The CEO

This is a story of a CEO who was very wealthy.  He did not become wealthy on his own.  His father gave him all of the tools of his trade.  He was born knowing he would one day run the family business and inherited from his father a business model with proven success.  He was trained in the business model and practiced it well.  In fact, the company flourished under his leadership.

At a certain time during his tenure, certain employees of the company began to prod the CEO to enter into new businesses. The business model provided guidance for adapting to changes and new businesses.  The businesses suggested by these employees, however, were discouraged and, at times, even prohibited by the business model.  Although his father always instructed him not to deviate from the business model, the CEO’s ear turned toward employees who wanted to experiment with these proscribed businesses.  They even made their desired path sound appealing.  “Would it not be worth exploring new territory?  It would be exciting to see something different and gain from new experiences”, they incessantly pleaded.  In fact, the CEO thought, that he was limiting himself.  Why only follow his father’s business model?  Why should he just accept what his father taught him without deviation?

So the CEO began to invest in these prohibited businesses from assets that were accumulated under his tenure.  Once he started investing in the new businesses, he saw that they required more and more resources.  The employees that favored the new businesses had many arguments for the continued funding of their pet projects.  As time went on, even against his better judgment, the CEO directed more and more funding toward the new businesses until the company weakened to such an extent that it was at the verge of complete failure.

When the CEO realized that he had thrown aside all of the fruits of his success by deviating from his father’s business model and was about to lose all of the assets that had been accumulated over generations by his father and forefathers, he called a friend of his father that had worked at the company during its golden years for advice.

His father’s friend came to the company headquarters and saw immediately that everything was different and in disarray.  “What happened to the company that your family established over generations of effort?  What have you done?” said the friend. 

The CEO humbled himself, “I know.  I know.” he said.  “But it is too late.  I called for your help, but I truly don’t think that there is anything that can be done.  Perhaps you can help me determine how to wind-down the company and get rid of the remaining assets.”

“I thought that things were bad when I saw the condition of the company, but what you just said is very shocking to me” said the friend.  “When was the last time that you read the business model?  Don’t you remember that it says that if there is a time when you stray from the model and start to fail, go back to the business model no matter what assets are left, by doing so you will surely pick yourself up from your failings and return to success.”

“Thank you for the encouragement” said the CEO, “but it is too late, I am too far gone.”

“Don’t give up under any circumstances!” said the friend. “No matter how far you have strayed from the business model, if you return you will be able to bring the company back to its former glory.  Your father entrusted you with everything.  Do not think that it is too late to come back.  If you just decide to change for the better and make the effort, you are sure to be successful!”

With the friend’s encouragement, the CEO returned to the business model and returned the assets of the company to their previous levels, before they were squandered during his years of folly.

In the above story, the CEO represents a Jew in this World and his family, the Jewish people.  The father, is our Father in Heaven, and the business model is the Torah, that was given to the Jewish people only for their good and success in fulfilling their mission in this World.