Privacy In the Digital Age

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(טז) לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י ה'׃

(16) Do not deal basely with members of your people. Do not profit by the blood of your fellow [Israelite]: I am ה'.

לְכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן הוֹלֵךְ וּמְרַגֵּל,

—they are called הולכי רכיל which it the same as הולכי רגילה, "people who go about spying"; espiement in

תלמוד ירושלמי פאה א׳:א׳

תַּנִּי רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא כְּרוֹכֵל הַזֶּה מַטְעִין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל זֶה לְזֶה וּדְבָרָיו שֶׁל זֶה לְזֶה.

Jerusalem Talmud Peah.1.1

Rebbi Nehemiah stated: that you should not be like a trader who carries things from one person to another and vice versa.

Personal Space

מַתְנִי׳ לֹא יִפְתַּח אָדָם לַחֲצַר הַשּׁוּתָּפִין פֶּתַח כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח וְחַלּוֹן כְּנֶגֶד חַלּוֹן הָיָה קָטָן לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ גָּדוֹל אֶחָד לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ שְׁנַיִם אֲבָל פּוֹתֵחַ הוּא לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים פֶּתַח כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח וְחַלּוֹן כְּנֶגֶד חַלּוֹן הָיָה קָטָן עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ גָּדוֹל וְאֶחָד עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ שְׁנַיִם:

גְּמָ׳ מְנָהָנֵי מִילֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּאָמַר קְרָא וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו מָה רָאָה רָאָה שֶׁאֵין פִּתְחֵי אׇהֳלֵיהֶם מְכֻוּוֹנִין זֶה לְזֶה אָמַר רְאוּיִן הַלָּלוּ שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עֲלֵיהֶם שְׁכִינָה:

MISHNA: A person may not open an entrance opposite another entrance or a window opposite another window toward a courtyard belonging to partners, so as to ensure that the residents will enjoy a measure of privacy. If there was a small entrance he may not enlarge it. If there was one entrance he may not fashion it into two. But one may open an entrance opposite another entrance or a window opposite another window toward the public domain. Similarly, if there was a small entrance he may enlarge it, and if there was one entrance he may fashion it into two.

GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where are these matters, i.e., that one may not open an en-trance opposite another entrance, or a window opposite another window, derived? Rabbi Yoḥanan says that the verse states: “And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of God came upon him” (Numbers 24:2). The Gemara explains: What was it that Balaam saw that so inspired him? He saw that the entrances of their tents were not aligned with each other, ensuring that each family enjoyed a measure of privacy. And he said: If this is the case, these people are worthy of having the Divine Presence rest on them.

Consent

Web Scraping

(ו) ...אֲבָל פּוֹתֵחַ אָדָם לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים פֶּתַח כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח וְחַלּוֹן כְּנֶגֶד חַלּוֹן. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ הֲרֵינִי כְּאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים שֶׁרוֹאִין אוֹתְךָ:

(ז) וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יִפְתַּח אָדָם חֲנוּת כְּנֶגֶד פֶּתַח חֲצַר חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁזֶּה הֶזֵּק קָבוּעַ תָּמִיד. שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּנֵי רְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים עוֹבְרִים וְשָׁבִים וְזֶה יוֹשֵׁב בַּחֲנוּתוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם וּמַבִּיט בְּפֶתַח חֲבֵרוֹ: