Comments on: PHOTOS: Live Blog From Massive Asifa At Citifield [UPDATED 11:30PM EST]

By: htbt123

htbt123 — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:50:23 +0000

I am one of the oldest in my family, I come from a yeshivish home but I am the “black sheep” and you want to know why? Its because they all think they know what’s best and think that by telling us WE ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE INTERNET OR MOVIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT is what makes us want to explore.. And when a parent catches their child not following there rules we get PUNISHED and then you guys ask why we hide from you and lie?!? Is because you look down upon us and ur ashamed we didn’t turn out like you.
What the parents and rabbis have to understand is that THIS IS the generation a generation of technology that’s just going to grow and in your words (be a bigger problem) as the years go so instead of banning us and punishing us, WORK with us UNDERSTAND us by allowing internet but in safe ways

its sad to say but it’s the truth and only my generation can understand this:
There are a lot of yeshivish of families who have children going off and most totally off because they were deprived and didn’t know the outside world and when they had a chance to get a look at it they grabbed it
and then there are families who are frum but have no problem with internet or TV or cell phones with texting and from my view and MANY people I have had these kind of conversations with AGREE that the percentage of yeshivish children going off the D is much higher then the frum families who allow these things but safely because there not deprived….
So Rabbis and Parents you have to learn and realize that this is the generation (moderated).

* if any adult has criticism about what I said then don’t bother to comment because if you do that just goes to show what I said is true how your not us or our generation so you don’t understand so please save it to someone who wants to hear!

By: YW Moderator-42

YW Moderator-42 — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:32:49 +0000

It was a great, inspiring event despite the fact that I didn’t understand much of the Yiddish and felt that many people left confused. This needs follow up. It was mentioned that each Rav needs to help his community deal with the Internet based on their own needs. The real sad part is that most of the people that really need the followup help, the explanation of exactly what should and shouldn’t be done, are looking to the Internet for it, and the ichud isn’t posting anything on the Internet. So everybody is left to get their opinions from the Lashon Hara blogs that exist to bash the Gedolim.

The Chofetz Chaim mentions on the mishna in Avos “ארבע מידות בהולכי לבית המדרש: הולך, ואינו עושה–שכר הליכה בידו; עושה, ואינו הולך–שכר מעשה בידו; הולך, ועושה–חסיד; לא הולך, ולא עושה–רשע.”
The Chofetz Chaim mentions that there is a 5th category of those who go in order to scoff. They get “schar” for going and “schar” for doing. In other words, they lose out on even the mitzvah of going because their going is for bad.

This is what the Lashon Hara bloggers do. Some went, some didn’t. Those who didn’t go got “reports” from those who did go. And they looked for anything they can find wrong with the event and with the message and then spewed their drivel about it online for all to see and for all to join them in their Chilul Shem Shamayim to counteract the great Kiddush Hashem that took place.

It is this stuff that is being read by those searching for answers, those who left the event confused about what exactly the message was and what they should and should not be doing. Unfortunately they then get sucked into the leitzanus.

What these people should be doing is going to their Rabbonim for hadracha. כי-ישרים דרכי יהוה, וצדקים ילכו בם, ופשעים, יכשלו בם. Hopefully those who are mivakshei Hashem will do what is right.

By: just me

just me — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:24:07 +0000

Modern Orthodox, I am so glad to hear that your community has no problems with the internet. NYPD watches the internet for pedophiles, the secular community talks about the issues IT has with the internet but your community has no problems. How lucky you are. I am happy for you.

By: AWoman_outside_bklyn

AWoman_outside_bklyn — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:55:17 +0000

HadEnough…. you are right on the money! Perhaps they should have reviewed tapes of the last Siyum Hashas to see how to inspire all. Personally, I’m glad I took the opportunity yesterday to gain inspiration (albeit not internet related) from Ohr Sameach’s Yom Iyun.

By: HadEnoughOfGolus

HadEnoughOfGolus — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:08:06 +0000

(Please read my post #29 first )From the fact that Yeshivaworld, and the other sites are not prominently posting the event in BIG at the top of their respective websites tells me that they agree that this event was a flop. This could have been so big, that it should have dominated the top of their websites for days, in MASSIVE lettering. Now it’s just a simple article, like all the other nohrishe pieces of news. Isn’t that amazing …. we have a rare historical gathering of 40,000 chareidim with all the gedolim and its not making massive headlines on the frum news websites??? But they are right in doing so. So thank you to them. Save it for the siyum hashas.

By: HadEnoughOfGolus

HadEnoughOfGolus — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:17:08 +0000

Where was the “ichud” of the kehillos?
If I separate the choshuva presence that graced us on the dais, I really am pained to admit (really, because this speaks to my dream of true achdus in klal yisroel) this was a total disaster. The yetzer horah won. He allowed politics and egos to dictate the agenda. It was a complete chasidisher event. Complete false advertising. For those of us who don’t speak yiddish, we gained nothing. Frankly, I wonder for those that do speak yiddish, whether they also gained. Of course there should have been yiddish speakers, but they should not have dominated, it should have been at least 50/50. I”m really sad. Really. I gave my nation more credit and I am disappointed. I feel terrible saying this. Rabbi Wachsman was truly amazing, he inspired. I appreciate the presence of gedolim, but we are mostly common plain simple people, that need to be spoken to on our level. Of course the gedolim should speak, but because they are on such a high level, kept it to a minimum, with divrei brocha, and then allowed those that can connect with the public to speak, such as rabbi wachsman. There should have been more practical presentations. We all know the internet has problems, we’re sitting there, we’re past that discussion, now please help us. Don’t repeat what we already know. Clearly, R’ Matisyahu was trying to save it at the end, by speaking in english to all the “mevakshei Hashem”. He understood….
But then I tell myself, that maybe this internet, with the easy ability to speak one’s mind, has turned me into a critic, when I should simply accept what happened with the belief that greater people than I will ever begin to be, were there, some knew the program, agreed to it, and I have to shut up. I am a follower, and have no right to question. I”m really torn about this. Not only did this asifa not inspire me, it actually bought me down. I know of the countless children that will now hear of the criticism, which will undermine our gedolim, and further water down klal yisoroel. I”m sad.
They had 40,000 people in one ‘room’, they squandered the opportunity.
I really wanted to be proud of our nation. This was going to be our “Olympics”. I guess I’ll have to wait for that feeling at the siyum hashas. It can’t come soon enough…

By: AWoman_outside_bklyn

AWoman_outside_bklyn — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:26:37 +0000

Two of my sons went with their yeshivas, and came home shaking their heads in confusion. I asked if they gained anything, and they both (separately) concurred that nothing was specifically mentioned about how to use the Net safely – which was how they marketed the tachlis of this event. They also felt that the English subtitles were not keeping up with the Yiddish speakers, so they had to get by on their minimal Yiddish.

This event cost well into the millions. Somehow it seems like money that could have been spent in a better way – like paying our Rebbeim, Morahs and teachers better, and providing them with the skills they need to inspire, not assur. And for that small group of protesters – they do have a valid point! It’s humans who are being protected by certain communities who’ve abused kids; not computers.

By: Gamanit

Gamanit — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:35:52 +0000

Personally I think filtered internet is a lot cleaner than the streets. If I wouldn’t be able to shop online, I would be shopping in Manhattan, and the people and the billboards there are definitely not good. Even if I’d shop in Boro Park there are people there not quite as dressed as they should be. My filter at least filters out 99.9%. Yes, there is that remaining .1%, which I would be better off without, but I’d say it’s the cleanest option.

By: brooklynhocker

brooklynhocker — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:20:54 +0000

Aishes Chayil: yes, we are in agreement. An ad may show up in the corner for a legitimate store that in your eyes may be harmless, but at the same time is exerting it’s power over you- it makes you want it- it makes you want to look (somewhat)like that(if only it wasn’t so revealing), that’s why it’s called marketing. You wouldn’t invite someone dressed like that to enter your home with your husband and children around (use any pop culture actress or singer and you get the picture). I’m not such a kanoy but I understand the argument against the freedom of content on the internet.

By: brooklynhocker

brooklynhocker — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:53:14 +0000

Poshut1: I think Rabbi Waxman said it best. If you add up all the time you spend on the internet (yes even here on YWN) everyday and then were to take a sefer and learn a portion of that time, you’d be amazed at how much you’d accomplish. If you’re honest with yourself you know he has a point. All in all the problem with the Asifa was it was marketed as an educational lecture by the Bal Batim and the Rabonim that spoke gave Musser a different way then was expected. Take from it what you want.