Aside from the prohibition of stealing, fraud in business dealings (ona’ah) carries the additional prohibition of Do not cheat one another (Vayikrah 25:14). The essence of ona’ah is this: It is forbidden to lie or to promote one’s merchandise for some quality that it does not possess, or to claim that it was purchased for a certain amount, or that someone else has already offered to buy it for a high price when that is not true. Worse yet is to cosmetically enhance the merchandise to make it look better than it really is, or to mix bad with good stock, and then put the good on top. Another example of cheating is to show one thing and deliver another. It goes without saying that if a man acts fraudulently in matters of weight, volume, and measure, he is called corrupt, despised, despicable, loathsome, and an abomination. The punishment for false weights and measures, in particular, is very great. One who acts in this manner will certainly not succeed in his endeavors and will only lose from it in this world, besides the punishment that awaits him in the World to Come.
In our sins, these laws have been forgotten by many people. They do not know what fraud is, and instead they think of these activities as normal effort and as being clever. However, it is the cause of financial collapse and of the cycle of poverty in the world. If we see a man who acts unfairly and yet his wealth remains intact, it is certainly wealth that remains with its owner only to his own detriment.
At the beginning of a man’s judgment after passing away he is asked: “Did you conduct your business with integrity?” (Shabbos 31a). The person who trusts in Hashem and conducts his business with integrity will be surrounded by the kindness of Hashem and Hashem’s blessing will bring him wealth. He certainly will not be lacking for bread, and his provisions will be attained in a permissible, satisfying, profitable, and honorable manner. Fortunate is he in this world, and good will be his lot in the World to Come!
In truth, the desire for money blinds even the most intelligent person and so he rationalizes doing forbidden activities. It is therefore imperative to bolster one’s mind in order to subdue his desire. One should not rely on his own judgment, but rather he should go to a sage who will teach him the correct path. He should then not veer at all from the sage’s instructions.
