Jewish Understandings of Business Ethics

Jewish Understandings of Business Ethics

Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz, "Jewish Business Ethics: An Introductory Perspective" (www.jlaw.com)

Business ethics is the arena where the ethereal transcendent teachings of holiness and spirituality confront the often grubby business of making money and being engaged in the rat race that often comprises the marketplace. It is the acid test of whether religion is truly relevant or religion is simply relegated to an isolated sphere of human activity. It is business ethics, one could posit, above all, that shows God co-exists in the world rather than God and godliness being separate and apart. And the meaning of serving God with all your possessions, therefore, means that in the conduct of our business in the accumulation of our wealth, there is also a mechanism to serve God.

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. How is business a "mechanism to serve God?"
2. How does action in business, with both Jews and non-Jews, reflect faith?

Exodus 12:49

תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם:

There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. How might the statement of this text guide the way we set public policy in our own societies?

Exodus 22:24-26

אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי אֶת הֶעָנִי עִמָּךְ לֹא תִהְיֶה לוֹ כְּנֹשֶׁה לֹא תְשִׂימוּן עָלָיו נֶשֶׁךְ: אִם חָבֹל תַּחְבֹּל שַׂלְמַת רֵעֶךָ עַד בֹּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ לוֹ: כִּי הִוא כְסוּתוֹ לְבַדָּהּ הִוא שִׂמְלָתוֹ לְעֹרוֹ בַּמֶּה יִשְׁכָּב וְהָיָה כִּי יִצְעַק אֵלַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי חַנּוּן אָנִי:

Exodus.22.24-26

If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor; exact no interest from them. If you take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you must return it to him before the sun sets; it is his only clothing, the sole covering for his skin. In what else shall he sleep? Therefore, if he cries out to Me, I will pay heed, for I am compassionate. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. What ruling of money-lending here differ from contemporary guidelines of lending and borrowing - for individuals and for nations?

Deuteronomy 23:20-21

לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ לְאָחִיךָ נֶשֶׁךְ כֶּסֶף נֶשֶׁךְ אֹכֶל נֶשֶׁךְ כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁךְ: לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ וּלְאָחִיךָ לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ יְקֹוָק אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל מִשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ:

Deuteronomy.23.20-21

You shall not deduct interest (neshech) from loans to your countrymen, whether in money or food or anything else that can be deducted as interest; but you may deduct interest from loans to foreigners. Do not deduct interest from loans to your countrymen, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess. [JPS]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Why might Jews have been commanded to deduct interest from loans to foreigners but not countrymen?
2. What have been the historical implications and results of this commandment?
3. What does this ruling teach us about biblical business ethics?

Leviticus 25:35-38

וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ: אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹהֶיךָ וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ: אֶת כַּסְפְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּית לֹא תִתֵּן אָכְלֶךָ: אֲנִי יְקֹוָק אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים:

Leviticus.25.35-38

If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side: do not exact from him advance (neshech) or accrued interest (tarbit), but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman. Do not lend him your money at advance interest (neshech), or give him your food at accrued interest (marbit). I the Lord am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. [JPS]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Why are there specific laws about how to deal financially with "resident aliens?"
2. What does it mean to let resident aliens live as "your kinsmen?" What is the modern-day translation and application of these laws?
3. Why need God remind us of God's existence at the end of this ruling? What is the relationship between faith and treatment of resident aliens?

Leviticus 19:35-36

לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט בַּמִּדָּה בַּמִּשְׁקָל וּבַמְּשׂוּרָה: מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק אַבְנֵי צֶדֶק אֵיפַת צֶדֶק וְהִין צֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לָכֶם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:

Leviticus.19.35-36

You shall not falsify measures of length, weight, or capacity. You shall have a just balance, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin. I the LORD am your God who freed you from the land of Egypt. [AJWS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. What are some of the ways that unfairness in business results in social justice violations?

Proverbs 16:8

טוֹב מְעַט בִּצְדָקָה מֵרֹב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט:

Better a little with righteousness than a large income with injustice. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What is it that's better with righteousness?
3. How would today's business dealings change if this proverb were taken seriously?