Day 17: מִעוּט סְחוֹרָה / Minimizing business
A fine balancing act exists between Torah and business. On the one hand, business belongs to the world of the mundane, and potentially encroaches upon vices like zero-sum competition and greed. On the other hand, the whole Torah enterprise never gets running without financial security.
The rabbinic orientation is fundamentally towards Torah, with business serving as a utilitarian necessity that provides the security to learn Torah regularly and without distraction.
However, we are not all devoted Torah scholars, and this Kinyan Torah Project aims to empower each of us to acquire Torah, regardless of our background. What if rather than weigh Torah against business, but also infuse our work lives with Torah. According to the Talmud the very first question we are asked upon arrival to the gates of Heaven is whether we were honest in our business dealings (Shabbat 31a). Each of us should try to set time for explicit study and growth away from our jobs, but the real measure of our character is how we live out the Torah that we learn, including and perhaps especially in our professional lives.
Reflection:
Do you make time for personal learning and growth outside of your work life?
What are examples of truly living out Torah values in the context of your professional life?
Lived practice:
Think of three values that you are very good at integrating into your work life. Think of three values that you don't do a good job of bringing into your work life. Next week, choose just one of those latter values and work on better integrating in into your work life.
