YU Shavuot-To-Go 5767

SHAVUOT-TO-GO
5767
Are We All Thieves?
Hi-Tech Heists and Halacha
by
Rabbi Josh Flug
Rosh Kollel, Boca Raton Community Kollel
Edited by
Isaac Shalev
Teen Program by
Avidan Freedman
A PROJECT OF:
THE CENTER FOR THE JEWISH FUTURE
THE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY
Available at The Marcos & Adina Katz YUTorah.org
Copyright © 2007
All rights reserved by Yeshiva University
yutorah@yutorah.org
‫א ל ח נ ן‬ ‫י צ ח ק‬ ‫ר ב נ ו‬ ‫י ש י ב ת‬
R a b b i I s a a c E l c h a n a n T h e o l o g i c a l S e m i n a r y
Center for the Jewish Future

YESHIVA UNIVERSITY
From the Desk of Rabbi Kenneth Brander
Dean, Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future
Dear Friends,
It is my sincere hope that the Torah found in this virtual ‫ ספר‬may

serve to enhance your ‫( יום טוב‬holiday) and your ‫( לימוד‬study).
We have designed this project not only for the individual, studying
alone, but perhaps even more for a ‫( חברותא‬a pair studying together)
that wish to work through the study matter together, or a group
engaged in facilitated study.
With this material, we invite you to join our Beit Midrash, wherever
you may be, ‫( להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה‬to enjoy the splendor of Torah)
and to engage in discussing a matter that touches on a most
contemporary matter, and which is rooted in the timeless
arguments of our great sages from throughout the generations.
‫בברכת חג שמח‬,
Rabbi Kenneth Brander
Special thanks to the following people for their contribution to this project:
Yehuda Chanales, Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Rabbi Daniel Hermann, Jeremy Joszef,
Menachem Lazar, Rabbi Levi Mostofsky, Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, Rabbi Michael
Rosensweig, Shalom Silbermintz, Aaron Srolowitz, Rabbi Yaakov Werblowsky and Penina Flug.
Please direct questions and comments to yutorah@yutorah.org
Copyright © 2006
All rights reserved by Yeshiva University
The Center for the Jewish Future
Yeshiva University
500 W.184th St., suite 413,
(212) 960 - 0041
New York, NY 10033
Table of Contents
I. Editor’s Preface 1
II. Intellectual Property 5
III. Conditions, Terms and 19

Licenses
IV. Piggybacking on a Wi-Fi 25

Connection
V. Teen Program: Facebook and 35

Friendship
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007

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I. Editor’s Preface
In about the year 1000 CE, Rabbeinu Gershom, Me’Or Hagola (the Luminary of
the Exile) instituted a variety of institutional reforms, collectively known as
Cherem d’Rabbeinu Gershom. Among these reforms was a transformational ban
against opening and reading another person’s private mail. Jews had always
been prohibited from entering someone’s home without permission and looking
through his personal effects, but Rabbeinu Gershom took this expectation of
privacy in the home and extended it to the world outside.
In the Middle Ages, postal service was primarily used to arrange business
dealings. Without the expectation of privacy for correspondence, Jewish bankers,
merchants, and financiers would have had no ready means by which to
communicate safely and reliably. Thanks to Rabbeinu Gershom, all the business
of Europe benefited, and Halacha was shown, once again, to be up to the task of
adjudicating over rights and disputes in a modernizing world.
In about 1450 CE, Johannes Gutenberg put into operation the world’s first
printing press, and changed the nature of knowledge forever. Unsurprisingly,
among his earliest works was the famed Gutenberg Bible. That Bible was only
the first of myriads of religious works to be published and widely disseminated
thanks to the innovation of movable type. In the 1480s, Joshua Solomon Soncino
began printing individual tractates of Talmud. By 1523, a Christian printer of
Hebrew books named Daniel Bomberg produced the first complete edition of
both Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi. Bomberg later produced many other
Jewish texts, including the Mikra’ot Gedolot Chumash.
It was not long before disputes arose out of issues raised by the printing process.
These included questions about the validity of printed text for ritual purposes, as
well as other questions related to the economic rights of publishers, some of
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 1

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which we will discuss below. Once again, rabbis were called upon to decide
matters, such as the rights of a printer to print exclusively for a period of some
years – a precursor to modern copyright laws. Indeed, Rabbi Moshe Isserles
(Rama) applied the laws of Hasagat Ge’vul, which govern the overreaching of
physical boundaries, to the business of printing, and the overreaching of
economic boundaries.
Interestingly, neither Rama nor any other of the later halachic luminaries
decisively dealt with the question of an author’s rights to his own works, a
question that comes to us in the form of intellectual property rights. Rama dealt
only with the halachot relevant to a commercial setting, not those relevant to the
private sector. Read on further in this work for a treatment of this subject.
Thanks to the flexibility of the Halachic process and the robust development of
Halacha, once again, Jewish luminaries were able to steer a course that ensured
that Jewish books would be published and disseminated broadly. Today, we see
the results of this successful interaction between Halacha and new technology in
the overwhelming quantity of seforim available to us, from Siddurim, Chumashim,
and Gemarot, to Sifrei Halacha, Machshava, and Musar, to the most esoteric books
appealing to narrowest niches of the Jewish learning endeavor.
In 1989, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee changed the world more radically than postal
service and printing combined when he invented the World Wide Web. Though
the internet had existed since the 1970s, it was extremely difficult for the layman
to access and share information on the internet. The Word Wide Web changed all
that by providing a clear set of standards for all who sought to publish and
distribute content in mixed media, and by making this wealth of knowledge
available to anyone with a computer and a telephone line.

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In the history of human achievement, there may have been no greater or more
revolutionary invention than the World Wide Web. In barely twenty years, the
Web has remade our lives. From our most intimate communications to our
crassest commercial instincts; from our businesses and industries to our leisure
and entertainment, the Web has changed the size, scope, and shape of our
communities and our world. In large part, the Web has been so effective because
of the ease with which it allows us to create, copy, and share content.
With these changes come challenges, including protecting our youth from
dangerous strangers with unprecedented access to children, and shielding our
families from the scourge of pornography and explicit content that has flourished
online. But our challenges are not limited to these obvious dangers. We must also
rise to the higher standards of ethical conduct inherent to an interconnected
world. The internet is a great opportunity for Kiddush Hashem, but to take
advantage of the opportunity we must first sanctify our own online lives to
ensure that they meet the standards demanded of Bnei Torah.
Any conversation about the intersection of Halacha and secular law must include
some mention of Dina D’Malchuta Dina, the concept that the laws of a secular
state may have halachic authority. While this issue has significant ramifications
for our discussion, a full treatment of it is beyond the scope of this work. For a
more complete analysis of this subject, we direct you to the works of Rav
Herschel Schachter and Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff, available online at the
Marcos & Adina Katz YUTorah.org. It is worthwhile to note that many of our
ensuing discussions involve cases where US law is either ambiguous or lenient.

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Like the postal service and the printing press before it, the World Wide Web
breaks down barriers to communication, allowing information of every kind to
reach an enormous audience. However, as futurist Stewart Brand famously put
it, “Information wants to be free because it has become so cheap to distribute,
copy, and recombine… [Information] wants to be expensive because it can be
immeasurably valuable to the recipient.” While recipients may wish information
was free, and the ease of obtaining it often makes it appear as though it is free,
those who create content are denied their livelihood when the fruit of their labors
is wrongfully taken.
The internet has blurred the lines of ownership, particularly over words, images,
and most critically, ideas. In this volume of Shavuot-To-Go, we will seek to
explore the halachic challenges presented to us by the ease with which we can
appropriate intellectual property – plucking it out of the very air – and the issues
of ownership and theft that we, as Jews, and that every person, as an ethically
commanded being, must resolve. The material we present here is only an
introduction to these topics, and is no substitute for consulting your local rabbi
for psak Halacha. Though we do not pretend to the intellectual strength and
religious merit of Rabbeinu Gershom and Rama, we heed their example and seek
to bring the tools of Halacha to bear on this issue, confident that no matter how
the world changes, Torah and Halacha will forever mediate our relationship to it,
and to the One Who fills the Earth with His Glory, until all the world is filled
with the knowledge of Hashem.
!‫חג שמח‬
Isaac Shalev
Erev Shavuot, 5767

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II. Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is the concept used to describe the rights one has to an idea
that he conceived. Accepting intellectual property in full force would mean that
one may not use any idea of another individual with asking him permission.
Let's discuss a number of scenarios where intellectual property may be relevant
but not as obvious:
Scenario #1
Shimon is in the process of producing an album of his musical

compositions. In order to test his songs, he sings them at various
synagogue functions but insists that nobody in the audience is
permitted to sing his songs, even privately, until the album is
produced. Does Shimon have the right to place such limiting
restrictions on his audience members?
Scenario #2
Lisa is known throughout her community as a gourmet chef with

unique recipes. On one occasion, one of her guests, Sarah asked her
for the recipe of a certain dish. Lisa proceeded to tell Sarah the
recipe. However, Lisa was concerned that the recipe will become
widespread throughout the community so she stipulated that Sarah
may never use the recipe to make that dish. Does Lisa have the
right to forbid Sarah from using the recipe?
Scenario #3
After years of commuting through treacherous traffic conditions,

Sam discovered a back road that cut his commute time in half. One
day, Joe asked Sam for a ride into the city. Sam was hesitant to
offer the ride because he did not want to reveal his secret to anyone.
He decided to offer a ride to Joe on condition that he does not share
this secret with anyone. Is Joe bound by Sam's restriction?

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All of these scenarios may seem like extreme applications of the concept of
intellectual property. What is it about these cases that differ from the classic
cases of intellectual property restrictions such as copying books, software, or
music? Let's examine the halachic discussion that may be relevant to intellectual
property and then return to these three scenarios.
The notion of intellectual property assumes that one can own something that
doesn't physically exists. Violating someone's intellectual property rights does
not directly detract from anything in his possession, though it may affect his
ability to profit from his idea. Nevertheless, there is no physical loss incurred
from an intellectual property rights violation. Does Halacha recognize the
concept of intellectual property?
The Talmudic Sources
In addressing the issue of intellectual property and copyright, rabbinic decisors

present a variety of Talmudic sources to support the notion that Halacha
recognizes the concept of intellectual property. We will present three of those
sources. [For a more detailed discussion of these sources, see R. Moshe Phillip,
Emek HaMishpat Vol. IV, who devotes many chapters of his book to this topic.]
Tractate Sanhedrin
R. Chaim Sofer, Machaneh Chaim, Choshen Mishpat 2:49, discusses a case where an
individual was caught transcribing Torah ideas from other individual and
presenting them as his own. R. Sofer was asked whether the individual should
be considered a ganav (thief). R. Sofer responded that this individual should be
considered a ganav. One of the main sources he employed to present this idea is
the Gemara regarding the prohibition against a non-Jew studying Torah. [The
topic of a non-Jew studying Torah is beyond the scope of this work.]

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1.
R. Johanan said: A heathen who studies the ‫ואמר ר' יוחנן עובד כוכבים‬
Torah deserves death, for it is written, Moses ‫שעוסק בתורה חייב מיתה‬
commanded us a law for an inheritance; it is ‫שנאמר תורה צוה לנו משה‬
our inheritance, not theirs. Then why is this not ‫מורשה לנו מורשה ולא להם‬
included in the Noachian laws? — On the
‫וליחשבה גבי שבע מצות מ"ד‬
reading morasha [an inheritance] he steals it.
.‫מורשה מיגזל קא גזיל לה‬
Sanhedrin 59a .‫סנהדרין נט‬
R. Sofer states:
2.
And even though we will not lose anything if a ‫והגם דלא חסר לנו מאומה אם‬
non-Jew learns our Torah, nevertheless, since a ‫הגוי ילמד תורה שלנו אעפ"כ‬
hidden delight (i.e. the Torah) was given to us ‫כיון שחמדה גנוזה נותן לנו מן‬
from Heaven as an inheritance, anyone [who is ‫השמים לירושה כל השולח בה‬
not Jewish] who reaches out to partake from it
‫יד ולוקחה להנות ממנה הוה‬
and enjoy it is a thief. This is also the case for
‫גזלן וה"ה בכל איש השולח יד‬
any man who appropriates for himself the
wisdom and Torah of his friend who had
‫בחכמת תורת חבירו אשר זכה‬
acquired his portion from Heaven – this man is ‫בחלקו מן השמים הוא גזלן‬
an utter thief. .‫גמור‬
Machaneh Chaim, Choshen Mishpat 2:49 ‫ חושן משפט‬,‫מחנה חיים‬

‫מט‬:‫ב‬
Does the Talmudic source presented by R. Sofer prove definitively that there is a
Halachic concept of intellectual property?
There are two noteworthy points regarding use of this source as the basis for the
concept of intellectual property. First, R. Moshe Schick, Teshuvot Maharam Schick,
Yoreh De'ah no. 156, in a letter to R. Sofer, disagrees with R. Sofer's premise. R.
Schick contends that theft is not applicable when the owner does not sustain a

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physical loss. He suggests that perhaps this Gemara, which rules that a non-Jew
who learns Torah is considered a thief, should not be taken literally, or
alternatively, that this Gemara follows a rejected opinion. Second, R. Sofer's
contention may be limited to Torah alone, and not general intellectual property.
In R. Sofer's words "He acquired his portion from Heaven," - implying that this
analysis may not be applicable to other forms of intellectual property.
Tractate Baba Kamma
R. Shimon Shkop, Chiddushei R. Shimon Yehuda HaKohen, Baba Kamma no. 1,

compares the concept of intellectual property to the liability one has for digging a
pit in a public area. Regarding the digging of a pit, the Torah, Shemot 21: 33-34,
states:
3.
And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall ‫ או כי יכרה‬,‫וכי יפתח איש בור‬
dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall ‫איש בר ולא יכסנו; ונפל שמה‬
therein. The owner of the pit shall make it good; ‫ בעל הבור‬.‫ או חמור‬,‫שור‬
he shall give money unto the owner of them, ;‫ כסף ישיב לבעליו‬,‫ישלם‬
and the dead beast shall be his.
.‫ יהיה לו‬,‫והמת‬
Exodus 21: 33-34 ‫לד‬-‫ לג‬:‫שמות כא‬
The Gemara, Baba Kamma 29b, comments that although a pit that is dug on public
property does not belong to the digger, the Torah assigns responsibility to the
digger as if he owns the pit:
4.
R. Eleazar said in the name of R. Ishmael: There ‫אמר רבי אלעזר משום רבי‬
are two [laws dealing with] matters that are ‫ישמעאל שני דברים אינן‬
really not within the ownership of man but ‫ברשותו של אדם ועשאן הכתוב‬
which are regarded by Scripture as if they were ‫כאילו הן ברשותו ואלו הן בור‬
under his ownership. They are: Pit in the public
‫ברשות הרבים וחמץ משש‬
ground, and Leaven after midday [on Passover
.‫]שעות[ ולמעלה‬
eve].
Baba Kamma 29b :‫בבא קמא כט‬

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R. Shkop explains:
5.
The same is true regarding a pit, that the Torah ‫וכן בבור חייבתו תורה על מה‬
holds a person responsible by virtue of the fact ‫שהמזיק שלו הזיק ומה שהבור‬
that the damage was caused by a damaging ‫שלו זה בא לו ע"י כרייה‬
force that is attributed to him. It belongs to him ‫ היינו שהוא הכין את‬,‫ופתיחה‬
because he either dug the pit or uncovered it.
,'‫המזיק ועי"ז נקרא בעלים עלי‬
He created the damaging force and therefore he
‫כמו שבדברים שנוגעים לזכות‬
is considered the owner. We find the same idea
regarding intellectual property that it is
‫האדם מוסכם ע"פ דיני התורה‬
accepted as Torah law as well as the laws of ‫ודיני העמים שכל מי שממציא‬
nations that one who invents something, he is ‫דבר חדש בעולם הוא הבעלים‬
the owner of it regarding all rights. Similarly, ‫ כ"כ קראה‬,‫עלי' לכל דבר זכות‬
the Torah refers to the one who created the ‫התורה לאיש המכין תקלה‬
damaging element of the pit as the owner of the .‫בשם בעל הבור‬
pit.
Chiddushei R. Shimon Yehuda HaKohen, Baba ‫חדושי רבי שמעון יהודא‬

Kamma no. 1
'‫ בבא קמא סימן א‬,‫הכהן‬
Can one use the concept of damages for pits as the source for intellectual
property? R. Shkop certainly recognizes the concept of intellectual property.
However, his comments seem to draw a parallel between the two concepts and
not necessarily provide a proof to the concept of intellectual property.
Nevertheless, one might still question on his own whether the concept of
damages for pits can serve as the precedent for the idea that whatever one
creates belongs to him. The challenge to this assertion lies in the comparison of
ownership to liability. The fact that the Torah holds the digger of the pit liable
for a pit that he created does not necessarily prove that one entirely owns his
creations.

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An Alternate Approach
R. Yosef S. Nathanson, Sho'el u'Meishiv Vol. I, 1:44, does not see the need for a
source in the Talmud indicating that there is a concept of intellectual property.
To him, it is obvious that one acquires ownership over one's intellectual
innovations:
6.
It is obvious that when an author prints a ‫זה ודאי שספר חדש שמדפיס‬
new book and merits that his words are ‫מחבר וזכה שדבריו מתקבלים‬
accepted by the world, he has rights to it ‫ע"פ תבל פשיטא שיש לו זכות‬
forever. Regardless, if you print something ‫בזה לעולם והרי בלא"ה אם‬
new or develop a new technique, someone
‫מדפיסים או מחדשים איזה‬
else is not permitted to use it without
‫מלאכה אינו רשאי אחר לעשות‬
permission. And it is known that Rabbi
Abraham Jacob of Harobshob, who
'‫בלא רשותו והרי נודע שר‬
performed arithmetic with a machine all his ‫אברהם יעקב מהרובשוב‬
life received compensation from the Kierow ‫שעשה החשבון במאשין כל‬
(government) in Warsaw. And our complete ‫ימיו קבל שכרו מהקיר"ה‬
Torah should not be like their meaningless ‫בווארשא ולא יהא תורה‬
conversations, and this is a matter that the ‫שלימה שלנו כשיחה בטילה‬
intellect rejects, and it is a regular ‫שלהם וזה דבר שהשכל‬
occurrence that the printer of a composition ‫מכחישו ומעשים בכל יום‬
retains the rights. ‫שהמדפיס חבור יש לו ולב"כ‬
.‫זכות‬
Sho'el u'Meishiv Vol. I, 1:44
‫מד‬:‫ א‬,‫שואל ומשיב א‬
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Discussion and Analysis
Given that Halacha does recognize the concept of intellectual property, are there
any limiting factors? Are the restrictions presented in the three above scenarios
valid halachic restrictions?
A potentially limiting factor is the concept of midat S'dom (the character traits of
the Sodomites). The Mishna, Avot 5:10, states:
7.
There are four types of people: One who says ‫ארבע מדות באדם האומר שלי‬
“What is mine is mine and what is yours is ‫שלי ושלך שלך זו מדה בינונית‬
yours” – this is a median characteristic. Some ‫ויש אומרים זו מדת סדום שלי‬
say this is the character of a Sodomite. One who ‫שלך ושלך שלי עם הארץ שלי‬
says “What is mine is yours and what is yours is
‫שלך ושלך שלך חסיד שלי שלי‬
mine” – this is a fool. One who says “What is
.‫ושלך שלי רשע‬
mine is yours and what is yours is yours” – this
is a pious person. One who says “What is mine
is mine and what is yours is mine” – this is a
wicked man.
Mishna, Avot 5:10 ‫י‬:‫פרקי אבות ה‬
What's wrong with someone who says "what's mine is mine"? Rashi, Baba Batra
12b, s.v. Al, states this is someone who won't give up something of his own even
if it poses no loss to him and will benefit someone else (zeh neheneh v'zeh lo
chaser). The Gemara, Baba Batra 12b, states that one can force an individual to
allow someone else to benefit from something if it causes him no loss. This
principle is known as kofin al midat S'dom.
Question: If one can force another individual to allow someone else to

benefit, can we now argue that the principle of kofin al midat S'dom
dictates the parameters of intellectual property? Can someone claim that
it is permissible to copy software, music, etc. because the copier benefits
from something at no loss to the producer?
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In order to answer this question, we must raise two more questions:
1) Does the principle of kofin al midat S'dom allow the one benefiting to take
the initiative and "force" the owner of intellectual property into observing
this principle by duplicating his work?
2) Should we assume that there is no loss to the owner of intellectual
property when someone duplicates his work? What is the definition of
loss for these purposes? Is it limited to monetary loss? What about
potential loss of revenue? What about intangible losses that don't relate at
all to money?
An Analysis of Kofin Al Midat S'dom
Let's answer these questions by analyzing the parameters of the principle of kofin
al midat S'dom. The Gemara, Baba Kamma 20a, notes that one of the cases of zeh
neheneh v'zeh lo chaser is where someone who needs a place to live moves into a
vacant home that is currently not for rent. The tenant benefits from having a
place to live and the landlord does not lose by having someone living on his
property.
Tosafot, Baba Batra 12b, s.v. K'gon cannot imagine the possibility that one can
employ kofin al midat S'dom to allow someone to move into a vacant home
without permission of the landlord. Tosafot comment:
8.
We only use force to enforce violation of midat ‫הא דכופין על מדת סדום בזה‬
S'dom for something that poses no loss to him ‫נהנה וזה לא חסר היינו בשכבר‬
and will benefit someone else when the one ‫דר בחצר חבירו שאינו מעלה‬
benefiting already moved into the landlord's ‫לו שכר אבל הא פשיטא שיכול‬
courtyard, and we don't allow the landlord to
‫למחות בו שלא יכנס לדור‬
collect rent. However, it is obvious that the
‫בביתו אפי' בחצר דלא קיימא‬
landlord can prevent the squatter from moving
into the home even if the courtyard is not for
‫לאגרא וגברא דלא עביד למיגר‬
rent and the squatter is not going to pay rent .‫דהוה זה נהנה וזה לא חסר‬
regardless such that the squatter benefits and
the landlord does not lose. ‫ ד"ה‬:‫ בבא בתרא יב‬,‫תוספות‬
‫כגון‬
Tosafot, Baba Batra 12b, s.v. K'gon
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Mordechai, Baba Kamma no. 16, also addresses this issue:
9.
There are some who explain that we only force ‫י"מ דאין כופין אלא כגון היכא‬
when there is no possibility for the landlord to ‫דמהני אפילו אי הוה בעי‬
rent the property. However, if there is a ‫לארווחי בהא מלתא לא מצי‬
possibility for the landlord to rent the property, ‫לארווחי הלכך כייפינן ליה כיון‬
even if there are currently no renters, he cannot
‫דלא חסר מידי אבל היכא דאי‬
be forced.
‫הוה בעי בעל החצר לאיגורי‬
‫הוה מירווח השתא נמי כי לא‬
.‫מוגר ליה לא לא כייפי ליה‬
Mordechai on Baba Kamma no. 16 ‫בבא קמא סימן ט"ז‬
The implication of Mordechai's comments are that there is not distinction

between preventing the squatter from moving into the property and charging the
squatter. Rather, there is a distinction between a home that can potentially be
rented out and a home that cannot. If it cannot be rented out, we employ the
principle of kofin al midat S'dom, and the landlord may not prevent the squatter
from moving in. If it is potentially rentable, the landlord may prevent the
squatter from moving in. Mordechai's comments are cited by Rama, Choshen
Mishpat 363:6. As such, it is arguable that one can employ kofin al midat S'dom in
a situation where there is no cause of potential loss. We find two different
approaches in the Acharonim as to how to deal with the opinions of Tosafot and
Mordechai.
R. Yechezkel Landa, Noda B'Yehuda, Choshen Mishpat 2:24, discusses a case where
Reuven paid a printer to print the Talmud (including the comments of Rashi and
Tosafot) with Reuven's commentary in the margin. After the printing was
complete, the printer used the same printing plates to print his own edition of
the Talmud while removing Reuven's commentary from this edition. Reuven
claimed that he was entitled reimbursement for half of the cost of preparing the
printing plates for press. The printer claimed that he had the option of
disassembling the plates and therefore, was entitled to use the printing plates for
his own benefit.
R. Landa denies the printer's claim that he is entitled to use the printing plates
for his own benefit since it causes no loss to Reuven. He notes that according to
Tosafot, kofin al midat S'dom is only applied in specific cases where the rabbis
deemed it necessary. Although Mordechai disagrees, R. Landa sides with the
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opinion of Tosafot. Therefore, R. Landa concludes that the printer is prohibited

from using the plates without Reuven’s permission.
R. Malkiel Tannenbaum, Divrei Malkiel 3:157, discusses the case of an individual,

Levi, who received government approval to sell a certain type of medicine. The
approval process involved an investment of capital. After his product hit the
market, Yehuda began selling the same medicine using Levi's letter of approval
as his license to sell the medicine. R. Tannenbaum was asked whether Yehuda
must compensate Levi.
R. Tannenbaum takes the opposite approach of R. Landa. He claims that Tosafot

only limit the principle of kofin al midat S'dom to situations where there is a loss to
the provider. If, for example, a squatter moves into a home and lives there, he
will inevitably cause wear-and-tear to the home and devalue the home, albeit
minimally. However, if there is no way to devalue the object that one is
benefiting from, which is true of a license, Tosafot agree that one may take the
initiative and use the item so long as there is no loss to the provider. Therefore,
R. Tannenbaum concludes that when the one benefiting is not using an actual
object of the provider, he may "force" the provider and use his product without
permission.
Nevertheless, both R. Landa and R. Tannenbaum note that if the one benefiting
would have paid for his benefit (if there was no way to procure the benefit for
free), it can no longer be considered zeh neheneh v'zeh chaser since the provider is
losing potential revenue.
R. Tannenbaum supports this idea from a ruling of Shulchan Aruch, Choshen

Mishpat 363:8:
10.
There are those who say that the rule that a ‫יש אומרים דהא דאמרינן‬
squatter does not have to pay rent when the ‫דכשהחצר אינו עומד לשכר אינו‬
property was up for rent only applies when ‫צריך להעלות לו שכר דוקא שלא‬
there was no indicator from the squatter that ‫גילה בדעתו שהיה רצונו ליתן לו‬
he is willing to pay rent. However, if the
‫שכר אם לא יניחנו לדור בו בחנם‬
squatter indicates that he would pay rent if
‫ צריך‬,‫אבל אם גילה בדעתו כן‬
the alternative is eviction, then he must pay
rent.
.‫ליתן לו שכר‬
Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 363:8 ‫ חושן משפט‬,‫שלחן ערוך‬

‫ח‬:‫שסג‬
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R. Landa cites a similar proof from a comment of the Gemara, Baba Kamma 20b.
The Gemara states that if there are two neighbors and neighbor A installs a fence
that benefits neighbor B, neighbor B is not required to split the cost of the fence
with neighbor A. However, if neighbor A's fence is insufficient in totally
enclosing neighbor B's property and neighbor B completes the enclosure,
neighbor B must split the cost of the joint portion of the fence with neighbor A.
Rashi, ad loc., s.v. Ad Heichan, explains:
11.
[By completing the fence on his own] he has revealed ‫גלי אדעתיה דניחה ליה בהקימו‬
that he is interested in the installation [of the fence] ‫של ראובין ומגלגלין עליו את‬
of Reuven and he must therefore split the entire cost
.‫הכל‬
[with Reuven].
Rashi, Baba Kamma 20b. s.v. Ad Heichan ‫ ד"ה עד‬:‫רש"י בבא קמא כ‬
‫היכן‬
In R. Landa's case, the printer invested additional capital to produce his edition
of the Talmud. By doing so he has exhibited his interest in investing money in
such a project and therefore, R. Landa rules that the printer must split the cost of
preparing the printing plates for press. Similarly, R. Tannenbaum rules that
Yehuda must split the cost of obtaining approval with Levi.
Applications of this Discussion
We can now return to the three scenarios presented at the beginning of this
section. As we have seen from the comments of R. Landa and R. Tannenbaum,
"loss" is not limited to actual monetary loss. Even potential loss of revenue is
considered loss for these purposes. However, in all three scenarios, there is no
direct monetary consequence of violating the intellectual property holder's
request. Yet, in each scenario, the IP holder can claim that he is losing something
when his IP is violated.
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1) In the first scenario, Shimon may lose potential sales of his album, should
someone else produces an album containing one or more of his songs.
Would you consider this a "loss" on his part?
2) In the second scenario, Lisa stands to lose her reputation as the best
gourmet chef in town. Would you consider this a "loss" on her part?
3) In the third scenario, there may be two reasons why Sam is reluctant to
reveal his secret. He may be concerned that if too many people find out
about this route, it will become congested and he will not save any time
on his commute. Alternatively, he may simply be interested in his own
pride as the fastest commuter in town, which he does not want to share
with anyone else. Would you consider this a "loss" on his part?
If any of these scenarios represent a bona fide loss on the part of the IP holder,
one can no longer claim zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser. Therefore, if IP is a valid
halachic concept, the IP holder should be able to restrict someone else from using
the intellectual property.
If these scenarios do not represent a bona fide loss, one must then analyze
whether one can apply zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser and the principle of kofin al
midat S'dom. According to R. Landa, the principle of kofin al midat S'dom does not
allow one to actively "enter" the property of the provider. According to R.
Tannenbaum, one may do so if there is no tangible loss to the provider.
[Additionally, splitting the costs is not relevant to this discussion because the IP
holders did not invest any money into the idea and the "violator" exhibited no
interest in paying for an alternative were this option not available.]
Now, let's try to apply some of the principles discussed to modern day questions
of intellectual property. In a situation where someone wants to duplicate
software, music, etc., simply because he does not want to pay for it, one cannot
apply zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser. The copier would have purchased the product
himself and therefore, the producer loses revenue from the copier. This point is
made by R. Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 4:40 (19):
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12.
Regarding one who produced a cassette of Torah ‫בדבר אחד שעשה טייפ מדברי‬
thoughts and printed on the cassette that it is ‫תורה וכותב שאוסר לעשות‬
prohibited to duplicate the cassette it is certainly
‫מטייפ שלו עוד טייפס ודאי אסור‬
prohibited [to duplicate the cassette] because [the
cassette] has monetary value and the cassette was ‫כי הוא ענין שוה כסף ועשה‬
produced in order that those who wish to listen will ‫הטייפ להרויח מזה שאחרים‬
pay. Therefore, midat S'dom does not apply… ‫שירצו יצטרכו לשלם לו שא"כ‬
Duplicating a cassette without permission constitutes ‫ לעשות‬... ,‫ליכא משום מדת סדום‬
a violation of theft. ‫טייפ אחר מטייפ אחד שלא‬
.‫ברשות הוא איסור גזל‬
Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 4:40 (19) ‫מ‬:‫ אורך חיים ד‬,‫אגרות משה‬
However, there are certain situations which are more ambiguous:
Situation #1
A teacher would like to present a handout of various sources of

photocopied texts. Some of the books state that it is prohibited to
photocopy any portion of the book, even for educational purposes. Is the
teacher permitted to ignore the restrictions listed in the book? Should the
teacher be required to purchase a copy of each and every text for each
and every student? [Keep in mind that according to U.S. law, there is no
legal basis to these restrictions if the photocopying constitutes "fair use".]
Situation #2
A person purchases software that he would like to install on multiple

computers in his home, for the benefit of his family. Is he permitted to do
so or must he purchase multiple copies of the software?
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Situation #3
There is a certain software product that is very expensive and is generally

purchased for business purposes. Steve would never entertain purchasing
the software, but it would be beneficial to him to install it on his computer
in order to restore some old family photos. Is Steve permitted borrow the
installation disk from his friend and install the software on his computer?
Situation #4
Is it permissible to transfer music from a CD onto an MP3 player or should

one purchase a separate license for the music on one's MP3 player?
In these situations, the producer is not necessarily losing when the product is
duplicated. It can only be considered a loss if the copier entertained purchasing
the product and then decided to copy it. Nevertheless, according to R. Landa,
the fact that there is no loss to the producer does not allow one to take the
initiative and violate the rights of the producer. However, it is possible that R.
Landa will agree that if the claim of the producer is entirely unreasonable (such
as the case of the teacher who is producing a source book) that one may take the
initiative and duplicate the work. [R. Tannenbaum himself suggests that R.
Landa may agree on this point.] Furthermore, it is arguable that if the specific
action is permissible according to U.S. law, the producer's restrictions are not
meant to create further restrictions but to deter those who actually violate the
copyright law.
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III. Conditions, Terms, and Licenses
Additional Restrictions on the User

In the first section, we discussed the halachic status of intellectual property and
its limitations. Some producers of original content are not satisfied with the
restrictions that IP law (and Halacha) place on the consumer and therefore place
their own restrictions on the use of the product. In this section we will discuss
the halachic status of some of these additional restrictions.
Condition of Sale
One method used by producers to deter duplication and distribution of their

work is making the sale conditional on not duplicating or distributing the
protected content. There are two questions that must be asked regarding these
conditions. First, is the condition effective if the buyer is not aware of the
condition at the time of purchase? Second, what are the consequences if the
conditions are violated by either party?
Any condition that is placed inside a package or a software package is called a

"shrink-wrap license" or a "box-top license." In U.S. law courts have offered
varying rulings regarding the legality of these conditions. In Step-Saver Data Sys.,
Inc. v. Wyse Tech., the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that shrink-wrap
licensing does not bind the consumer to the conditions that are placed in the
package. In M.A. Mortenson Co. v. Timberline Software Corp., the Washington State
Supreme Court upheld the conditions placed in the package.
What is the halachic status of a shrink-wrap license? The Gemara, Kiddushin 49b,
states:
1.
A certain man sold his property with the ‫ההוא גברא דזבין לנכסיה‬
intention of emigrating to the land of Israel, ‫אדעתא למיסק לארץ ישראל‬
but when selling he said nothing. Said Raba: ‫ובעידנא דזבין לא אמר ולא‬
That is a mental stipulation, and such is not ‫מידי אמר רבא הוי דברים‬
recognized.
‫שבלב ודברים שבלב אינם‬
.‫דברים‬
Kiddushin 49b
:‫קידושין מט‬
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Rashi, ad loc., explains that this individual intended to sell the land on condition
that he, the seller, moves to Israel. However, at the time of the sale, he didn't
explicitly state his intentions. Therefore, we don't bind the buyer to this
condition.
Rabbeinu Asher, in his responsa, 81:1, rules that the nature of the situation will
dictate how explicit the condition must be:
2.
There are three levels regarding this matter. If ‫ושלשה חילוקין יש בדבר כל‬
the situation is such that his intentions are clear, ‫כי האי גונא דאפי' לא התנה‬
even if he does not indicate that the sale is under ‫אנן סהדי דדעתו לכך אפי' גלוי‬
these conditions, the conditions are binding. ‫דעת לא בעינן ויש מקומות‬
Then there is a situation where an explicit
‫דבעי גילוי דעת כההיא דזבין‬
condition is required, such as the case of the
‫נכסי אדעתא למיסק לארעא‬
individual who sold his property intending to
relocate to Israel. The rule is that unless he
‫דישראל ואם לא גלה דעתו‬
explicitly indicates what the conditions of the ‫אמרינן דברים שבלב אינן‬
sale are, the conditions are ignored, as per the ‫דברים ומיהו בגילוי דעת סגי‬
rule that ‘matters in the heart (i.e. thoughts) do ‫ולא בעינן תנאי כיון דמעשיו‬
not have legal status’. However, if there is ‫מוכיחים על מחשבתו דאין דרך‬
sufficient indication of a condition to a sale, no ‫בני אדם למכור כל נכסיו אבל‬
explicit condition is required, because his ‫היכא דליכא אומדנא דמוכח‬
actions dictate his intentions … Nevertheless, ‫וגם אין הוכחה במעשיו בעינן‬
when his intentions are not obvious and there is .‫תנאי כפול‬
no indication in his actions of an implied
condition, an explicit condition is required.
‫א‬:‫שו"ת הרא"ש פא‬
Responsa of Rosh 81:1
Rabbeinu Asher's ruling is codified by Rama, Choshen Mishpat 207:4. As such,

shrink-wrap licenses or similar conditions would not be binding unless the buyer
received some indication that purchasing the product binds the buyer to certain
conditions. It would not help to print the conditions in fine print on the package,
nor would it help to place the conditions on a paper inside the package. The only
way these conditions would be binding is if the conditions were prominently
displayed on the package so that every purchaser notices the conditions.
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Assuming that the conditions are binding on the buyer, one must still address
the consequences if the buyer violates the conditions of the sale. In a normal case
of conditional sale, when the conditions are violated, the sale is cancelled, the
buyer returns the product to the seller and the seller refunds the money.
R. Moshe Phillip, Emek HaMishpat, Vol. IV, 37:4, notes that the following problem
arises when the sale is only valid on condition that the work is not duplicated:
Suppose someone duplicates the work. He now has a duplicate copy and the
sale of the original copy is null and void. The buyer now has the legal right to
return the original copy and receive a refund while still holding on to the
duplicate copy. It is almost certain that the producer would never agree to
refund the money. This proves that the condition of sale was not meant as an
actual legal condition. Rather, the condition was meant solely to convey to the
buyer another level of moral responsibility.
Limited Sale
R. Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg (Techumin Vol. VI, pp. 370-1) presents a novel
approach to limit the rights of one who purchases a duplicable product. He basis
his approach on a Beraita cited in Baba Metzia 78b:
3.
This agrees with R. Meir, who ruled: Whoever ‫רבי מאיר היא דאמר כל‬
disregards the owner’s stipulation is treated as a ‫המעביר על דעת של בעל הבית‬
robber. Which [ruling of] R. Meir [shows this ... ‫נקרא גזלן הי רבי מאיר‬
opinion]? Shall we say R. Meir? … Rather, it is ‫אלא הא רבי מאיר דתניא רבי‬
the dictum of R. Meir. For it has been taught: R.
‫שמעון בן אלעזר אומר משום‬
Simeon b. Eleazar said on R. Meir’s authority: If
‫רבי מאיר הנותן דינר לעני‬
one gives a denar to a poor man to buy a shirt, he
may not buy a cloak therewith; to buy a cloak,
‫ליקח לו חלוק לא יקח בו טלית‬
he must not buy a shirt, because he disregards ‫טלית לא יקח בו חלוק מפני‬
the donor’s desire. ‫שמעביר על דעתו של בעל‬
.‫הבית‬
Baba Metzia 78b :‫בבא מציעא עח‬
R. Goldberg suggests that although we don't follow the opinion of R. Meir, the
rabbis who disagree with R. Meir are of the opinion that there is nevertheless a
prohibition against violating the will of the owner. The issue is whether it is
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considered theft to violate the will of the owner. According to R. Meir it is

considered theft and according to the other rabbis it is not considered theft, just
inappropriate behavior. Furthermore, if the contributor specifically states that
the recipient may not use the money to buy clothing, then all agree that using it
for this purpose is considered theft.
Based on this assertion, R. Goldberg claims that a producer can sell a product
specifically for the purpose of normal use and exclude duplication rights from
the sale. This applies even if the buyer is unaware that this is the intention of the
sale. In this respect, a limited sale differs from a sale on condition. Regarding a
sale on condition, the sale is a complete sale and therefore, the buyer must have
an indication that the sale has a condition attached. However, if the sale is such
that the seller is only interested in selling a portion of the use of the product, the
seller does not have to know that these are the terms of the sale. He merely has
to know that the seller does not want the buyer to duplicate his work. If the
buyer is aware that the seller does not want his will violated and the buyer
violates his will, R. Meir considers the buyer a thief and the other rabbis consider
it inappropriate behavior.
Following R. Goldberg's article, a rejoinder was written by R. Moshe Phillip, op.

cit., chapter 38. One of the problems that he finds with R. Goldberg's approach is
that he assumes that one can limit the sale of an item to retain non-tangible rights
to the item. However, there are numerous Acharonim who are of the position
that one can only retain tangible rights to the item sold. For example, Chazon Ish,
Even HaEzer 73:18, states:
4.
One who sells property while limiting the rights ‫המשייר שלא יוכל למכור‬
to sell the property to someone else or to place a ‫לפלוני ולשעבדה ודאי אין זה‬
lien on it, the limitation is not binding because ‫שיור דלא שייר לעצמו כלום‬
the seller did not retain anything for himself. ‫אלא שיעשה ולא יעשה ופטומי‬
Rather, he is dictating what can be done and
.‫מילי נינהו‬
what cannot be done and the statement is
meaningless.
Chazon Ish, Even HaEzer 73:18 ‫יח‬:‫ אבן העזר עג‬,‫חזון איש‬
As such, one cannot sell a product and still own the rights to sell it or duplicate
it, as such a condition attempts to retain a say for the seller in the disposition of
the product, even though none of the product remains in his ownership. [This
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argument addresses the actual product. This does not relate to the discussion of
intellectual property.]
Licensed, not Sold

Many software companies include an end-user license agreement (EULA) that a
user must agree to prior to using the software. The agreement is physically
placed in the packaging of the software, or alternatively, it is displayed to the
user on his computer screen prior to installation. The EULA will generally state
that the software is licensed, not sold. What this means is that the user does not
actually own the product. He is merely using a product that belongs to the
software company and is paying royalties for the use of their software. The
software company considers the transaction a lease rather than a sale.
Softman v. Adobe involved a case where SoftMan Products was purchasing

bundled software from Adobe and reselling the individual components. Adobe
claimed that this violated the terms of the EULA which specifically prohibits the
resale of individual components of the package. This assertion alone would have
been insufficient to make there case because of the "first sale doctrine" of the U.S.
Code (Title 17 § 109). This section states that "the owner of a particular copy . . .
lawfully made under this title . . . is entitled, without the authority of the
copyright owner, to sell or otherwise dispose of the possession of that copy."
This doctrine applies only to goods that are sold, and therefore, Adobe claimed
that the software was licensed, not sold, and therefore was not subject to the
"first sale doctrine."
The U.S. District Court Central District of California ruled that:
The circumstances surrounding the transaction strongly suggest that the

transaction is in fact a sale rather than a license. For example, the
purchaser commonly obtains a single copy of the software, with
documentation, for a single price, which the purchaser pays at the time of
the transaction, and which constitutes the entire payment for the "license."
The license runs for an indefinite term without provisions for renewal. In
light of these indicia, many courts and commentators conclude that a
"shrinkwrap license" transaction is a sale of goods rather than a license.
As in the case of the conditional sale, the primary argument against the claim
that the product is "licensed and not sold" is that the buyer thought that he was
entering into an agreement of sale and not of a lease. The halachic discussion
that relates to condition of sale should apply here as well. If there is some
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indication that the "buyer" is aware that he is not actually purchasing the
product, one can argue that it is legally binding as a lease. However, if there is
no indicator, and the buyer was under the assumption that he was purchasing
the product, then the fine print or terms inside the package would not be binding
on the individual.
If in fact the license is halachically valid, what are the ramifications? Shulchan
Aruch 307:1 (based on R. Yehuda's opinion) rules:
5.
One who rents from his friend an animal or ‫השוכר מחבירו בהמה או כלים‬
utensils is adjudged a paid guardian and is ‫דינו כשומר שכר להתחייב‬
responsible for theft or loss (i.e. an object that ‫וליפטר‬ ‫ואבידה‬ ‫בגניבה‬
goes missing) but not accountable for accidents. .‫באונסין‬
Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 307:1

‫שלחן ערוך חושן משפט‬
‫א‬:‫שז‬
If one who purchases software is only considered a lessee, then if the disk is
accidentally damaged, the "lessee" should be able to either get a refund or
procure a replacement for the damages disk from the software distributor, who,
as the lessor, is responsible for accidental damages. In actuality, many EULAs
only have a limited warranty on the actual disk. From a halachic perspective,
this is inconsistent with the laws of renters.
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IV. Piggybacking on a Wi-Fi Connection
Piggybacking on a Wi-Fi Connection

Over the last few years, many homes and businesses have installed wireless
routers that allow users to access a computer network using radio signals.
Access to the network means that the wireless user can potentially access the
internet, access the files stored on the network, and use the network's printers or
other accessories. The network administrator has the option of securing the
router using encrypting technology so that only authorized users can access the
network. However, many times the network is not secured and anyone within
range of the radio signal can access the network using a laptop computer and
wireless Ethernet card. The question then arises: Is it permissible to access an
open (unsecured) network without permission in order to check one's e-mail,
visit a webpage or download a file? [It is quite obvious that one is not permitted
to enter the network and procure sensitive or potentially confidential
information that is stored on the network.]
It should be noted that accessing an open network potentially leaves one’s

own computer vulnerable to unauthorized access by other network users.
There are two components to this question:
Question #1
When someone accesses an open network, he is using the services of the

internet service provider (ISP) without any payment to the ISP. The
ISP normally charges for internet service. Is using an internet
connection through an open network considered a theft of service from
the ISP? Is such a user causing the network owner (the person who
contracted with the ISP for internet service) to violate his terms of
service with the ISP?
Question #2
When someone uses an open wireless connection, he is basically using

someone else's router and/or computer without permission. Is this
permissible?
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The Internet Service Provider

Every ISP has its own unique terms of service. Some ISPs limit the number of
computers that may be connected to the internet via wireless router to only one.
Many ISPs will charge an additional fee to the user for the right to connect
additional computers beyond the first to the internet. Other ISPs don't place any
restrictions on internet sharing as long as the users don't perform any illegal
activities, and many advertise this as a value-added feature of their service.
If the ISP places no restrictions on sharing of internet access, then sharing the
connection is certainly not stealing from the ISP. If the ISP does place
restrictions, one must then address the following questions:
1) Is the user bound by the terms of service provided by the ISP?
2) Is there a distinction between a passerby using the service and a neighbor
who regularly uses the open connection rather than paying for his own
service?
3) In many areas there are multiple ISPs, all of whom have different terms of
service. What are the ramifications for a user who is unsure of which
service he is using when accessing the open network?
The discussion of zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser (see section I of this booklet) is
relevant to this discussion. After all, one might argue that the ISP does not lose
anything when the wireless user accesses the internet. At the same time, the user
benefits from the free internet access. Is this a logical claim?
At first glance, one can counter this argument by stating that the ISP does in fact
lose by the user accessing the internet because he is using services that he would
have otherwise had to pay for. However, two factors must be considered.
First, many internet plans are priced based on the speed of the connection. The
subscriber is then paying for a certain amount of bandwidth. If the subscriber
chooses to allow others to use the bandwidth, it is his prerogative as that use is
limiting his own service. No matter how many users take advantage of the open
network, the ISP will never be forced to deliver more bandwidth than it has
already contracted to provide.
Second, there is a difference between a resident who is using his neighbor's

wireless network and a traveler who is using the service on a one-time basis. The
ISP can reasonably expect the neighbor to purchase his own subscription plan.
Therefore, the ISP can claim a potential loss from the wireless user's decision to
piggyback on someone else's network. However, the ISP cannot reasonably
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expect a passerby to purchase a plan for the one time that he is using the internet
in that location. Therefore, one can apply zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser.
There are ISPs who offer a service that provides national internet access through
cellular networks. If the local ISP provides a cellular service, they can claim that
instead of piggybacking, one should purchase national access. However, the
cellular plans are currently very expensive, and are primarily suited for those
who travel frequently for business travelers, not the occasional traveler. Thus, the
ISP’s claim may be unreasonable, at least with regards to the occasional traveler.
This may change as prices for national access decline. One must keep in mind
that even if zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaser is applicable, there is a dispute between R.
Landa and R. Tannenbaum as to whether the one benefiting can take the
initiative in procuring his own benefit.
If there are multiple ISPs in an area and one cannot determine what the
restrictions are vis-à-vis the ISP, the question can be reformulated as: May one
use an object or service without permission if there is a doubt over whether the
owner minds? This question will be addressed later in this section.
Accessing the Network without Permission
Accessing an open network is similar to using someone's computer without

permission. The Gemara, Baba Batra 88a, states:
1.
The argument is about one who borrows ‫בשואל שלא מדעת קא מיפלגי‬
without the knowledge of the owner. One is of ‫מר סבר שואל הוי ומר סבר‬
the opinion that such a person is legally .‫גזלן הוי‬
considered a borrower, and the others are of the
opinion that he is a robber.
Baba Batra 88a .‫בבא בתרא פח‬
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Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 292:1, rules in accordance with the opinion that
one who borrows something without permission (sho'el shelo mida'at) is
considered a thief.
Does this mean that one can never use the property of someone else without
permission? There may be two limitations to this principle. First, Ritva, Baba
Metzia 41a, s.v. U'Shlosha states:
2.
And in the usage that he makes of it is there a ‫ומיהו בתשמיש שהוא עושה יש‬
monetary loss to the owners? Even though he is ‫קלקול לממונם של בעלים‬
not losing out from the usage, it is possible that ‫ואע"פ שאינו מתחסר בתשמיש‬
it will break in handling or some damage will ‫אפשר היה דאיידי דמטלטל לה‬
occur to it, for regarding an object which cannot
‫ דאלו‬,‫תשבר או יארע בה נזק‬
be damaged by handling, one cannot say that
‫בדבר שא"א לבא לידי נזק‬
one who borrows without knowledge of the
owner is a thief, for he did not do anything, and
‫בטלטולו ליכא למ"ד דשואל‬
all this is based on the foundation of the ‫שלא מדעת גזלן הוי דהא לא‬
Ramban. ‫ וכל זה מיסודו‬,‫עביד ולא מידי‬
.‫של הרמב"ן‬
Ritva, Baba Metzia 41a, s.v. U'Shlosha ‫ריטב"א בבא מציעא ד"ה‬
‫ושלשה‬
Ramban is of the opinion that one is not considered a thief for using someone's
object without permission unless it is something that can potentially be devalued
through its use. Borrowing something without permission would not render one
a thief if there is a guarantee that its use will not affect the object whatsoever.
Nevertheless, R. Efraim Navon, Machaneh Efraim, Hilchot Gezeilah no. 20,
contends that Ritva, as quoted by Nimukei Yosef, Baba Batra 44b, s.v. Amar
HaMechaber, disagrees:
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3.
And in the usage that he makes of it is there a ‫ומיהו בתשמיש שהוא עושה יש‬
monetary loss to the owners? Even though he is ‫קלקול לממונם של בעלים‬
not losing out from the usage, it is possible that ‫ואע"פ שאינו מתחסר בתשמיש‬
it will break in handling or some damage will ‫אפשר היה דאיידי דמטלטל לה‬
occur to it, for regarding an object which cannot
‫ דאלו‬,‫תשבר או יארע בה נזק‬
be damaged by handling, one cannot say that
‫בדבר שא"א לבא לידי נזק‬
one who borrows without knowledge of the
owner is a thief, for he did not do anything, and
‫בטלטולו ליכא למ"ד דשואל‬
all this is based on the foundation of the ‫שלא מדעת גזלן הוי דהא לא‬
Ramban. ‫ וכל זה מיסודו‬,‫עביד ולא מידי‬
.‫של הרמב"ן‬
Machaneh Efraim, Hilchot Gezeilah no. 20 ‫ הלכות גזילה‬,‫מחנה אפרים‬

‫סימן כ‬
Ramban is of the opinion that one is not considered a thief for using someone's
object without permission unless it is something that can potentially be devalued
through its use. Borrowing something without permission would not render one
a thief if there is a guarantee that its use will not affect the object whatsoever.
Nevertheless, R. Efraim Navon, Machaneh Efraim, Hilchot Gezeilah no. 20,
contends that Ritva, as quoted by Nimukei Yosef, Baba Batra 44b, s.v. Amar
HaMechaber, disagrees:
4.
The composer said that since we already know ‫אמר המחבר כיון דקי"ל כרבנן‬
that the rule is according to the Sages, who say ‫דאמרי גזלן הוי היה נראה‬
that he is a thief, it would appear that it is ‫שאסור לאדם להניח תפילין‬
prohibited for a man to lay his friend’s tefillin or ‫של חברו או להתעטף בטליתו‬
to wrap himself in his friend’s tallit without his
‫שלא מדעתו אבל מורי נר"ו‬
friend’s knowledge. But my master says that the
‫אומר דבדבר מצוה שאני דניחא‬
case of performing a mitzvah is different,
because people want others to perform a mitzvah
‫ליה לאיניש דליעבדו מצוה‬
with their money. These are the words of Ritva. .‫בממוניה עכ"ל הריטב"א‬
Nimukei Yosef, Baba Batra 44b, s.v. Amar :‫ בבא בתרא מד‬,‫נמוקי יוסף‬
HaMechaber ‫ד"ה אמר המחבר‬
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According to Ritva, use of someone's tefillin without permission would be

prohibited, if not for the fact that we assume that the owner would want
someone to use his tefillin in order to perform the mitzvah. Tefillin are not
generally subject to wear-and-tear, but nevertheless, were it not for the fact that
we assume the owner does not mind someone borrowing tefillin without
permission, it would be considered theft.
R. Navon notes that the comments of Ritva regarding tefillin are not necessarily a
direct contradiction to the comments of Ramban regarding using something that
cannot be devalued. He does not provide the rationale for this distinction.
Perhaps the distinction is that tefillin can potentially be damaged through misuse.
If the tefillin are dropped, one of the corners can chip. If the tefillah shel rosh is
placed on wet hair, the moisture can damage the leather. Therefore, it would be
prohibited to borrow tefillin without permission, absent the assumption that the
owner would want to lend out his tefillin to enable others to fulfill the mitzvah.
Ramban's comments are limited to a case where it is virtually impossible to
devalue the object through that particular use.
Assuming this distinction is correct, one must ask the following question
regarding accessing an open network: When one accesses the network, it is
virtually impossible to cause any physical damage to the router (except for some
very minor wear-and-tear, which will be addressed later in the section). At the
same time, the act of accessing a network certainly creates the possibility of
damaging the network either intentionally or unintentionally. Should one view a
user of an open Wi-Fi network as someone who is merely accessing the internet
and who cannot cause any damage to the system, or should one view him as
accessing the entire network and potentially endangering the entire system?
This is a difficult question to answer.
There is a second limitation to the principle of sho'el shelo mida'at. As was

mentioned previously, if it is assumed that the owner doesn't mind if someone
else uses his object, it is not considered theft. There are two questions that must
be addressed in determining whether one can assume that the network
administrator does not mind if someone accesses the network to use the internet.
First, does the fact that the network is left open indicate that the administrator
does not mind other people accessing the network? Second, may one assume
that the network administrator does not mind if someone uses his network to
access the internet simply because it does not affect him?
In analyzing whether the open, non-secure status of the network serves as an

indicator that the administrator does not mind if others access the network, one
must understand the various reasons why a network might be left unsecured:
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1) The administrator purposely left the network unsecured in order to

provide free access to those who are passing by.
2) The default status of the router is unsecured. The administrator is aware
that others can access his network, but securing the router is not a high
priority of his.
3) The administrator is totally unaware that his network is unsecured.
If the network is left open for one of the first two reasons, one may access the
network because the administrator does not mind. If the network is open
because the administrator is not even aware that it is not secured, it is impossible
to know whether he would or would not mind if other people use the network.
The passerby who locates the open network has no way of knowing why it not
secured. Absent a survey of administrators who leave their network unsecured,
it is difficult to state definitively that the administrator does not mind if someone
accesses his network.
Assuming that such a survey were conducted and the results were that most
people don't mind if their network is accessed for the purposes of using the
internet, but some people do mind, would that be sufficient to allow someone to
assume that any given network is administered by one of the majority of people
who don't mind?
The Talmud Yerushalmi, Demai 3:2, states:
5.
R. Shimon b. Kahana was being serviced by R. ‫רבי שמעון בר כהנא הוה‬
Elazar. They passed a vineyard. R. Shimon said ‫מסמיך לרבי לעזר עברון על‬
"bring me a splinter [from the fence] so that I ‫חד כרם אמר ליה אייתי לי חד‬
may use it as a toothpick." He then retracted ‫קיס מיחצד שיניי חזר ואמר‬
and stated "don’t bring me anything. If every
‫ליה לא תיתי לי כלום אמר‬
individual would do this, the entire fence would
‫דאין אייתי כל בר נש ובר נש‬
be destroyed."
‫מיעבד כן הא אזיל סייגא‬
.‫דגוברא‬
Talmud Yerushalmi, Demai 3:2 ‫ב‬:‫ דמאי ג‬,‫תלמוד ירושלמי‬
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Maggid Mishneh, Hilchot Gezeliah 1:2, comments on the Yerushalmi's statement:
6.
It is a Biblical prohibition to steal even the ‫ואסור לגזול כל שהוא דין‬
smallest amount … Nevertheless, some ‫ מיהו כתבו קצת מן‬... ‫תורה‬
commentators wrote that this only applies to an ‫המפרשים ז"ל דדוקא כשיעור‬
amount that some people are particular about. ‫מאי דקפדי ביה קצת מן‬
However, to take a splinter from a bundle or
‫האנשים אבל ליטול מן החבילה‬
from a fence in order to pick one's teeth is
‫קיסם או מן הגדר לחצוץ בו‬
permitted since nobody minds if such a small
amount is taken. And even this the Yerushalmi
‫שיניו דליכא איניש דקפיד ביה‬
prohibits as a matter of piety. ‫בכי האי שרי ואף זה אסרו‬
.‫בירושלמי ממדת חסידות‬
Maggid Mishneh, Hilchot Gezeliah 1:2 ‫ הלכות גזילה‬,‫מגיד משנה‬

‫ב‬: ‫א‬
Maggid Mishneh's comments are codified by Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat

359:1. There are two points that can be learned from Maggid Mishneh's
comments. First, Maggid Mishneh states explicitly that if the majority of people
don't mind if a certain quantity is stolen, but there are a few people who do
mind, one may not take it. One can apply this rule regarding use of a router
without permission if the assumption is that majority of people don't mind but a
minority do mind.
Second, if the quantity that is "stolen" is so minimal that nobody would mind it is
permissible to "steal" that small amount. Nevertheless, it is still improper to do
so because if everyone does the same, it will have a significant effect. How does
this apply to using an unsecured network to access the internet? How does this
apply to the minimal wear-and-tear caused to the router?
One variable that must be addressed in dealing with this question is the location
of the network. If the network is located in a heavily populated area, one can
apply the Talmud Yerushalmi's concern that when multiple people take
advantage, it can collectively cause a loss to the owner. If many people access
the network, it can slow down the network significantly. If the network is
located in a suburban area, it is unlikely that other people are also accessing the
network and there is much less of a concern for collective cause of loss.
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Another variable to consider is the amount of bandwidth used by the wireless

user. If he plans on browsing standard websites, the amount of bandwidth
required is minimal and will probably go unnoticed by others using the network.
If the user is downloading multimedia content, onto his computer, more
bandwidth is used and it is more likely to affect the speed of the rest of the
network.
There are two final items to consider before one assumes that the administrator
does not mind that his network is being used without permission. Both are
based on the comments of Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 14:4:
7.
It is permitted to take the tallit of a friend and ‫מותר ליטול טלית חבירו‬
make a blessing over it, so long as the borrower ‫ולברך עליה ובלבד שיקפל‬
folds it after use, if he found it folded. .‫אותה אם מצאה מקופלת‬
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 14:4

‫ד‬:‫ אורח חיים יד‬,‫שלחן ערוך‬
First, R. Yoel Sirkes, Bach, Orach Chaim no. 14, comments on this ruling:
8.
And this was not permitted because it is a ‫ולא התירו משום מצוה אלא‬
mitzvah [to put on a tallit]. Rather it was ‫באקראי והכי נקטינן דלא נהגו‬
permitted because it is a happenstance. And we .‫היתר אלא באקראי‬
learn from this that it was only permitted as a
happenstance [and not for regular use].
Bach, Orach Chaim no. 14

‫ אורח חיים סימן יד‬,‫ב"ח‬
R. Sirkes draws a distinction between regular use and occasional use. Perhaps
the reason for this distinction is that if the talit is being borrowed on a regular
basis, the owner might expect the borrower to purchase his own talit. This
distinction is significant regarding accessing a wireless network. Even if one
assumes that a network administrator doesn't mind occasional use, if the user
uses the service on a regular basis, one can assume that the network
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administrator would not be as forgiving knowing that he is paying for a service

that the wireless user should also be paying for.
Second, R. Yosef Teomim, P'ri Megadim, Orach Chaim, M.Z. 14:6: states:
9.
And it is obviously appropriate to ask ‫וראוי ודאי כשבעליו עמו‬
permission if the owner is with him… and we ‫ ואין סומכין על‬... ‫שישאל לו‬
do not rely on presumption when there is an ‫חזקה במקום דאפשר לברורי‬
opportunity to find out explicitly. .‫בקל‬
P'ri Megadim, Orach Chaim, M.Z. 14:6 ‫ אורך חיים מ"ז‬,‫פרי מגדים‬
‫ו‬:‫יד‬
According to P'ri Megadim one can never rely on the assumption that the owner
does not mind if one can easily ask the owner if he minds. In suburban areas, it
is usually easy to figure out whose network is open in order to ask the
administrator if he minds if someone accesses the internet through his network.
In urban areas it is virtually impossible to locate the administrator.
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V. Facebook and Friendship 35
Introduction
IM is so old school.
MySpace. Facebook. YouTube- these are the some of the latest sites to revolutionize
our social world. They present the possibility of connecting with more people than
ever would have been possible before, and of finding people who share our
interests whom we never would have otherwise found. They have changed the way
we make friends, maintain friendships, and even what the word ‘friend’ means.
This program is not for people who are just content to go along with the latest fad, or for
people who are just content to rebel against it. It’s for people who like
asking questions, who like really thinking about the decisions they make,
rather than just going along with the crowd, or just going against it.
What is the value of a site like Facebook? What does it do for my life? Does it
enhance it?
What do friendships mean in the Facebook era? What can I expect from these
friendships? What should I try to get out of them? What elements of friendship are
satisfied by the Facebook world, and for what do I need to look elsewhere?
Do people create profiles to present who they really are, or to present an image of
themselves other people will like? How much do we change ourselves to
accommodate others? How much should we?
How much of ourselves should we be putting out for the world to see, or for others to
see? Should we be keeping parts of ourselves private? Or is it healthier to be
interested in sharing your life with anyone who might be reading your profile?
These are the questions that you will explore through the course of this program, as you
learn through sources which will frame and deepen your conversation. The sources
are divided into 4 sections:
9 Section 1: Facebook: The Model for Matan Torah?

The value of the Facebook model from a Jewish perspective.
9 Section 2: What are Friends for?

What is the meaning and function of friendship and how far do these sites go in
providing that meaning?
9 Section 3: Who Defines YourSpace?

How much do we take other people into account when creating our profile and our
identity, and how much should we?
9 Section 4: An Open (Face)Book?

Exploring the balance between sharing with friends and maintaining our own
dignity and personal space.
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I. Facebook: a Model for Matan Torah?

What’s fun about Facebook and similar sites is the way we’re able to bring different
parts of ourselves together in one location. We have our profile, where we describe
the unique individuals we are. We have our groups, where we can meet people with
common interests. And we can communicate and connect with all of our friends.
Receiving the Torah and making it our own also involved bringing together all those
aspects of who we are…
‫ַרא ָה ָעם ַו ָיּנֻעוּ‬

ְ ‫וְאת קוֹל ַהשּׁ ָֹפר וְ ֶאת ָה ָהר ָע ֵשׁן ַויּ‬
ֵ ‫ידם‬
ִ ‫וְאת ַה ַלּ ִפּ‬
ֶ ‫וְ ָכל ָה ָעם ר ִֹאים ֶאת ַהקּוֹלֹת‬
:‫ַע ְמדוּ ֵמ ָרחֹק‬
ַ ‫ַויּ‬
‫יד‬:‫שמות כ‬
And all the nation sees the voices and the flames and sound of the
shofar and the mountain smoking, and the nation saw and trembled
and stood from afar.
Shemot 20:14
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‫ הבחורים‬,‫ הזקנים לפי כחן‬,‫ אצל כל ישראל כל אחד ואחד לפי כחו‬,‫היאך הקול יוצא‬
(‫ וכה"א )תהלים כט‬...‫ והנשים לפי כחן‬,‫ והיונקים לפי כחן‬,‫ והקטנים לפי כחן‬,‫לפי כחן‬
‫ בכחו של כל אחד ואחד‬,‫ בכחו לא נאמר אלא בכח‬,‫קול ה' בכח‬
‫שמות רבה ה‬
How did the voice go out? To each and every Jew according to their
particular strength- old people according to their strength, young
men according to their strength, children according to their strength,
infants according to their strength, women according to their
strength, and this is what is written ‘The voice of God is in strength’-
it does not say ‘in His strength’, rather only ‘in strength’, that is to say,
according to the strength of each and every person
Shemot Rabba 5
Profile: How was the giving of the Torah catered to each person’s unique
profile?
Why do you think the Torah was given in this way?
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.‫ לפי שאין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה‬, ‫ עשו כתות כתות ועסקו בתורה‬- ‫הסכת‬
‫ מאי דכתיב חרב )על ( הבדים‬:‫ דאמר רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא‬, ‫כדרבי יוסי ברבי חנינא‬
.‫ חרב על שונאיהם של תלמידי חכמים שיושבים בד בבד ועוסקים בתורה‬- ‫ונאלו‬
‫ ולא עוד אלא‬. ‫ וכתיב התם אשר נואלנו‬, ‫ כתיב הכא ונאלו‬, ‫ולא עוד אלא שמטפשים‬
‫ שנאמר ואשר חטאנו‬- ‫שחוטאים‬
:‫ברכות סג‬
The word ‘hasket’ implies: Make yourselves into groups [kittoth] to

study the Torah, since the knowledge of the Torah can be acquired
only in association with others, as stated by R. Jose b. Hanina; for R.
Jose b. Hanina said: What is the meaning of the text, A sword is upon
the boasters [baddim] and they shall become fools? A sword is upon
the enemies of the disciples of the wise who sit separately [bad
bebad] and study the Torah. What is more, they become stupid. It is
written here, ‘and they shall become fools’, and it is written
elsewhere, For that we have done foolishly. What is more, they are
sinners, as it says, and we have sinned.
Brachot 63b
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‫ הללו‬, ‫ אלו תלמידי חכמים שיושבין אסופות אסופות ועוסקין בתורה‬- ‫בעלי אספות‬
.‫ הללו פוסלין והללו מכשירין‬,‫ הללו אוסרין והללו מתירין‬,‫מטמאין והללו מטהרין‬
:‫חגיגה ג‬
‘Masters of gatherings’- this refers to the Sages who sit in groups and
learn Torah, these declare something impure, and these declare it
pure, these declare it forbidden and these declare it permitted, these
declare something unfit and other declare it kosher.
Chagiga 3b
Groups: What’s the role of groups in acquiring the Torah? How are the groups
formed? What is their relationship to the other groups?
How does this relate to the previous source? Who cares if there are groups, if
everyone is just receiving the Torah in a way unique to who they are?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 37

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‫גדולה תורה יותר מן הכהונה ומן המלכות שהמלכות נקנית בשלשים מעלות והכהונה‬
‫ בדבוק חברים‬...‫בעשרים וארבע והתורה נקנית בארבעים ושמונה דברים‬
‫ה‬:‫פרקי אבות ו‬
Torah is greater than priesthood or kingship, since kingship is acquired

by virtue of 30 attributes, priesthood by virtue of 24, and Torah is
acquired by virtue of 48 things…through attachment to friends.
Pirkei Avot 6:5
Friends: Why is attachment to friends an important element of acquiring the

Torah? Is this the same message as the above source about groups? Is there a
difference between ‘Friends’ and ‘Groups’?
Can you think of a Biblical or Rabbinic support for this statement?
‫ַחנוּ ַבּ ִמּ ְד ָבּר וַיִּ ַחן ָשׁם יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֶנגֶד ָה ָהר‬

ֲ ‫ידים ַו ָיּבֹאוּ ִמ ְד ַבּר ִסינַי ַויּ‬
ִ ‫וַיִּ ְסעוּ ֵמ ְר ִפ‬
‫ב‬:‫שמות יט‬
And they traveled from Refidim and they came to the Sinai Desert, and
they encamped in the desert and Israel encamped there opposite the
mountain.
Shemot 19:2
---------------------------------------------------------------------
:‫ אבל שאר כל החניות בתרעומת ובמחלוקת‬,‫ כאיש אחד בלב אחד‬- ‫ויחן שם ישראל‬
‫רש"י שם‬
And Israel encamped there- as one man with one heart, whereas all
their other encampments were with disagreements and arguments.
Rashi Ad.Loc.
So, does accepting Torah happen as individuals, or as a group? What do these

sources suggest? How does this bring together the ideas learned above?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 38

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‫שבזמן שיש שלום בישראל השכינה שרויה ביניהם מפני שכללות נשמות ישראל הם‬
‫ששים ריבוא והתורה היא ששים ריבוא אותיות שכל אחד מישראל שורש נשמתו הוא‬
‫באות אחת מהתורה ) וזה מרומז בתיבת ישראל כי התורה מסיימת בתיבת 'י'ש'ר'א'ל‬
‫נוטריקון י' ש ש' שים ר' יבוא א' ותיות ל'תורה ( לכן כשיש שלום ביניהם ואהבה ואחוה‬
‫וריעות הם עלולים לקבל התורה שעל ידי ההתחברות שיש ביניהם נעשית התורה‬
‫ ולכן אז בשעת מתן תורה שחנו‬. ‫שלימה וכל אחד נקל לו לקשר עצמו לשרשו שבתורה‬
‫שם בלב אחד באהבה ואחוה כמו שפירש רש" י מפני זה זכו לקבלת התורה ולגלוי‬
‫שכינתו יתברך עליהם פנים בפנים‬
‫ רמזי שבועות ד"ה בחדש‬- ‫ספר מאור ושמש‬
When there is peace amongst Israel, the Divine Presence rests among
them, since the sum of the souls of Israel is 600,000, and there are
600,000 letters in the Torah, since the root of the soul of every single
Jew lies in one letter of the Torah (and this is hinted to by the word
‘Yisrael’, because the Torah finishes with the word Yisrael, which is an
anagram for ‘Yesh Shishim Ribo Otiot Latorah’ (there are 600,000
letters in the Torah). Therefore, when there is peace amongst them,
and love and brotherhood and friendship, they are able to accept the
Torah, because through the connection there is amongst them, the
Torah is made whole, and it becomes easy for each person to connect
themselves to their root in the Torah. Therefore, at the time of the
giving of the Torah, when they encamped as with one heart in love
and brotherhood, as Rashi explains, because of this they merited to
accept the Torah and for the revelation of the Divine Presence to
them, face to face.
Maor VaShemesh (Kalonymus Kalman Epstein 1754-1823)

Rimzei Shavuot s.v. Bachodesh
What do you think it means that by their connecting with each other, the
Torah becomes complete? What does interconnectedness have to do with
the wholeness of Torah?
What do you think it means that peace, love, brotherhood, and friendship
makes it easier for each person to connect to their root in the Torah?
What do the above sources suggest to you about the value of connecting
with other people? About the value of forming groups? About the value of
appreciating a person’s unique abilities?
Discuss whether Facebook, or sites like it, are a good way to apply those
values.
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 39

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II. What Are Friends For?
What is a friend? Are Rabbi Yoshua Ben Hananya and I really friends? What
does friendship mean? Has its meaning changed? What do we look for in in
our friendships?
With A Little Help From My Friends

The Beatles
© Joe Cocker
Do you need anybody?

I just need someone to love.
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love.
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 40

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‫ שיר המעלות‬+ ‫ תהלים קכ"ו‬+ ‫ כל ימיו של אותו צדיק היה מצטער על מקרא זה‬: ‫אמר רבי יוחנן‬
‫ מי איכא דניים שבעין שנין בחלמא ? יומא חד הוה‬: ‫ אמר‬. ‫בשוב ה ' את שיבת ציון היינו כחולמים‬
‫ אמר‬- ? ‫ עד כמה שנין טעין‬, ‫ האי‬: ‫ אמר ליה‬, ‫ חזייה לההוא גברא דהוה נטע חרובא‬, ‫אזל באורחא‬
‫ איכסי‬,‫ אהדרא ליה משוניתא‬.‫ נים‬,‫ אתא ליה שינתא‬,‫ קא כריך ריפתא‬,‫ יתיב‬...‫ עד שבעין שנין‬:‫ליה‬
‫ את הוא‬: ‫ אמר ליה‬. ‫ כי קם חזייה לההוא גברא דהוא קא מלקט מינייהו‬. ‫ ונים שבעין שנין‬, ‫מעינא‬
‫ חזא לחמריה‬. ‫ שמע מינה דניימי שבעין שנין‬: ‫ אמר ליה‬. ‫ בר בריה אנא‬: ‫ אמר ליה‬- ? ‫דשתלתיה‬
:‫ אמרו ליה‬- ? ‫ בריה דחוני המעגל מי קיים‬: ‫ אמר להו‬, ‫ אזל לביתיה‬. ‫דאתיילידא ליה רמכי רמכי‬
‫ שמעינהו‬,‫ אזל לבית המדרש‬.‫ לא הימנוהו‬.‫ אנא חוני המעגל‬:‫ אמר להו‬.‫ בר בריה איתא‬,‫בריה ליתא‬
‫ כל קושיא דהוו‬, ‫ דכי הוי עייל לבית מדרשא‬, ‫ נהירן שמעתתין כבשני חוני המעגל‬: ‫לרבנן דקאמרי‬
,‫ ולא עבדי ליה יקרא כדמבעי ליה‬, ‫ ולא הימנוהו‬, ‫ אנא ניהו‬: ‫ אמר להו‬. ‫להו לרבנן הוה מפרק להו‬
‫ או חברותא או מיתותא‬:‫ היינו דאמרי אינשי‬,‫ אמר רבא‬.‫ בעי רחמי ומית‬,‫חלש דעתיה‬
.‫תענית כג‬
R. Johanan said: This righteous man [Honi] was throughout the whole of his
life troubled about the meaning of the verse, A Song of Ascents, When the Lord
brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that
dream.11 Is it possible for a man to dream continuously for seventy years? One
day he was journeying on the road and he saw a man planting a carob tree; he
asked him, How long does it take [for this tree] to bear fruit? The man replied:
Seventy years…
Honi sat down to have a meal and sleep overcame him. As he
slept a rocky formation enclosed upon him which hid him from sight and he
continued to sleep for seventy years. When he awoke he saw a man gathering
the fruit of the carob tree and he asked him, Are you the man who planted the
tree? The man replied: I am his grandson. Thereupon he exclaimed: It is clear
that I slept for seventy years. He then caught sight of his ass who had given
birth to several generations of mules; and he returned home. He there
enquired, Is the son of Honi the Circle-Drawer still alive? The people answered
him, His son is no more, but his grandson is still living. Thereupon he said to
them: I am Honi the Circle-Drawer, but no one would believe him. He then
repaired to the Beth Hamidrash and there he overheard the scholars say, The
law is as clear to us as in the days of Honi the Circle-Drawer, for whenever he
came to the Beth Hamidrash he would settle for the scholars any difficulty that
they had. Whereupon he called out, I am he; but the scholars would not believe
him nor did they give him the honour due to him. This hurt him greatly and he
prayed [for death] and he died. Raba said: Hence the saying, Either
companionship or death.
Taanit 23a
Why is friendship so important? Why did Honi, and the Beatles, need it so much?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 41

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Lean on Me
Al Green
Lean on me, when your not strong, and I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on. For it won't be long, 'till I'm gonna need
somebody to lean on.
You just call on your brother, when you need a hand, we all
need somebody to lean on. I just might have a problem that
you'll understand. We all need someone to lean on
If, there is a load, that you have to bear, that you can't carry,
I'm right up the road, I'll share your load, if you just call me.
‫קהלת פרק ד‬
:‫ֲמ ָלם‬
ָ ‫טוֹבים ַה ְשּׁנַיִם ִמן ָה ֶא ָחד ֲא ֶשׁר יֵשׁ ָל ֶהם ָשׂ ָכר טוֹב ַבּע‬ ִ (‫)ט‬
:‫ְאין ֵשׁנִי ַל ֲה ִקימוֹ‬ֵ ‫וְאילוֹ ָה ֶא ָחד ֶשׁיִּפּוֹל ו‬ִ ‫ָקים ֶאת ֲח ֵברוֹ‬ ִ ‫)י( ִכּי ִאם ִיפֹּלוּ ָה ֶא ָחד י‬
:‫ֵחם‬ ָ ‫יך י‬ ְ ‫ִשׁ ְכּבוּ ְשׁ ַניִם ְו ַחם ָל ֶהם‬
ְ ‫וּל ֶא ָחד ֵא‬ ְ ‫)יא( גַּם ִאם י‬
:‫ָתק‬
ֵ ‫ַע ְמדוּ נֶגְ דּוֹ ְו ַהחוּט ַה ְמ ֻשׁ ָלּשׁ לֹא ִב ְמ ֵה ָרה יִ נּ‬
ַ ‫ִת ְקפוֹ ָה ֶא ָחד ַה ְשּׁ ַניִם י‬ ְ ‫ְאם י‬
ִ ‫)יב( ו‬
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their
labour .For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him
that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up .
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be
warm alone ?And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall
withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‫תורה תמימה קהלת פרק ד פסוק ט‬
‫ כי אם‬,‫ טובים השנים העוסקים בתורה מן האחד שעוסק לעצמו‬- '‫)ט( טובים השנים וגו‬
‫ חבירו מחזירו‬- ‫ שאם שכח אחד מהם הלכה‬,‫יפלו האחד יקים את חבירו‬
‫ טובים השנים שנושאין ונותנין בפרקמטיא מן האחד שעוסק לעצמו‬- '‫טובים השנים וגו‬
‫ והחוט המשולש לא במהרה‬, ‫ שאם יפול ויסתכן אחד מהם חבירו מעמידו‬- ‫כי אם יפלו‬
:[‫ כשהם שלשלו( ]שם‬- ‫ינתק‬
‘Two are better than one’- Two who are involved in learning Torah are
betten than one learning by himself, for if one falls, the other can fill
him in, if one forgets the halacha, his friend can remind him.
‘Two are better than one’- two who deal in business together, for if
one falls, his friends will get him back on his feet.
What is the purpose of friendship according to the above

mekorot? How does the song relate to what is expressed in
Kohelet?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 42

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STAND BY ME
© Ben E. King
When the night has come
And the land is gone
And the moon is the only light we'll see
I won't be afraid,no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
Chorus:
*
So Darlin, darlin, stand by me
Whoa, stand by me
Oh, stand, stand by me
*
If the sky we look upon, should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry
No I won't, shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
How is the model of friendship in ‘Stand By Me’ different than the one in
‘Lean on Me’? What is the role of the friend in both?
‫ כי האהבה שהיא בעבור התועלת‬,‫זהו דרך האהבה הגמורה אשר מצד האהוב בלבד‬
‫אל האוהב תדמה אל האהבה שיאהב האדם הבהמות בעבור התועלת המגיע אליו‬
‫והאהבה שהיא בעבור השמירה מן הנזק תדמה אל האהבה שיאהב האדם‬ , ‫מהן‬
‫ ואולם האהבה‬. ‫ כי האדם יאהב הכלבים בעבור שמירתם אותו מהנזק‬, ‫הכלבים‬
‫הגמורה היא אשר יאהב האדם את האהוב מצד האהוב בלבד ואין בלבו תכלית‬
,‫ כי לא יאהב את האהוב לסבה אחרת זולתו‬,‫אחר רק לעשות רצון האהוב‬
‫ספר העיקרים מאמר שלישי פרק לו‬
This is the way of absolute love, which comes purely from the
person loved, for a love that is for some purpose for the lover is
like the love that people have for animals for the function they get
out of them, and the love on account of being protected from harm
is like a man’s love for dogs because of their guarding him from
harm. But true love is when the person loves only because of that
person who is loved in and of themselves, without any other
purpose in their heart other than doing the will of the person
loved, and for no other reason.
Sefer Ha-Ikkarim (R. Yosef Albo) 3:36
Is there always an ulterior motive to friendship? How can we develop

relationships that are based upon the unique qualities of each
individual? Do websites lend themselves to developing these kinds of
relationships or are they better for developing need-based
relationships?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 43

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III. Who Defines YourSpace?
Bob (Jocks U) wrote

at 3:08pm on 4 Sivan, 5767
Hey. Do u realize that rob is on ur friends list?

What’s wrong with u man? He’s a computer
nerd..do u want other ppl to think u are 2?
Message
Rob (MIT) wrote

At 3:09 pm on 4 Sivan, 5767
I was just thinking the same thing, in a

contrapositive kind of way. How can u have bob
on ur friends list? Do u think ur a football player
w a peanut sized brain? Who are u man? WHO
ARE U?
Message
“The best thing that anybody ever said to me is that you’re only as good as
the people you associate with. Look at the five friends that you spend the
most time with—that’s who you are.”
- Rapper/actor Will Smith, Teen People, August 2004, p. 102.
Is he right? How much do your friends define you? How much do you
define yourself for the sake of friends’ approval? When you create your
profile, are you putting out what best defines you, or what you think other
people will approve of - or some mixture of the two?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 44

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‫ אלא שמחייבת היא גם‬,‫מצות עשה של ואהבת לרעך כמוך אינה מחייבת רק להיות אוהב‬
‫ ממילא גם‬, ‫כן להיות אהוב מאחר שטבע האהבה כך הוא שכל אוהב שואף להיות אהוב‬
‫ההשתדלות להיות אהוב גם באהבה היא נכנסת‬
‫ב‬:‫ שבועות מאמר טו‬,‫פחד יצחק‬
The positive commandment of ‘Loving your neighbor as yourself’ not

only obligates one to love others, it also obligates one to be loved, since
it is in the nature of Love that everyone who loves also yearns to be
loved, and so also the striving to be loved becomes part of love.
Pachad Yitzchak (R. Yitzchak Hutner, 1906-1980),

Shavuot, Maamar 15:2
The Pachad Yitzchak says that it’s in people’s nature that if they love,
they also want love in return- they want the other person to like them.
Do you agree? How do you think this desire affects people?
‫הוא היה אומר כל שרוח הבריות נוחה הימנו רוח המקום נוחה הימנו‬
‫י‬:‫אבות ג‬
He used to say: any person who other people are happy with and
accept, God also is happy and accepts that person.
Avot 3:10
Do you agree with this statement? Why is it important for

other people to be happy with you? Who cares? Shouldn’t
you just be yourself? Why is this such a big deal?
Do you think you present yourself differently to different
types of people? How? Should you change who you are in
order to please other people? How do you balance being
true to yourself while still being sensitive to how other
people perceive you?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 45

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‫כי מה שראוי שימשך האדם אחריו הוא השלמות מצד עצמו וסוף השם והכבוד‬
‫ ועל כן אמר השלם הזה שהאיש המושך את השם שיהיה מגמת פניו ותכליתו‬,‫לבוא‬
‫השם מצד עצמו הנה לא די שלא ימצא השם שמבקש למשוך אלא שהשם הטוב‬
‫ שהיה לו לומר נגד שמא‬, ‫שהיה לו קודם לכן יאבד אותו וז" א נגד שמא אבד שמיה‬
‫ אבל שינה לרמוז אל הכונה הזאת והוא דקדוק‬, ‫אבד שמא או נגד שמיה אבד שמיה‬
.‫נכון‬
‫פרקי משה על אבות פרק א‬
What it’s worthy for man to pursue is wholeness that comes from
within- in the end the name and honor will come. A person who is
pulled after making a name for himself, and his whole purpose
becomes getting a good name for its own sake, not only will he not
make the name for himself that he wants to, but also the good name
that he had before will be lost, and this is the meaning of ‘one who
seeks a name will lose his name’. It should have said- one who seeks a
name will lose a name, or one who seeks his name will lose his name,
but it changed the language (to- ‘one who seeks a name will lose his
name) to hint to this intention (that he will lose his previous good
name).
Pirkei Moshe on Avot, 1
Pirkei Moshe suggests that trying to be popular and not being true to
oneself can backfire. Do you agree? How do you strike a balance? Should
you be at all concerned with other people liking you? What about the
Mishna we saw? Are there positive values to being concerned with what
others think of you?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 46

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‫ ואמר שתשעבד‬, ‫ הקנין הזה הוא ככוסף התועלת הגדול הנמשך מהחבר‬. ‫קנה לך חבר‬
‫ וזה כי ידוע שטבעי בני אדם ומזגיהם מתחלפים עד שימצא אחד‬. ‫מדותיך למדות חבריך‬
‫ ולזה ירחק להמצא שני חברים יחד‬, ‫שונא מה שאוהב חברו בעניני השינה והאכילה‬
‫ וכמו שרמז שהע"ה )קהלת ד( טובים השנים מן האחד אשר יש‬,‫מסכימים על תכונה אחת‬
‫ אבל אמר כן על העמל המגיע‬, ‫ ולא היה ראוי לומר אלא בחברתם‬,‫להם שכר טוב בעמלם‬
‫ ואמר כי החברה הזאת כשימשך ממנה שכר טוב בעמלם והיא‬, ‫לכל אחד בחברת חבירו‬
,‫ היא טובה כי יצא הפסדה בשכרה‬,‫הצלחת הנפש‬
‫ פרק א משנה ו‬- ‫פירוש היעב"ץ על אבות‬
‘Acquire for yourself a friend’- this acquiring is the yearning for the
great benefit that comes from a friend, and it says that you should
subject your character to the character of your friend. And this is
because it is known that people’s nature and temperaments are all
different, so that you can find one who hates what the other loves in
matters of sleeping or eating, and so it’s hard to find two friends who
agree on any issue, as Shlomo, of blessed memory, hinted (Kohelet 4)
‘Two are better than one when they have a good reward for their work’.
It would have been more appropriate to say ‘for their friendship’ but he
said it the way he did to point to the work involved in being someone’s
friend, and he said that when this friendship results in a good reward
for their work, the success of a person’s soul, it is good, because the
loss is made up for by the gain.
Yaavetz on Avot (R. Yaakov Emden, 1697-1776) 1:6
Yaavetz takes the opposite extreme from the Pirkei Moshe. He

suggests that acquiring a friend means giving up on your own
character traits and adopting theirs. What could be the benefit of
doing this? What would be times when you’d want to do this?
‫רבי אומר איזוהי דרך ישרה שיבור לו האדם כל שהיא תפארת לעושה ותפארת לו מן‬
‫האדם‬
‫א‬:‫אבות ב‬
Rebbe says: What is the straight path that a person should choose?
Anything which brings glory to the one who does it, and glory for him
from others.
Avot 2:1
How can you strike the balance of Rebbe? How do you see yourself striking
it in your own life? How would you apply this to your online personality?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 47

www.yutorah.org
IV. An Open (Face)Book?
Rabbi D (JHS) wrote

at 4:12pm on 4 Sivan, 5767
I just read your post, and I want you to know

that, as your teacher and rabbi, I’m here for you
if you want help. I’m sorry you’re going thru
such a hard time. Let me know if there’s any
way I can help
Message
Hamish (JHS) wrote

At 4:13 pm on 4 Sivan, 5767
Hey- that was private! Who do u think u are

invading my privacy?!!!U have no right to read
my posts- this isn’t school. R u spying on me to
make sure I’m not doing anything bad???
/
Message
Was this a violation of Hamish’s privacy? Or should

Hamish not be sharing this kind of info in a public forum?
What kind of balance should people strike between privacy
and sharing?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 48

www.yutorah.org
‫וקנה לך חבר כיצד מלמד שיקנה אדם חבר לעצמו שיאכל עמו וישתה עמו ויקרא עמו וישנה‬
‫עמו ויישן עמו ויגלה לו כל סתריו סתרי תורה וסתרי דרך ארץ‬
‫אבות דרבי נתן נוסחא א פרק ח‬
‘And acquire for yourself a friend’- How? This teaches that someone should
acquire a friend for himself to eat with and drink with and read and learn
with and live with and he should reveal all his secrets to him, secrets of
Torah and secrets about life.
Avot DeRabbi Natan 1:8
,‫לענין העצה שיקחנו להיות לו מעיר לעזור בכל עניניו ולקחת ממנו עצה טובה‬ , ‫והשלישי‬
‫ ואף לא‬, ‫ אחר היותו עמו בברית ולא יגלנו לאחרים לבל יפרו מחשבתו‬, ‫ולהיות לו בן סודו‬
.‫לנראים אליו כאוהבים‬
‫ו‬:‫רבנו יונה על אבות א‬
The third [thing a person needs a friend for] is to take him to help him and
inform him regarding all of his issues, and to take advice from, and to be a
confidante, since he is in a covenant with him. He won’t reveal his secrets
to anyone else so that they can mess up his plans, and not even to people
who appear as his friends…
Rabeinu Yonah, Avot 1:6
‫ לא ישמר ממנו לא במעשה‬,‫ הרי הוא שיהיה לאדם חבר שתבטח נפשו בו‬,‫ואמנם חבר הבטחון‬
‫ מבלי חשש ממנו שישיגהו בכל זה‬, ‫ הנאה מהם והמגונה‬, ‫ ויגלה לו כל עניניו‬, ‫ולא בדיבור‬
‫ תמצא רוב‬- ‫ כי אם יגיע לנפש בטחון באיש עד לזה השעור‬. ‫ לא אצלו ולא אצל זולתו‬, ‫חסרון‬
‫נחת בשיחתו ובחברותו‬
‫פירוש המשנה לרמב"ם אבות פרק א‬
A friend for security is when a person has a friend that he can trust his
soul with, he won’t hold back anything in action or speech, and will reveal
to him all of his issues, the nice ones and not-so-nice ones, without
worrying that he will judge him as deficient because of any of these things.
If a person attains a ‘security friend’ to this extent, he will find great
tranquility in talking to him and in his friendship.
Rambam’s Peirush on the Mishna, Avot 1
What goes into choosing your confidante? Who do you share very private
information with? Who won’t you share it with? Are there things you
should keep private from anyone? Are there things that should be shared,
even if they are personal?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 49

www.yutorah.org
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 50

www.yutorah.org
‫שבח גדול לשב שיתודה ברבים ויודיע פשעיו להם ומגלה עבירות שבינו לבין חבירו לאחרים ואומר להם‬
‫ וכל המתגאה ואינו מודיע אלא מכסה‬,‫אמנם חטאתי לפלוני ועשיתי לו כך וכך והריני היום שב ומתנחם‬
‫ במה דברים אמורים בעבירות שבין אדם‬, ‫פשעיו אין תשובתו גמורה שנאמר מכסה פשעיו לא יצליח‬
‫לחבירו אבל בעבירות שבין אדם למקום אינו צריך לפרסם עצמו ד ועזות פנים היא לו אם גילם‬
‫ה‬:‫רמב"ם תשובה ב‬
It’s very praiseworthy for someone repenting to admit their sins in public and
reveal his interpersonal sins to others and to tell them, I sinned against so and so
and did this and that, and from this day I repent and regret what I did. Anyone who
is too proud and won’t admit, but rather conceals his sins, his repentance is not
complete, as it says ‘One who covers his sins will not succeed’. This is said regarding
sins between man and his fellow, but sins between man and God he doesn’t have to
publicize and it’s considered brazen to do this.
Rambam, Laws of Repentance 2:5
How do you draw the line between things that should be shared, and things that are
inappropriate to share? Why do people share private information? Just to brag? To
get attention? To get help? How can you tell the difference?
Similarly, this is the way I, as a human being created in the divine Image, must
conduct myself. To a certain extent I communicate. I reveal myself to my friend
and my friend reveals himself to me. But there is a limit beyond which no one may
pass, and that is my very self-hood. My self is sacred and dignified, in the sense of
being the source and guarantor of my dignity, and therefore it is private. So,
tzeniut means respect for the inviolability of the personal privacy of the individual,
whether oneself or another, which is another way of saying that tzeniut is a respect
for the integrity of one's ego, of one's very self.
Man, in the understanding of Judaism is fundamentally inscrutable; as much as

you know about him, you never know everything about him. Man, according to
Torah, possesses not only natura, not only his natural self that can be weighed and
measured, but also personae. The word originally meant a mask, because it
symbolizes that aspect of man that is secret, concealed from public view,
altogether private… Not only is man a mystery, but he should be a mystery. You
are obliged to enhance and cherish and develop a sense of self which you will be
able to respect. The respect will come when you are happy with that self even
though no one else knows about it, no one else confirms it, no one else validates it,
indeed, no one else comes within distance of it… In a healthy human being,
revelation and communication are balanced in that vital core that remains free
and undetermined--the center of personality that has clearly defined boundaries
of selfhood.
Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm
Tzeniut, A Universal Concept
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 51

www.yutorah.org
At what point can sharing information violate a person’s dignity?

Is there a difference if the person is doing it to himself, or if
someone else is revealing the information? To what extent can a
person choose to waive his or her own sense of dignity?
What information is important to your own sense of self? What

kinds of things do you feel are your business alone? What kinds of
things are you content knowing for yourself, without feeling a need
to share with others? What things do you feel a need to share with
others – and why?
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 52

www.yutorah.org
Shavuot-To-Go 5767
Acknowledgments
Tanach
The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation with the Aid of
Previous Versions and with Constant Consultation of Jewish Authorities. Philadelphia:
Jewish Publication Society of America, 1955 (reprint of 1917 ed.).
Talmud Bavli
The Babylonian Talmud/ translated into English with notes, glossary, and indices under
the editorship of I. Epstein.
London: Soncino Press, 1935-1952
All uncredited translations are attributable to the editor and author.
We would like to thank President Richard M. Joel and Rabbi Kenneth Brander,
Dean of the Center for the Jewish Future for their vision and support of the To-Go
project. Thank you to Cantor Alan Brava, Rabbi Aaron Rockoff, Ari Pinchot, Rabbi
Levi Mostofsky, Rabbi Elly Krimsky, Shalom Silbermintz, Laura Freiman LCSW,
and Toby Goldfisher Kaplowitz for their support and dedication.
Special thanks to Rabbi Josh Flug and to the Boca Raton Kollel.
Special thanks also to Avidan Freedman.
Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 53

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Center for the Jewish Future

It is my sincere hope that the Torah found in this virtual ‫ ספר‬may

Please direct questions and comments to yutorah@yutorah.org

II. Intellectual Property 5

III. Conditions, Terms and 19

IV. Piggybacking on a Wi-Fi 25

V. Teen Program: Facebook and 35

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 1

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 2

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 3

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 4

II. Intellectual Property

Shimon is in the process of producing an album of his musical

Lisa is known throughout her community as a gourmet chef with

After years of commuting through treacherous traffic conditions,

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 5

The Talmudic Sources

In addressing the issue of intellectual property and copyright, rabbinic decisors

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 6

Sanhedrin 59a .‫סנהדרין נט‬

Machaneh Chaim, Choshen Mishpat 2:49 ‫ חושן משפט‬,‫מחנה חיים‬

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 7

Tractate Baba Kamma

R. Shimon Shkop, Chiddushei R. Shimon Yehuda HaKohen, Baba Kamma no. 1,

Exodus 21: 33-34 ‫לד‬-‫ לג‬:‫שמות כא‬

Baba Kamma 29b :‫בבא קמא כט‬

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 8

Chiddushei R. Shimon Yehuda HaKohen, Baba ‫חדושי רבי שמעון יהודא‬

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 9

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 10

Discussion and Analysis

Question: If one can force another individual to allow someone else to

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 11

In order to answer this question, we must raise two more questions:

An Analysis of Kofin Al Midat S'dom

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 12

Mordechai, Baba Kamma no. 16, also addresses this issue:

Mordechai on Baba Kamma no. 16 ‫בבא קמא סימן ט"ז‬

The implication of Mordechai's comments are that there is not distinction

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 13

opinion of Tosafot. Therefore, R. Landa concludes that the printer is prohibited

R. Malkiel Tannenbaum, Divrei Malkiel 3:157, discusses the case of an individual,

R. Tannenbaum takes the opposite approach of R. Landa. He claims that Tosafot

R. Tannenbaum supports this idea from a ruling of Shulchan Aruch, Choshen

Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 363:8 ‫ חושן משפט‬,‫שלחן ערוך‬

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 14

Applications of this Discussion

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 15

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 16

However, there are certain situations which are more ambiguous:

A teacher would like to present a handout of various sources of

A person purchases software that he would like to install on multiple

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 17

There is a certain software product that is very expensive and is generally

Is it permissible to transfer music from a CD onto an MP3 player or should

Shavuot-To-Go 5767 / 2007 18

Additional Restrictions on the User

One method used by producers to deter duplication and distribution of their