New school year – new regulations: Senior rabbis in the haredi-Sephardic public, headed by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, urged yeshiva students to avoid electronic and cellular devices that allow watching movies or surfing the internet.
In notice published on Thursday, the rabbis claimed these were "street debauchedness" that must be rejected in favor of the yeshiva and studying at the seminary.
"We heard of small, new devices that let you watch movies and surf the internet, heaven forbid, and reach all sorts of foul places – in one instant a man can stumble and fall, heaven forbid, to the bottom of the pit," read the notice.
"Therefore," the rabbis added, "We urge to keep as far away from these dangerous devices as possible, keep restraint and beware."
The heads of the esteemed Sephardic yeshivas and members of Shas Party's Council of Torah Sages called on the "charming young men" to be strengthened by the Torah and devote every free moment to study it "with desire and joy."
The rabbis noted that this message is especially important in days when "we hear about daily disasters that are hard to contain", and stressed that the Torah protects and rescues its followers.
The rabbis further warned that nowadays, the streets are flooded with both new and old debaucheries that may prevent a person from devoting himself entirely to the study of the Torah, which may lead to a slippery slope.
In their notice, the rabbis recommended the students to keep practicing the Torah diligently, and remember that it is the Torah that serves as the best advocate ahead of the Day of Judgment.