By COLlive reporter
A Lubavitch dayan from Canada took aim at the obsession for news and information among the Lubavitch community Sunday.
At a Farbrengen in 770 in Crown Heights in honor of Yud Tes Kislev, Rabbi Berel Bell of Montreal critisized the immense popularity of Lubavitch community websites.
He asked rhetorically, “Do we really have time to waste over here? Is this a preparation to (greet) Moshiach Tzidkeinu?”
“We have to keep up with every last piece of news and the seforim are on the shelf; the nigleh is on the shelf, the chassidus is on the shelf…”
Rabbi Bell is the former dean of Bais Chaya Mushka Seminary, a dayan at the Montreal Beis Din and on the editorial board of JLI: Jewish Learning Institute.
Lubavitch news websites were established in recent years when the post Gimmel Tammuz infighting cooled off and the community wished to stay connected.
While independently owned, COLlive.com is viewed by and is in touch with the spiritual and organizational leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch.
Without naming a specific website, Rabbi Bell didn’t withhold punches at the readers’ comments.
“The comments,” he said, “the whole thing is set up in order for people write things and people to read things; to get more people to come to the site – to make more money.”
While Rabbi Bell is tech savvy and mentioned in many news reports, he added: “If anyone reads them and sees my name on it – then please don’t tell me.”
I can’t believe I had to scroll down to the end of the comments to see someone who noticed the most important part of this article: Check out Charlie! Looking good!!!
That new suit is awesome?
THE MAIN POINT IS: if every1 would put down his name whenever he wrote a comment and email adress without even being published, then the lashon harah would cut down by more than 50%
offhand, I can only think of 1 person that signs his name on his comments
I admire & respect Rabbi Bell alot & I also think that I waste too much time on the comp. instead I should be
doing Chessed or learning…………
And COL posts it here, it’s a passive agressive way of saying … Of sticking it’s tongue out.
hahaha
And charlie is looking FINE
It is a chutzpa that there are so much comments :).
Thank you yym / scoopers
except 4 one: #43. he finally brought to light did rabbi bell ever say you cant look at the websites? NO! he said that its mamash listening 2 lashon harah when you read all these comments! i’ll confess, i’m a hypocrite, i looked at these comments b/c i couldn’t hold myself back. i spoke to him myself and you are ALL! changing around his words you should literally be ashamed of yourselves! the chutzbah and bebelion that every1 has towards robonim these days is unheard of! of course there was other problems be4 internet, t.v., tznius, etc….but that gives you… Read more »
who is “the spiritual leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch”?
A website that carries our name in any way whether it is Chabad, Lubavitch or Crown Heights should have people approving of what appears on these sites. This will make a total transformation as to the contents of news, tznius and photos and comments. And bring more Yiras Shomayim to our husbands and sons! Not everything is meant to be said, Not everything is meant to be discussed, Not everything is meant to be seen, and, Not everything is meant to be Posted!! You realize that we are responding here to a Yud tes Kislev farbrengen, which is held in… Read more »
kol hakavod! U R 100% right!
I appreciate and love your website, and all the work you put into connecting our Chabad network that we have global and that we are so proud of. Rabbi Bell was not criticizing the GOOD that you do. He was critizicing time-wasters who misuse your website. Arent you ashamed to have this article up as an oppurtunity for your readers to bash a G-dfearing rabbi who meant well? he was farbrenging, he spoke from the heart. he wasnt bashing you. If you care about the values of Torah, you should delete this article, and all the loshon hara in the… Read more »
all these people against writing comments writing their own comments
These self righteous people make me puke
21 is so right!!
i am not sure if this comment will get published, but i will try my luck: comment #32, these websites are not like newspapers. while i think it is okay for websites to publish articles of interest, they have the choice to publish the comments. i do not think there is any reason why the negative and mean ones need to be published. after submitting a comment, you are told that it will be published upon approval. what are they approving? your grammar? each website should think for a minute, “is what i am publishing going to pormote or demote… Read more »
entirely
You are really misconstruing what #42 said–when did he say that CAUSED the murders, chas v’shalom?
Kabel es hames–yes, I am commenting. And yes, I do agree. At least I know the right thing, at least we should know right from wrong, and have a goal to work towards.
Thank you for your leadership and initiative, Rabbi Bell. And for those complaining about the rabonims’ example…why don’t you concern yourself with how YOU, with your lack of respect for authority/rabonim, are affecting your children’s attitudes…
There are so many more topics to discuss other that the welbsites. May he should have adressed the lack of true guidance for many, , the lack of rabbis truly interested in the problems of their communities, the lack of time from all the rabbis when it comes to helping members through their personal ordeals. May be he should be a little more accessible when people need him , and return phone calls as basic respect. He could have also talked about why there is now this need to watch those websites and what could be done to help this… Read more »
but write your name….
Maybe Rabbi Bell is looking to join the Crown Heights Beis Din.
I don’t think he should have been speaking in the first place without Rabbi Osdoba attending. Or at least he should have protested and made a MA’CHO’O how come Rabbi Osdoba is being treated in such a way (by so-called Meshichisten) that he is being chased out of 770??
AD MOSAI!!
we knew that all problems in the world are the websites’ fault.
but his is a new one: 6 people were killed in mumbai because of the websites. right?
luckily enough the websites were not around during the holocaust. because that would have been blamed on them too. right?
people should not comment on the lubavitch websites. it is against torah.
Anonymity Breeds Negativity
The problem is people posting anonymously. If everyone had to put in their real name in the post many of the blog and issues created by comments would fall away! People would be much more hesitant to post their silly rehtoric.
It’s so true… during the Mumbai crisis how many people just watched endless news sites… whether CNN or COL… rather than saying tehilim etc. it’s become a new obsession
Guys,
We complain constantly about lack of leadership. Then when a Rov says something baout a topical issue which we don’t like, we prove the point by bashing him on the very comments.
I myself admit i spend way too much time on these sites adn there is far too much loshon hora and sinaah in the comments and it is a pashkvil as it is anonymous.
It brings out the worst in people as well as the best
The parsha for today is about Yosef being thrown into the pit and being brought to mitzraim. Why was Yosef thrown into the pit-because he was a news reporter and reported unfavorable things about his brothers.The news sites must make sure they do not print anything disparaging about another Jew, especially the Rabbanim, or any comments that may be perceived as racial about non-Jews and even in comments. This is seen not only by residents of Crown Heights but by the world. Serach was also a news reporter when she brought news that Yosef was alive. Bringing good news brings… Read more »
Some of the comments on some websites do not promote ahavas chinam. Dirty laundry should not be aired in public. The web can be used to help bring moshiach-even newssites by promoting ahavas Yisrael.
lol chabad we rock!
Excuse me??? Reading news is a wrong thing? what’s wrong with you? And yes, I too am fed up of uber-religious hypocrites like you. The only reason the rabbonin can’t function is themselves! The only person trying to knock them down is the other rov! The only person mocking what a rov says is the other rov writing a contradicting psak The situation may be sad, but not because of us but because of the rabbonim themselves. How do you expect me to tell my children to respect either of them when they come back from school and shul with… Read more »
I fear R.Bell is completely out of touch ,the mere fact that he says at the end “if anyone sees my name attached to any web news dont tell me”proves he has no understanding of the enormous positive impact chabad news online gives.Try and give positive input instead of negative ones
It is sad to see how people feel no shame to publicly mock the Rabbanim. Instead of accepting something which a Rav says, people mock his words in order to validate the wrong things which they do. Perhaps one of the reasons Rabbanim can’t function properly is because people are constantly trying to knock them down. This is a very sad situation. It is up to the public to support our Rabbanim so they can do their job well.
#31 thats a nice one!
Yes its true, we have to thank collive ,
….and we have to thank Rabbi Bell for the reminder not to use it in a bad way.
GOOOOO R BEEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEST
You are sooo right….
I wonder what else all these chasidishe hypocrites are doing on the web….
And just BTW, reading this site is like reading the morning paper – is that forbidden too?….
thanks for
for all the positive news
for adding simcha with mazal tov and photos
for the farbrengens and shiurim
for the reporting about the rebbes shluchim
for helping people with shidduchim etc.
for repoting about mivtzoim and yeshivos
for the jewish music
for the nachas ruach how chassidim are active and united (a few comments wont change that)
for keeping me and my whole family connected virtualy from our shlichus city
hatzlach rabba umuflaga bchol hainyonim,
a shliach
ANYONE WHO SAYS RABBI BELL IS RIGHT SHOULD NOT BE MAKING COMMENTS OR EVEN LOOKING AT THIS NEWS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Instead of excoriating regular folks for reading these sites perhaps rabbonim such as R’ Bell should start reading them and see the churbonos our rabonim are causing within Lubavitch! They are a laughing stock and no one trusts them. Imagine, if the rabbonim have no idea what they’re doing one can only imagine how lackluster the rest of the community is. If they’re not able to get along and stand on principle, why in the world should anyone else?! Furthermore, perhaps this is the greatest thing that happened. If these sites didn’t exist and the only thing left was total… Read more »
zalmi negin in the top pics…but im not supposed to be commenting so ill get back to learning!!!
I think you are all missing the point. What Rabbi Bell is stating is that we spend too much time on the internet trying to stay connected instead of spending that time learning. That all he said nothing more nothing less,
BS:D Some of these comments indicate hat you did not follow his point or were not there. 1. He did not say that the interenet causes the machlakas between Rabbonim-only that publicity expands and excaerbates the problem. In the days of Rabbi Marlow olev hasholom the Rabbonim disagreed but it was not so public 2. That one can make up anything they want re a person and destroy that person and the wtritten word he emphasized is worse than speech in doing so 3.That siiting and writing comments utilizes time that could be far better spent learning etc.So for thatr… Read more »
#13 i luv ur comment
has not lashon hara and reminds us why we still go on the these websites
to remind us of our goal
all we need to know is wat can i do to bring mashiach and hte rest will just fall in place
I think the websites with the oppurtunity of writting comments, is the BEST thing that happened in the last few years. People from the entire world can now stay connected and offer their opinions on topics. Also: watching Farbrangens and Shiurim on the web is the most magnificent thing now.
What he says is right. Many times sites report on info that we don’t need to know and often it brings additional machlokes or ill feelings. Some of the reader comments on these sites are very inappropriate and can belittle or hurt others. And this new habit of posting pictures on these sites of women at different events is completely NOT tznius. I know many women who are so upset about this. When we go to a wedding or a local event WE DO NOT WANT our photos to end up on the world wide web nor do we want… Read more »
and the only way we know about this guys speech is from the very website he is condemning… how ironic…
but i definitely agree, this mussar is gonna get me to learn
It is indicative of the lowliness of our times that when a Rav whose intentions are to sincerely guide us in elevating ourselves above this world to not deviate from the purpose for which we were created ,we are so badly blinded and can’t appreciate this guidance. Basicly to be “mekabel es haemes.” If Rabbi Bell or any other Rav stands up to guide us saying that we need to be careful to pay more attention to learning and davening , we should feel quite lucky to have such guidance in these times. After all we are on this earth… Read more »
But in this day and age, where everything is available at the tap of a button, it’s totally unrealistic!
i hardly find voicing your opinion on news websites “waste of time”you might as well not have any opinion!
I find his point pointless
I didn’t even hear him speak, but the internet is “out of the barn” and like the proverbial cow, it isn’t going back in. The Lubavitch sites are a way to connect, and also find goods and services. Do you know that an ad on “Craig’s List” is scrutinized for “discrimination”? How could we rent, sell, etc. to “unzer”, without these kosher sites? Yes there are some problems, but let us address how to deal with the problems and not “throw the baby out with the bathwater”. Also, I am an avel, and it is so nice to share in… Read more »
The main problem that I see in our websites is the propensity of comments that portray animosity and negativity. Like anything else the Websites can be utilized for positive causes or unfortunately negative . The importance to many, especially those out of town is the only resource that they have to be up to date on the news and events . If everyone would try to keep things on a positive keel, the site would benefit all, and be a true venue to the world of all the good that Lubavitch does and stands for. People have to realize that… Read more »
He is not totally wrong in what he says. Some articles on Chabad News websites (including Collive.com) seem to have only one agenda: to spread polemical matters (and even gossips) in the aim of having the most possible clicks. And to number 6, do you want me to bring you the name of prominent Rabbis who held farbrenghens in 770, like R. Kahan???
q: when a rov has a message for the community where does he go?
a: the websites
this is really a part of the participation in the democratic process for the average person. to be able to express him/herself on a public form such as this is healthy and vital for community growth. COL as well as other sites have opened up the community in ways that were impossible years ago . the results for the most part have added to the positive growth of the CH community. secondly information about the community whether social or communal helps many who would not know of events taking place.to be informed. times have changed rabbi bell. welcome to a… Read more »
Very nice Yud Tes Kislev gathering!!
Rabbi Bell is 100% right. We do spend way too much time checking out the news sites and leaving comments which are many times not so nice when we could be using out our spare time in a much better way.
the point i think the rabbi was triying to make is that the internet dosent belong in a lubavitch home just like t.v. was never part of a lubavitch home so peapel use the chabad websites as a excuse to use the innternet and as far as col is cosernd you have a website okay so be it but wiey the whole stinke the tumult advertising festivals gevald wiey do want to lure the kids into the internet did you talk to rabonim and mashpeim about this as you say.
Collive is doch der heinteker algemeiner it is a news outlet and there is nothing wrong with if bell has a problem maybe they need another dayan in satmar but lubavitch is doing just fine
I think he’s right. Collive is head and shoulders above the others, but it’s all gone way too far. There are new sites popping up which don’t even bother with an objective conception of news, but focus exclusively on lashon hara. And people become addicted and it brings down the quality of life as you read all day about fights, machlokusin, etc.
Of course there were problems before the internet. But we didnt necessarily find out about them in real-time
What happened before TV came ’round?
Were there no machloikes? Were there no problems?
WHY ARE YOU EVEN REPORTING THIS?
LOOK WHERE THESE WORDS WERE SAID AND THEN YOU CAN JUDGE IF TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
funny how the problems of the world are blamed on “the websites”
what happened before the internet came around?
the fight of the rabbonim in crown heights is because of the internet? the decision by anash montreal not to chose a new rov is becasue of the internet? our children not being helped in yeshivos is because of the comments on the websites? moshiach didn’t come until 5770 bacuse of the “news?
đŸ˜€
This comment is for you.
Lol your right.
And what if drugs was part of your day-to-day life? Do you think the Rabbi should speak out against it….or is it your “Day to day” life?!
he is talking about rabbis being disconnected with their communities while he himself demonstrates that when he attacked something that part of our day to day life
like a rabbi will go against drinking coffee in the morning