What We Can Learn From God's Choosen People, The Jews, About Finances!

I have decided to revisit this essay because I think it's content is a valuable lesson for African Americans. 
The Jewish people have traditionally been know for their financial
IQ and their success in business. The ancient Jewish Law taught ethical and moral ways of doing business as well as personal responsibilities. It has been said by many writers that the Jews acquire wealth as a way to accomplish their perceived social responsibility. Their quest for wealth is not for selfish reasons, but for the betterment of their people, which is the teaching of God.

Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn, states that, "the Jewish financial system is the oldest in history and has survived the test of time". John Louis Muratori states, " The Jewish system of success is found in the Torah. The Jews have used this information for thousands of years." This information is taught in the Synagogue, and passed down by ones Jewish grandmother, or uncle to the younger generation. The Torah is know to we Christians as the Old Testament. The Hebrew meaning of the Torah is "teaching, instructions, custom, system, and law. What Muratori is telling us is that the Jewish System is an "Intergenerational Process" which means that the information and practice of this process is passed on from one generation to the next. This information is supported both by a oral and written tradition. The Torah, in Proverbs 13:22 informs us that " A good man leaveth and inheritance to his children's' children.. The Jews believe in leaving a legacy of the love of God, morality, ethics, education, skills, and finances.  For hundred of years this success with $$$ has caused many to dislike, distrust, envy, and hold contempt for the Jewish people. Many have made jokes about the Jewish people and their financial success.


The basics of the Jewish System has been considered as a very valuable system of dealing with money by many non religious people and organizations. Elements of this system has been incorporated into secular theories of financial success. As we all know many Biblical practices have become the bases for current laws, and social norms.


Does the system really work? Well, Jewish people make up 0.2 % of world population, but they are 8% of the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people. In the USA 46% of Jews make over $100,000 per year, while only 15% of the general population earn such salaries.


The core of the Jewish System, says Larry Kahaner, is the belief that charity is every ones obligation. Most donations kept close to home are the most blessed! The Jewish people believe that helping an individual with a loan or a job, is the most noble form of charity. They value learning, and believe it is a life long process, and believe that bankruptcy is not an honorable way out of debt, and don't believe that one should accrue debt.


Steven Silbiger has written in his book, The Jewish Phenomenon: Seven Keys to Enduring Wealth of a People :


1. Understand that real wealth is portable; its knowledge and education


a. Build your child's self esteem


b. Build the ability to delay gratification


c. Choose the best education possible


d. Develop and demonstrate informed and literate habits


e. Create the education expectations and constantly stress its importance




2.Take care of your own and they will take care of you.
a. Patronize your peoples business and organizations
b. Provide charity that helps your people become self-sufficient

3. Successful people are those who pursue a professional career
 
4. Develop your verbal confidence
a. Encourage your children to ask questions
b. Proactively explain new ideas to your children
c. Have active dinners together as a family
d. Encourage participation in performing arts and sports


5. Be selectively extravagant and prudently Frugal
a. Live within your means, and save and invest your money
b. Understand money equal security and power
c. Don't throw money away, buy the best
d. Stay married if you can; divorce is very expensive
e. Practice diversity, low cost, long range investing
f. Avoid Debt
g. Drive your car for a long time

OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES

(THE TORAH)

There is a close relationship between accumulating and retaining wealth and wisdom. It was in 1Chronicles 1: 10-12 we find Solomon asking God for "wisdom and knowledge" so he could do a better job as a leader of his people. God was pleased with Solomon's unselfishness, his concern for others, rewarded him with the wisdom and knowledge he requested. In addition to his request God gave him an added bonus of riches,wealth and honor. In the book of Proverbs Solomon offers wise counsel regarding financial situations. In Proverbs 1 6:1-5 tells us to help our friends, but not to the extent that our own family will suffer. In 1: 6:6-11 He counsels the reader of the relationship of being lazy and poverty. He says we should study the ants, who by instinct, know that they have to work to provide for their survival. The ants have no brains, no leader, no counsel, but know that they have to work diligently to survive. Solomon warns here also that lazy person will dive head first into a life of poverty. In Proverbs 6: 30 He tells us that if a man steals because he is starving he should not be despised. However, when this man gets on his feet he is to restore sevenfold, even if it means giving up all the substance of his house. Here we find the Jewish sense of personal responsibility.

God gave Solomon so much wisdom and he passes that wisdom on to us, and we are to pass it on to our children. If we practice, integrity, wisdom and pass it on to our children we will leave a valuable inheritance for them. If we are able to accomplish this we are considered a good man/woman. The book of Proverbs explains to us what wisdom is and where to find it. It tells us that if we follow the word of God we will be successful spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, socially, physically and economically. It also warns us of the consequences of laziness, greed, sexual lust, lying, pride, disdain for the poor, envying the oppressor, wealth by fraud and deceit, not paying one's debt, not planning, not seeking counsel, being impulsive, not helping your neighbor in need , not giving instruction to children, and much more.

I never hear much of these thing taught in our Churches today. It seems that Psalms and Proverbs are only used as a source of traditional scripture reading at the beginning of many Sunday services. Once the Black Church really understands and teaches that the scriptures have much more to say about finances , than Tithes , they and their congregations will be blessed. If the scriptures teach 15 lessons about money, giving, debt, investing, planning and you only teach 1 of the 15, do you really expect to be successful?