I interviewed Rabbi Daniel Lapin, author of Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money, for my Hypnotic Gold members the other day.

One of the most insightful things Daniel said is that the idea of “giving back” to society after you’ve made a lot money is insulting.

“You didn’t take anything!” he declares.

He totally encourages giving away money, to people or causes you support, but not in giving back money.

“Giving back” implies you took something and need to return it. In Daniel’s worldview, you earned it or created it, but you didn’t take it.

He’s very much in favor of giving away money, though. It’s a Biblical principle, and he as a famous Rabbi knows it, but he also knows it’s good business to give.

“In order to receive, you must first give,” he says.

Give away, but don’t give back.

His Thou Shall Prosper book is excellent. Get it from his site: www.rabbidaniellapin.com 

Ao Akua,

Joe
www.mrfire.com

PS — For help in attracting wealth — so you can give it away later — see our new subliminal manifestation DVD, “Attracting Wealth” at www.wealthmagnetdvd.com It’s becoming our #1 bestseller.

12 Comments

  1. November 27, 2007 at 6:13 am

    that’s a relief!! talk about money issues from childhood!

  2. November 27, 2007 at 1:01 pm

    That makes sense…I never thought of it that way.
    I received an email from Dan Kennedy recently talking about just giving things away, and what good business sense it makes.

  3. November 27, 2007 at 9:06 pm

    Great post Joe.

    I like the difference in the explanation between “giving back” and “giving away”.

    Looking at the two in that light really explains a lot!

  4. November 27, 2007 at 9:58 pm

    Great little tidbit of wisdom there! I’ve been doing the reverse of what would seem to make sense; the less I have, the more I’ve been giving away. The results are that I’ve attracted wonderful abundance in friends, money, happiness, and a whole lot more to be grateful for!

    Thanks for sharing Joe,

    Mike

  5. November 28, 2007 at 2:52 am

    dear Joe,

    Phenomenal! I totally agree on the Rabbi… Language should be used properly.. He is soooooo right! Some people mind think it’s just a word game, at least I had some people in my environment saying that.. And I always say; you might think it’s a wordgame, but infact when you start saying words you start pushing out energy.. If you say (or think) the ‘wrong’ words, you also put out the ‘wrong’ energy with them… It indeed not about giving back, my father and my grandfather always used to say to me; Always give more than you get… wether it’s money, attention, energy or what ever… It is always about Giving… And while writing this down, the sun breaks throught the clouds.. Isn’t that wonderful?

    Make Magic,
    With Love, Light & a Lot of Laughter
    Hil

  6. November 28, 2007 at 9:08 am

    Another interesting point of view is to simply be in the flow of giving…giving myself and others abundance and the the joy of receiving. Neither giving away nor giving back…simply, joyfully giving. 😉
    I love you ~ Mahalo!

  7. Tom Welsh-Reply
    November 28, 2007 at 2:06 pm

    I went over to the good rabbi’s website and clicked on “commentary.” There I found a most loving memoriam for Jerry Falwell. Racist, sexist, homophobic, warmongering Jerry Falwell, this “friend to all Americans…who walked with God and found grace in his eyes.”

    You OK with that, Joe?

  8. AJ-Reply
    November 28, 2007 at 4:19 pm

    I never did quite understand what “giving back” really meant and the Rabbi has cleared that up. Another term that makes no sense is “those less fortunate” which is thrown around a lot to make people feel guilty and to relieve them of their cash. One’s wealth or lack thereof has nothing to do with being “fortunate” but everything to do with thinking. However, most people will never understand this.

  9. November 28, 2007 at 8:37 pm

    Tom, the good rabbi is alllowed to say whatever he likes. It’s his commentary not mine. And remember, forgiveness takes you to the Divine.
    Blessings,
    joe

  10. Yolanda-Reply
    December 11, 2007 at 3:03 pm

    I agree 100% on giving. That is the best feeling in the world. Life is to short to be greedy, in one moment you can have and the next it can be takin away. Might aswell give it .:wink:

  11. December 13, 2007 at 9:54 am

    Giving from an abundant and overflowing heart is the key for me to giving. But also a major factor is receiving as well. They go hand and hand.
    I think Joe Vitale is great and looking forward to what he has out next. Thanks Joe

  12. December 14, 2007 at 2:16 pm

    Joe, though it may sound strange, one might define paradise as having the confidence and mindset to post a negative comment or opinion about oneself (like you did). You love what you do and it shows. Just like it shows in the picture of you with the Blackberry at the beach. Being happy, secure, and content in the life one leads is a true definition of Paradise.

    – Jeff

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