Page 44 - HaMizrachi Australia Sukkot 5781

Timeless Wisdom

Sefer Bereishit and the Ethics of Technology

Michael Eisenberg

e live in turbulent for creating wealth and prosperity. But even more wealth without principle
times when the only what are the ethical principles that in Sodom and Gomorrah. In Bere-
constant is change. must guide this technology? Similarly, ishit 13:1, Avraham’s possessions are
WEpoch-defining tech- the commercialization of space travel described between the listing of Avra-
nologies and digitization are overturn- is a vast industry that may open up ham and Lot’s names, implying that
ing the economy, media, and culture, riches from mining, manufacturing, their different approaches to wealth
creating extraordinary wealth for and farming. Yet, the principles that came between them.
some while leaving others behind. At should govern this remarkable and
a time of exceptional flux, it is even aspirational development remain Avraham is a paragon of the proper
more important to literally start MiB- dangerously unclear. use of wealth, using his material bless-
ereishit, from the beginning, by exam- ings to call out in G-d’s name and care
ining the Torah’s original protagonists Sefer Bereishit is preoccupied with for those less fortunate in his midst.
and their fundamental principles. innovation, enterprise and the wealth He is a model for the affluent men and
it brings. Noach invents the plow women of our generation.
We are not the first to encounter a and winemaking, while Avraham,
technological change that is simultane- Yitzchak, and Yaakov are highly suc- Yitzchak was also wealthy but
ously productive and destructive. The cessful farmers and shepherds. The acquired his wealth by transitioning
Sages teach us that Noach invented Ibn Ezra, himself a poor man, sug- from the shepherding business of his
the plow, a transformational invention gests that Esav spurned the rights of father to agriculture. Times change.
that dramatically improved the lot of the first-born and sold it to Yaakov Industrial economies become technol-
mankind. The Torah tells us that Noah because Yitzchak was poor, leading ogy and digital economies, while pro-
waited 500 years to have children. We Esav to believe that his first-born fessions such as law and accounting
can almost hear the Thomas Malthus status was worthless. Responding become less valuable than computer
of his time or the New York Times of vehemently to this suggestion, the programming. Those who adapt to the
today saying, “Do not have children Ramban says Ibn Ezra was “blind” in new economic culture like Yaakov can
because there will not be enough food offering this interpretation. Yitzchak continue the family lineage, whereas
to feed them all!” However, Noach, the could not have been poor, for G-d’s those who ignore or reject change end
innovator, changed everything with blessing to our forefathers included up like Esav.
the plow, dramatically increasing the material wealth! As Ramban makes Though communities of faith are all
food supply and allowing humanity to clear, the value of financial success is
procreate in droves. “These three were ingrained in the book of Bereishit. challenged by change, change is con-
stant. Because it’s not unexpected,
the sons of Noach, and from these, the
whole world branched out.” (Bereishit At the same time, Bereishit is deeply we can, to some degree, plan to deal
9:19) concerned with the ethical princi- with it. Fortunately, Bereishit teaches
ples that must accompany business us that we can and should embrace
Along with great prosperity, Noach’s pursuits. When describing Avraham’s change by looking to our ancestors’
invention also brought decadence. move to Canaan, we are told that he timeless traditions and wisdom.
As the Torah warns throughout Sefer brings his nephew Lot along with
Devarim, prosperity can bring haugh- him. At this point in the story, all we
tiness and spiritual decline. So it was know about Lot is that he is an orphan.
during the time of Noach. The emer- Avraham was wealthy, but he used his
gence of the plow was not accompa- wealth to take responsibility for his
nied by principles that would clarify orphaned nephew. Moreover, by con-
the principled framework for its use. trasting Avraham and Lot after they
And so, the blessing of innovation was
A member of dimmed by unforeseen consequences. both became wealthier in Egypt, we Michael Eisenberg is Co-founder and Partner
the Mizrachi see that Avraham embarked on spir- at early-stage venture capital fund Aleph and
Speakers Bureau In our own time, innovations in Arti- itual pursuits without Lot, building author of The Tree of Life and Prosperity: 21st
mizrachi.org/ ficial Intelligence raise similar chal- altars and calling out in G-d’s name. Century Business Principles from the Book of
speakers lenges. AI opens up many possibilities Lot, on the other hand, pursued Genesis (Wicked Son).

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