The rabbis of the committee for Gur Hasidim are warning against purchasing electric cars made by Tesla, not because anything is wrong with the car itself, but because it offers access to the internet, B’hadrei Haredim reported on Friday.
The committee rabbis offer the Hasidic public advice and guidance on disconnecting and blocking systems in their vehicles, but stress that “a Tesla vehicle cannot be blocked at all and should not be purchased or used at all.”
Notices that were posted on behalf of the rabbis of the committee in the movement’s shuls throughout the country, warn under the heading “Shall not be seen and shall not be found,” which is a halachic reference to chametz on Passover: “Following many incidents and catastrophes that have taken place, it is our duty to warn with a loud voice, so that no one sees or finds in our community devices that are not properly blocked by the restrictions approved by the rabbis of the committee, in any form, and of any kind, neither openly nor secretly.”
According to the committee, “It turned out that in many vehicles the multimedia systems are open to the Internet. Even in cases where the company claims that it is blocked, or where to the user it appears that there’s nothing there – in most cases, it is very easy to hack a connection to the internet, and many troubles have already happened as a result, may God have mercy.”
“Therefore, it is mandatory to disconnect any system that has the Waze navigation app before using the car. The responsibility rests on each and every individual not to bring an obstruction, God forbid, upon himself and certainly not his children, and not to keep, God forbid, a dangerous device in his possession, without blocking and supervision, which is a transgression of “Do not bring bloodguilt on your house” (Deut. 22:8)
The full verse in Deuteronomy warns: “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.” In this case, according to the rabbinic committee, keeping unguarded access to the internet in your car would be tantamount to failing to build a fence around your rooftop to prevent falling.
You have been warned.
