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They shall take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering. (Shemot 25:2) 

Nothing New in the News 

Today’s culture has an unhealthy obsession with the news. People eagerly await updates, spend hours exploring headlines, and they have become completely consumed with social media. 
 

People are afraid that they might be missing something. However, if a person is honest with himself for a moment, then he would certainly realize that he doesn’t need to follow every moment of the news and track every update. 
 

Most of the news never really impacts their lives. And, any massive world events that might affect them, become quickly known without even looking at a single media outlet. You will always know what you truly need to know. 
 

Additionally, most of the news is conjecture and subjectivity; mere opinions expressed by individuals who claim to be “experts.” Headlines are exaggerated and intentionally sensational; a few words crafted together to grab your attention regardless how outlandish that headline might be. 
 

Stories are generated to sell the news. There has never been a morning when the newspaper was one-page long simply apologizing that the world is functioning normally and that there is nothing important or worthy to report… The news agencies are earning millions from the generated news, but regular people don’t earn anything from it. 

The Negative Impact 

In fact, the opposite is true. Studies have shown that obsessing over the news has a negative impact on people financially and mentally. It adds stress and anxiety. People waste an absurd amount of time, even while they are at work, browsing through articles and updates. Their productivity drops. Hours wasted on social media and reading are limited to short blurbs and soundbites. 
 

Children and teenagers are also victims of this obsession. And it is destroying their ability to focus, concentrate, and learn. 
 

While people are chasing this desire to “know” what is happening in the world, they are never satisfied. This is an endless pursuit for useless knowledge that, like all addictions, leaves a person feeling empty and yet wanting more. 

Not Just Time 

Obviously, this is a waste of time. But there is an even more damaging spiritual outcome: it distracts someone and takes them away from their Torah studies. 
 

People check their devices for news and updates even while they are in the middle of Torah study! There are also people who claim that they cannot find the time to learn for even an hour, yet they can find hours a day to read their news and updates. 
 

The Sefer Chassidim (1:107) wrote: “One should not be obsessed with the news – for it removes the heart from Torah study!” 
 

People think that they will be viewed as worldly and admired for being cultured by being fluent in current events. However, when a wise person is asked if they heard about something in the nonsense news, he answers with a holy boldness, “I am not interested in hearing this nonsense.” 
 

Of course, there are times when a person might need to relax, and he wants to read the news. However, this needs to be approached with a sense of clarity and awareness. They need to limit the time spent on this, at specific times in the day, and they need to try to only focus on the subjects that may enrich their mind, and not flood it with useless, wasteful, and damaging information. 

Today’s Yetzer Harah 

The ramifications of being addicted to the news are clear. However, year after year, new and more accessible news sources and outlets indicate that people are obviously spending more time following this information. Even older individuals fall into this trap. 
 

We can clearly see the fulfillment of the words of the holy Zohar which said (Tikkunei Zohar 108a) that before Mashiach arrives, the world will be filled with foolish and empty words. 
 

The Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, explained (Zachor L’Miriam Chapter 23) that the Yetzer Harah, in the era before Mashiach’s arrival, wants people to be distracted from pursuing Torah studies, by chasing after news. For, the Torah is the weapon to combat any physical or spiritual enemy. Chazal taught (Sanhedrin 98b) that Torah study protects one from the birth pains of Mashiach’s arrival, both spiritually and physically. 

War News 

During times of war, this test and challenge becomes even more intense. People become even more obsessed with the news, thinking that it is vital to know exactly what is going on in every place. 
 

It was written in Avodas Panim (Letter 12) that during war the Yetzer Harah is working to distract Jews from Torah study, by chasing after news. For, the Torah is the weapon that can combat physical and spiritual suffering. When people sacrifice Torah study and use their time and minds to follow the news, the situation is direly perilous. 
 

The Seforim offer the following analogy: 

There were soldiers on the front lines of a war. However, they left their post to go watch the news. Their commander saw them and said: “What are you doing? Why are you watching the news? You are making the news!” 
 

You Don’t Miss Anything 

The Yetzer Harah wants you to feel like you “must” always know the latest news. 
 

However, you know that there are activities you enjoy even more than reading the news. And, when you do those activities, you are completely focused on them, and you forget the news and updates. In the end, you realize that you did not miss anything. 
 

From this you need to learn, that so too when you study Torah it’s not a “must” to see the news. You must fortify yourself from distractions. You cannot allow your mind to aimlessly scroll through headlines when you should be learning. You don’t miss anything by pushing off the news. 
 

Through this we can explain what the Midrash (Yalkut Revuni) wrote in our Parsha: “Since the Jews committed to Naaseh V’ishma, Hashem immediately said They shall take for Me an offering…” 
 

Since they agreed to listen and study the Torah, Hashem said, “They shall take for Me an offering” – give of your time, establish fixed hours when you will study Torah. 
 

And you shouldn’t think that you cannot learn without checking the news. Rather, “from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity” – from activities you enjoy, “you shall take My offering” – you shall learn that you can give your time for Torah without missing anything. 
 

You must make that commitment by focusing completely on that time you offer Hashem, by turning off your phone during these hours, and by removing all distractions. 

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The Kalever Rebbe is the seventh Rebbe of the Kaalov Chasidic dynasty, begun by his ancestor who was born to his previously childless parents after receiving a blessing from the Baal Shem Tov zy”a, and later learned under the Maggid of Mezeritch zt”l. The Rebbe has been involved in outreach for more than 30 years and writes weekly emails on understanding current issues through the Torah. Sign up at www.kaalov.org.