The inspiration for Real Economics came to David Moroz on January 20th, 2025, while reading “Lessons in Tanya,” a commentary on the "Tanya" written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. The Tanya is the central text of the Orthodox Jewish community known as “Chabad,” the community of which David is proudly a part of.

The following is the excerpt from “Lessons In Tanya” which sparked the idea for Real Economics: 

“The term ‘truth’ refers to something immutable; the temporary and passing are not considered ‘true.’” - Lessons In Tanya, Volume 1, Chapter 13

True means continuous. A synonym for true is real. Therefore an economics of continuity, aka an economics of truth, could simply be referred to as real economics. David asked himself, "continuity.. but how?" The answer was right in front of him: Charity. A primary principle and a main topic of the Tanya and of Orthodox Judaism as a whole, is charity.

In other words, continuity of the economy through the contribution of wealth back to that very economy (namely the environment and humanity), contributing not only to the continuity of its wealth, but also to the increase in the quantity and quality of that wealth. 

Simply put, as derived from the above quoted statement in the Tanya, the word true is that which is continuous and does not dissipate. The word true is synonymous with the word real, and thus Real Economics was born. According to its source, Real Economics is simply True Economics.

Concisely put, Real Economics is a system of continuity by contribution through charity; with continuity, contribution, and charity being fundamental tenets of the Torah.

To be real can simply be defined as to be existing. Yet, temporary existence is eventually not going to be existing at all and therefore can not be said to be existing, or real, in the fullest sense.

While nothing can truly be infinitely continuous unless the Infinite One (a primary name of G-d in the Torah) desires it to be, we can all try, and it's the intention and effort that counts. 

As to how to obtain G-d’s desire to obtain eternal existence along with Him, this is not the article for it, as it is a lengthy exposition on its own, and involves more of a spiritual mystical discussion rather than a physical, economic one. In the future, G-d may provide a certain technology that would wipe away scarcity, or He may simply will abundance into play. Until then, according to the Torah, G-d wants us not to do with what we don’t have, but to make do with what we do, and to live with the times.

A truly everlasting economy, beyond all parameters, has no place when speaking in terms of a finite world, finite resources, and as history has shown before, finite civilizations. So to make it clear, we're not speaking here of a real economy in the sense of an everlasting one, but rather in the sense of one that does what it’s able to, to be everlasting within the parameters given to it. Meaning, if the earth and its parameters permit a civilization to last for 100 million years, but because of poor economic decisions, that civilization only lasted for 100 thousand years, then it wasn’t a real economy according to its parameters.

What lasts as long as its parameters allow it to, can be considered real in the complete sense. For example, if two people are standing in front of a tree and one says to the other, “don't ever uproot this tree,” that would only be possible as long as the tree is not uprooted by some other means, such as a storm. If it is uprooted, the parameters of the command not to “ever” uproot the tree ceases to exist for that person. Yet, because the person kept to the command while those parameters were in play (while the tree was standing) it can be said that he truly, really kept the command. 

Now that this matter has been clarified, it should be noted that, generally speaking, wherever the terms Real Economics or a real economy are mentioned, they are referring to a continuity within a set of parameters, and not in the sense of everlasting continuity.

Another way of relating the realness of something to its continuity is as follows:

An economy, like a human, is simply meant to be what it is. A bomb for example is not meant to be what it is, but actually meant to explode, destroy itself, and seize being a bomb. Just as a bomb that doesn’t explode is not really a bomb, so too, in the opposite direction, an economy that does not continue to be an economy because of itself, and within the parameters given it, is not a real economy. If an economy is simply meant to be an economy, then an economy that eliminates itself is simply not a real economy. An economy that continues on, within its given parameters, is a real economy.

There has been a long asked question in both economics and environmental studies: what is sustainability, the hallmark of a good economy and a good environment? It’s actually self-explanatory. Sustainability is defined as the ability to sustain, meaning to continue on. Likewise, a real economy, can be defined as one that is continuous, or sustainable. Real Economics therefore, by definition, is sustainable economics.