Continuing my conversation with Rabbi Rami Shapiro. How do you get people to look for the deeper, ethical insight in their beliefs? “I usually pull up all the stuff in the Bible that makes no sense, ethically. “A lot of people like to talk about Joshua at the battle of Jericho, where they knock the walls down, and there’s this great miracle...

Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya said: “To bring Truth to humankind, Reality creates Sages who carry it into the world. The Sages of Israel carry it as Torah. “To carry Torah into the world, The Sages ordain mitzvot: Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly…” Rabbi Rami Shapiro not only strives to live out this principle, but inspires others to do the...

John Podesta, transition co-chair for President-elect Obama, announced new ethics guidelines regarding lobbyists and the transition team. According to a report from The Fix, a political blog written by Chris Cillizza on washingtonpost.com, Podesta called the new ethics rules an example of “the most open and transparent transition in history.” “Podesta added,” Cillizza reported, “that members of the transition team will...

Last week, I told you about a reader and homeowner who had written describing how a couple of teenagers in their area had defaulted on their promise to cut the lawn of the property owner in a professional and reliable way. At one point, the homeowners were so disappointed they cancelled the service.  However, the teen returned and, without authorization,...

“When is it ethical to ask for pay for work not done, done poorly, and work not authorized?” That was a recent question sent to me by a reader.  Here are the specifics behind the question: “We are out-of-state homeowners that have hired teenagers on two occasions for shoveling snow and mowing. “In each case, the teenager did the work...

“The contractors are making a killing.  The lobbyists are getting their fees… Everybody is making money here — except us.” So said Army Space and Missile Defense engineer Michael Cantrell when speaking about his kickback scheme from vendors who do business with the government. The New York Times reported (Oct. 12) that Cantrell “…along with his deputy, Doug Ennis, had...

Drugstore giant CVS Caremark has an ethics policy that prevents gifts, travel or entertainment to executives.  The obvious purpose is to stop influence peddling. But CVS has found away around the rule:  “The CVS Caremark Charity Classic”… a golf tournament. The Wall Street Journal reported (Sept. 24) “Access to company decision-makers is a hallmark of the [tournament] which, this year...

Amid the anxiety and chaos on Wall Street today, I thought it would be interesting to revisit an old question. The following comes from a radio commentary delivered in October, 1997 by my own ethics teacher, Michael Josephson.   I believe it’s a message we need to remember in these difficult times. “‘Good ethics is good business.’  ‘Honesty is the best...

No, not that Mr. Smith, the other one, Gregory W. Smith, the former program director of the “royalty-in-kind program” at the Interior Department.   Gregory Smith is one of 19 officials (about one-third of the program’s staff) who accepted gratuities from oil companies including Chevron and Shell, while conducting official business. As the New York Times reported (Sept. 11), the Interior “…department’s...

“Let me be as clear as possible.  I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people’s families are off-limits, and people’s children are especially off-limits.  This shouldn’t be part of our politics.”  That’s what Senator Barack Obama said to a group of reporters when asked for his reaction to the news that the 17-year-old, unmarried daughter of vice-presidential candidate...