A good barometer to determine whether something will be of benefit materially is whether it is the proper thing to do spiritually. A business venture that implies breaking your moral principles will also be detrimental materially.
At times, we experience tremendous pressure when our ethics seem to stand in the way of success—but this is only an illusion. The spiritual and the material are in conflict only to our subjective eyes. In truth, they work in harmony as one.
integrity seen too many people becoming quite successful without integrity. And no, it is not going to catch up to them. Reply
Re: Integrity
These words are not meant to explain what's going on in other people's lives. They are meant to guide you in your own life. If you've chosen a life connected to the divine, then all your benefits are directly from God's full and open hand. But all in accordance to your deeds and merits. That's a healthy lifestyle, because it is custom fit to your soul and body.
But a person who makes no connection with the divine receives through the channels God has set up in nature. In the immediate, it may look good. In the long term, it can only cause harm.
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integrity
to me, integrity is between me and G-d only. (regardless of seeing other people doing unethical and/or illegal things, yet live long and be successful lives.)
maybe it's what earh person's conscience can live with?
(many years ago, i 'garage-saled' on the way to shul every saturday, religiously!!! one day i nearly ran over the rabbi's wife and a few of her kids because the 'garage sale' signs had my attention. that was a wake-up call for sure. and, more than that, was my old rabbi mentioning something that affected me, something about G-d will provide. i didn't really believe it at the time. well, it was torture at first, but since then, i KNOW G-d provides!! it's a great feeling!!
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we see in the Torah that even Pharoah in his enslavement of the Jews and the initial stages of the plagues appeared to be at least superficially successful. What appears to ourselves or even to others as "success" and "happiness" but without the spiritual component from doing the right thing and having it consistent with Hashems desires may indeed not be. Reply
Working with Two Opposite Worlds (RE: 'Integrity', Anonymous, Toronto,Canada)
Our nature, in this world operates according to the law to receive for self benefit. The nature/law of the spiritual world is to give to others.
We cannot change these laws. However, we can change the INENTION of our material nature - we can receive IN ORDER TO benefit others. Or at least not to harm others. Then we also have to remember not to distort the solution through our subjective lens! Material rewards are not the same as spiritual rewards.
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Integrity The points made by Mr. Freeman are valid and ideally that is how things should be. However, how does one expalin the successes of people who repeatedly act dishonestly/unethically. A member of my own family repeatedly acted illegaly and therefore unethicaly yet he was a very successful business man and he lived a long life. So his acts were not detrimental to his business. Please clarify. Reply
Boeing's recent debacle with the 737 Max is crystal-clear proof of the truth expressed by Rav Freeman.
Human Software Update Boeing's decision was a clear example where their decision was based on self-gain over care of others.
Boeing hoped the faulty, 'buggy' software would not manifest. They chose to make profit as soon as possible instead of delaying market date to adhere to customer safety integrity.
Boeing clearly put themselves before others and are paying the price in cost and integrity reputation.
To make the correct business decision we need to comply with G_d's Law:''
'Love your friend as yourself' - care of others above self-care, self-gratification.
Similar to the airplane that functions according to specific physical laws to maintain its integrity, we to need to comply with the Human Law of Interaction. Our 'Human System' has crashed and we need to prey for help in putting it together! Otherwise we too will be forced by crises and made to pay the price to make us a properly functioning interdependent system. We need to request a 'software' update too in order to fix our faulty connections!