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Thursday, February 02, 2006

Daf Yomi and Internet

In the midst of struggling with the sugya of Rabbi Chanina Sgan Hakohanim one's mind drifts to easier times - namely Pesachim Daf 10b.

There, the gemara discusses the necessity of removal of various caches of chometz - i.e., a loaf of bread on a rafter or in a well.

The general conclusion is, if it's difficult to get at, we don't assume that desire or craving will result in the Jew retrieving the chometz from difficult to reach locations. This in the time of Chazal when hunger was presumable much more prevalent than satiety. (Kosher L'Pesach rainbow cookies had not yet made their appearance.) And judging by the tenor of the gemaras, the am horatzim of that time were not averse to cutting corners.

Nevertheless, added difficulty deflects sin.

With a filter as a barrier, and a computer in a visible location , might this gemara not apply to the internet as well ...?

C'mon pro-ban chevra - are the lusts of the net worse than the need and drive for basic nourishment? Worse than the lure of the forbidden (chometz in Passover)?

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

this discussion will become obselete.

when some computer geek

comes up with a new technique.

11:47 AM  
Blogger Leapa said...

You make a legitimate point.

And no, I absolutely would not allow such materials in my house.

I do not subscribe to the New York Times, but I have a chasidishe neighbor who needs the Sunday Times for business purposes. I understand, and I also understand why he throws out certain sections on the way into the house.

Porn magazines, despite their protestations of bygone years, have no 'redeeming social value'.

The internet, like food, does.

Therefore I feel my parallel is not logically at odds with chazal .

7:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

strange how people are contributing on this blog who are for prohibiting use of the internet outside of the business world.

everyone agrees to rabbinic authority, but does this blog have rabbinic sanction? is every entry certified glatt kosher?

10:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

pro ban

first off lets hope you are praying to G-d and not a god.

secondly if you want the devil to quote scriptures i refer you to the messenger who was executed after reporting Shaul and Yonason were killed in battle.

is this analogous to defending the internet? i would say its in the same ballpark with Leapa's Pesachim quote which i assume was meant as food for thought and not a serious source of validation in a formal psak halacha.

11:12 PM  
Blogger Leapa said...

Pro, if you're really serious, I'll make you a member of the blog, and you can put your opinion out there as a post and tell me (us) where to get off. (Of course, we reserve the right to do the same)
The RY's and Mashgichim may like it, since I know some of what I write has gone to both.

Get an anonymous e-mail address, and send me it.

11:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

its too scary to think there might a whole army of pro-ban bloggers out there looking to get their daily fix of fleeting fame.

7:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

deerson,

maybe leapa will let you join too. Just ask.

10:36 PM  

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orthodox jews and the internet.