Earning Self-Respect: A Lesson from a Student and Friend

I have been teaching a Torah study class in Brentwood for over fourteen years. One of the students is Steve Fogel, a former President of Stephen Wise Temple, cofounder of Westwood Financial Corporation and the author of several books.

In Insights for a Happier Life, Fogel writes “Every time we break an agreement, we create upset for ourselves and others. The more we break agreements with other people, the less they trust us. Internally it works the same way: if we break agreements with ourselves, we lose self-trust, turning our intentions into hollow words. Essentially, keeping our agreements is about having integrity. Remember, that means keeping our word to ourselves as well as to others.”

Keeping our promises to others is a path to gaining their respect. Steve Fogel is offering a route to self respect.

— Rabbi David Woznica