1

Could one make the argument that it is assur to read documents and other info made available through websites such as Wikileaks on the basis of it being assur to derive benefit from something that is stolen and/or based on the claim that reading such information would be a form a lifnei iver lo titen michshol (as by driving traffic to sources of such information you would be encouraging such thefts to take place)?

ezzi386
  • 135
  • 9
  • 1
    prohibition to purchase things from thieves or to do anything to encourage them is in ShA CM 356:1 https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9F_%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9A_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9F_%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A4%D7%98_%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%95 – Double AA Nov 08 '16 at 16:21
  • Sounds like an answer to me. Should I reframe the question? – ezzi386 Nov 08 '16 at 16:24
  • 1
    I don't think it's a sufficient answer. It's not clear to me that your going to the site is actually encouraging anything as they have more than enough of a market without you. Plus whether theft of intellectual property is forbidden or not (and moreover for non-Jews) is also a relevant question. – Double AA Nov 08 '16 at 16:25
  • related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/56604/759 – Double AA Nov 08 '16 at 16:26
  • Lifne iver seems not linked. To buy from gazlan in gozel umaachil as @DoubleAA said. But to read... Interesting question – kouty Nov 08 '16 at 16:57
  • Also related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/23296/is-unmasking-an-anonymous-author-addressed-by-halacha – Isaac Moses Nov 08 '16 at 17:15
  • Consider whether it is designed to prevent criminal behavior or if it is designed to spread rechilus. For example, the leaks designed to uncover (and prevent) espionage against the United States or the leaking of Jack Ryan's divorce settlement which was designed to slander him and force him to withdraw from an election. – sabbahillel Nov 08 '16 at 20:28
  • @sabbahillel would the intentions of the gazlan impact this case? – ezzi386 Nov 08 '16 at 20:43
  • Possibly, but I do not know. – sabbahillel Nov 08 '16 at 20:46
  • it revealed criminal behavior – Laser123 Apr 10 '17 at 06:11

0 Answers0