By Zalman Friedman, Director of It’s Good to Know
At a recent farbrengen, my father Rabbi Manis Friedman suggested that one of the last frontiers we need to truly conquer is the media.
That comment has been burning in my mind and I’ve decided to gird my loins and challenge our community. It’s not my place but in a confused world a little confused goodness certainly won’t hurt.
The trend in the media – social media in particular – has been progressively towards the unholy. Every person, even the worst fool, can have a blog, a Twitter account, a YouTube channel and a free hand to spread whatever drivel happens to consume them on any given day.
Of the millions taking advantage of this there are so few chachomim, so few students, so few G-d fearing voices based on Torah and Chassidus!
People might innocently argue that they don’t have the smartest things to say, and therefore don’t want to post their thoughts. But the fact is that whatever you have to say is a lot closer to the truth than what is pervasive right now. It might be a shtus but it’s a shtush dekedusha.
We have to flood the media with good content. As long as the Web is free every one of us can be a beacon of light in the media and we can truly reach millions of people.
We have Chabad.org, Torahcafe.com and many others who have massive audiences. Certain Chabad Houses are recording all their classes and posting them. Some organizations, like Mayanot or j-app, have Sound Cloud channels or something similar for easy access to learning. There are many good things to listen to – but it’s not enough.
We need more Torah, more classes, more lectures, more clarity, more happiness, more Moshiach.
I’ve been doing this for over three years with my father, and I can’t tell you how many emails we get from random people whose lives were positively impacted when they chanced upon one of our YouTube videos or an article on our website.
I challenge all of you: when you learn or come up with an idea, share it! It’s so easy! Take out your Smartphone or a camera and record yourself saying it and post it so that the whole world can benefit from it.
We used to think this was an unreachable dream. Now with the internet it’s no longer an idea its reality as we see it. We can literally sit in our homes and change the lives of people around the world. It’s just what the Rebbe taught us; that the world is not that big (and bad) and you are not so small.
So who is in?
Already being on the internet is no argument for spending even more time on it. Please explain your logic.
No matter what the Rebbe said about cable and the radio, neither you nor I know what the Rebbe would say about using the internet more. Absolutely anything is available 24/7 on the internet, and it’s obvious that radio and cable don’t compare to that.
I will add as a final note that there is no such thing as a rocket surgeon.
I have a personal blog and I decided to start a Torah blog as a side project. Not only does it give me more Jewish pride and make me analyze and internalize the concepts I write about, but, since it’s stumbled upon by the most unaffiliated people, it spreads Chassidus to the [often unholy] blogosphere.
you have me inspired
TO NUMBER 11
anyone who read this post/article is already on the Internet. Boom!
And yes, the Rebbe would say to use the internet more (see the Rebbe’s answer to “should farbrengens be on cable” and “should a Tanya shiur be on the radio”
Stay positive people.
Check out shulchanaruchharav.com and sign up for the daily halacha email. Great stuff!!
There are tons of $ out there to earn for apps – we should have classes in crownheights on app building. I am sick of putting jewish or even Torah in the search box and getting filth. Missionaries or xtian or even arab apps aiming at innocent jews who don’t understand yiddishkeit. Apps do not need Internet.
Great app available on the App Store called the Moshiach guide app has a short daily lesson in inyonai geula and Moshiach. It’s free and a great way to add a little learning to your day
Like hevria.org
thelightinthecorner.blogspot.com
shmoozingsandmusings.com
healthyjudiasm.org
Posting positive content on the internet is the way to combat spiritual darkness!
Thanks for the motivation!
Great idea! Lets all contribute our words of inspiration, our
amazing stories of hashgacha protius and kindness and
goodness, and short beautiful Torah thoughts.
The more the merrier.
Share your enthusiasm!
Fill the world with goodness!
Be a shliach even from your lounge chair!
Add whatever you can to the Rebbes campaign to
KER A VELT!!!
Sends out a daily two minute clip of the rebbe speaking. This short but powerful whatsapp makes my day!
From the Rebbe’s talks, Winter 1966 (free translation) Our sages have said: “All that G-d created was created for His honor.” This applies also to all the scientific discoveries of recent years–their purpose is to add honor to G-d by using them for holiness, Torah and mitzvot… There is a special advantage in using radio to teach Torah. Even if a person is not sufficiently motivated to go and attend a class, or even if he only turned on the radio to hear something else–the words of Torah reach him. Furthermore: also in a place where there is no human… Read more »
We also must be VERY careful! There is a difference between flooding the internet with positivity and falling victim to trolls and cyber bullying. If your going to get involved in posting Jewish things online, you are going to be dealing with a special kind of basement dweller born to the internet. They are vicious, they are mean, they are atheists, they hate you for giving your kid a bris, and they won’t wish you any nice things. The internet is an ugly place, if anyone has been looking for their shlichus and has been inspired now to open social… Read more »
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@hayomyomdaily
great messages and pics!
I agree with you but also with the artical.
I think we must try to stay off internet.
But at the same time we must pervide קדושה on there for for the people that are stil going to be using it. No matter whats on there…
Also noemw with apps.i dont even need to ‘go on line’ i can go to jewish.tv app and get all on chabad.orgs videos…
Just a thought…
The impression i got is that he’s saying since we have “YouTube channels, twitter accounts” already, and we’re anyways using them to share and spread things, why not utilize them to create more holiness.
B’dieved and not lchatchila
You start the article with a thought that was burning in your mind, and by the time we come to the end, you say that it’s “just what the Rebbe taught us.” Would the Rebbe really tell us to spend more time on the internet? I think of how the Frierdiker Rebbe discusses shtus dekedusha in Basi Legani, and it doesn’t compare to what you’re describing here. Consider also that once something goes online, it usually stays there forever. Who needs their foolishness immortalized online? People are retreating from real life interactions into the impersonal world of the internet, and… Read more »
I will definitely implement that as well.
But what are we going to do about all of the kids who are bringing their smart phones to school and have easy internet access at the tips of their fingers? This is particularly disturbing to me.
Who will ever address THAT?????
Amazing exciting stories that teach yiras shamayim – my kids love the stories and listen to them and act them out , over and over!! Was put together by Tzivos Hashem and My Shaliach
The best way to increase Moshiach in our lives and to bring him faster is through learning and spreading matters to do with him. Check out this youtube channel where every week a video is posted with the full Dvar Malchus sicha taught in english. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCV3lCQnuVsgY4gPZ68QdESQ
thank you for the motivation!
good idea
The decline in Yiraie Shamayim of kids and Adults.
Is largely due to the internet.
It goes without saying, a strong Filter must be in place
K9 is free you can set as you need etc.
I just had a talk with my kids.
Stating that our home computer can only be used for Kedusha.
Thank you for the push in the right direction. I have taken your words here to heart.
Thank you,
Shlucha in Europe
YOUR SO RIGHT
There’s a wonderful WhatsApp group that I’m on that is used purely for kedusha! Dividing Tehillim, names to daaven for, who is in need of a chessed, inspiring storis, divrei Torah, tznius vertlach, etc. No dirt, no gossip, no complaining, no negativity!
I really like this artical!
We must do something!
זה לעומת זה… We can totally add much more קדושה to whats out there…
We can change and put up more torah!!!
Lets go for it!!
I think this artical can get reposted in different places….
Lets do as the rebbe say we can change the world… Lets ise it theקליפת נוגה for קדושה…….