Jerusalem – At a gathering at the Belzer Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim in honor of the start of the summer z’man, the Belzer Rebbe described BlackBerrys as an “instrument of contamination” that should be avoided at all costs.
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Likening the evils of the smart phone to the impurity that existed in biblical Egypt, the Rebbe told thousands of Chasidim that while there are many positive and appropriate uses for a BlackBerry, because it also has the capability to expose a person to immorality, it should be viewed as an impure object.
The Rebbe cautioned those assembled to not only avoid BlackBerrys, but to advise others about the dangers of the device as well.
“If you see someone who does not take this admonition seriously, you must tell them to stop using their BlackBerry,” said the Belzer Rebbe. This is something that each of us must be vigilant about.”
The Rebbe warned the assemblage about the new dangers that with the constant emergence of new technology.
“We need to be on guard, to ensure that the impurity of Mitrayim does not dwell in our midst, in our Talmud Torahs, our Yeshivos, our Kollelim and in our homes, while at the same time imploring Hakadosh Baruch Hu to look upon us mercifully.”
Long overdue…The only way to Stop this Samech mem is by having the rebbe set up a vadd hatznies and they should be the ones who can certify if someone needs a blackeberry for his business or not. And if he can do without the rebbe should ban his chasidim from their mosdes hachinich…
With all due respect, what does the “impurity of mitzrayim” have to do with getting email alerts and updating your appointments on your Outlook calendar on a blackberry? How does the rav expect these talmidim to stay connected or is his objective to deliberately keep them form using any technology that might improve their lives?
i have an idea, let’s go back to using smoke signals for communicating then all our problems will be solved
Cut it, those days are over, Blackberrys are here to stay! People make money through there phones, I know the rebbe has no concern for making money but there are those who do!!
whew, at least he dint asur the iphone. Im sure Apple is not paying him for a product placement.
is he an agent for iphone?
the blackberries are out for a few years now, what suddenly became wrong with it?
I listened to the drushe. if I understand good. The Rav spoke to bucherim at the time. It was a special event for bucherim on the day they started the new zman. The is a 2 times a year event when the rav learns with the bucherim the 1st mishne of the mesechte they will learn in the upcomming zman. And the rav explained them that a bucher should sit and learn. And not have ipods or blackberrys. He also said that every married man who has it should make sure to use it only in an appropriate way.
let’s see this rebbe not making use of the internet for fund raising.
i remember last year, belz had a website where anyone could make a donation and a kvitel will be read by the belzer rav z”ls kever.
looks like this picture was taken from a blackberry……
THE REBBE IS GERACHT!!
The blackberrys are a enormous addiction! No one can deny it! It takes you over and it takes you away from focusing on what’s important in life, Family, Kids, etc,
Everyone has to have control of it by them self! Of course if you really need it for parnasa I would say keep it.
BUT it must have a Filter for the web service. The Jnet provides a great Filter it cost less then $5.00 a month
Saying that a BlackBerry is dangerous is like saying a knife is dangerous. Both are simply instruments that only become harmful if the person using them does so in an improper way. I think what the Rebbe was trying to say is that we humans are too weak in Middos to be trusted with the BlackBerry, we should not use it.
Context, people, context. The Belzer Rebbe, Shlita, did not (nor does he have the authority to) ban Blackberrys from all of Klal Yisrael. He was directing his remarks to his specific audience. Those of us not in the audience, and certainly those of us who are not Belzer Chassidim, are not bound by this.
We should consult those Hallachic authorities upon whom we usually rely.
Oh I heard, he said that “cars” are dangerous and should not be used . Same thing goes to buses or anything that has 4 wheals….
Jnet makes excellent filters for blackberries.
I think that this is to show that a person living in Israel Jerusalem can not decide and understand for people here, since maybe in Israel the blackberry is used for fun and for dirt , in the states this is the must business oriented phone possible and is used for as strictly business as possible. Also here in the states the idea of a mart phone isn’t anymore a extra it’s a most and I don’t think a real business man can live with out one, as opposed to in Israel where A) email isnt that in yet and B) they have all kinds of Kosher phones available.
I have a lot of belzer friends and they said that the chasidim are throwing away the blackberries believe it or not. and from my point of view a outsider I think the belzer rabbi is 100 percent right
But smoking is OK?
As a proud Belzer I must say this article is misinformation. I heard it live and the Rebbe banned Blackberries for the bachurim (this was an opening assembly for all yeshivos as mentioned above!). The Rebbe said that those that need it for business should be careful. That’s it. Ladaat.net totally screwed his words up!
to all of your belze guys keep saying that he spook to the bachurim or to kids. didn’t you all get a nice note in shul “clarifying” in the name of the Ruv house, that he meant everyone? So stop the lie now, and face the music your ruv asked you to do something you don’t feel like doing or you don’t agree he is right, now ועשית ככ אשר יורוך Listen and go buy a iphone !!!!!!!!
The reality is that if you want to find it you can see ‘immorality’ everywhere, you don’t need a blackberry, just eyes. No one suggests anyone poke their eyes out but that’ll be the only way someone can be positively certain he is never tainted by this immorality they’re so scared about.
I’m sorry but I cant live without my blackberry
is there a HALACHA אין גוזרין גזירה על הציבור שאין יכולין לעמוד בו ?
The Big question is: Is there an app for that? Had they made a Belzer chassidus app, this would have been OK. In my opinion, this is what bothered the Rebbe.
While not a Belzer Chassid, I (personally) know that the Belzer Rebbe is deeply concerned about the Parnassah issues of his chassidim as well as the Parnassah issues of Klal Yisroel. He is seriously committed to help in this area. Aside from the obvious disrespect shown to this Rebbe, it is readily apparent that whatever he said was directed to HIS chassidim and not to the public at large. The negative comments posted on VIN are particularly disturbing if (as reported in the comments) the Rebbes remarks were made to HIS Bochurim who should not be distracted from their studies by the constant barrage of emails that the BlackBerry brings. I can’t imagine any sane parent WANTING their children-bochurim to have a BlackBerry (as opposed to allowing it- reluctantly or otherwise). There are colleges in India that do not allow students to have cell phones on campus – do you think there is a rationale for that. Many yeshiva gedolahs either prohibit or discourage Bochurim from having cell phones – do you this there is a ratioale for that – Of course there is . But whenever there is an opportunity to villify our leaders there are apparently people who will lower themselves to the occasion
I wonder why he doesn’t assur dishonesty? Maybe then people will be honest. I got shafted for over $1,000,000 (that’s a million dollars for those of you who don’t know what all those zero’s mean), by someone who campaigned against the treife – read my lips, internet – phones.
maybe people should hold off repeating this type of nonsense for a while since the spotlight is on the frum because of the picture story. No need to give the world a few more things to laugh at
If only a smart phone can completely eliminate pictures of women as well as charedi newspapers can it would be kosher.
I fully recognize the Belzer Rebbe’s entitlement to freedom of expression to dictate whatever he likes to his chassidim. That’s his constitutional right.
However, what happened to the natural right of all sapient men (and women) to listen, to evaluate and to make up their own minds on whether or not to accede?
There is another “religious leader” in Rome, Italy who honestly believes that, in matters of religious dogma, he can do no wrong. Is that what OUR gedolei hador are claiming as well?
Another day, another rebbe, another ban. This time it’s Blackberries. (Yawn.) Maybe he thinks that they’re like strawberries, and they could have bugs on them…
the Rebbe is absolutely right! it is so sad to see fathers busy with their phones all day long!!!!! they cant live without it for a minute. Put down that stupid phone you people, and look at your children and give them attention. Sit down with them and play a game or learn with them. My husband got an iPhone a few months ago and it drove me crazy. An entire day he was busy with text messages and news and emails…… We recently canceled the data and we are so much happier and now have time for each other and our children. i think its time we learn how to live without these crazy phones.