Parshas Re'eh 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
לא תעשון ככל אשר אנחנו עשים פה היום איש כל הישר בעיניו ... (יב-ח)
TAG - an acronym for Technology Awareness Group - is an organization based in Lakewood, New Jersey, and established in 5769 (2009) by the Vaad L’Tohar Hamachna - a coalition of Rabbanim lead by the renowned Lakewood Mashgiach, R’ Matisyahu Salomon zt”l and the Skulener Rebbe zt”l of Monsey. Upon its initiation, TAG’s mission has always been to keep the religious public informed of the continuously evolving and precarious nature of the internet and modern technology. Before the late 2000’s, internet access in Orthodox communities was largely confined to desktop computers in offices or home studies. However, as web-enabled smartphones (like early BlackBerrys, iPhones, and Android devices) became widespread, rabbinic leaders recognized a fundamental shift. Internet access was no longer tied to a desk; it was in everybody’s pocket. Additionally, many community members genuinely needed digital connectivity for business and livelihoods, making a total ban on devices impractical for working adults. TAG was established to bridge this gap - offering a practical, non-judgmental technical service rather than just delivering sermons or prohibitions.
While TAG started as a local initiative in Lakewood, its growth exploded following the historic 2012 Asifa (Rabbinical Rally on Technology) held at Citi-Field in Queens, NY. Attended by over 40,000 Orthodox men and boys, the event emphasized the necessity of filtering every digital device used in the community. In essence, making them “kosher” for everyday use. Today, an entire industry of “kosher phones” has emerged and thrived for the hundreds of thousands of well-intentioned people who are careful about what type of communication device they use.
The following story took place a number of years ago. It happened shortly before Pesach, when many American bochurim and seminary girls studying in Israel, travel to the U.S. to spend Yom Tov and bein hazmanim at home with their families. In one Lakewood household, the anticipation of their yeshivah bochur coming home for Yom Tov was palpable. Their son - now a chosson and soon to be married - was finally flying home from Eretz Yisroel for the upcoming holiday.
Wanting to make the reunion as smooth as possible, the boy’s father set up a careful game plan to meet his son. Since he would already be in Boro Park on other business that day - just a short drive from JFK airport - he made a clear arrangement with his son: “The second the plane touches down on the tarmac, call me from the aircraft. By the time I drive over, you’ll have cleared passport control, grabbed your bags, and walked out the door. Perfect timing!”
On the day of the flight, the scheduled landing time came and went. The father checked his phone, but the screen remained dark. He wasn’t particularly worried at first; anyone who flies knows that airline schedules are more of a suggestion than a guarantee. Planes land early, planes land late, but they almost never land right on time. So, he waited patiently, expecting the call at any moment. Minute after minute ticked by. Patience slowly turned into mild disappointment, until finally, the phone rang. “Baruch Hashem, I’m here!” his son announced cheerfully. “I’m standing outside the terminal with my luggage.”
The father blinked, completely thrown off. “Wait - why are you only calling me now? I haven’t even left Boro Park yet! The whole plan was for you to call me when you landed so you wouldn’t be stuck waiting outside!”
“Tatteh, it’s totally fine,” the chosson reassured him gently. “Don’t stress over it, I don’t mind waiting for you.”
“Yes, I am sure. But why didn’t you call me right away, when you touched down?” his father pressed.
“Well, my phone wasn’t working so I couldn’t call,” his son explained, trying to steer the conversation in another direction. “So why didn’t you just borrow a phone from someone sitting next to you? You’ve done that in the past.”
With absolute earnestness, the young man replied, “I looked around the plane, but every single person I saw was holding a smartphone. Presumably without a filter ... and I don’t touch smartphones!”
This story originally appeared in the popular Gilyon “Noam Siach” - R’ Shlomo Zalman Friedman shlita, Rav of Khal Zichron Elazar Santov in Lakewood, NJ