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I think we should reserve this category explicitly for original writing by community members. Some people might be interested in republishing pieces that they've read elsewhere, but I see little va...
Answer
#2: Post edited
- I think we should reserve this category explicitly for original writing by community members. Some people might be interested in republishing pieces that they've read elsewhere, but I see little value in our providing a forum for such republication. In addition, of course, such republication without license could constitute a violation of copyright or ethics.
Of course, [citation and limited quotation of prior work](https://judaism.codidact.com/a/276554/276591), within reason, is often (nearly always, when it comes to Torah!) a useful foundation for our own writing. I'm not suggesting we not do that.- Beyond not republishing others' writing, I think we should go so far as to *emphasize* original work in the writing we do present. That is, while it's certainly worthwhile, in an absolute sense, to simply teach what Rashi has to say about a particular verse, and there's certainly no copyright problem there, I don't think that our forum and community creates a great deal of value with that sort of simple re-transmission. Instead, I think we should try to host divrei Torah that present original work by our community members, such as a community member's own:
- - Novel analysis of issues or sources.
- - Novel application of an existing source to a new situation or context.
- - Novel integration of existing sources.
- - Translation of a classic source that isn't already available in English [online].
- I think we should reserve this category explicitly for original writing by community members. Some people might be interested in republishing pieces that they've read elsewhere, but I see little value in our providing a forum for such republication. In addition, of course, such republication without license could constitute a violation of copyright or ethics.
- Of course, [citation and limited quotation of prior work](https://judaism.codidact.com/a/276554/276591), within reason, is often (perhaps always, when it comes to Torah!) a useful foundation for our own writing. I'm not suggesting we not do that.
- Beyond not republishing others' writing, I think we should go so far as to *emphasize* original work in the writing we do present. That is, while it's certainly worthwhile, in an absolute sense, to simply teach what Rashi has to say about a particular verse, and there's certainly no copyright problem there, I don't think that our forum and community creates a great deal of value with that sort of simple re-transmission. Instead, I think we should try to host divrei Torah that present original work by our community members, such as a community member's own:
- - Novel analysis of issues or sources.
- - Novel application of an existing source to a new situation or context.
- - Novel integration of existing sources.
- - Translation of a classic source that isn't already available in English [online].
#1: Initial revision
I think we should reserve this category explicitly for original writing by community members. Some people might be interested in republishing pieces that they've read elsewhere, but I see little value in our providing a forum for such republication. In addition, of course, such republication without license could constitute a violation of copyright or ethics. Of course, [citation and limited quotation of prior work](https://judaism.codidact.com/a/276554/276591), within reason, is often (nearly always, when it comes to Torah!) a useful foundation for our own writing. I'm not suggesting we not do that. Beyond not republishing others' writing, I think we should go so far as to *emphasize* original work in the writing we do present. That is, while it's certainly worthwhile, in an absolute sense, to simply teach what Rashi has to say about a particular verse, and there's certainly no copyright problem there, I don't think that our forum and community creates a great deal of value with that sort of simple re-transmission. Instead, I think we should try to host divrei Torah that present original work by our community members, such as a community member's own: - Novel analysis of issues or sources. - Novel application of an existing source to a new situation or context. - Novel integration of existing sources. - Translation of a classic source that isn't already available in English [online].