I
n today’s open society a person can have access to the entire world in the palm of his hand. Within minutes we are updated — whether it’s chalilah a terrorist attack in Eretz Yisrael a police shooting inAmerica another ISIS rampage inEurope or a juicy piece of news in our own communities.
Let us momentarily assume that all of this information is not in and of itself prohibited by the Torah. It is not immorality it is not taavos it is not lashon hara… it is just news from around the world that we absorb as we go about our daily lives.
Is this overabundance of information good for us? Are these graphic images good for our neshamos?
A fascinating insight in this week’s parshah sheds light on this question. The Torah discusses the command to destroy an ir hanidachas an idolatrous city and not have any benefit from the booty: “No part of the banned property may adhere to your hand so that Hashem will turn back from His burning wrath and He will give you mercy and be merciful to you and multiply you” (Devarim 13:18).
