By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
Melania Trump was in the news at the beginning of the week for purportedly plagiarizing from Michelle Obama’s speech of 2008. Many Republicans are in denial that plagiarism took place, and the odds are that Mrs. Trump herself did not actually commit the plagiarism. The fact that it took place, however, is undeniable to anyone who reads the transcripts from the Republican National Convention.
Melania Trump’s speech included this paragraph:
“From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond; that you do what you say and keep your promise. That you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily life. That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son and we need to pass those lessons to the many generations that follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”
Michelle Obama’s speech in 2008 included this paragraph:
“And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: like, you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond; that you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them. And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values and to pass them onto the next generation, because we want our children—and all children in this nation—to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them.”
Once we are talking about values, it would be a good idea to see what the Torah sources have to say about plagiarizing.
In Tanach
King Solomon tells us (Mishlei 22:22) the following words: “Rob not from a poor person—for he is poor.” Chazal tell us (Yalkut Shimoni Mishlei 560; Midrash Tanchuma Bamidbar 27) that Shlomo HaMelech is actually referring to plagiarism—to reciting a statement without attributing it to its source.
Just as a poor person has no protector—no guardian to right wrongs and injustices, the same is true with intellectual property. An earlier thinker came up with an idea. Just as the poor person has no protector, neither does the thinker have a protector. Shlomo HaMelech is appealing to our conscience—do not steal from a poor person—for he is poor, he has no protector. Do not cheat or plagiarize for they too have no protector.
We skip now to Queen Esther (Megillas Esther 2:22). Two guards—Bigsan and Seresh—had plotted a coup d’état (shades of Erdogan’s current ordeal). Mordechai, proficient in 70 languages, overheard and told the queen.
Queen Esther didn’t take credit for the information. She told the King that she had actually obtained the information from Mordechai. Esther was amply rewarded. It is for this action that she merited to be the conduit of the salvation of Israel. Because of Esther, it is said, “Whoever says something in the name of its originator brings salvation to the world.”
What was going on here? Esther certainly was a righteous woman. Can’t we assume that if she thought it better for the king to have assumed that the information came from her, then surely she would have been fully justified?
It would seem not. Even though it may have been in the Jewish interest that Esther gain the king’s favor, there is something inherently wrong in not attributing the information to the true source. She knew this. Esther could not stoop to do something so low. It was for the realization that we are but mere foot soldiers in a campaign and our primary responsibility is to follow Hashem’s bidding in what is right and wrong that she was so amply rewarded.
A Means
Of Acquiring Torah
We now move on to Pirkei Avos 6:5—naming the original source of the information. Avoiding plagiarism is in a list of one of the 48 ways in which Torah is acquired.
Compared To Kidnapping
The Yalkut Yosef (Kibud Av V’eim chapter 9) cites a few more sources. The Shelah in Maseches Shevuos says that it is an enormous sin and should be looked at as if one kidnapped human life. Kidnapping is a serious crime, but it seems that it is the parallel emotion that authors feel when their work has been taken from them without attribution.
An illustration might be in order. A number of years ago, authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh sued Random House claiming that Dan Brown’s famous book, The Da Vinci Code, was a rip-off of their work, The Holy Blood Holy Grail. They claimed that Brown appropriated “the architecture of their book which was previously published in 1982.”
Baigent and Leigh said that Mr. Brown had “hijacked” and “exploited” their book, which had taken them five years to write. Those words are clearly indicative of the pain of a kidnapping.
A mathematical comparison of the parallels in the two books are revealing and striking. In order to avoid the appearance of plagiarizing, a plagiarist must change the words in the parallel passages. If the changes are so far beyond the boundaries of general usage, then it is clear that a plagiarizing has taken place. The claimants had overwhelming evidence to this effect. The judge, however, inexplicably tossed the lawsuit, leaving the claimants distraught.
The Effect From Beyond
The Yalkut Yosef further cites the Sefer Chassidim (224): Whoever says something in the name of a deceased tzaddik earns his favor and is prayed for by that tzaddik.
Conversely, the Chida writes (Bris Olam) that if one writes a book from Torah that was stolen from others, they curse him and he dies halfway through life.
Nobody Really Reads
How could there be any denial of Michelle Obama’s original words? Sadly, perhaps the reason is that most people do not bother to read. To illustrate this point, let’s go back 54 years ago to an earlier Republican National Convention. A famous black preacher that was also a civil-rights leader said the following words:
“We, Negro Americans, sing with all loyal Americans: ‘My country ’tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, Land of the Pilgrim’s pride! From ev’ry mountainside, Let freedom ring!’ That’s exactly what we mean—from every mountainside, let freedom ring. Not only from the Green Mountains and White Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire; not only from the Catskills of New York; but from the Ozarks in Arkansas, from the Stone Mountain in Georgia, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia—let it ring not only for the minorities in the United States; but for . . . the disinherited of all the earth . . . may the Republican Party, under G‑d, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”
Most people recognize these words, or rather the architecture. The words in this speech led to the entire nation being inspired. They were, however, first said by Archibald Carey Junior. v
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15 Responses
I admint it sounds like she borrowed ideas and words from Mrs Obamas speech. However, this sounds like a non-factor regarding the election issues, though a bad choice for a speech.
I did listen to Donald Trumps speech at the Republican Convention and found he made many EXCELLENT POINTS.
He said ENOUGH OF THE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS and LIES. The top priority is TRUTH and Protecting the USA.
That if we are looking for LIES and FABRICATIONS we can wait for the Democratic convention.
He also referenced Israel as our greatest ally in the region.
And I DID NOT HEAR ANY RACIST OR ANTI SEMITIC REFERENCE!
HOW CAN HE BE ANTI SEMITIC IF HIS DAUGHTER IS JEWISH AND HIS GRAND CHILDREN ARE JEWISH!
These accusations seem to be from the Lying and Political Correctness of the DEMOCRATS.
Hillary seems to be Proud of Pres Obamas accomplishments.
She was IN FAVOR OF THE IRAN DEAL DURING THE IRAN DEAL DEBATE! Trump was Against! She condemned Palestinian Incitement but Did Not say it will stop Just as Her hero Obama just keeps paying them! Donald said it Will Stop!
He said we are at war with Islamic Terrorism! And thst we should keep out immigrants from places where there is radical islamic influence till we can securely vet they have our values and not Jihad values. That is RIGHT! Otherwise if POLITICAL CORRECT SUICIDE! I Like What I Heard from Donald Trump!
what in the world is the point of this article. Why associate this nonsense with our holy Torah in the first place??!!. Lets see who agrees with me .
Is this a liberal news site? Worry about clintons real crimes and lies as much as you are about the stupid speech
What’s your point? That the Trumps aren’t observing Tanach
and Chazal? Big deal!
Rabbi Hoffman takes current events and tries to view them through the lens of the torah. He chose plagirism, since it was in the news. Why he finished with the implication that ML King plagarized somoene else is probably to drive home the point that the “poor person” has no protector. How many attribute the line “let freedom ring” to ML King, how many knew the person who originally said it, thus driving home the point “Do not cheat or plagiarize for they too have no protector”.
As if plagiarism is such a shocking concept. Michelle Obama plagiarized those exact words herself, from the very radical book “Rules for Radicals,” by Saul Arlinsky. It is a book that tells radicals how to undermine a democratic society.
Saul Arlinsky was from Chicago and is the mentor of the school of thought that both Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama come out of.
Part of it is to speak one way and do very much the opposite and occasionally through a small bone that coincides with the false narrative they project to con the public.
Re comment 5: When ML King recited the words referenced above, almost nobody thought he was offering them as his own. He was alluding, not plagiarizing. And his point was that Negroes sing the same patriotic songs as the rest of America and should have the same rights as the rest of America.
Rabbi Hoffman points out clearly that plagiarism is theft and lying. Some seem to want to point out Hillary’s lying but ignore the other side, very disingenuous. Trump btw is a menuvel, adulterer, has stiffed (I.e. stolen from) thousands of contractors over the years, no one to emulate.
Kudos, BenK ;
And when the FBI Director all but called her a liar, he , Comey,then let her go, probably at the behest of Obama & Lynch. The same Comey who chased Martha Stewart into a jail cell for far, far less. An administration of corruption, divisiveness, pandering to the criminal intimidating elements (BLM), destruction of the middle class and small business entrepeneurs with choking regulations, cavalier trampling of our Constitution, of which Hillary ( it was a video) Clinton was a pert of, is why Trump ( who wasn’t my first choice) speaks to Americans and it’s resonating.
He is no anti-Semite or racist. I see complaints from Jewish “leaders” that he’s not making a great effort to meet them, bla, bla. Trump doesn’t pander to anybody or any one group. Get over it already ! Don’t worry, fellow Yiddelach. Come Chanukah, tho$$e of you who $$trongly $$$upport Whatdifferencedoesitmake Clinton, will be nvited to the White House , light the menorah, spin dreidels and eat kosher latkes and sufganiot.
What we know for sure, is that Deleting Hillary collects millions from anti- Jewish, ant-Israeli countries for her , and please pardon my expression,_____ “Foundation.”
I guess my father (and a lot of others) should complain about Michelle Obama’s plagiarism of those same ideas from the talks they had with us. Among the values my father taught me were:
1. work hard for what you want in life;
2. your word is your bond;
3. do what you say and keep your promises;
4. treat everyone with respect;
I think this holds true of just about everyone’s parents.
Also, it is easy to plagiarize without even realizing you have heard it before. I remember a songwriter saying that whenever he thought of a melody he sent it in to ASCAP and 9 out of 10 times they would tell him he had actually taken it from something he heard once. Once you hear an idea it sticks in your head and you think you actually thought of it. It is technically plagiarism, but it is not intentional.
#2 I totatly agree with you…..
To all the pro-Trump posters: Donald Trump is a bigot, he is a fascist, he is a demagogue, he is a xenophobe , he is a thief, he is a liar and he is the consummate narcissist. Anyone voting for him should look in the mirror and know whom you are associating with. With the KKK, with the anti-Semitic “America First’ from Lindbergh, the xenophobic bigots of the south ,who hate Jews more than blacks and the isolationist wing of the republican party who would drop Israel in a nana-second.
#11__
You just plagiarized, word for word, for word, the scared Left’s mantra and smear bluster.
I looked in the mirror and saw reflections of the Democrat Convention of 2012 lustily boooooing mention of Jerusalem, saw Obama & Hillary sell out Israel with an Iran deal and anti_-Jewish hate speech from Hillary lovers from the Occupy Wall St. bums to Hillary ( it was a video) Clinton & “Foundation” herself ( please see my comment above). The Democrat Party is LOADED with radical leftists, including politicians who hate Israel and support BDS. Can you name even ONE Republican pol who wants that? Go on, Yiddlach, go vote Democrat until your pants catch fire. That party is your Eygel Hazahav.
Anyway, back to plagiarism.
— to the lefties & radicals intimidating and harassing Jewish students on college campuses, to their professors including self-hating Jews, to Black Lives Matter, to the Bernie Sanders millenialls by the millions, to the J Street Obama supporters and Hillary advisors________
Democrats all.
You have a choice. Make Aliya.
Everyone is alluding to the politics. I’m not sure what Rabbi Hoffman was looking for. Unless he will begin writing articles about every time the non Jews transgress the Torah….?