Prosperity, Responsibility, and Economics in the Torah (Michael Eisenberg)
Episode Summary
Does the Torah mention wealth redistribution? What is the purpose of leaving the corners of your field unharvested? What economic system does the Torah advocate, and how would one live in accordance with it? Join us this week as Michael Eisenberg discusses these questions and more, covered his latest book, The Tree of Life and Prosperity.
Chapters
- 0:26Â Is the Torah capitalist or socialist? Or . . . ?
- 4:00Â Abraham and empowerment
- 5:40Â Genesis: prescriptive and descriptive
- 8:33Â Is “wealth” a bad word?
- 10:37Â Modern example: CEO of Salesforce
- 11:39Â Charity (tzedakah)
- 14:11Â Difference between Adam Smith and Torah
- 17:49Â Fruitfulness
- 22:40Â “Justice with no incarceration”
Transcript
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Michael Eisenberg is co-founder and General Partner at Aleph, an early stage venture capital fund with over $500 million under management. Michael has been a venture capitalist for twenty-five years. Aleph focuses on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands. Since its founding in 2013, Aleph has invested in more than forty companies, including Melio, Lemonade, Bringg, JoyTunes, Healthy.io, and Nexar.
Since 2006, Michael has been writing the blog Six Kids and a Full Time Job, on topics ranging from politics to technology, Judaism, and macroeconomics. Michael's books include The Vanishing Jew and The Tree of Life and Prosperity. He lectures frequently on venture capital, Israel, and entrepreneurship. He serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Yeshivat Har Etzion and is the chairman of The Shomer Hachadash. Michael lives in Jerusalem with his wife and eight children.
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