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What is Pornography?

Written by Michael
Monday, 20 August 2007
Question: Life down the Youtube I would like to know what is considered pornography? I like watching the babes of youtube wiggle their merchandise to the music. Does this make me a porn addict? Answer: We won't answer with a Webster's Dictionary definition of pornography. According to the Torah, a person violates the commandment, "Thou shall not go astray after your hearts and after your eyes which lead you astray," if the image he looks at arouses his sexual inclination, whether the youtube's dancer is wearing a tank top and jeans or nothing at all. Erotic images of any type are forbidden. The Rabbis state that anyone who purposefully arouses his sexual organ is to be banished (Niddah 13A). Does the site I am looking at constitute porn? This little test can be your meter - if an image triggers a sexual twitch, a stronger heartbeat, sweaty palms, or even a silent, "Wow!" then you are polluting your soul, damaging your "Da'at," the ability to know G-d, and cutting yourself off from the Divine Presence, the Shechinah. This damage also results, even if none of these reactions occur, because an overdose of regularity has made you spiritually numb. You may not consciously experience the shock to your soul, but the pollution occurs nonetheless. It doesn't matter if this fits Webster's definition of pornography or not. If you find yourself drawn to look at erotic images, at whatever level they may be, then you are in the hands of your evil inclination (yetzer hara). You are addicted to your lust. It is a Jew's task to rule over his physical lusts, and not let them rule over him. Ideally, we are to be our own "Internet filters," turning away from anything that can lead us away from G-d. Instead of clicking on youtube, try clicking on "Judaism," and get turned on by the Torah instead of the trash on the web.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 August 2007 )