Jewish Scene
Rabbi: I have special permit for iPhone
Kobi Nahshoni
Published: 17.10.12, 14:07
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. repentance??
roger ,   zurich switzerland   (10.17.12)
Electronic teshuva? LMAO Does this mean there is a penance app?
2. Does he need permission to pass wind?
Haim ,   TA   (10.17.12)
3. what moron follows this nosense
courtney ,   usa   (10.17.12)
hilarious... and my mom asks me why i dont attend services
4. If the Orthodox view is so pious....
William ,   Israel   (10.17.12)
why are there so many contradictions? And the response to those who question it (as they rightly should) is met with scorn by those who claim to uphold the Orthodox ideals.
5. #2 - clearly not!
Thinking Jew ,   Israel   (10.17.12)
They're clearly excelling, and exceeding, everyone else, at that. :-)
6. sheer idiocy
jack bauer   (10.17.12)
while it is undeniable that people use their smartphones way to much and can become distracted from whats really important in life, this is ridiculous. These so called holy men need to wisen up. A tool is not unholy. A knife for example can be used to murder but it in of itself is not a murderer. So too a smartphone can be used to do evil things but that does not make the phone inherently evil. These people proscribing bans should be banned from leaving their homes. Who knows they might see a woman. Get a grip rabbis, as long as you say retarded things normal people will never consider joining you in attempting to live more holy lives. How about just recommending to your people, dont use them if you seem to develop an addiction to them.
7. Rather than smashing the smartphones...
William ,   Israel   (10.17.12)
why don't the Orthodox just create a "kosher app" which provides access the the daily Parsha, times for candle lighting and prayer, access to sermons from their favorite rabbi, and a filter to block the more sketchy websites, like porn or the website of a rival rabbi? In all honesty, instead of smashing the phones, why not just donate them to the secular community whom the religious believe are going to hell anyway?
8. #1 re. repentance for impure idols???
Smartphone User   (10.17.12)
Roger: it is teshuvah, electronic or otherwise, for being such overt fanatical dimwits whose behaviour gives a terribly bad name to Judaism. By the way are Samsung's and other mfr's smartphones kosher according to these enlightened twits? I wonder...it seems that they are only biased against Apple products. Is there such a thing as a Smartphone hech'sher? If there isn't a Rabbinical kashrut board for phones yet, it is time to create one!
9. Rabbi, I also have a special permit for:
Susya Bar Dror ,   Israel   (10.17.12)
1. Driving on Shabbat 2. Visiting a house of pleasure 3. Smoking on Yom Kippur 4. No yarmulka when swimming and last but not least 5. stealing from the government
10. I don't think you will find any US rabbi without a smartphon
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (10.17.12)
People here expect to be in touch with their rabbis and they use cell phones in their job to take care of the needs of the members. I would suggest that the iPhones be donated to American rabbis instead of being destroyed.
11. To quote the article:
Runner1983 ,   USA   (10.17.12)
"While senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis are stepping up their war on smartphones and imposing personal sanctions on haredi Jews using the "forbidden device," one religious leader appears to have special privileges." "An "iPhone breaking event" was held several weeks ago...The event was orchestrated by Rabbi Lior Glazer, who told his followers that "a religious person who owns this impure device is an abominable creature." "Forbidden device? A religious person who owns this impure device is a abominable creature"? Give me and everyone else a break!! These haredi rabbis have the greatest con going. Who are they to make these statements? They are accountable to no one! I feel sorry to people born into this cult - they can't exercise their own critical judgment or common sense, they are purposely not sufficiently educated to leave the cult, they marginalize all women and purposely choose a life of poverty. Due to their high birth rates, they will some day make up such a large percentage of the Israeli population that the country runs the risk of not being able to defend itself militiarily or economically. I am very worried about Israel's future.
12. Much Ado
Norman Gellman ,   Rehovot   (10.18.12)
The smart phone ban is only applicable to those who want to observe it. What real consequences can these rabbis enforce against those who ignore their ban.So in the rreal world this ban (as well as other bans) in much ado about nothing.
13. Nutters, all of them.........
Mike Carmel ,   Rishon le Zion   (10.18.12)
14. Words of Wisdom
The Prophetess ,   FL, USA   (10.18.12)
"Priests [substitute:haredi rabbis] . . . dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight, and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversion of the duperies on which they live. Thomas Jefferson - 1820
15. They call it iKosher
Cynic #2   (10.18.12)
16. Haredi rabbis are opposed to technology and
Runner1983 ,   USA   (10.18.12)
having their followers exposed to the outside world because this is a direct challenge to their authority and personal power. This has nothing to do with religion, but power. They cloak this as practicing authentic Judaism, but nothing can be further from the truth. There is no reason that observant Jews can't also be engaged with the world, and make significant contributions to it.
17. "kosher" phones used for phone sex
Lemmings Hotline ,   sd usa   (10.19.12)
Rabbis - I dont think they are safe either. Therefore, ban them as well.
18. Why do
Someone ,   Brazil   (10.20.12)
they live in Israel? They are against Zionism, like natureikarta! Go back Marrocco, man!
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