Taking a hardline against the Internet, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum says no one with a smartphone can count themselves among his followers.
Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, gave his followers an ultimatum on Shavuot: rid yourselves of your smart phones or get a new rebbe.
As Satmar hassidim gathered around the rebbe at the end of the holiday, he took a strong line against smartphones, telling his disciples that it is 'forbidden' for them to have a computer in one's home – as has been his position for many years.
There are exceptions regarding computers with filtered Internet access when strictly necessary for earning a livelihood, he said.
He then went on the address smartphones, stating all “klei kodesh" (holy vessels) – fundraisers, Torah students, Torah teachers, educational supervisors, institutional administrators, ritual slaughterers, and scribes may not have such a device – without exception.
Anyone who does not comply, the rebbe said, will no longer be permitted to continue in their position with any Satmar institution.
The Satmar rebbe also said that a woman may not have a smartphone under any circumstances.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Wosner in Monsey ruled this week – in accordance with his grandfather's ruling – that those who possess smartphones or have unfiltered Internet access are not kosher witnesses.
According to the report, Rabbi Wosner's decision was made at a wedding when he learned one of the witnesses possessed a phone that was not "kosher." He ordered another witnesses be found.
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