are you allowed to pay someone to put songs on your ipod... and she does it for a buisness?
putting songs on an ipod
Started by
randomhouse
, Dec 31 2011 07:18 PM
3 replies to this topic
#4
Rabbi Shapiro
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Posted 04 January 2012 - 08:13 PM
I discussed this in this thread. The answer is it depends. Here's how this works:what if the girl that puts the songs on ipods, doesnt ask the artist? isnt it stealing?
Halachicly, I own my CD. That means I can do what I want with it. Including copying it. The artist has no right to tell me what to do with my CD. It's not his; it's mine. If he doesn't want me to own it, he shouldn't sell it. But once I pay for it, the seller, the artist, and everyone in the world except me lose all rights to it. It is mine to do with as I please.
However, there is a different Halachah that says I cannot infringe upon the operations of his Parnasa. Meaning, if by copying the tape I would cause him a loss of Parnasa, I may not copy the CD. Even though it is my CD, he is entitled to pursue his career of selling his songs undisturbed.
Am I causing him a loss of Parnasa if I copy the CD? The answer is it depends.
If I would have bought that CD, thereby giving him Parnasa, and instead I copied it and saved the money, I caused him a loss of revenue and that is forbidden. If, however, I never would have bought another copy of that CD, then, if I copy it, the artist is losing nothing. He wouldn't have made money anyway. In that case, I may copy the CD. Please look at the other thread I referenced for more details.
The only way I can damage someone is if he loses money (or something worth money) because of me. But if he does not lose any money, then I cannot be considered damaging him.
