Tag: Ethics

The Basic Principles of Jewish Business Ethics

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The Basic Principles of Jewish Business Ethics

from The Schechter Institutes by Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin

Contrary to what many think, Jewish law and ethics have much to say about the world of business: accurate weights and measures, overcharging, verbal deception, false packaging and much more. But before we get down to specifics, a few general observations are in order.

It is no secret that ethics and business are not always compatible. As a matter of fact, they frequently seem to be a contradiction in terms.

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The Jewish Ethicist – Homeless

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The Jewish Ethicist – Homeless

from: aish.com by: Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem

Q. I have a relative who has trouble finding work and supporting his family. He is now homeless, and I am thinking of taking in him and his family. But I am worried that the help he gets from family members is making the situation worse by preventing him from taking responsibility.

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Jewish Business Ethics: Jewish Law and Copyright

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Jewish Business Ethics: Jewish Law and Copyright

from jewishvirtuallibrary.org by Rabbi Israel Schneider

In our highly advanced technological age, the duplication of original works of authorship has become almost effortless. While at one time, manuscripts or books had to be copied laboriously by hand, it is now possible within several minutes to produce high quality reproductions of entire works. Similarly, audio tapes, videos, and computer programs can all be reproduced quickly, effectively, and cheaply. The purpose of this essay is to explore the halachic implications of making or using unauthorized duplications and to inquire if there are precedents which could serve as grounds for the protection of an author’s or creator’s proprietary rights.

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Are Business Ethics an Oxymoron

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Are Business Ethics an Oxymoron?

from aish.com by: Rabbi Benjamin Blech

Looking at the headlines of the past few years – Bernie Madoff, Enron, the subprime mortgage scandal and a host of other examples – we get the feeling that ethical practices play no role in that world dedicated solely to the goal of maximizing profits.

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Jewish Business Ethics: Halakhot of Investing in the Stock Market

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Jewish Business Ethics: Halakhot of Investing in the stock market

from jewishvirtuallibrary.org by Rabbi Asher Meir

I. THE NATURE OF STOCK OWNERSHIP

The extent to which stock ownership is considered active partnership in a corporation is a critical question in numerous areas of halakha. Conceivably, by buying a single share of stock a person could find himself committing transgressions from all four sections of the Shulchan Arukh! Some examples include:

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The Jewish Ethicist: Complaints

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The Jewish Ethicist: Complaints

from aish.com by: Rabbi Dr. Asher Meier, Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem

Q. I have a worker who is always complaining. Maybe if he is so unhappy I should just let him go.

A. It is true that an unhappy worker can be bad for both the worker and the workplace. In one place the Talmud likens the matchmaking process to the splitting of the sea at the Exodus (1); in another place it likens making a living to the splitting of the sea. (2) Perhaps this is a hint that finding the suitable workplace is a little bit like finding a suitable spouse. If the worker is unhappy, maybe that means that his “workplace made in heaven” is really someplace else.

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The Jewish Ethicist – Pollution

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The Jewish Ethicist – Pollution

From aish.com By: Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem

Q. Does Jewish law forbid pollution? Does the polluter have to pay damages, like anyone else who causes harm?

A.Among the very first commandments given in the Torah are those providing for payments for damages. In chapter 20 of the book of Exodus we have the revelation on Mount Sinai and the Ten Commandments, and in the very next chapter we find the nuts and bolts of damages for battery, damages caused by animals, and so on.

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The Jewish Ethicist – Renege

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The Jewish Ethicist – Renege

from aish.com by: by

Q. I agreed to use a certain service provider and even signed an agreement, but the agreement is not valid until I obtain some authorizations from the authorities, so I am technically able to withdraw. In the meantime I came across a better deal. Can I renege on the original agreement?

A. Jewish law, based on commandment and personal commitment, includes many obligations that are not enforceable. This is true even in business regulation. So even when an agreement is not enforceable, there may be an obligation to uphold it.

The extent of this obligation is discussed in the following Talmudic passage:

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Jewish Medical Ethics: The Role of a Physician in Jewish Law

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Jewish Medical Ethics: The Role of a Physician in Jewish Law

from jewishvirtuallibrary. org by Daniel Eiseneberg M.D.

The Torah states: “I am the L-rd that heals you!” (Exodus 15:26) This verse implies that G-d does not need man to cure the afflictions that He creates. If so, by what virtue does man attempt to “short circuit” His will and attempt his own meager cures? Does man have any right to heal at all, and if he does, are there any limitations on how it may be accomplished. Is every action done in the name of therapy justified, solely because a physician performs it? Because Judaism recognizes the enormity of these questions, it requires direct permission from G-d to permit the practice of medicine and carefully circumscribes the limits of medical practice. Fortunately, the duty to save one’s fellow man is well grounded in the Torah and the restrictions are discussed at length in our codes of Jewish law.

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