TheSanhedrin.NET

[Binyomin]

Dear Reader!
This site was designed to provide an authoritative source of information for the distribution of official information and press releases of the nascent Sanhdrin, and to dispel misunderstandings. Our opinion remains against the internet for obvious, known reasons. The opinion of the "Friends of the Sanhedrin", in conjunction with other stringent community leaders, is that it is forbidden to surf the web except for parnasa or other official reasons.

In general we agree with the Takana of Lakewood, at which the Gedolim outlined their ban on the Internet. (This is not a statement of the nascent Sanhedrin). Here are the specifics:

1. Internet access is only permissible if required for a person’s job, and should be done at work.
2. Internet access in the home is prohibited if it is only for the purpose of entertainment or casual use (shopping, airline tickets etc.)
3. Anyone who requires access to perform their jobs should be required to have a Rabbi certify the validity of this need.
4. Computers with internet access must be physically protected from use (in a locked room, etc), as current software filtering technology is not sufficient to protect their use.
5. Computers even without internet access will be required to have software installed which will prevent them from being configured to connect to the internet by the use of external modems, WIFI etc.

The full takana can be viewed here:
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/images/Lakewood%20Internet%20Takana.pdf

We hope that future technology will provide adequate safeguards to allow profitable use of the internet by the Jewish community, until that time use of the internet is clearly dangerous.