The Deck is Stacked Against You

aaron — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:19:29 +0000

When entering the business world for the first time, whether starting your own business dream or a new job, its easy to think that the cards are stacked against you in a big way. Competition is fierce, no one gives you the time of day, customers complain, vendors don’t deliver, and everyone else out there seems to have an edge over you.

This is the harsh reality. However, it is readily overcome. Frum Jews, at least those who work, tend to have higher levels of income and wealth than average. On the surface, that seems counterintuitive. Frum people, who are bound by Torah and Mitzvos, are faced with innumerable restrictions. No work on Shabbos or Yom Tov, davening 3 times a day, kvius ittim l’Torah (hopefully). Add to that the kinds of businesses that one is not allowed to engage in, such ascertain food items, shatnez, ribbis, ona’ah, etc. Couple this with the high cost of being a frum Jew, from yeshiva tuition to the high cost of kosher food, from the large families we tend to have to the huge expenses associated with marrying off a child. Don’t forget maaser obligations to our numerous mosdos of Torah and Chessed. There are social obligations such as dinners, parties, summer vacations, and clothing costs. Even though we are encumbered with all these challenges, many of us manage to overcome them, producing vast sums of money in the process.

The cards may be stacked against us, but we have what it takes to break through it all and win. Take for example the famous B & H. They increased their sales through the worst recession in years, as competitors such as Circuit City went bankrupt. (Joel Spolsky wrote a great piece on how they withstood the devastation all around them.) To top it off, they close their store – and their cash generating website – over Shabbos and Yom Tov. At least 1/7th of the week, they are closed – no sales, no orders, nothing. And yet, they are making money like never before.

If they can do it, you can do it. Face the challenge head on. You have what it takes to win.

Bookmark and Share

Learning for Money

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:25:30 +0000

Is Torah Learning all for money?

I tutor at night to be able to pay the bills. In shul with my talmid, I see scores of others doing the same. Even highly acclaimed rabbeim are using their time at night to make extra money by tutoring, preparing boys for bar mitzva, or learning with baalei batim for money.

Sometimes, I am jealous of those baalei batim. They learn for free, no one pays them to learn. But I learn because it’s my J-O-B. Does that mean that I am a bad person? Of course not. But it takes away the special feeling of learning Torah out of love for it.

When I am out of yeshiva, it’s hard to get any learning done. Maybe a quick glance in a sefer on the parsha when I’m home over Shabbos, and my wife and kids don’t need me. But generally speaking, most of my learning is done for money, and I don’t enjoy it one bit.

Bookmark and Share

Lost in Kollel » Shabbos

The Deck is Stacked Against You

Learning for Money