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6 Month Business Ethics Course Syllabus for Lessons in Lessons 1-20Lesson 1Lesson Topic: Payment for Court Expenses Lesson Objective: This Shiur will deal with the subject of payments for court expenses. One who sued his colleague in court, won the case, and is now interested in obligating the loser to pay for court expenses. According to Jewish Law, can one obligate the one who was sued, and lost, in order to reimburse the claimant for expenses incurred – hiring a lawyer, travel, and others. The lesson will also deal with the question whether the claimant can obligate payment for aggravation. Furthermore, the lesson will deal with the din of a claimant who is aware that his claim does not have a valid basis, and his purpose is only to hassle the opposing party – can we obligate the bothersome claimant for expenses incurred by the winning sued party?
Lesson 2 Lesson Topic: The Right to Plead the Fifth and Remain Silent
Lesson Objective : One who sued his colleague in court, whereupon the defendant remained silent during the hearings and court proceedings, and did agree to give over his version. This silence is called in legal language “The right to remain silent”. Generally, the defendant reserves this right so as not to incriminate himself inadvertently. According to Jewish Law, can this conduct be used during a court proceeding? According to Din Torah, is the one who is being investigated, permitted to remain silent during the investigation? What is the view of the Jewish Law regarding silence of the opposing parties during their hearings in Jewish Court and outside of Jewish Court?
Lesson 3 Lesson Topic: Polygraph Scan (Truth Device) Lesson Objective: One sued his colleague in court. The defendant requested to be examined via a polygraph scan in order to prove integrity. How should the Jewish Court (Beis Din) relate to this scan? According to Jewish Law (Halacha) is there any validity in the results of this scan, in order to incriminate a party in judgment or to base any other effects?
Lesson 4 Lesson Topic: Medical Confidential InformationLesson Objective: According to Jewish Law is it permissible for a doctor to reveal medical details of one his patients to some other party when asked to do so for a specific purpose. This question also applies to a doctor who tends to review cases with internees and medical students as he makes his rounds in the wards in order to train them in medical practices. Is this considered as a violation of a patient’s medical ethics, or is this permissible. This lesson will also clarify in which circumstances and which conditions Jewish Law permits a doctor to reveal personal details of the medical condition of a patient.
Lesson 5 Lesson Topic: Damaging Public PropertyLesson Objective: One who damaged public property in his neighborhood. The vandal is summoned to court via the municipality, and claims that he cannot be obligated to pay, for this property was not privately owned, and it is not his obligation to reimburse anyone for it. Is his claim justified? What is the view of Jewish Law regarding damage to someone else’s or public property? Is the Torah stringent in this matter, and if yes, to what extent?
Lesson 6 Lesson Topic: Which Customer Gets First PreferenceLesson Objective: An argument has arisen between two customers regarding a single object found in the store. The first customer claims that the object is coming to him, for he was first to inquire with the salesman about it. However, the second customer, managed to precede the first, and bought the object. He claims that being as he already purchased, the object should remain his. According to Jewish Law, which party is justified? This lesson will also clarify whether the first customer who entered the store will win the right to obtain this object, or perhaps the party who is willing to pay a higher price for that desired purchase. Does a salesman’s preference of customers carry any weight in Jewish Law?
Lesson 7 Lesson Topic: Noise DisturbancesLesson Objective: A tenant in an apartment building tends to work with noisy tools in the vicinity of the building. The neighbors request that he should refrain from making noise between acceptable rest hours (2-4 p.m. or after 11 p.m.). However, the tenant refuses to stop, claiming that the noise is in his own home, and no one call tell him what to do in his own private domain. Is his claim justified? This lesson will also deal with several types of noises, and will clarify which noise is prohibited and which is permissible.
Lesson 8 Lesson Topic: Worker’s Hunger StrikeLesson Objective: A group of workers who are involved in bitter work arguments with the municipal authorities, request to begin a hunger strike in order to obtain better economic conditions – such as better salary, better work conditions, and in general to make the public aware of their crisis. In this lesson we shall try to clarify – is this hunger strike permitted by Jewish Law. Sometimes, the purpose of a hunger strike is to obtain certain ideological purposes. This lesson will deal with all matters pertaining to the subject of a hunger strike.
Lesson 9 Lesson Topic: Property Insurance, Pension and Life InsuranceLesson Objective: In a certain workplace, an argument has come up between two workers. One worker demands from his employee to receive pension plan rights, a monthly payment installment plan which will insure his social security pension plan. However, his colleague argues against this: “Don’t you have any belief in G-d? How are you insuring yourself and not putting your belief in G-d that He will provide you with all your needs in your old age?” Which side is justified? This lesson will also deal with life insurance, house insurance, car insurance etc. from the sources of our Sages z”l.
Lesson 10 Lesson Topic: Work PlaceLesson Objective: A person is looking for a job and is faced with several dilemmas. Although the position is very suitable for his capabilities and talents, however, there are several problems which may arise. Amongst them, a work place where he will have to at times desecrate Shabbos, a doctor who will have to take care of a dying man or he may not be able to put on Tefillin etc. How must one relate to these considerations?
Lesson 11 Lesson Topic: Firing Workers and Compensation PaymentsLesson Objective: A person who was working in a set work place for quite a while, was shocked to see a notice in his mailbox informing him that he is fired by his employer. The worker sued his employer in court on the basis that he was a dedicated worker for many years, and there is no justification for laying him off. His employer argues that this dismissal is due to various reasons and refuses to pay compensation payments. Is the employer’s behavior justified, regarding both the actual firing and the worker’s compensation payments?
Lesson 12
Lesson 13
Lesson 14 Lesson Topic: Interest of Verbal Communication Lesson Objective: One who took a loan from his friend, and after the borrower received the loan from the lender, the borrower thanked the lender kindly before he left. Was the borrower permitted to do so? It is well known that the prohibition of interest for a loan is from the Torah, but not all are aware that also words and actions which are done for the benefit of the lender are also prohibited, from the Torah and the Sages. This lesson with portray all the problems involved in this type of interest, known as “Interest of Verbal Communication”. *Note - Lessons 14 & 15 need to be taken together for 2 credits.
Lesson 15 Lesson Topic: Different Aspects of Interest loans Lesson Objective: In this lesson, we will discuss some problems of "ribis" that have become extremely commonplace in everyday life of our society. We will discuss problems of "ribis" that may arise when buying on credit, paying in monthly installments, as well as problems of "ribis" in connection with payment of linkage differentials as viewed by Jewish Law, and problems of "ribis" common among neighbors, etc.
Lesson 16 Lesson 17 Lesson Topic: Setting an Employee’s Salary Lesson Objective: At the end of a month’s work, an employee is in disagreement with his employer as to the amount of salary which is coming to him. When the boss does not agree to the employee’s conditions, the employee decides to continue working, albeit without much devotion and effort. This lesson deals with several other controversies which may arise between employer and employee. The lesson discusses how an employee’s salary should be set. Lesson 18 Lesson Topic: Fairness and Other Ethical Standards Lesson Objective: May an employer or an employee act as they please, disregarding all ethical standards and breaching all ethical boundaries? May an employee leave his workplace, and supply his employer's competitors with a list of customers? May an employer tempt away someone else's employee to work for him and leave his present employer? Lesson 19 Lesson Topic: Popular Questions on Matters of Stealing Lesson Objective: In a workplace, many questions arise on the issue of stealing. In many cases workers and employers are unsure if they are doing the right thing or if what they are doing is considered stealing. This lesson will discuss popular questions which come up in matters of business or other problems which are found in workplaces. Likewise will be brought the dealings and discussions of Rabbinical Authorities on these issues and questions. Lesson 20 Lesson Topic: Damage Issues Lesson Objective: In a workplace many times we come across questions of damage, and one of the major questions are – cigarette smoking. One of the workers wants to smoke, but it greatly disturbs others. According to Jewish Law, can he be held back from smoking at work? This lesson will also discuss problems which are connected to issues of stealing and which can come up in workplaces, and the dealings and discussions of Rabbinical Authorities on these issues and questions.
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