VALUES, PROSPERITY, AND THE TALMUD: Business Lessons from the Ancient

The Talmud, says Kahaner, is a "handbook for today's business world": a reminder of balance in a workaholic culture, a treatise on personal responsibility and a call to charity in a society that seems driven by greed. In this book, Kahaner mines the ancient wisdom of the Talmud for advice on how to prosper—but to do so ethically. He begins with discussions of the "spirituality of money," claiming that wealth can be a positive force if it is used wisely, and then argues that work is a holy act. Other chapters take up various topical issues: treating workers fairly so that they will in turn do their work more productively; being scrupulously honest in business dealings; recognizing that education is a lifelong process; and giving to charity. Kahaner draws on contemporary business examples as well as ancient wisdom to demonstrate that "doing good" and "making good" often go hand in hand. (Aug. 8)