Copyright Issues – Reviewed by Rabbi Benzion Schiffenbauer Shlita
A CD or tape which is no longer sold in stores and is not possible to buy may be copied from a friend.2
One who owns a CD or tape and is scared it may get lost is permitted to copy it. One who had a CD or tape which broke may make a copy of it from a friend.
One who owns a CD or tape may make a copy of it for personal use. For example, he may make a copy for his car, since it can be assumed that the one would not buy another copy of the CD or tape for his car, so no loss is being caused by the copying.3
It is permitted to copy a song off the radio since the quality is not as good as it would be if one were to buy the CD or tape.4
Music that is offered on the internet may not be copied since it is only put there for one to listen to.98 Some producers maintain that the forty-five second clips that are offered on the internet may be copied.4
Copying a CD or tape is forbidden even if one would never buy the CD or tape.5
1 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Refer to Igros Moshe O.C.
4:40:19, Yabea Omer C.M. 7:9, Mishnas Zechuyos Hayotzer
Halacha and Contemporary Society Spring 91 (number 21).
2 Refer to Igros Moshe O.C. 4:40:19.
3 Refer to Rivevos Ephraim 4:248, 3:596.
5 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. One is not allowed to copy
even one song from many CDs or tapes to make a mix (Horav
Yisroel Belsky Shlita). If one who copied a CD or tape despite
not being allowed to do so may listen to it in any case refer to