Memory of My Grandfather's Financial Wisdom

In the peace and quiet of his living room, my grandfather, Saba Yoseph Shimony OB'M, would sit alone each evening, surrounded by the rustle of pages and the methodical clicking of his calculator. A great businessman and a revered book publisher, he embodied a work ethic and dedication that is from a completely different era. As I reflect on his life and legacy, I am struck by the stark contrast between his daily ritual and the frenetic pace of today's business world.

Saba Yoseph's routine was a testament to his meticulous nature. After a day at work, he would walk home and delve into his financial books and journals, making handwritten entries with a precision that was both necessary and meditative. This was a time way before the digital age had streamlined such tasks, a time when every calculation and record was done manually. Despite the disadvantages of not having modern technology at his fingertips, he managed this with a stoic grace and unwavering focus.

I often think about the business disadvantages he faced, having to rely solely on his calculator and his own knowledge to manage his business's finances. Yet, there was a certain advantage in this simplicity. For 30 uninterrupted minutes each day, he reviewed his books and finances, a luxury that seems almost unfathomable for today's business owners. In our current age, where distractions are a constant—emails, texts, calls—it's rare to find a moment of undisturbed peace to reflect and plan.

The world my grandfather navigated was one where the pace of life allowed for such daily reflection. It was a time when the end of the workday meant truly stepping away from the office, not carrying it in your pocket or having it invade your home through a screen. His ability to sit with his thoughts and his ledgers, without the ping of a notification or the buzz of a phone, allowed him a clarity and purpose that drove his success.

Today's business owners are pulled in countless directions, often multitasking to the point of inefficiency. The constant connectivity, while a boon in many ways, also means that the boundaries between work and personal life have blurred. The idea of sitting down with a ledger and a pen, dedicating undivided attention to the financial health of one's business, seems quaint in a world where spreadsheets update in real time and financial reports are generated with the click of a button.

As we navigate the complexities of modern business, it's worth considering what we might learn from the practices of the past. Perhaps there is value in carving out a dedicated time for reflection, for stepping back from the digital onslaught to engage with our work in a more deliberate and thoughtful way. My Saba Yoseph may have operated in a different time, but the principles that guided his business—attention to detail, dedication, and a commitment to daily reflection—are timeless. I try to emulate

that as best I can.