In many ways THE KABBALAH OF MONEY is more about time management than it is about money. A theme that weaves its way through the book is that the optimal use of one's time is to devote it to study and learning - not just any studying, however, but the study of the Torah. In Jewish tradition, time is to be divided between study, work, and physiological needs (eating, sleeping, elimination, and leisure). All of our free time, once our work and physiological needs have been met should be devoted to study.

In this book, Rabbi Bonder brings together his knowledge of the working of the "marketplace" with Jewish ethical teachings, Talmudic Interpretations, teachings of the Hasidic Masters, Jewish Mysticism, and logical analysis. Here, marketplace is variously described as: a market of exchanges and interactions which represents "the infinite quantity of small and great businesses that take place in the universe at any given minute" and as a place where "each individual's fitness to survive is in accordance with his or her own perception of what survival is."

In keeping with the time theme, one of the problems to be faced has to do with devoting one's time to amassing wealth. In other words, how much is too much? Time that is spent with the objective of accumulating wealth (beyond that which meets our own needs and is beneficial to others) represents a two pronged loss. First of all, the creation of this type of wealth creates an offsetting scarcity. Secondly it involves wasting time that could, and should, be better spent in study. In contemporary terms, the accumulation of excess wealth is not ecologically sound.

Another area of discussion is the relationship of God to the marketplace. Rabbi Bonder states that "when a person prays only for material gains his pleas and efforts are wasted. This is because a curtain is brought down between himself and God as a result of material things having been brought into the domain of the spirit.

This book has had an impact on the way I conduct my life. Before reading it, my standard reaction to anyone asking for a handout was a knee-jerk reaction that he'll probably just use it to get drunk. After reading Bonder's section on dealing with beggars and how these dealings affect the marketplace, I came to 2 realizations:

1. So what if he does use it for drink. He probably needs the drink more than I need the dollar.

and

2. Who am I to judge anyway.

I highly recommend this book. In spite of its brevity it's not an easy read. I have barely touched the surface of a few of the concepts of what the dust jacket refers to as "a broad and ethical view of economic behavior including all forms of exchange and human interaction, from how we spend our money to how we fulfill our role as responsible human beings in a global ecological framework."

Our Immoral Soul: A Manifesto Of Spiritual Disobedience by Rabbi Nilton Bonder (leader of one of Brazil's largest Jewish congregations) is a fascinating and informative treatise about a special logic peculiar to the soul and the balance between the "immoral soul" and the "moral animal" of psychology and evolution. Rabbi Bonder received his training at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, and in Our Immoral Soul he adroitly tackles a range of relevant issues such as the many types of self and spiritual betrayal, to the essence of the self with insight, wisdom, and devoted learning. A compelling and persuasive treatise, Our Immoral Soul is a strongly recommended addition to Judaic Studies supplemental reading lists and reference collections.

How do you think and solve problems using a Jewish Kop, a Jewish head? This is the fourth translated book from the American trained, South American rabbi, Nilton Bonder, Brazilian media sweetheart and the author of The Kabbalah of Envy, The Kabbalah of Food, and the Kabbalah of Money. The title says it all. Using parables, tales, and Yiddish humor, Rabbi Bonder shows how to reach the hidden truths of problems by breaking decision making down into four levels: information; understanding; wisdom; and reverence. In reverence we learn from past mistakes. From his book we learn to question and reframe the problem to better solve it. I guess you can call it the Jewish version of "Thinking out of the Box." Bonder's study is based on the four dimensions of the Alter Rebbe (1745), namely finding that which is apparent in the apparent; that which is hidden in the apparent; that which is apparent in the hidden; and that which is hidden in the hidden. If I have confused you with the preceding sentence, let me add that it is filled with a great collection of short rabbinical stories that drive home the point of using your head.