Clean Hands. Clear Conscience. True Brand.

Note: This post includes Hebrew and Jewish terms, both spiritual and legal. A glossary is available at the end for context and clarity.

When a Jew wakes up in the morning, before they even brush their teeth or check their phone, they say Modeh Ani, thanking G-d for returning their soul to them. Still groggy, still blinking the night out of their eyes, they reach for a cup of water and wash their hands. Netilat Yadayim. Then comes the blessing: Al netilat yadayim, the mitzvah of washing.

Why?

Because blessings can’t be said with dirty hands.

Because the day can’t begin on a lie.

Because no matter how busy, tired, or ambitious we are, there is no such thing as spiritual productivity without spiritual hygiene.

And it’s not just a halachic ritual.

It’s a business principle.

In Jewish law, clean hands refer to spiritual purity. But in business, and in courtrooms, unclean hands is a legal doctrine. You can’t seek justice when your own conduct is unjust. Fraud, deception, manipulation, these stain your soul and your brand. Charity given from corrupt dealings doesn’t purify the giver. And a business built with shady practices will never feel like a blessing. Even if it’s profitable.

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I just got off the phone with an old friend. Smart guy. Hustling hard to support his growing family, thank G-d. He reached out because he was feeling stuck. Business pressures. Deadlines. Alignment issues. He vented about how exhausted he was. How much pressure he’s under. And then came the obligatory, almost embarrassed, “Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.”

I told him what I always say when someone apologizes to me:

”Never apologize for something you didn’t do with malicious intent.” (He laughed, I could hear the weight come off his chest.)

But then I asked him to pause. To go deeper.

I said, “What’s really going on?”

And then it came pouring out.

So I shared something I’ve learned from Shaar HaBitachon, the Gate of Trust. It says that when your livelihood comes from G-d, it should come with menuchat hanefesh, with calm, with clarity, with positive energy.

If it’s bringing nothing but stress, dysfunction, and spiritual nausea, that’s not a parnassah problem. That’s a soul alignment problem.

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The Rebbe used to say that when someone came to him facing a serious issue, whether in health, livelihood, or family, the first step was not always a mystical answer or a sweeping solution. It was practical. Grounded. Direct.

Start with the mezuzah. Then the tefillin. Check if they’re kosher. If they’re properly affixed. If they’re spiritually intact.

And then, only after the basics checked out, he would often say: "Ask yourself: is there anyone you’ve hurt, even unintentionally? Anyone you owe an apology to, or just basic decency?"

Because sometimes, what blocks the blessing isn’t outside of us. It’s what’s been left unresolved within us.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then that inhale, that holy, unmistakable intake of air when someone realizes…“This might be about more than business.”

He asked: “But what do you do when you know something’s wrong, but you’re scared? Of losing your job. Your reputation. Your peace?”

I told him:

1. You’re struggling with bitachon, trusting that G-d is in the details, even in the pressure.

2. You’re not acting with Ahavat Yisrael, love of your fellow.

3. And though you might look the part, the suit, the yarmulke, the image, your brand as a Jew, your personal name, is suffering.

4. 
   

Because here’s the thing: You can’t build a lasting business on a rotting foundation.

Branding your name doesn’t make it valuable. Your name has to be valuable. It should stand for something that gives people peace of mind, not stomach ulcers.

That’s when he brought up something he was proud of. His company was pouring money into building more products under its private label to boost valuation. He asked what I thought.

I told him the truth: Packaging something in your label doesn’t create brand value. Brand value is the feeling your name evokes when someone sees it.

When I see Carlton Cold, an old Aussie beer, it makes me think of backyard barbecues, sizzling lamb chops, laughter with mates. I don’t drink it because of the logo, I drink it because of the feeling it brings back. That’s brand value.

If the company behind the label isn’t a good experience to work with. If trust is thin, follow-through is poor, or energy is off, then no matter how sleek the design, you’re just throwing dollars into deadweight.

You want people to love your brand? Then give them a reason to.

Not a font. A feeling.

If your employees are burnt out, if your vendors dread your calls, if your inbox is a graveyard of broken promises, that’s not “just business.” That’s misalignment. And misalignment spreads like mold.

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The Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya: the solution to any problem is found within the problem itself.

Toxic partners? Disrespected staff? Weird friction with suppliers or clients?

Those aren’t coincidences. They’re symptoms. Something is off. Spiritually, ethically, systemically. And the body of your business is sending you signals.

If there’s no malicious intent, then there's no need to apologize. But if damage is being done, then teshuva (return) is your only path to healing. Not just for the people you’ve hurt, but for yourself.

Some companies wonder why people stop calling back. Why key talent walks. Why their name no longer opens doors. It’s not always market forces. Sometimes, it’s what they’ve been unwilling to face.

And inaction? Inaction is never neutral. Torah tells us: If your enemy’s donkey is collapsing under a load, you’re obligated to help.

If that applies to a donkey…then what about all the asses getting kicked in your office?

The call ended, but the energy didn’t. He thanked me. Not out of politeness, but from the gut. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

Good.

That’s the point of Business of Soul. Not just helping companies scale, but helping humans inside those companies align.

Clean hands. Clean heart. Clean brand. That’s how blessing flows. That’s how you build something that doesn’t just last, but lifts.

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📘 Glossary

Modeh Ani – Morning prayer thanking G-d for returning the soul.

Netilat Yadayim – Ritual hand washing.

Al Netilat Yadayim – Blessing recited over hand washing.

Halachic – Pertaining to Jewish law.

Unclean Hands (Doctrine) – Legal principle: you can't seek justice if your own conduct is unjust.

Parnassah – Livelihood or income.

Menuchat HaNefesh – Restfulness of the soul; inner calm.

Shaar HaBitachon – "Gate of Trust" from Chovot HaLevavot, about trusting G-d.

The Rebbe – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of Chabad.

Kosher – Spiritually fit or proper.

Mezuzah – Scroll affixed to doorposts with Torah verses.

Tefillin – Leather boxes with Torah texts worn during prayer.

Teshuva – Repentance or return to one’s true path.

Ahavat Yisrael – Love of one’s fellow Jew.

Alter Rebbe – Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad.

Tanya – Foundational Chassidic text on spiritual struggle and divine service.

Ayin Hara – “Evil eye,” spiritual harm caused by jealousy or negative attention.