Rabbi Ar'le Harel Urges Delaying Smartphone Use Until After Marriage

Rabbi Ar'le Harel, head of the Moriah Yeshiva in Givat Shevat HaRo'im, addressed the complex issue of smartphone use in a recent comprehensive lesson. He described smartphones as the "question of the generation," highlighting their revolutionary impact on all aspects of life. While acknowledging the significant benefits of smartphones, including practical applications like navigation apps that save time and even assist professionals such as doctors making home visits, Rabbi Harel emphasized the serious risks involved. He stated that smartphones contain "a lot of holiness" but also "a lot of impurity in unprecedented quantities and qualities."

Rabbi Harel differentiated between simple phones, primarily used for calls, messages, and Torah lessons, and smartphones, which offer many more advantages in both secular and religious contexts. Despite these benefits, he advocated for postponing smartphone use as much as possible, especially before marriage. He firmly declared, "Until then, no smartphone. No smartphone under any circumstances."

For those who must use smartphones, Rabbi Harel recommended strict practical guidelines: employing the most rigorous content filters, preferring smaller screens, limiting the number of applications, avoiding WhatsApp when possible or using it without notifications and only for essential communication. His fundamental rule is to minimize usage and dependence on the device and its apps as much as possible.