How to Succeed in Business

How to succeed in business? Use the lessons and models found in the Torah!

In a new book, Jewish Wisdom for Business Success (Amacom, 2008), Rabbi Levi Brackman and Sam Jaffe write that the Torah provides models for people to succeed in business. In Chapter 4 of the book, titled “Patriarchal Business Models,” the authors provide an example of how Abraham began successfully building the brand of monotheism. According to the authors, Abraham used a bold marketing technique: he smashed all the idols in his father’s shop. They wrote:

“Abraham’s public relations stunt with his father’s idols succeeded even better than he could have imagined, earning him credibility and a reputation throughout Mesopotamia as an iconoclast and a holy man.”

Now, that is something pastors should consider. Maybe churches today need to smash a lot of idols if they want to promote Christianity in a world filled with idols.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Abraham, Business, Religion,Torah