PERSPECTIVE
Dissimulo Principale
By Joseph Lunani
The Jewish people have a unique approach to conducting events . This culture is a tradition handed down from their ancestors and has been adopted by the communities around them and beyond . It may be perceived as a rush or even disrespectful in some cultures , but they have good meaning reasons for this peculiar yet intriguing behavior .
When you attend a Jewish synagogue or fellowship you notice the order of events stands out - you may think it is jumbled up . But they just have perfected the art and character of “ dissimulo principale ” which is translated as keep the main thing the main thing .
From the days of the Old Testament their mass starts with the main thing which is giving praise then they go to the next main thing which is giving thanks ; now is when things become weird because this is the part , they also present their thanksgiving offering , repentance offerings among others . They strive to make their relationship with Jehovah right before anything else .
The sermon is a small part of their mass whereas this is the main thing in most of our mass and fellowship services . For them the main thing is the personal relationship and fellowship with Yahweh be restored and maintained . Any other thing takes a back seat .
Another event that they also run different are their weddings . The event starts with the wedding entourage going to the altar , everything is done swiftly and fast to wed the couple . The talk is brief and only what needs to be said is done at a bare minimum . The pomp and colour is served only after the bride and groom are joined in holy matrimony . It is their design that within the first ten minutes of the event the couple is joined . All else plays second fiddle . When the pomp starts the best food and wine is served first while the best entertainment is played in harmony . Curtain raisers come last and anything second grade or less is served last .
I was once privileged to be a part of a business negotiation team with Italian and Brazilian investors . Their approach is also different . They endeavour to know their partner to be inside out before any meaningful negotiations begin . They will only talk business when they have a good grasp that you are trustworthy , loyal , hardworking and have certain
“ To each individual person there is a purpose . Some find it early and go all out to greater heights pursuing it . Others dabble between passions , are on and off , sometimes failing to make any meaningful impact . We are all gifted and have a chance to sharpen our gifts and talents for that ultimate purpose .” values . They value family and faith so if those are qualities you espouse then it is easier to start negotiations . For them the most important thing before business is family , faith and trust .
In our world today family and faith sometimes are seen as distractions to business and growth . The late Steve Jobs and many other top entrepreneurs have admitted to putting their families in the back seat as they built their empires .
To each individual person there is a purpose . Some find it early and go all out to greater heights pursuing it . Others dabble between passions , are on and off , sometimes failing to make any meaningful impact . We are all gifted and have a chance to sharpen our gifts and talents for that ultimate purpose .
Our service is unto God and unto men . To serve them diligently and purpose to make a difference . This could be provision of invaluable service or impactful products that make life have meaning and balance the issues of life . A step further from this could be profitable and even make one acquire the whole world , but we all know where that ends .
Pick your main thing
Decisiveness is the differentiating factor in leaders . A decisive leader makes it easier for his lieutenants to focus on the steps of the call rather than dabble between options . Of all ideas you have for business , settle on one as the top priority . Not that any of the other ideas are not good ; settling on one as the main is the first step to gaining meaningful traction .
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MAL 47 / 22 ISSUE