Question asked in Bnei Brak: restore iPhone to its owner or not?

A few days ago, an avrech, a resident of Bnei Brak found a Smartphone device in the street. The avrech wondered if he could return the device to its owner.

He turned to Hgr"n Kerlitz and asked him what to do. Hgr"n ordered him to find out, for what purpose the owner holds the Smartphone. "If the latter needs it for income, you must restore the loss," Hgr"n clarified.

Associates of Hgr"n clarify that there is no categorical instruction, on the restoration of lost impure devices, on Hgr"n's side: "In any case it should be discussed and one can't learn from one case to another. Therefore, whoever states that Hgr"n clearly states there is need to return such a device, as there are those who published in his name, in a comprehensive way, is misleading the public."

Smart devices are a source of friction in Bnei Brak. It was recently published about a store owner who confiscated a device from one of her customers on the pretext that the rabbis prohibit the possession of such a device.

The story caused uproar and the seller was removed from the store.

Is a man allowed a watch?

Hgr"n associates, argue that there are those who tend to learn from an individual judgment given in a specific case and turn it into a collective teaching.

It was recently published in the name of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, that one should not wear a watch because 'no man should put on a woman's dress', which includes wearing jewelry. According to the publication, Rabbi Meir Grenimann zt"l cited the ban in the name of the Chazon Ish, from whom he heard the ban. When the evidence was presented to Hgr"ch, he also ordered to ban the wearing of wristwatches.

"Hgr"n Kerlitz, was asked about it and denied absolutely. He disagreed and added that that maybe the Chazon Ish was asked about a particular wristwatch which looks like jewelry more than a watch. But it is clear that when it comes to a routine watch, the Chazon Ish did not prohibit it, said Hgr"n.
"When Hgr"n was asked to clarify, how it is that Hgr"ch also tends to accept the version that every watch is prohibited, he replied, "Go ask him. It is possible that the questioner did not understand Hgr"ch."

"Therefore," Hgr"n's associates conclude, "There is no learning from one case to another. Many times, the Gedolei Yisrael responds specifically to a certain case and there are those who hurry to make an announcement, as if there is a definite ruling on every event and question, and there isn't".

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!