Question: Is there a halachic prohibition (not a stringency, I wish to know only the letter of the law) to connect to the internet via a regular (unfiltered) connection for any reason?
Answer: The root of this question is that it is well-known that by connecting to a regular internet connection, one can receive many beneficial services and information. On the other hand, through the internet, one can read things which border on heresy and denial of the basic tenets of our religion as well as watch forbidden things. Since many individuals in our times depend on internet usage, it is difficult to completely ban its usage.
Reading and Seeing Forbidden Things
Already several hundred years ago, various books, including “Emmanuel the Roman,” a book mostly comprised of romance, useless joking, and immorality, made their way into the market. Maran HaShulchan Aruch (Chapter 307, Section 16) writes that one may not read this book. Included in this prohibition is reading any romance novels, for by doing so, one transgresses the prohibition of “Don not turn to the idols,” about which our Sages expounded (Shabbat 149a), “Do not shut Hashem out of your thoughts,” meaning that one may not do things which cause him to forget Hashem.
Certainly watching forbidden things on the internet causes one to sin as the Torah warns in several places, among them, “Do not stray after your hearts and after your eyes,” “You shall guard yourself from any evil thing,” and others. Similarly, our Sages teach us in the Gemara (Sotah 8a) that the Evil Inclination can only control someone based on the images his eyes have seen. Merely gazing at forbidden images causes one to transgress several explicit Torah commandments.
Connecting to the Internet without Watching Forbidden Things
Some claim that one can connect to the internet and he shall restrain himself from entering forbidden sights. If so, why should connecting to the internet be forbidden? The answer to this is that anyone who has connected to a regular internet connection can attest about himself that he has descended one-thousand levels in spirituality due to the evils of the internet and so many precious Jewish souls who were Torah and Mitzvah observant fell to the deep abyss because of this evil tool.
Thus, connecting to the internet via a regular connection is forbidden, for by doing so, one increases the effect of the Evil Inclination upon himself more so than before and one is considered to be “provoking the Evil Inclination against himself” (he Gemara in Masechet Niddah 13a states that one who provokes the Evil Inclination against himself shall be in a state of excommunication) and is very close to sin.
One connecting to the internet which is open to all of the world’s impurities is compared to one travelling on the road with his suitcase packed with newspapers filled with filth, books of sorcery and witchcraft, obscene pictures made by lowly beings, and many other sorts of evil things (which besides for the religious standpoint, any descent individual would distance himself from for all of this contradicts basic human morality) and the person claims that he does not read or look at these items and is merely carrying them around for convenience. Any intelligent person would distance himself from such an individual who is so close to the depths of impurity.
Filtered Internet
Nevertheless, many people who cannot do without the internet can avail themselves of the services provided by several companies which “block” sites displaying forbidden articles and images such that one cannot watch or read these forbidden things while at the same time taking advantage of the benefits of the internet. One must certainly not laziness control his life and quickly make arrangements to connect to the internet only through such companies and services.
One should remind himself that through one impure thought brought about by connecting to the internet in a regular manner, many Mitzvot of his are cancelled out, he transgresses several negative Torah commandments, and he becomes distanced from Hashem instead of meriting so much goodness by connecting to the internet via a filtered connection. We must publicize that the reward of those who connect only to filtered internet is boundless and unfathomable. Although it seems that this is merely a small matter, this is not the case, and as experience has taught us, one must make a strong effort to overcome the Evil Inclination regarding the internet. Only after one connects to filtered internet will one see that it was not so hard to begin with.
Our Sages have already taught us in the Midrash and Gemara (Chapter 3 of Baba Batra) that if one has the option of looking at forbidden sights but vanquishes his Evil Inclination and does not look at them merits greeting the Shechina. This is besides the great reward for one who pains himself to fulfill the words of the Torah.
Based on all of the above, who can ignore all this and not quickly disconnect from the “regular” internet and connect only via a secure, filtered connection to save his own soul and the souls of all of his family members from descending into the deep abyss?
In the merit of disconnecting from the “open” internet, one will merit seeing his children and grandchildren toiling in the holy Torah while ascending level after level in Torah study and fear of Heaven through peace, tranquility of the soul, and clarity of mind all the days of his life. Hashem is surely gladdened by those who do not connect to the regular internet in our days similar to what our Sages say in the Gemara (Pesachim 113a).
Thus, even if one has no other choice and must be connected to the internet, one must exert all of his efforts to immediately transfer over to a company which provides filtered internet or any similar service. Whoever does so shall be handsomely rewarded by Hashem.
Response by Harav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a, grandson of Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef Shlit”a
