In News
The Command, and the Retreat
In light of the comments recently made by Gedolei Yisrael, shlita, "Etrog" – a site that is completely free of lashon hara – has decided to discontinue its services on the internet. From this moment on, there will be no news or other informative postings on the portal
The letter signed by Gedolei Yisrael regarding chareidi internet sites, which was posted at the end of last week, is familiar to all of us.
We are confident that any of you who have visited the "Etrog" portal during the last year, by chance or on a regular basis, will testify to the fact that our wide variety of news and Jewish postings have met all of even the most stringent criteria set by the Gedolei Yisrael in their letter.
We are all familiar with the damage caused by the internet in the last few years. But we honestly believe that you will all agree with us, that this site was a home of Torah and Jewish knowledge, and that our portal only presented the true facts of the news, clean of any slander or sensationalism.
With the publication of the rabbis' letter, we must take action to verify the exact details and limits of the issur. This morning, we were personally informed that all chareidi internet activity must immediately cease. From the moment we began planning, and then eventually established the site, we decided to accept any guidance and halachic ruling received from Gedolei Yisrael. Therefore, just as we have adhered to the psakim of our Torah leaders thus far, we must continue to maintain that standard today.
This is not an easy step for us to take. Much thought and effort was invested in this project, and we have endeavored to fulfill a self-assigned mission of providing a clean, respectable site. A source of light in the terrible darkness. There have been occasions when we chose not to report on individuals and events that made very interesting stories, and lifted the "ratings" of other sites. If the material was not appropriate, we did not publish it.
We felt that we were continuing the legacy of those who followed the psak of the holy Admor of Gur, the "Imrei Emes", ztz"l, who one hundred years ago battled against the influence of the "Enlightenment" and assimilation movements in newspapers. But that same devotion to truth and purity forces us now to stop everything, and follow orders, without questioning their legitimacy.
This is something that must be done, dear friends. The Yetzer Ra has invaded every corner of the internet, but will now be left alone on the battlefield. We hope that the strength of Gedolei Yisrael will empower you as well, and we are confidant that you will be able to overcome the temptations of the internet, even without the help that we extended to you all for the past year.
At the end of this period, we would like to express our immense appreciation to everyone who accompanied us on the journey. To all those who participated in the planning of the portal, to everyone who was involved in the daily functioning of the site. To the rabbis who assisted us with the articles on Judaism and mussar. To the owners, the managers, the staff of editors, writers, graphic artists, and the production staff, who worked night and day to create a high quality, attractive, and rich site for our readers. To all the individuals who gave us the privilege to act as "shelichei mitzvah". And of course, we want to thank you all, our dear readers, for all your support.
We wish you all a Happy Chanukah.
The Mission Continues As in the past so it remains today - we were and still are under the selfsame commitment to adhere to the directions of the Gedolei Yisrael, who stand guard against breaches of purity threatening our camp. When we were required to ask – we asked. When we were instructed to depart – we left. The moment we are summoned back to raise the flag, every other consideration is pushed to the side and we answer: We are ready!
Illegal Aliens Attacked Inspectors from the Oz Deportation Unit with Tear Gas 6 Inspectors showed up this morning to arrest illegal workers who have been in Israel for 10 years, and were attacked with tear gas.
Herzog: Immediately Freeze the Water Price Hike Minister Herzog has asked the Prime Minister to immediately cancel the rise in water rates, but at the same time, to significantly increase the price of excessive water use.
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1. How does this serve Torah?
A Soldier's Mother 16/12/2009 17:21How does stopping a site that observes Torah restrictions and requirements serve the purpose? As you write, the Yetzer Ra has invaded ... well, not every corner, but many corners of the Internet. To surrender the battlefield leaves to many people alone without any guiding light. A man with a single candles goes in a room and there is, at least, some light to guide others. Where...where is the logic in pulling that light out of the room?
2. This is utter nonsense [No- Content]
Menachem 17/12/2009 18:56