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After more than a year of deliberations, consultations, and extensive halachic discussion surrounding artificial intelligence and its implications, Rav Meir Kessler, mara d’asra of Modi’in Illit, delivered a forceful address outlining the dangers he believes AI poses to the Torah community, echoing the guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel regarding modern technology.

Opening his remarks, Rav Kessler drew a sharp comparison between today’s technological challenges and traditional halachic observance.

“Would anyone ever have imagined that the day would come when we would need to organize a gathering to address a weakening among the Torah-observant public regarding the prohibition of muktzeh? Muktzeh is a serious Rabbinic prohibition, and it would never occur to anyone that the public would treat it lightly. Yet we see what is happening in our generation in the face of the challenges posed by technology and the internet.”

Rav Kessler also recalled a powerful conversation he had years ago with Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, during which he sought guidance on confronting the ever-changing dangers presented by technology. He stressed that every Jewish household should hear the complete presentation rather than relying on fragments or secondhand reports in order to fully understand the issues involved.

Turning specifically to artificial intelligence, Rav Kessler said, “The internet is the sin of the Eitz Hadaas (Tree of Knowledge) itself. With AI, a person can know many things—much that is good and much that is bad. But the bad is a tremendous problem. Even the very knowledge of evil connects a person to evil. There are many things that stem from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, but this is literally the Tree of Knowledge itself.”

He also expressed concern about the community’s educational approach, saying, “We made mistakes in chinuch—I say this publicly. We failed by not educating the public to think independently. I can tell you that no gadol b’Yisroel ever instructed people to leave their office jobs. That approach will never work. No one is going to take responsibility for decisions that affect the livelihoods of so many families.”

Warning that the dangers are particularly acute for younger people, Rav Kessler continued, “It is a danger for adults as well, but for young people it is far greater. They absorb everything within seconds. It exists even today on kosher phones. This is literally pikuach nefesh if we do not awaken in time. One must not even go into the details because that only arouses curiosity. A person simply has to run away from it.”

Rav Kessler also related an observation he had heard from an academic, saying, “I heard that a certain professor said that in the end, only bochurim will still have functioning minds, because the entire world is moving over to AI, while they are the only ones sitting and learning sugyos of shakla v’tarya. There won’t be anyone left with real intellectual ability other than bnei yeshivah.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Kessler emphasized the responsibility of parents and educators to protect the next generation.

“For children, there is certainly no place for this. We must educate them not to come near it. Not through threats, chas v’shalom—threats will not help. We must explain to them the tremendous danger involved. In America, those who did not fight to preserve Shabbos ultimately became goyim. We must safeguard the coming generations.”

{Matzav.com}

In response to a call issued by Rav Dov Landau, tens of thousands of Yidden gathered Thursday night following Tishah B’Av for mass atzerei tefillah held across Eretz Yisroel, joining together in heartfelt tefillah over the difficult matzav facing Klal Yisroel and the ongoing persecution of lomdei Torah.

The announcement, issued at the direction of Rav Landau, called upon Klal Yisroel to unite in prayer in light of the many challenges confronting the Jewish people. It declared: “Gather together and stand up for our very lives. In light of the difficult situation facing the Jewish people, the crushing hardships from within and without, and the terrible persecution of those who study Torah, by the directive of our master, Rav Dov Landau, all of Klal Yisroel throughout the holy communities of Eretz Yisroel should assemble tonight, Motzoei Tishah B’Av, at 10:00 p.m. for gatherings of prayer and outcry. ‘For the Almighty does not reject the prayers of the multitudes.'”

The central maamad took place at Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, where Rav Dov Landau was joined by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

At the same time, dozens of additional atzerei tefillah were held throughout Bnei Brak, including at Yeshivas Orchos Torah, Yeshivas Ponevezh, the Lederman Shul, Divrei Shir, Shomrei Shabbos, Itzkowitz, Ne’os Yosef, Beis Hashem, Beis Tefillah in Kiryat Herzog, Rambam, Ohel Tamar, Siach Tefillah, Mishkan Uziel, Helligman, Mishkenos Yaakov, Tiferes Nachman, Shoneh Halachos, Volozhin, Yotzei Chevron, Yotzei Orchos Torah, and numerous other batei medrash and batei knesses.

In Yerushalayim, the primary gathering was held at Yeshivas Mir, while additional tefillah assemblies took place at the Chazon Ish shul in Ramat Shlomo, the Bnei Yeshivos batei knesses in Neve Yaakov and Romema, and the Bnei HaYeshivos shul in Pisgat Ze’ev.

Similar gatherings were also held in Beit Shemesh, Modi’in Illit, Elad, Beitar Illit, Ofakim, Rechasim, Haifa, Tiveria, Petach Tikvah, Afula, Ganei Ayalon in Lod, and numerous other cities and communities throughout Eretz Yisroel.

In Modi’in Illit, the atzerei tefillah took place at Ketzos HaChoshen, Zichron Moshe, Heichal Yitzchok, Meromi Sadeh, Sha’agas Aryeh, Kehillas Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi, and Meshovev Nesivos. In Rechasim, gatherings were held at Ohel Malka, Heichal Moshe, Shivtei Yisroel, HaMinyan HeChadash, and the city’s Bnei HaYeshivos center.

Organizers said the purpose of the gatherings had been to unite Klal Yisroel in earnest tefillah and to beseech Rachamei Shomayim during a period of tremendous tzaros, while strengthening support for the olam haTorah in the face of the continuing challenges confronting bnei Torah.