While the approach taken by most of the Haredi leadership has been one of banning and treating their constituents and followers as if they are immature and cannot be trusted with Internet and/or smartphones, the Admor of Kolin Stolin has reportedly taken a different approach.
The Admor recently said that he has not prohibited use of smartphones, and what people need can be used, but somebody who does not know how use it properly should not have one. The Admor added he did not not prohibit it because his hassidus is on a lower level but because he trusts his hassidim that those using smartphones are "ehrliche yidden". i.e. and using it properly and responsibly, but someone who can't use it properly shouldn't have one.
sources: Behadrei and Kikar
some might say that he is naive to believe that any of hassidim using smartphones are responsible and ehrliche, but overall I think it is a far better approach than banning and treating people like they aren't responsible or trustworthy...
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Not sure that this was not already the case but this pronouncement is going to make it extremely hard for his chassidim to "marry out" i.e. to marry into families that follow other Admorim because this is a red-button, defining issue for them. Basically among ALL other chassidic groups the thinking goes that if you own/ use a smartphone then you can't possibly be "an ehrlicha Yid"
ReplyDeleteWith time 2-3 years, restrictions will change. Give it time!
ReplyDeleteI would be more worried that within 2 or 3 days he'll be forced to issue a denial that he ever said such a thing, he was misunderstood, and really smartphones are assur.
ReplyDeleteNot so likely that that will happen to an Admor.
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