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Tuesday, 2 Adar II, 5784
  |  March 12, 2024

Should One Be Watching Movies to Relax?

Stump the Rabbi: Can I be a chossid although I occasionally watch movies to relax? Rabbi Mendel Zirkind answers. Video

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Good
April 6, 2021 11:08 pm

B”H

But what about mentioning the halachic issues, bittul Torah, Tznius, Leitzanus, etc.? Not watching movies is not a Chassidish thing; the whole frum world doesn’t watch movies, including Litvish…

umm dude
Reply to  Good
April 7, 2021 6:29 am

dont assume things, chabad light generally watches, even gezh families watch, baal teshovos, (not judging anybody rn) modern orthodox, misnagdim, it’s not like its just us.

Frum world
Reply to  Good
April 7, 2021 7:07 pm

All the frum world doesn’t have internet either
What’s about you?!!

Thank you
April 7, 2021 12:40 am

As always Rabbi Zirkind hit the nail on the head

This is a much bigger issue
April 7, 2021 1:29 am

The real problem here is that this is only a real option in lubavitch.

Charedim took to one side of the internet debate and modern orthodox the other.

The fact that chabad has allowed internet to become completely ubiquitous in our community and with it secular entertainment (and much worse) is now the norm rather then the exception is putting us squarely in the modern orthodox column.

If the popular hashkafah isn’t completely secularized yet it will be by the end of the decade.

Optional?
April 7, 2021 3:05 am

Why is it even an option from so called “chassidic” perspective when it’s questionable according to Halocho!
There are halachically permissible ways to relax other than watching movies.
Yes , we are made to struggle but who said that Hashem does not want or expect us to be perfect? I am sure he will be delighted if we are !

Other entertainment
April 7, 2021 8:54 am

What about other entertainment, such as sports (either playing or watching), board games, internet games, outings, etc. Do they interfere with what a chossid is?

Halacha question
April 7, 2021 9:29 am

See Shulchan Aruch, simon shin-zayin (307), sif tet zayin (16).

https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh%2C_Orach_Chayim.307.16?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

For books, some permit sifre-chochma, meaning science, medicine, etc, and some permit histories. All authorities forbid reading or any involvement with romances.

Why not the same for movies? Besides being fiction, “taking ones mind from G-d”, and generally a waste of time, movies almost always feature “boy gets girl” as part of the story. Does that count as romance?

Even worse
Reply to  Halacha question
April 7, 2021 1:06 pm

Even worse is the senseless violence and glamorizing the large scale destruction of human lives, which is probably at the root of much of today’s social decay.

To your last question
Reply to  Halacha question
April 9, 2021 11:53 am

Yes.

Yes it does
Reply to  Halacha question
April 9, 2021 12:03 pm

And besides for that there’s the issue of seeing something not tznius, which is much worse (kanir’eh b’chush, just ask any man). There was a time in my life ten years ago that I used to watch movies, and I can say from experience that 99.99% of movies have things that you are not allowed to see halachically. And that was ten years ago. It didn’t get any better. Just because many people do it, doesn’t change the fact that it’s against halacha.

Howard
April 7, 2021 10:31 am

Relying on halacha to forbid movies will be ineffective. Shu”a also forbids reading novels–even Jewish ones–on shabbos. For some reason, people don’t find halachik prohibitions on entertainment practical

our job and what is not our job
Reply to  Howard
April 7, 2021 3:59 pm

Its not our job to forbid movies to “them”. The question was “can I be a chosid though I watch movies”? Well, you might be a chosid, even with an uncontrolled taiveh, if you at least recognize it is a taiveh and it bothers you, and, you work on it. Even more fundamental, if your are a chosid, then surely, you already know something of what it says in the shulchan aruch, even if you struggle it what it requires of you in some areas. If you flagrantly do whatever you want, without concern for any yoke of heaven, then… Read more »

There's a big difference
Reply to  Howard
April 9, 2021 12:10 pm

For regular novels, there are heteirim brought down in poskim, look them up to see specifics. No one would allow romance. 99% of movies have romance, which would be an issue of arayos, which is much worse than mimtzo cheftzicha, and bitul zman.

I dont get the answer
April 7, 2021 4:12 pm

Something about this didnt make sense is it or isnt it at odds with being a chossid

MOVIES
April 7, 2021 5:05 pm

ITS A SHANDA THAT THERE CAN EVE N BE A DEBATE ABOUT THAT WHICH IS CLEARLY ASUR SO THE LITVISHER WITHOUT CHASIDUS KNOW THIS BUT CHABAD DOESNT?WHATS ALL THE CHASIDUS WORTH?

MOVIES
April 7, 2021 5:06 pm

SHMIRAS HOAINAYIM MEANS NOTHING?

REBBE ON TELEVISION
April 7, 2021 11:17 pm

DID YOU EVER SEE THE REBBES SICHA FROM ROSH CHODESH ELUL 1954 IN CHELEK YUD CHES ABOUT NOT HAVING A TELEVISION IN THE HOUSE THAT WAS IN 1954 COULD YOU IMAGINE WHAT HE WOULD SAY TODAY?

Some distinctions
Reply to  REBBE ON TELEVISION
April 8, 2021 9:18 am

TV of course, is now more risque than it was in 1950. So, kol v’homer

Movie theaters would seem another issue, since shulchan aruch already forbids their theaters as mushav laitzim.

Regarding TV, as I recall, one of the points was that one does not control what comes into the home. With internet, the problem seems to become controlling yourself.

MOSHIACH
April 8, 2021 8:39 pm

THE ONLY WAY FOR OUR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD ABOUT MOSHIACH IS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY IS IF WE ERADICATE THE PRITZUS FROM OUR MIDST AND START CLEANING OUR OWN MACHANEH INCLUDING NOT DOING THINGS THAT ONLY RUIN THE REBBES LEGACY VIHAMAIVIN YAVIN

MOSHIACH
April 8, 2021 8:42 pm

READ THE REBBES VIEWS ON TZNIUS AND TELEVISION AND ZIONISIM ETC AND LETS BE REAL CHASIDIM OF THE REBBE AND NOT PICK AND CHOOSE THE REBBE WAS A MUCH BIGGER KANAI THEN HES PORTRAID

everyone do as their family pleases
April 14, 2021 6:21 pm

i allow my kids to watch animated movies’ it will do no harm and they are the same much as a Chasid then before what does do harm is when u forbid all internet people can relax as long as it is appropriate

no guarantees
Reply to  everyone do as their family pleases
April 19, 2021 8:10 pm

It depends on content and presentation, like many things. Just because it is animation is not a guarantee that it is appropriate.

agree
Reply to  no guarantees
May 5, 2021 6:38 pm

of Corse! I always check them and watch it with them

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