Sorry for the arichus guys; this was my response to the sign taker downer:

Shalom Aleichem and thanks for reaching out! It really means a lot to me the fact that you took the time to explain to me why you'd take down such a sign. It actually causes me much heartache after I kill myself to hang up signs to be able to help people that really need help, and they come down so soon after they're put up. I've probably hung around 200 signs over the past few months and that took quite some time and effort.

It happens to be that I taka was never oimed on the possibility of chilul Hashem so thank you for pointing that out. However, I would like you to be aware that I didn't just hang up this sign without speaking to any Rav. There are 2 rabbanim that know about my signs, plus about 5 or 6 people with positions in chinuch that know about it as well. None of them ever brought up a chillul hashem issue or any other issue either.

In making a decision to take down my sign due to chilul hashem I'm assuming you took into account the downsides of removing it. In case you didn't, let me explain... As mentioned in the sign there are a minimum of 40 people in Yeshiva that have struggled through this sugya. I personally know a very large number of b'nei torah not from Yeshiva that have struggled with this stuff as well. The metzius is that most people that struggle with this stuff do not know how to get out of it themselves, and they also don't know how to get the proper help. From all those that contacted me through my sign, there were only one or two that had ever built up the courage to speak to a rav or rebbi face to face. When this struggle does not get taken care of properly it gets worse and worse. The person throughout his lifetime may end up being oiver in some pretty serious aveiros hundreds and thousands of times. Aside from this, the struggle can slowly but surely rip a good choshuve yungerman out of his learning. It can also destroy marriages and lives. I've seen some of this destruction first hand. So... by taking down the sign, you run the risk of a guy not seeing it and continuing to struggle. All his aveiros are now somewhat on your cheshbon - had he seen the sign he probably would've gotten out of this mess. If he ends up dropping out of Yeshiva, it's on your cheshbon. If he gets caught by his wife and ends up with severe shalom bayis issues for life, it's on your cheshbon. If he ends up divorced, it's on your cheshbon.

Another point to think about... I'm assuming you don't know anyone that struggles with this stuff. However, keep in mind that it's quite possible that I'm your brother. It's possible that I'm your shvugger as well. If I'm not, there's a very real chance that some of your very close friends struggle with this stuff. Just imagine finding out in 20 years about a close relative or friend going through a divorce rch"l, and you hear that it all started with an internet addiction. Imagine had he seen this sign... do you want to take the risk of holding back help from a close friend or relative? And please don't tell me that all your friends are chashuve b'nei torah or very yeshivish and those types of guys don't struggle with this stuff. I know guys from a number of top yeshivas (myself included)... brisk, pragers, yagdil... a few r' mottel guys... And it's the real yeshivish guys as well. Probably about 20 percent of the guys that call me don't have texting on their phone. I got two phone calls recently from yungeleit that don't even own a cell phone at all. These are chashuve yeshivish yungeleit... yet they struggle. I'd put down quite a high amount of money betting that you have at least one relative or close friend that has struggled with this stuff. Make sure to have that "anonymous" karov in mind before you remove the sign.

So... my main point is that before you take down such a sign, you'd better be ready to take achrayus for what you may cause. If I were you, I'd be scared to do that without asking a Rav. If you get an official psak I'd love to hear... I have no problem trying to rewrite the nusach if a Rav would feel that there may be chilul hashem involved the way I wrote it. I also have no problem taking out the line about the 40 guys. I'm here to be marbeh kavod sheim shamayim, if you are as well, great, if not - I'm gonna keep hanging the sign and I'm assuming you're gonna keep on yanking 'em!

Kol Tuv

Late to the party....

Reading the guy's email just makes a me sick. This attitude is the same one that says we shouldn't speak about these topics openly, as speaking about it is not going to help; rather, let's shove it under the bus and pretend it's not a problem. Obviously, if someone approaches a rebbe, the rebbe should give him encouragement, but it's not for the general public...

I find it incredibly frustrating! Is it possible that they fail to comprehend the essence of living? Do they not know the facts on the ground?! Do they truly believe that the majority of people can simply let their eyes wander about and remain unaffected by everything the world has to offer?!?

If this sign were to be shared on social media, it would create a wonderful kiddush Hashem. Aderaba! Let the world witness that people yearn for a genuine connection with Hashem and seek to move away from indulging in inappropriate desires.... 

Keep on doing your avoidas hakodesh! Don't be fazed by these idiots! 

What a great reply!!!

- Yiftach'l

This calls for real daas tora - name included please!!
I mentioned this at the beginning of the thread, and although I was swept up with enthusiasm and hung in the Mir, I still think that there is room for a shaala.
IF there is an issue of chillul Hashem, the end may not justify the means, no matter the potential outcome. - this is a real shaala.
Similarly my contact in Lev Shomea was very vocal that the fact that throughout the doros inyonie kedusha was kept under wraps, evidently that is our mesora not to make a habala about it but to deal with it quietly. - whether the aforementioned sign falls into that category can be a shaala too.

As an aside, it could be that those suffering from these issues like we/some of us are, could be categorized as onsim and therefore eliminate the issue of chillul Hashem.
However even myself as an addict would be judgmental if I would become aware of certain Rabbonim watching porn... and could understand the knee jerk reaction of the sign rippers. 

@IWLR, you are awesome! Hopefully your response resonates with him, and halevai he will follow up, ask a Rav and not just keep ripping them down.

לענין מה שהביא מהשער הציון, יש לחלק טובא. נקודה א' ששם מדובר להתודות בקול בציבור ולפעמים אסור משום אשרי נשוי פשע, אבל כאן אילו היית עומד לפני אנשים ברבים ואומר אני חטאתי בהסתכלות בעריות והוז"ל ח"ו אולי זה דומה, שמראה שאתה לא מתבייש וזה מקטין העבירה, אבל לתלות מודעה בעילום שם, אדרבה, מראה שאתה מתבייש במעשיך.
זה רק דוגמא קטנה איך אדם עם קצת סכל יכול להרוס אם אין לו רב להדריכו או דיבוק חבירים שיכולים להעיר לו מטעויות.

לעניין החילול השם, לכתוב ש40 אנשים התקשרו, וזה כחצי אחוז מהתלמידים בכלל, איך זה חילול השם, אלא הא גופא מראה על הבעיה שאנשים חושבים שהם היחידים. וכמובן צריך שאלת רב לפני שלוקחים על עצמם דבר גדול כזה.

A gut voch!

For the Lev Shomea folks, what is their solution? Out of anyone, they should know the most, that these 40 people is a drop in the bucket, and if they were suffering for years without anyone to talk to, how can they say - let them eat cake and call us? That is wonderful for the ones who call, but what about all the rest?? Let them suffer?

iwannalivereal wrote on 12 Jul 2024 23:02:

imagining the response,
"i must say, im suffering from internet addiction too.........blah.........blah........blah........crying........drama........."

FACTS!

frank.lee wrote on 13 Jul 2024 22:18:

As mentioned previously they are of belief that the israeli bnie tora know where to turn to....

I have reached out to 2 big poskim and renowned rabbonim with experience in this field.
Will post the shaala and teshuva [and the name of the rabbonim] once a response comes through IYH

See My Correspondence with Rabbi Yitzchok Berkowitz shlit"a

Lichvod Rabbi Berkowitz
I am an avid member of Guard Your Eyes and SA.
Recently there has been an initiative to spread awareness among bnie tora that many are suffering silently for years with no-one to turn to, not aware that they are not unique in this struggle and that there are ways to break free.
I wanted daas tora confirmation if such a sign would be appropriate to hang up in adult botie midrashim [the Mir for example]People voiced concerns of chillul hashem, אשרי כסוי פשע, better left things swept under the rug and others.
(a similar sign was posted in BMG and over 40 people responded)

לכבוד אחי ורעי בני הישיבה שיחיו

I’d like to share my story with you in the hope that others can gain from it…

As a young boy I was unfortunately exposed to the darkest tumah the internet has to offer. I spent many many years struggling, all the while trying to figure out how to break free of the terribly strong grip the yetzer hara had on me. I struggled through my years in mesivta, beis medrash and then as a yungerman here in the Mir. This struggle gave me no rest and was a huge weight on my shoulders throughout all those years. Bchasdei Hashem, a few months ago I was zoche to learn the proper way how to deal with this nisayon and I’ve broken out of this terrible cycle that had been going on for more than 15 years.

If my story sounds at all familiar, you should know that you are not alone. There are other chashuve bnei torah that I know personally, and possibly many more that I don’t know about, that struggle with these inyanim.

You should also know that it is quite possible to break free. The same way I did, you can as well.

Feel free to call anytime [preferably bein hasdorim, if you don't block your caller ID I will try to bl"n return calls]

Phone Number and Email Address

Yitzchak Berkovits	14:19 (1 hour ago)
to me

It is not inappropriate if it is not a big flashy sign

YAY  - Well Done IWLR!!!!

Thank you Parev!
I personally went over to ask a Rav, A Yid who's in his 70s, a huge talmid chochom, and as I told him about the guy's issue of chilul Hashem he cut me off with one word-
"Shtusim!"
He encouraged me to tell my friend to ignore the guy, because there will just be more like him. 

As an aside, there is no issue of אשרי כסוי פשע here for a very obvious reason. See Rashi in Sota 7b and Tosafos in Brachos 34b that the problem with letting people know about your aveirah is because it seems the confessor isn't embarrassed or bothered by what he has done. When there is a clear toi'eles, such as letting people know about help to be gotten, and it's clear why the person is sharing, no such issue exists. See above mentioned gemara in Sotah.
And when the sign says "I got help to stop", it's pretty clear the person isn't very proud if the way he acted. So there's zero of that.

Anyway, friends, let's not get sidetracked, and let's keep up the good work!!!!

eerie wrote on 14 Jul 2024 20:03:

It seems like your meds are doing the trick!!

If no name then nothing to do with ksui pesha – as the [common ] existence of sin, is well known
Rabbi Reuven StepskyOn Behalf of, and under the Auspices of, Rav Zimmerman Shlita
[Monsey-Gateshead-London]

Surfacing a week and half late to the party and sick that I missed it!!’ 

Ashrecha IWLR
Ashrecha Eerie
Ashrecha Parev
Ashrecha Red 
Ashrecha Yiftach

Each of us here can make a difference, each in our own way. 

Theres a Tsunami of Tahara beginning to crest……

ותחזינה עינינו כאשר ימלא הארץ דיעה את ה׳ ….

Tears in my eyes, 
Chaimoigen

iwannalivereal wrote on 12 Jul 2024 17:07:

I know many others have said the same thing already, but I can't help but echo: this is the definition of a חסיד שוטה.

This guy (who seems to be pretty well-intentioned and respectful, to his credit, but as I said in an earlier post, is sadly locked into the "let's pretend this problem doesn't exist" mentality) sees a sign trying to help others with breaking free from hell, which (in what is clearly meant to make those struggling realize that they are not alone in this fight) states that over 40 other Bochurim called for help--and instead of his reaction being "Wow! מי כעמך ישראל-look how many Bochurim are trying to break free from this filth, and are trying to serve Hashem באמת, בקדושה וטהרה!", it's "Oy! How can someone state that 40 Bochurim are struggling with this? It's a Chilul Hashem!"-incredible how such an empty, blind, stupid (forgive the strong terms, but it really is a destructive attitude) mindset is so common in certain areas.
I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry. However, as many others have already said, B"H, the vast majority of Rabbonim realize that this thought-process is just idiocy.
We should be Zoche to go מחיל לחיל and the קדושה should keep on spreading!
B'Hatzlacha!