Lately I’ve been listening to the rhetoric of ambitious politicians both in the United States and Europe. They tend to speak of business in very negative terms usually with adjectives like greedy, selfish, and unfair. They blame corporations for everything from inequality to poverty and from depression to crime. They preach that the institution of business is inherently flawed.
Business, like politics, education and the press is run by people who sometimes do illegal and immoral things. But an additional complaint against businesses is the notion of competitiveness. Implementing new ideas in itself is evil, they claim, as it results in the closing of less creative enterprises.
It is true that business does depend upon constant innovation as things change. The man making, selling or repairing fax machines in the 1980s had to adapt to email and cell technology at the turn of the century.
Former finance minister of Austria and mid-20th century Harvard economist Joseph Schumpeter said that business depends upon creative destruction. Humans’ constant march forward to ever-newer ways of doing things is not a lamentable side effect of commerce but is an essential element of wealth creation.
Prior to his death, Moses addressed each of the twelve tribes of ancient Israel.
And to Zevulun he said, Rejoice Zevulun in your going out,
and Yissachar, in your tents.
(Deuteronomy 33:18)
What does this verse have to do with Schumpeter?
The attentive student of ancient Jewish wisdom hears in this account, a faint echo of an earlier event. Prior to his death, Jacob also delivered a prophetic address; this one to his twelve sons after whom the tribes were later named.
Zevulun shall dwell on the sea shore and
he shall be a haven for ships.
(Genesis 49:13)
Ancient Jewish wisdom reminds us that, tourism being a fairly recent manifestation of affluence, shipping and sea travel always mean commerce in Torah nomenclature. Until recently, the only reason for travel was for business. This Genesis verse is telling us that Jacob foresees his son Zevulun representing the business professional for all time.
Now back to Deuteronomy: “Rejoice in your going out…”
The phrase “Going out” means that Moses is advising the business professional, Zevulun, to always be in a perpetual state of exiting his current comfort zone. What a perfect description of a successful business professional!
However, if your only formula for success is constantly to shatter the boundary fences, you are surely being guided directly to the office of your friendly state prosecutor and/or to bankruptcy. Simply breaking boundaries is no roadmap to successful living.
Moses very carefully added a vital phrase to the advice he gave Zevulun, the business professional. He didn’t just say, “Rejoice in your going out.” He added, “and Yissachar in your tents.”
These are the only two brothers or tribes treated together in one verse in Deuteronomy 33. In ancient Jewish tradition, “tent” implies, not a primitive dwelling, but rather an entire framework of moral and philosophical coordinates.
Yissachar is regarded as the tribe whose function it is to serve as a repository for Torah knowledge. ( I Chronicles 12:32) Now we can see that Moses instructed Zevulun to maintain a close connection with the entire framework of morality and emphasis on human relationships by keeping close to Yissachar’s tent.
Only by clinging tenaciously to the unchangeable fundamentals does one gain the freedom safely to break down boundaries and innovate profitably. Among the Torah’s many unchangeable fundamentals about business are these three: Business is about satisfying other people; neither eyeballs nor tax benefits can replace real profit; and all transactions should be transparent and honest.
Business success does depend upon constant adaptation to constant change. It just as surely also depends on unchanging commitment to timeless truths and everlasting values. Perhaps one reason that ambitious politicians despise business is that citizens who either own a profitable business or work for one are more independent and have little need for government hand-outs and favors. Not surprisingly, ambitious politicians resent that which makes the their stock in trade less necessary.
Ironically most of the points you make, and I agree are valid in my own commercial and professional life, are counter to what our current White House administration is about. Honest and transparent transactions? A good start would be for the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. to release some previous tax filings.
Dear Armando–
Thanks for writing–I enjoyed the first nineteen words of your letter.
As for the rest, this venue is not the correct one for your observation nor is it the correct one for my response. So you have a problem with our president. That is hardly a unique or courageous position today. It is no secret that I ardently supported his election since March 2016 so you and I disagree. Again, this is nothing to do with my column Tent on the Beach on which you were ostensibly commenting. There are many fine thinkers and writers like Ben Shapiro, Victor Davis Hanson, Sean Hannity and others who will more than adequately help you understand the irrelevance of the president’s tax returns. If you’re interested.
Cordially
RDL
Government are just like people we know, when you depend on them they despise you, when you are independent of them they despise you the more.
So true, Hope,
Sadly
Cordially
RDL
I have been a Messianic Gentile for over 25 years. So glad a Goy told me about you and I do love your wisdom and they way you exhibit it.
Paul, I’ll just pop in here with a thought. The word ‘goy’ technically means ‘nation.’ It became, through the years, a term for non-Jews. However, it is sometimes used in a derogatory way. You certainly didn’t mean it like that, but my husband and I prefer not to use that word because of the way it has been misused.
excellent teaching Rabbi!
Really speaks right to your brand: “Only by clinging tenaciously to the unchangeable fundamentals [can] one… [profit]!”
Thanks so much Gidon–
Coming from such an accomplished teacher as you, your words carry special value
Cordially
RDL
In 1978 I was hired as an artist and graphics designer by a major manufacturer of heavy lifting equipment. I hand drew slide presentations, signage and posters and designed our sales brochures. In about 1981 I talked the VP of sales into buying the company’s first desktop computer. It had art and design capability and would save the me many hours of time and the company money otherwise spent on art materials. When he ask if it ment he could replace me and my drawing board, I answered with this comparison. The tractor may have replaced the mule but it didn’t replace the farmer. My point is the same as yours. Without commerce none of the conveniences that we now enjoy from our modes of travel to medicines, even the IPad that I am sending this from would exist.
Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and biblical truths,
Brian
I have never received a paycheck from a poor man, because I have never worked for one. I have worked for struggling small business, but they were not poor. Poor men don’t employ people.