tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post2362696855425917355..comments2023-07-09T07:07:59.823-04:00Comments on SoMeHoW Frum : Umbrella Unity Usifa UpliftsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-46346058180567908712012-05-25T09:01:25.376-04:002012-05-25T09:01:25.376-04:00On Sunday, tens of thousands of yidden from all se...On Sunday, tens of thousands of yidden from all sectors will come together to Citi Field to take part in the “Kinnus Klal Yisroel” – to hear about the dangers of the internet and technology and how to deal with these issues.<br /><br />I too am going, and so are many others. But I also have quite a few friends that never ordered tickets and don’t plan on going, because they have asked, “What is the point? We know about the internet, we’ve long ago heard about the dangers of technology, so why are the gedolim shlepping us to a stadium to hear endless speeches about a topic that is 10 year old news?”<br /><br />The truth is, their objections make sense. We aren’t quite sure what the point is. So why are we all going? And for what purpose did the gedolim call for this strange kind of mass gathering that seems to serve no purpose other than to stir up lots of speculation and politics?<br /><br />Let me throw in my opinion, just for the fun of it. Rav Mattisyahu Salomon, who by all counts is the driving force behind this asifa, is both a wise and responsible person. He is in a leadership position where he sees – day in and day out – the devastating effects the internet is having on both children and adults. He has stated repeatedly that this is a nissayon of unparalleled dimensions, and that if Chazal would be in this generation they would decree an issur yichud on a computer.<br /><br />Therefore, he feels strongly that something must be done. The question is – what can be done? How can a single person, or even a whole signed paper of rabbonim stop something that has grown to be much greater than “a tool for doing business”, and instead has become a part of our everyday (and every minute of our) lives (as evidenced by the fact you are reading this post).<br /><br />His thinking is – we will arrange this asifa and that will be our hishtadlus. After that, Hashem will take over. The forces they are trying to fight are too powerful to be fought by humans alone. Therefore, he is arranging this gathering as a way of “handing over the issue” to a Higher power.<br /><br />Is this foolish thinking? Many people think it is, and that the problems that we must resign ourselves to the way things are. But the reality is, history has shown that so-called insurmountable problems have been overcome. 80 years ago was the nissayon of keeping Shabbos, 180 years ago was the nissayon of haskala, 100 years ago Zionism, and 40 years ago was a thing called television. None of these are serious problems anymore, even though no one particular person or group was responsible for eradicating them. They “went away by themselves,” – meaning, of course, that Hashem took over.<br /><br />So why are we are going to the asifa? We are going with the understanding that while we can’t necessarily solve the problem ourselves, we are willing and ready to submit it to a Higher Authority.Seen on KollelGuy's bloghttp://www.kollelguy.com/the-citi-field-internet-asifa-whats-really-the-pointnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-44576586398272032412012-05-24T12:43:23.839-04:002012-05-24T12:43:23.839-04:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N4F1JTU-6c&fea...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N4F1JTU-6c&feature=youtu.beyoutube full asifahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-58097908483235516682012-05-23T13:50:28.133-04:002012-05-23T13:50:28.133-04:00waiting for an email or twowaiting for an email or twoThe Bray of Fundiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552912825252813495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-39158978553878556142012-05-23T13:44:51.117-04:002012-05-23T13:44:51.117-04:00Ha Ha, Hardy Har.
Thanks Bray.Ha Ha, Hardy Har.<br /><br />Thanks Bray.SoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-56403721911791463592012-05-23T13:34:47.034-04:002012-05-23T13:34:47.034-04:00err... Hordeerr... HordeThe Bray of Fundiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552912825252813495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-1410943485542266022012-05-23T12:57:54.450-04:002012-05-23T12:57:54.450-04:00Hamodiah Hypes Huge HoardHamodiah Hypes Huge HoardSoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-42578024107519781482012-05-23T12:55:10.520-04:002012-05-23T12:55:10.520-04:00They've been reading my blog too long.They've been reading my blog too long.SoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-79706936997257895232012-05-23T11:51:17.239-04:002012-05-23T11:51:17.239-04:00Achdus At Awesome AsifaAchdus At Awesome AsifaYosef Gavriel Bechhoferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10264311760560329892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-11279557242733089822012-05-23T08:24:58.453-04:002012-05-23T08:24:58.453-04:00Arthur Ashe Arena Added?Arthur Ashe Arena Added?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-81596370399992493442012-05-23T07:13:50.833-04:002012-05-23T07:13:50.833-04:00What was the headline?What was the headline?SoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-18116940020989601492012-05-23T07:04:54.653-04:002012-05-23T07:04:54.653-04:00On a lighter note, SF, you should sue HaModia for ...On a lighter note, SF, you should sue HaModia for trademark infringement: Their lead off headline has four A words in a row!<br /><br />On the more serious side, we must make a move to deal with the Internet and the new modernities as RSRH dealt with the emancipation. Just as TIDE was an alternative to TO in the past, it must be so in the future - l'chatchila.Yosef Gavriel Bechhoferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10264311760560329892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-4412755649735430972012-05-22T17:28:18.751-04:002012-05-22T17:28:18.751-04:00This unity was like Degel and Agudah getting back ...This unity was like Degel and Agudah getting back together. Yes it was achdus for the ichud but a pretty narrow achdus between groups that have little of substance sepearting them in the first place. <i>Ah k'nappeh Oiftoo</i> IMO. Especially since the Khasidim for the most part walk away thinking that the English speakers are Goyim Gemuirm with or without filters anyway.<br /><br />I was looking forward to something more along the lines of what Bibi Netanyahu didThe Bray of Fundiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552912825252813495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-47511780120665051582012-05-22T12:57:48.540-04:002012-05-22T12:57:48.540-04:00My guess is that the idea was good but spiraled ou...My guess is that the idea was good but spiraled out of control. When the organizers realized they may not fill the stadium, they brought in Satmar etc. But that came at a price - Yiddish was to be the language of choice.<br /><br />There was much Achdus, but every gain comes at a price. All in all, Unity abounded - even though I couldn't understand 1/2 of what was being said.<br /><br />Assembling 40,000 people and everyone was quiet during the speeches, there was no fighting, was a huge Kiddush Hashem.SoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-74801747637704827062012-05-22T11:30:37.963-04:002012-05-22T11:30:37.963-04:00i was far more inspired by the crowd their behavio...i was far more inspired by the crowd their behavior and koved rosh than by the speakers.<br /><br />I give rabbi Waxman high points in general but thought his remarks to the media were, to put it mildly, not media savvy. I did like his teaching moment to secular Jews very much.<br /><br />In general I thought I'd been had. It was marketed as a responsible use of the web asifa and in the end was an absolutist rejectionist asifa.<br /><br />I found Rav Dun Sehgahls assertion that the internet is not a useful medium with big nisyonos but a pure and unmitigated destructive force particularly challenging to my emunas chachomim.<br /><br />Over the past years one often hears the complaint that askonim have gained too much power at the expense of Gedolim, that they are leading Gedolim by the nose, that the tail is wagging the dog. well the asifa blew that misconception out of the water. By taking as hard a line as they did the Gedolim turned the tables and made liars and fools of the askonim who came up with the tech expo and the "can't live without it" tag line.<br /><br />Over on Charedi and Prouds Blog a few posts ago I commented that the Gedolim wer "all in " on this one. that the Asifa would be not a mere anti-internet rally but a referendum on the continued authority of daas Torah. I was right. They gambeled big time and hope that they do not lose with a massive pushback against the hard line taken.<br /><br />I myself am struggling with much of what i heard, even from the relatively moderate rabbi wachsman. they may have lost the BOF. OTOH I am no great loss.<br /><br />Of late people oftenThe Bray of Fundiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552912825252813495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-57763494077585153902012-05-21T15:50:00.086-04:002012-05-21T15:50:00.086-04:00Come to think of it, you're right. However, I ...Come to think of it, you're right. However, I left early, and people were already davening. I think they were planning on leaving. I guess some people also were chiyuvim, and somehow imagined it would be better to lead a minyan than be part of 10s of thousands.S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-51572645706242950772012-05-21T14:41:32.745-04:002012-05-21T14:41:32.745-04:00Maariv. From my vantage point I could see several ...Maariv. From my vantage point I could see several minyanim by the concession stands. I can understand that many chose to Daven Mincha early, as they were afraid they wouldn't get to the Arena for the designated 6:30 start, but why Daven Maariv with 15 others when there was a B'rov Am minyam with some 30,000 people?SoMeHoW Frumhttp://somehowfrum.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-1555778136187906492012-05-21T14:18:33.120-04:002012-05-21T14:18:33.120-04:00Aa for breakaway minyanim, at least in the case of...Aa for breakaway minyanim, at least in the case of mincha, where I was sitting you couldn't hear the sha"tz. PA was not working at that time.S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157868497534649595.post-51826469715602725772012-05-21T14:16:46.259-04:002012-05-21T14:16:46.259-04:00If the weather is a siman bracha, you can't ar...If the weather is a siman bracha, you can't argue with that weather!S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com