You are at work and you open your phone to check one message. One. Suddenly you look up and you are not sure what year it is. We laugh because we have all been there. But Judaism teaches that even these small lapses in focus say something not just about our productivity, they can also touch on our integrity and responsibility.
Judaism has a rich body of guidance on business ethics for both employees and employers. For example, while an employee may have a ‘side hustle’, it cannot come at the expense of a full night’s rest in a way that impacts the quality of their work the next day. And employers, in turn, are obligated to ensure fairness and respect in the workplace.
We learn this from our forefather Jacob. When he reflects on the years he worked for his father in law, Laban, he describes how he gave everything he had, ‘bchol kochi’, heart and soul. He invested himself fully. His work ethic was an expression of character.
There is a powerful lesson here, beyond the workplace. As Jews, we feel the responsibility to make a difference, whether personally helping those we know are in need or supporting the organizations that sustain the many facets of Jewish life.
Jacob teaches us that when we choose to be involved, it is not enough to write a check once a year. We should approach it not as a ‘side hustle’ but with sincerity, energy and a sense of mission. We may contribute resources, skills, or both. Either way, we take the success of that cause personally, we are all-in, the same way we care for our own work and responsibilities.
That is how Jewish community life grows, through each of us showing up fully, with heart and soul, in whatever role we play.