The big black book, uh box

Tefila ↓

Fri, Mar 04 2005, 6:16 pm

Hilchos Television
by Eli D. Clark

Author's Preface: The sole purpose of this work is to provide a basic understanding of the halochic issues relating to owning and using the television, and to convince my father-in-law that it was worth
supporting me in kollel for the last 23 years.

All halochic questions should be brought to a reader's local, qualified
machmir. I want to acknowledge my gratitude to Hashem Yisborach, to my wife Chashie, to my children Bini, Pini, Minnie, Mashie, Bashie, Rashie, Ushi, Chushi and Harold. And to the one who instilled in me the love of television, Captain Kangaroo.

I. Definition of Television

A. The Halochoh defines television as any instrument
which receives an audio and video signal, with a screen to display the video transmission and a speaker to amplify the sound. According to Rav Hai Gaon, an electrical supply is part of the definition of television (a so-called Hai-Definition television).

B. The Urim V'Tumim is believed to have resembled a television, though it appears to have lacked a remote.

C. The Medrash says that Odom Harishon knew everything, obviously including how to invent a television.

D. In the days of Moshiach, everyone who wants a television will own one, there will be no commercials, and all weather forecasts will be accurate.

II. Owning a Television

A. It is an Issur D'Oraisa to own a television according to most
authorities. Some say it is an Issur D'Rabbonon. All agree that owning a television involves almost as many Issurim as speaking Loshon Hora.

B. Owning a television that is broken is permitted, provided the insides have been removed, replaced with potting soil, and
the television is used as a planter. A Ba'al Nefesh will refrain from this practice.C. One who borrows a television for more than thirty days is considered as one who owns it, even if it is later returned. Any loan of a television is canceled at the Yovel*, along with magical objects, under the principle of Shemitos Keshafim. This principle will not apply on New Years' Day to a television tuned to the Super Bowl.
III. Getting Benefit (Hano'oh) from Television.

A. It is prohibited to derive benefit from television. Don't even think
about it.

IV. The Laws of B'rochos
A. It is required to recite a Shehechiyonu on a new television, some say at the time of purchase, some say at the time of watching it for the first time, some say at the first time of watching an entertaining and popular program that is not interrupted every five minutes by annoying commercials featuring furry animals, cute children or a talking carton of milk.

B. When hearing a B'rocho recited on television, one should respond
"Omen,"although this does not fulfill an obligation. When the B'rocho is recited by a Goyische actor with a lousy Hebrew accent, one should snicker derisively.
V. The Laws of Kashrus

A. One should not eat meat while dairy products are being dvertised on television, lest one come to mix the two. It is preferable to wait six hours before watching a dairy advertisement. However, if the advertisement appears in between two non-dairy advertisements, it
is considered Bottel B'Rov, unless the ad includes Tommy Lasorda or Tommy Lee Jones (in which case it is "Nosen Tom").
B. After eating meat, a pregnant woman with a craving for ice cream may watch an advertisement for Hagen-Dazs, but only
if the reception is fuzzy.

C. One should not eat dairy while meat products are being advertised on television, unless one has just brushed one's
teeth. An intervening toothpaste or mouthwash ad is also acceptable.

D. It is forbidden to derive Hano'oh from an advertisement for Bosor B'Cholov, such as a cheeseburger. When such an advertisement begins, one should immediately cover one's face, turn off the television and recite some Tehillim.

VI. The Laws of Tefiloh

A. It is forbidden to postpone prayer in order to watch a program on television. However, if one is already engaged in watching a program, in Eretz Yisroel you may delay prayer until the program is finished, while in Chutz Lo'Oretz you may delay until the
first commercial.

B. It is permitted to Daven B'Yechidus in order to catch one's favorite sitcom, but only on Thursday nights.

C. When one's television is broken, one should pray for its speedy repair. It is permissible to engage in Hishtadlus and call a repairman. In the event the repairman actually shows up, it is proper to recite the B'rocho of She'Osoh Nissim.

VII. Talking During Television Watching

A. It is forbidden to engage in idle talk during a television program, because it would be a Hefsaik (interruption). If the speech is related to the watching (e. g. "Please pass the remote," or "Doesn't So-and-So make you nauseous"), no Hefsaik occurs. Nevertheless, it is preferable to refrain from any speech, especially if the person sitting next to you threatens to "punch your lights out" if you say another word.

B. During commercials, conversation is not considered a Hefsaik.
Nevertheless, one who is able to refrain from talking during commercials should do so. The story is told about the mother of a
famous Gadol who was asked why she merited to give birth to a Torah giant. She said, "I never disturbed my husband during commercials, and I never paid retail."

VIII.The Laws of Shabbos

A. Before Shabbos one should unplug the television
and cover it with a velvet Challoh cover, Li'Kovod Shabbos. There is a dispute whether it is required that the Challoh cover be encased in
plastic.

B. If a young child accidentally turns on a television during Shabbos
(Rochmonoh Lotzlon), it is vital to respond without causing additional
Chilul Shabbos. The following things should be done (in order of
preferability).

1. If there is an Eruv, move yourself and your family into a neighbor's house for the duration of Shabbos.

2. If there is no Eruv, one must avoid looking at the television, even unintentionally. Men should tip their hat brim over their eyes. Women should tip their sheitel forward over their eyes. Children should wrap long strips of cloth over their eyes.

3. If this is not possible, one should seek out a Gentile and indirectly
ask him if there is anything good to watch on Friday nights.

IX. The Laws of Pesach

A. It is very difficult to clean a television for Paisach because of all
the little holes in the back of the set. Therefore, many authorities
require that one throw out one's televisions before Paisach and buy new ones for Paisach.

B. According to R. Blumenkrantz, a television should be cleaned for Paisach as follows: First, remove the back of the television by unscrewing the screws under the sticker that warns against removing the back of the television. Then clean each instrument with an ammonia-based cleaner. Finally, to eliminate the Chometz absorbed when the television gets hot, the entire television set should be immersed in boiling hot water (Hagoloh). R. Blumenkrantz recommends unplugging the television first.
Michael's note: Chaim Sendic emailed me with a small addition:

A loan of a tlevision should not be cancelled if tuned to the *Pro's* Bowl (I.e. Pruzbul, through which loans are not cancelled at shmitas k'safim.) LOL

Someone emailed this to me saying it's from Haskafa.com LOL

Last edited by Tefila on Sun, Mar 06 2005, 12:11 pm; edited 1 time in total

ForeverYoung
Guest

Tue, Mar 08 2005, 3:35 pm

The Stranger
Author: Unknown

A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later.

As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. In my young mind, each member had a special niche. My brother, five years my senior,was my example. My younger sister gave me an opportunity to play 'big brother' and develop the art of teasing. My parents were complementary instructors-- Mom taught me to love G-d, and Dad taught me to how to obey Him. But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales. Adventures, mysteries and comedies were daily conversations. He could hold our whole family spell-bound for hours each evening. If I wanted to know about politics, history, or science, he knew it.

He knew about the past and seemed to understood the present. The pictures he could draw were so life like that I would often laugh or cry as I watched. He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, my brother and me to our first major league baseball game. He was always encouraging us to see the movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several famous people.

The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn' t seem to mind-but sometimes Mom would quietly get up-- while the rest of us were enthralled with one of his stories of faraway places-- go to her room, and read thea book.

I wonder now if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this stranger never felt obligation to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our house-- not from us, from our friends, or adults. Our longtime visitor, however, used occasional four letter words that burned my ears and made Dad squirm.. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. My dad was a teatotaler who didn't permit alcohol in his home - not even for cooking. But the stranger felt like we needed exposure and enlightened us to other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often.

He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (probably too much too freely) about relations. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I know now that my early concepts of the man-woman relationship were influenced by the stranger.

As I look back, I believe it was a miracle that the stranger did not influence us more. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents. Yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in with the young family on Morningside Drive.

He is not nearly so intriguing to my Dad as he was in those early years. But if I were to walk into my parents' den today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name you ask?

We called him TV.