[Avodah] shtarei hedyotot

[Akiva Miller]

.
R' Joel Rich asked:

> On the topic of shtarei hedyotot, I wonder why the reading of
> newspaper advertisements on Shabbat is rarely addressed. If
> there is no general heter, is this just a case of mutav
> sheyihiyu shoggegin? (I’m thinking specifically of all the
> weekly divrei torah publications)

What do you mean "rarely addressed"? It is pretty clearly stated in
Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchata 29:46-47 and R' Ribiat pg 981, and many
other seforim.

If you mean that rabonim rarely speak out about it, my guess is that
it is less a case of "mutav sheyihiyu shoggegin", and more like
choosing one's battles selectively  (though one could argue that
there's little difference between those two ideas).

> My suspicion (and that’s all it is so I am really wondering if
> anyone has clarified this) is that like a number of gzeirot
> that according to the algorithm should not be able to be undone,
> common practice has recognized the reality that perhaps their
> application today is less clear?  Any insights into current
> rabbinic thinking would be very much appreciated.

In what way is the application less clear nowadays?

Akiva Miller