About the Author


Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir, Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem

Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir is Research Director at the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem (www.besr.org). He studied at Harvard, received a PhD in Economics from MIT, and rabbinic ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Prior to moving to Israel, he worked at the Council of Economic Advisers in the Reagan administration. Rabbi Dr. Meir is also a Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Jerusalem College of Technology and has published several articles on business, economics and Jewish law. He is the author of the two-volume, "Meaning in Mitzvot (Feldheim), and his Aish.com columns form the basis of the "Jewish Ethicist" book (ktav.com).


Animal Suffering: The Jewish View

Animals and people are kindred spirits, but far from equals.

The Jewish Ethicist: Giving Notice

Do I have any duty to stay on until my boss finds someone else?

The Jewish Ethicist: Sweet Revenge

Is bearing a grudge ever justified?

The Jewish Ethicist: Office Boredom

In my down time I do crosswords to keep my sanity. Do I have to tell my boss?

The Jewish Ethicist: Violent Sports

Some urges cannot be channeled and readily elevated.

The Jewish Ethicist: Judaism and Hunting

Jewish tradition has a poor regard for hunting as a pastime.

The Jewish Ethicist: Regulating Doctors' Fees

Public authorities are empowered to balance affordability and availability.

The Jewish Ethicist: You Need This

What was previously a luxury may become a necessity.

The Jewish Ethicist: Demanding a Raise

Do I have to give my employee a raise?

The Jewish Ethicist: Provocative Ads

We may be used to them, but provocative ads are spiritually harmful.

The Jewish Ethicist: Pharaoh's Tax

Taxes need to have both substantive and procedural fairness.

The Jewish Ethicist: Fair Tax

One principle of fair taxation is payment according to benefit.

The Jewish Ethicist: Job Loyalty: How Far?

A job is often more than a job.

The Jewish Ethicist: Tainted Money

Can a bank accept deposits from criminals?

The Jewish Ethicist: Supporting Dad

My father has a very low income, but owns a very large house. And he's disinheriting me. Am I obligated to support him?

The Jewish Ethicist: My Idol!

Spiritual danger arises when performance is given a status far beyond its marginal importance.

The Jewish Ethicist: Jewish Wisdom vs. Secular Knowledge

What's the difference between the two?

Work or Shirk?

A shirking partner must bear the consequences.

The Jewish Ethicist: Reuben Hood

Judaism commands the rich to help the poor, but doesn't condone the use of force or fraud.

The Jewish Ethicist: Unequal Partnership

A partnership is all for one and one for all.

The Jewish Ethicist: Stolen Merchandise

Jewish law forbids buying stolen goods.

The Jewish Ethicist: Tricking Web Users

Don't give interested customers the run-around.

The Jewish Ethicist: Double Dipping?

Insurance is only meant to cover a loss.

The Jewish Ethicist: Believe It or Not?

It is as forbidden to believe slanderous stories as it is to relate them.

The Jewish Ethicist: Friendly Recommendation

Don't cross the line between informing and promoting.

The Jewish Ethicist: Hiring Miring

How fair does fair consideration have to be?

The Jewish Ethicist: Bogus Job Interview

Don't ask for CVs if you already know whom you will hire.

The Jewish Ethicist: Without Permission

Can two wrongs make it right?

The Jewish Ethicist: Free Trial Period

Do I have to pay someone who did work as part of the interview process?

The Jewish Ethicist: The Angry Manager

Is anger an acceptable tool for a manager?

The Jewish Ethicist: Don't Hire Him!

Can I warn my neighbors about a problematic workman they're thinking of hiring?

The Jewish Ethicist: Fire When Ready?

What circumstances justify discharging a worker?

The Jewish Ethicist: Can I Quit?

You are not a slave to your job.

The Jewish Ethicist: When Parents Disagree

When it comes to honor and respect, the Torah gives equal status to father and mother.

The Jewish Ethicist: Product Safety

Consumer products should be safe for the variety of uses that can be expected of them.

The Jewish Ethicist: Paying on Time

All creditors need to paid on time, but workers especially.

The Jewish Ethicist: Immigration

Hospitality is the best policy – when it is possible.

The Jewish Ethicist: Making a Match

Helping singles find their soul mates is a worthy communal endeavor.

The Jewish Ethicist: Bankruptcy Part 3

The laws of the sabbatical year were an inspiration for modern bankruptcy law.

The Jewish Ethicist: Bankruptcy, Part 2

Debtors have to be left a minimal livelihood.

The Jewish Ethicist: Bankruptcy, Part 1

Is it ever proper to advise someone to declare bankruptcy?

The Jewish Ethicist: When In Doubt, Apologize

Sometimes it's good to apologize, even if offense was not taken.

The Jewish Ethicist: Safe at Work

Workers can't be expected to be in a constant state of vigilance.

The Jewish Ethicist: Perform, Then Pay, Part 2

Additional pitfalls to watch out for when using incentives in the workplace.

The Jewish Ethicist: Perform, Then Pay

Incentives can lead to better and fairer outcomes, but they involve many ethical pitfalls.

Jewish Ethicist: Talmudic Investment Advice

Prudent financial oversight is a religious ideal.

The Jewish Ethicist: Was this Stolen?

Good-faith purchasers shouldn't suffer monetary loss.

The Jewish Ethicist: Watch Your Mouth

Clean speech is good for your character and your workplace.

The Jewish Ethicist: Lender Responsibility

Lenders have an ethical responsibility not to put borrowers in an untenable situation.

The Jewish Ethicist: Mortgage Default

Sometimes walking away from your mortgage makes economic and ethical sense.

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