Business Ethics: Copyrights, Inheritance and More

Richard B. Aiken

Creating Competing Business

Generally, you may not go into a business if an existing business owner will go out of business or cannot survive on what income he/she will have remaining.

Exception: If a better Torah teacher is available than the current one, the better one may be hired.

Damages

Abusing Rental Cars

You may not abuse a rental car. This means you may not use it in any damaging way that you would not do to your own car.

Recovering Damages

When a company damages something of yours, you are entitled to do what you need to in order to get compensated--as long as it is legal. This is ethical and honest and you do not need to actually do what the company wants or tells you to do.

Encroaching (Masig Gvul)

Masig gvul can mean:

  • Actually stealing property, or
  • Stealing business from someone else.

Note: This is complicated, so consult a rabbi if needed.

Gambling

Gambling may not be approved for Jews; some types are completely forbidden. Consult a rabbi.

Inheritance

Timing of Giving

Property may be given away in any manner and amounts desired during a person's lifetime. A Jew must give his property away before death if he does not want to make the inheritance according to Jewish law (such as double portion to a father's first-born son, etc.--consult a rabbi for details). A person should reserve some money to fulfill the Torah commandment of inheritance. Consult a rabbi.

Note: In inheritance issues, the first-born son means the first-born son of the father (although pidyon ha'ben refers to the first-born son of the mother).

Note: A mother can leave whatever she wants to her children without being required to give twice as much to a son who is the first-born of his father.

American Will

Since a person cannot give away property after his/her death (since he/she does not own it anymore), an American will has no halachic validity. An American will should be written to keep the inheritance out of the hands of the government and lawyers. In order for a secular will to be effective under halacha, an acquisition should be made that starts to take effect beginning at the time of the kinyan and finalize one hour before the person's death. Rabbinic guidance is recommended.

Intellectual Property/Copyright

Permission from Copyright Holder

Do not copy copyrighted tapes, CDs, DVDs, books, sheet music, and music (including on the internet) without permission from the copyright holder. This includes teaching material for religious and secular purposes.

Note: Even if these are not available for purchase, you may not violate secular law.

Recordings of Movies and Other Entertainment

You may loan a DVD or other recording of a movie or other entertainment as long as it is legally permitted.

Note: If uploading that recording onto the internet--or sending copies of it to friends--would violate copyright laws, it is not permitted by halacha.

Copyright When Book Out of Print

Even if a book is out of print, you may only copy it with permission or after the copyright expires.

Permission To Use PracticalHalacha.com

Although Practical Halacha may not be used for profit or commercial use, and no part of the website may be cut and pasted for use elsewhere, the content of the Jewish laws (halachot) may be taught verbally by anyone without any permission.  Further, I (Richard Aiken) give permission to print and use the entire text of this website for teaching (as long as ALL of the text is copied, including the introduction and glossary and all other parts). If you want to print sections or groups of halachot and if you print them using the print function we provide, you may do that too.

Internet Access

You may use a public or private internet without paying if it does not cost the owner or slow down the owner's use of it (or if the owner gives you permission!) and as long as doing so does not violate the secular law wherever you are.

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.

This material is provided for informational purposes only – not a substitute for the consultation of a competent rabbi.