Can I reuse a text I found on Sefaria for my project?
Most often, yes. However, you'll need to check the license, or copyright status, of the particular text to find out if there are any requirements, restrictions, or exceptions.
How do I check the license or copyright status?
You can find copyright information in the "About this Text" section in the resource panel.
Below each version's name there is a link to the source where Sefaria acquired the text. For most texts, you'll also see a Creative Commons license, a notice that the text is "Public Domain", or a copyright notice.
Public domain texts can be reused without restriction. Texts with a Creative Commons license may carry requirements to give attribution, share derived work, or limit usage in commercial contexts. Click on the CC license link, to learn about its requirements or restrictions. Please note that most of the time, if a text requires attribution, this means giving credit to the original source of the text, not to Sefaria.
- Texts with an attribution ("BY") clause require attribution if used.
- Texts with a non-commercial ("NC") clause can not be legally used for commercial purposes without the explicit license of the copyright holder
- If a text includes a copyright notice, you may not reuse the text without permission from the copyright holder.
Finally, if no license or "Public Domain" notice is listed, it means Sefaria has not verified the copyright status of a text.
When copying a text from Sefaria, is there a legal requirement to attribute the text and do I need to mention Sefaria?
Most texts on Sefaria have a Creative Commons license, a notice that the text is "Public Domain", or a copyright notice. Texts in the public domain do not need attribution. Texts with a CC BY license must be attributed to the publisher. While there is no legal requirement to credit Sefaria, we always appreciate being acknowledged.
Once I know the license of a text, how do I cite the text in accordance with academic standards?
Academic modes of reference may vary across institutions. Please defer to the individual rules of your institution.
In cases where there’s a legal requirement to attribute the source/ license, what information should be included?
The publisher and/or the translator should be mentioned, as well as the type of the Creative Common license. For example, proper citation of William Davidson Talmud:
Text from The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz
License: CC-BY-NC
(it should include the link to the license)
How can I get a copy of a text?
At the bottom of the “About this Text” section, you will find the download button. Choose which version of the text you want, and the format, and click Download.
What licenses does Sefaria allow?
Sefaria strives to only include texts which are open for reuse and sharing, and nearly all of our library is free for reuse by third parties. Currently, we restrict texts available under the following licenses:
- CC-BY-NC (note: given the restrictions associated with this license, Sefaria uses its discretion, adding NC texts on a case by case basis)