dont want to listen

BelovedBird

Wed, Sep 22 2004, 9:42 am

proudmom wrote:

Because people dont want to listen

So you use the internet because you "don't want to listen to" das torah?

I am using the internet because I do not believe it is the same as TV and because MY rabbeim do not assur it. Not because I don't want to listen to das torah.

proudmom

Wed, Sep 22 2004, 10:14 am

I never heard about the rabbeim mentioning it until I asked my husband about it last night

Tefila

Thu, Oct 14 2004, 3:14 pm

I don't know how I would manage without the internet!!!!!!!
My kids are refused access unless supervised I type in my password which I constantly change.

Rivka

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 5:03 am

You can block sites on the computer so the kids can't have access to things like chat rooms or bad websites.
BUt anyway my child isn't old enough to use the web, so I can't say what I will do...probably let him use it to keep in touch with family, I couldn't live without the web as I use it to keep in touch with friends and family and my husband needs it for work and Uni.
TV is different to the net, you can see what has been viewd on the net and you can block things, TV has no blocking unless you have sky. But I have heard that some rabbis decided to ban computers and internet, which is all nice for them who don't need them, but there are people who do. I don't think anyone needs a TV, they just want one and you can't control what is being watched unless you keep it locked away and have a TV guide and take it out for the "good" programmes, which I doubt anyone does.

AweSumThenSum

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 7:46 am

like w/ all new things, most rebbeim just assur internet w/o delving into the real issues cuz it's a whole lot easier to say "assur" than it is to deal w/ reality. the fact is that a video machine can be a great thing, and so can the internet. did u know that most rebbeim assured super 8 movie projecters for a very long time? and then there's the story of the rabbi who was told that the internet wasn't kosher, and he held a speech to his oylem about how the "internet isn't kosher, and his oylem shouldn't eat it!!!"
basically, u gotta use ure own judgment in all areas of life. no rabbi can dictate all ur choices all the time.

ForeverYoung
Guest

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 10:48 am

Quote:

You can block sites on the computer so the kids can't have access to things like chat rooms or bad websites.

kids are smart and can get around it.

a friend of mine literally pulled the wires after a kid's friend use their Internet for.........

Changing passwords, filter, checking history folder, cookie files.

Another - a more difficult rute - have an external modem & connect it only when you're present - the problem is that most comps come w/ built-in modems, but if it's not integrated into the motherboard, it can be removed.

gryp

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 10:54 am

we have a username and password to log on, I know some dont, but if you dont want your kids on, you can just not tell them the password....

ForeverYoung
Guest

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 11:39 am

you give the children too little credit

in todays world we're like dinosors, and believe me, if they want, they'll get in.

Kids have to be kept buisy and taought from an early age that computer is for work, not fun.

Motek

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 5:43 pm

AweSumThenSum - although there might be rabbis who do as you describe, I find your post highly disrespectful to rabbis

ForeverYoung
Guest

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 6:20 pm

Quote:

basically, u gotta use ure own judgment in all areas of life. no rabbi can dictate all ur choices all the time.

if the Rav tells you that right is left & left is right, you're supposed to follow.

I forget where this comes from, but it's a quote.

you're right, all rabeim cannot tell all people what to do; however If your Rav tells you something, I believe you're obligated to follow.

No, I do not go to our Rav for every desision we need to make; however, if he will tell me "do this&this" I will follow, but I would not hesitate to ask for an explanation of something I do not understand

Tora dictates our behavior even in our bedrooms, more so in other rooms of the house.

But you and your Rav must know & understand each other, and approach each issue on individual basis.

Internet: many people need it for work & communication; it saves time & $. Our son's Rosh Yeshiva aknowledged it, and even though there is 'no tv' policy, computers are ok with the condition that there is no unsupervised access.

AweSumThenSum

Wed, Dec 29 2004, 8:39 pm

motek, feel free to feel how u do. I say things as I see them!! (and u wouldnt believe the things I see and hear in my law office)

imanut

Thu, Dec 30 2004, 11:31 am

everything can be used for good or bad, even tv and internet.
rebbe videos, other jewish videos...
chanukah live broadcast on tv...
this site on the internet...
parents just have to try to make sure that it stays in the proper boundries.

Motek

Thu, Dec 30 2004, 6:24 pm

the thing is, I don't think "trying" is good enough Confused

because there is no room for failure

Rivka

Mon, Jan 03 2005, 3:16 pm

If you have a password that is different to the one that you need to start the computer the only way a child will know the password is if you tell them and I am not talking about a 16 year old computer nerd who can hack into your computer.