BH
Hello thank you for this service. You should only do more good and receive more blessings. I had a question regarding a certain predicament that I am in. Firstly, I am a baalei teshuvah and I am around 5 years in. I have studied in a yeshivah for around a year. Before I became religious I was a filmmaker. I went to film school etc. I decided to still pursue my filmmaking career. However I know there are certain halachos that one might feel preclude such a profession.In addition I still watch movies as I do get inspiration and knowledge on the techniques as I guess an engineer would be studying other buildings. With that said I do skip the erotic parts.I know this topic is sort of dodgy in our day and age but I dont know who to turn to.I know I could shine a light onto the world through this but I am just weighed down by these certain halachos. So much so that in fact I was even at a point where decided to leave Judaism, that is how important this is to me as I have been in this since a young age. Are there any heterim I can rely on in my situation?
Thanks
Answer:
In your particular circumstances, viewing movies is a case of “leika darcha acharina” (see for instance here) and it is permitted for you to do so in accordance with the need to develop your talents as a filmmaker and to keep updated with the latest “tricks of the trade.”
Of course you should skip the erotic parts, and in general stay clear of movies that are especially “unclean.” I understand that you cannot start contemplating each movie and checking how many boy-girl scenes are involved, but you can certainly avoid those that are simply in the “wrong category.”
The medium of film and movie is perhaps the most powerful that we know today. It is very important that the observant community should also have its filmmakers, and after you studied and are ready to embark on a professional career I certainly support your decision to pursue film-making.
With sincere wishes that you will be able to put your talents and skills to positive use, and good luck for the future.
