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I see you. You’re sitting at the farbrengen. You have a dumbphone. It has a sticker on the back. It says "TAG Protected" or "Kosher V'Yosher" or just regular "Kosher."

You feel very superior to the guy with the iPhone. You are safe. You are protected from the Schmutz of the internet.

So why have you been staring at the screen for the last 45 minutes while the Mashpia is talking about what we can learn from the way that Hashem created the world?

A filter blocks the Shmutz; it does not block the stupidity.

We have deceived ourselves into thinking that "Kosher" means "Good." But Bitul Zman (wasting time) is also a sin. Ignoring your family is also a sin. Checking the headlines on a "Frum News Site" every 30 seconds is just as addictive as checking Instagram.

The Yetzer Hara is smart. He knows he can’t get you with the bad stuff anymore. So he gets you with the boring stuff. He gets you addicted to the comments section on news sites. He gets you addicted to "Kosher WhatsApp Statuses."

You scroll. You refresh. You scroll again. You are mentally absent.

You aren't looking at anything forbidden, true. But you are wasting your life just as efficiently as the guy with the unfiltered phone. The only difference is that you feel self-righteous while you do it.

If your "Kosher Phone" is taking you away from your learning, your davening, and your family—it’s not Kosher. It’s treif. Put it away.