Q&A: Invasion of Privacy
Invasion of Privacy
Question
Hi Rabbi, a few questions:
Is it permitted to study mathematics on Tisha B’Av?
In the media it is customary to publish a lot of information about politicians’ private lives—things that obviously do not concern or belong to the public at large. From a halakhic standpoint, is there a problem with this (for example, Rabbeinu Gershom’s ban on reading someone else’s letters)? And if this is indeed forbidden, then even after it has been published, would I still, as an observant Jew, be forbidden to look at it?
Answer
In principle, one should not distract one’s mind from the fast. But it seems to me that this is hard to maintain, and therefore it seems to me preferable to many other kinds of activity.
I don’t think the relevant category here is Rabbeinu Gershom’s ban. This is a matter of malicious speech and gossip. Once it is already known to everyone, I don’t think there is any point in being stringent and avoiding it. The question is whether one may believe it. I wrote here in the past (see Column 256) that I am not comfortable with this instruction of the Chafetz Chaim (the prohibition on believing it). If it seems plausible to you, then believe it, but it is worth being cautious in case you are mistaken.
Discussion on Answer
All the more so: if it is in the public domain, there is no point in being stringent about it. If not, then of course Rabbeinu Gershom’s ban applies, like with any letter.
I didn’t mean gossip, but just ordinary information about a politician—for example, his text messages with a friend, in which there is nothing derogatory about the politician or anyone else, just a plain invasion of his privacy with absolutely no implications whatsoever.