"Look, they're playing my song."

Source Title

(יא) לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ אִישׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ. (יב) וְלֹא תִשָּׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי לַשָּׁקֶר וְחִלַּלְתָּ אֶת שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְהוָה. (יג) לֹא תַעֲשֹׁק אֶת רֵעֲךָ וְלֹא תִגְזֹל לֹא תָלִין פְּעֻלַּת שָׂכִיר אִתְּךָ עַד בֹּקֶר.

Leviticus 19:11-13

I(11) Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another. (12) And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. (13) Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him;...

Question for discussion:
1. According to this text, what is not allowed?
2. Is there a difference between stealing and robbing? Why do you think both are mentioned?

משנה אבות ב׳:א׳

(א) רבי אומר, איזוהי דרך ישרה שיבור לו האדם, כל שהיא תפארת לעושיה ותפארת לו מן האדם.והוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבחמורה , שאין אתה יודע מתן שכרן של מצות .והוי מחשב הפסד מצוה כנגד שכרה , ושכר עברה כנגד הפסדה.והסתכל בשלשה דברים ואי אתה בא לידי עברה, דע מה למעלה ממך , עין רואה ואזן שומעת, וכל מעשיך בספר נכתבין .

Pirkei Avot 2:1

(1) Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: Which is the right path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] an honor to the person adopting [it], And [on account of which] honor [accrues] to him from [other] people. And be as careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one, For you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments. Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [that may be obtained] for [fulfilling] it, And [weigh] the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [that may be sustained] by [committing] it. Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come into the grip of sin: Know what is above you: An Eye that sees, And an Ear that hears, And all your deeds are written in a book.

Questions for discussion:
1. What is this passage implying with regards to decisions about choices we make over the course our lives?
2. Who are we affecting?
3. What other considerations are we being told to take into consideration?
4. What do you think the difference between a lofty and a lighter commandment are? Are the rewards/consequences the same?
5. According to the text, how can we avoid sin? What do you think this means? Do you think this is the only reason people should refrain from doing the wrong thing?
5. This passage is regarding choosing the path which is honorable. Do you suppose we should think about the same things if we are faced with a decision that is not necessarily honorable? For instance a white lie? Or something which is not necessarily a sin, but does not harm anyone?

משנה אבות ה׳:י׳

(י) ארבע מידות באדם: האומר שלי שלי, ושלך שלך--זו מידה בינונית; ויש אומרין, זו מידת סדום. שלי שלך, ושלך שלי--עם הארץ. שלי שלך, ושלך שלך--חסיד. שלך שלי, ושלי שלי--רשע.

Pirkei Avot 5:10

(10) There are four kinds of people: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" -- that's a "beinonit" (intermediate-level person). There are some who say that is the kind of people that were in Sodom. [A second type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] "am ha'aretz" (uneducated or low-level Jewish person). [A third type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours" -- [that's a] "chasid" (righteous person). [A final type is one who says] "what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine" -- [that's a] "rasha" (wicked person).

Questions for discussion:
1. What is the text saying about an individual who considers other's property hi/her own?

Psalms 37:21

Translation	Original
The wicked one borrows and does not repay; the righteous is generous and keeps giving. [JPS translation. Edited for gender neutrality]	לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵן:

Question for discussion:
1. Why do you think one is considered wicked for borrowing without repaying?
2. Is downloading or copying someone's CD or making a CD mix for someone else like borrowing without repaying the creator of the music etc?

Moshe Chaim Luzzato, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 21

Translation	Original
Most people are not outright thieves, taking their neighbors’ property and putting it in their own premises. However, in their business dealing most of them get a taste of stealing whenever they permit themselves to make an unfair profit at the expense of someone else, claiming that such a profit has nothing to do with stealing. It is not merely the obvious and explicit theft with which we have to concern ourselves, but any unlawful transfer of wealth from one individual to another that may occur in everyday economic activities. [Zevitt translation]	והנה אנחנו רואים, שאף על פי שלא רוב בני האדם גנבים בגלוי הם, דהיינו שישלחו יד ממש בממון חבריהם לקחת ולשום בכליהם, אף - על - פי - כן, רובם טועמים טעם גניבה במשאם ומתנם במה שיורו היתר לעצמם להשתכר איש בהפסידו של חבירו ויאמרו, להרויח שאני. ואולם לאוים הרבה נאמרו בגזל: לא תעשוק, לא תגזול, לא תגנבו ולא תכחשו ולא תשקרו איש בעמיתו, לא תונו איש את אחיו, לא תשיג גבול רעך. הן כל אלה חילוקי דינים שבגזל, כוללים מעשים רבים מן המעשים הנעשים בכלל המשא והמתן המדיני, ובכולם איסורים רבים. כי לא המעשה הניכר ומפורסם בעושק ובגזל הוא לבדו האסור.

Translation

Original

Most people are not outright thieves, taking their neighbors’ property and putting it in their own premises. However, in their business dealing most of them get a taste of stealing whenever they permit themselves to make an unfair profit at the expense of someone else, claiming that such a profit has nothing to do with stealing. It is not merely the obvious and explicit theft with which we have to concern ourselves, but any unlawful transfer of wealth from one individual to another that may occur in everyday economic activities. [Zevitt translation]

והנה אנחנו רואים, שאף על פי שלא רוב בני האדם גנבים בגלוי הם, דהיינו שישלחו יד ממש בממון חבריהם לקחת ולשום בכליהם, אף - על - פי - כן, רובם טועמים טעם גניבה במשאם ומתנם במה שיורו היתר לעצמם להשתכר איש בהפסידו של חבירו ויאמרו, להרויח שאני. ואולם לאוים הרבה נאמרו בגזל: לא תעשוק, לא תגזול, לא תגנבו ולא תכחשו ולא תשקרו איש בעמיתו, לא תונו איש את אחיו, לא תשיג גבול רעך. הן כל אלה חילוקי דינים שבגזל, כוללים מעשים רבים מן המעשים הנעשים בכלל המשא והמתן המדיני, ובכולם איסורים רבים. כי לא המעשה הניכר ומפורסם בעושק ובגזל הוא לבדו האסור.

1. By a process of deduction, who is considered an outright thief?

2. Even if you do not gain monetary profit from , would the unlawful transfer of someone else's property to you for your use be considered theft?

Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 21b

אמר רב הונא: האי בר מבואה דאוקי ריחיא, ואתא בר מבואה חבריה וקמוקי גביה, דינא הוא דמעכב עילויה, דא"ל: קא פסקת ליה לחיותי. לימא מסייע ליה: מרחיקים מצודת הדג מן הדג כמלא ריצת הדג; וכמה? אמר רבה בר רב הונא: עד פרסה! שאני דגים, דיהבי סייארא.

Translation:

R. Huna said: If one of the inhabitants of an alley establishes a handmill there, and another one comes to do the same, the law gives the former the right to prevent the latter; for the former may claim: "You are cutting off my livelihood." ...

Questions for discussion:

1. Why is the owner of a hand-mill in an alley allowed to prevent a second person from building a hand-mill in that alley? Do you agree?

2. Do you think this example can be used as a prooftext supporting the unethical nature and or illegality of reproducing someone else's creative works for your own use?