Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Nothing threatens the closed Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) communities like the world of the Internet. Many of us can remember a time when the Internet did not exist as an option for ordinary citizens to use.

Today, every man, woman, and child has access to a world of information that the ancients never imagined possible.

The lines that have traditionally defined the boundaries of religious communities are suddenly becoming increasingly porous. Walls that have long been intended to keep the “outsider” out, and maintain control over those who are “insiders,” are rapidly disappearing.

The Internet Age has made the hidden world of the Haredi/Hassidic communities even more visible to the outsiders. More seriously, the outside world and its enticements have penetrated the walls the Haredi ghetto, which has long been a terra incognita—an exotic realm that is full of endless possibilities and potential discoveries!

The reticence of Haredi communities to accept the Internet is understandable. The force fields that rabbis have constructed over the centuries are dissolving. The modern world is encroaching upon their territory . . . What’s a poor Haredi rabbi to do?

Perhaps an interesting solution can be drawn from history.

Legend has it that when Alexander the Great arrived at the Phrygian city of Gordium, there was a famous knot that nobody knew how to undo. For Alexander, the solution was simple and obvious: with one stroke of his sword, he cut the knot. Henceforth, to cut the “Gordian Knot,” is to make a quick and decisive decision that instantly resolves an issue.

More and more Haredi rabbis are resorting to the problems posed by the Internet by making a simple proclamation: Ban it! In some rabbinical schools, the rabbis have special parties for breaking any cell-phone that has wireless services.

According to the Yeshiva World News, one prominent Haredi rabbi, R. Chayim Kanievsky, wrote a letter admonishing his followers to prefer martyrdom than use the Internet.[1] Rav Kanievsky is quoted by the newspaper HaMevaser as saying, “There is no excuse to permit the Internet for those claiming it is essential for a livelihood since rabbonim (rabbis) have already ruled the threats that are associated with the Internet are simply too great and one must simply distance oneself from it . . . even after filtering has been installed, there is no permission for having access to the Internet in one’s home, even for a livelihood . . .” He warned “Anyone who brings Internet into one’s home brings the yetzer hora (evil inclination) into the home.”

Among the Ultra-Orthodox, the chief objection to the Internet is the problem of pornography. Still, one must wonder: Surely there are Internet filters that can block any questionable website! Why are they making such a fuss? For the Haredi, any woman who does not follow the traditions of tsniut (modesty for women as defined by the Halacha) is also in the category of “pornographic.” Beyond that, even displaying a girl’s face-whether she be 2 or 80, violates the laws of modesty.

This writer suspects there is a deeper motivation at work here: There are numerous websites that have exposed many a shortcomings of the Haredi and Hassidic communities; the numbers of websites that are critical continue to grow.

Problems pertaining to thievery, fraud, pedophilia, racketeering, murder, and extortion—are but a few of the problems the Haredi leaders wish to hide from public viewing. Why? There are several reasons: (1) there is a perceived perception that hiding a problem will make it disappear from the public (2) many websites critical of the Haredi lifestyle might cause many people in their community to recognize the degree of dysfunction that exists among their rank and file members (3) Being accused of committing a crime is embarrassing to the family and the community (4) The more people know about the outside world, the more likely members will decide to leave the insular world they grew up in (5) Closing all communication with the outside world ensures that its leaders will maintain control over the masses.

Indeed, after their followers have been exposed to the Haredi scandals on the Internet, many people have chosen to leave their communities. At the very least, the endless stream of scandals creates cognitive dissonance. How could it not? My father often said to me as a child, “The only kind of person, who runs away from a policeman, is somebody that has something to hide. Live the honest life, you have nothing to fear.” When religious leaders attempt to hide the truth about their social problems from their followers, the truth will come out sooner or later.

The real issue boils down to a matter of censorship. “Looking good and pious” is extremely important for these cloistered societies and their leaders will move heaven and earth to keep their dysfunction away from public view. From their perspective, the Haredi community cannot survive in a modern age without somebody being in charge of hiding their secrets. In some ways, the Internet ought to be viewed as a good development for the Haredi communities because it will force their members to really “walk their talk,” and live more exemplary lives.

To my Haredi friends, please consider the following advice: Haredi Jews are not the only ones who have problems with the Internet—many people of all faiths and backgrounds are concerned about such an open-access highway of information.

There are many websites you would never want your children to have access to. But is the solution to ban the Internet, or is the solution much simpler: teach your children values that enhance personal respect toward others. Yes, this is a “simpler” way of cutting through the Gordian Knot, but in a lot of ways, it is much harder. For one thing, parents need to supervise their children’s web activity and there are numerous software programs that can provide parents with that kind of information.

However, the real challenge involves teaching by example. When children see parents living a moral and respectful life, the odds are their behavior is going to make a lasting positive effect upon their children’s character. Teaching kids to respect the voice of conscience may sound like a guilt trip to many, but from a Kantian perspective—conscience is the Voice of God that speaks within our souls. Learning to get in touch with that Voice is an excellent thing to do.

More importantly, the more you tantalize the forbidden by making verbal proclamations against using the Internet, the more likely you are going to tantalize the forbidden.

Years ago, comedian Bill Cosby offered a brilliant interpretation explaining the straightforward meaning of the text in a way that is clearer than most rabbinic and non-rabbinic commentaries:

Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to God’s kids. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was, “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Adam replied.

“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,” God said.

“Forbidden fruit?

We got forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve…we got forbidden fruit!”

“No way!”

“Don’t eat that fruit!” said God.

“Why?”

“Because I am your Father and I said so!” said God (wondering why he hadn’t stopped after making the elephants). A few minutes later God saw his kids having an apple break and was angry. “Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit?” God asked.

Well, you certainly know the rest of the story . . . the moral of the story is clear: the more the Haredi rabbis make a fuss about the Internet, the more likely their followers will do the exact opposite of what they intend.

Testing the boundaries is part of what makes us human. Rabbis and parents would be wise to use discretion in how they wish their children to develop a healthy sense of boundaries that enhances self-esteem and a respect for others.