HONESTY IN THE MARKETPLACE
The prohibition against stealing is the eighth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) and is interpreted by several of the classic Jewish commentaries to include every kind of dishonesty and deception (e.g., Sforno and ibn Ezra). One ancient commentary (Targum Yonathan) translates this commandment to include being a partner or friend of unscrupulous individuals. It is also stated in Leviticus (19:11-13): "Do not steal, do not deny falsely, and do not lie to one another. Do not swear falsely by My name…Do not cheat your fellow and you shall not rob." Any type of deceptive act or practice, including deceptive advertisements and deceptive packaging, would also be a violation of the Biblical principle (Exodus 23:7), "Distance yourself from a false matter." Moreover, the Torah’s injunction against "placing a stumbling block before the blind" (Leviticus 19:14) is interpreted by the Talmud and Midrash to include proffering bad advice to unsuspecting people or causing others to sin (Sifra Leviticus 35; T. Bava Metzia 75b). Thus, Jewish law would consider deceptive advertising and misleading labeling as placing a stumbling block before the blind and a violation of Torah law. Even the advertising agency that created the deceptive advertisement would be guilty of transgressing this law.
The Impact of Jewish Values on Marketing and Business Practices--http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/impactjewish.html
(16) Do not deal basely with your countrymen. Do not profit by the blood of your fellow: I am the LORD.
(ח) ודרשו השופטים היטב. ולהלן הוא אומר ודרשת וחקרת ושאלת היטב. "היטב" "היטב" לגזרה שוה, מלמד שבודקין אותו בשבע חקירות. בדיקות מנין, תלמוד לומר והנה אמת נכון הדבר.
(ט) מנין שהעד עושה עצמו שקר? תלמוד לומר והנה עד שקר העד.
(8) (Devarim 19:18) "And the judges shall inquire well. And elsewhere, (Ibid. 13:15) "And you shall inquire, and you shall search out, and you shall ask well," and elsewhere (Ibid. 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you shall search it out well" — "well" - "well," for an identity (gezeirah shavah ). We are hereby taught that he is subject to seven inquiries (chakiroth, cross-examinations). Whence is it derived that there are also bedikoth ("examinations," factual review)? From (Ibid.) "and, behold, true and correct is the thing." Whence is it derived (that through his testimony) he is branded as "false"? From (Ibid. 19:18) "and, behold, a false witness is the witness."
(9) Whence is it derived that (through his testimony) he brands his neighbor (witness) as "false"? From (Ibid.) "'false' has he testified against his brother."
Sifrei Devarim is a legal midrash on the Book of Deuteronomy.
(ה) אֶחָד הַמְסַפֵּר בְּלָשׁוֹן הָרַע בִּפְנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו, וְהַמְסַפֵּר דְּבָרִים שֶׁגּוֹרְמִים אִם נִשְׁמְעוּ אִישׁ מִפִּי אִישׁ לְהַזִּיק חֲבֵרוֹ בְּגוּפוֹ אוֹ בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לְהָצֵר לוֹ אוֹ לְהַפְחִידוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וְאִם נֶאֶמְרוּ דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּבָר נִשְׁמַע הַדָּבָר וְנוֹדַע. וְאִם סִפֵּר הַדָּבָר אֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר הַקּוֹל וּלְגַלּוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר:
(5) Regardless of whether the slander is spoken in the presence of his fellow, or in his absence, or if the slander spread from mouth to mouth cause harm to his fellow, to his body, or property, even to cause him anguish, or fear to his soul, behold this is the iniquity of an evil tongue. If such evil be spoken in the presence of three persons, the matter is thereby considered public. Thus, if one of the three who heard it repeat it to others no sin of an evil tongue is found therein, provided that in re-telling it he had no intention to spread the rumor and advertise it still more.
The incident of the binding of Yitzchak was designed to demonstrate the extent of Avraham’s reverence for G’d as well as his love for G’d. Love is something which can exist on three levels:
1) Someone loves his king and because he loves him he tells others about the king’s virtues and his accomplishments. Such a tribute to his king does not involve the one who extols the king’s virtues in any sacrifice. It does not cost him a penny to tell others complimentary things about his king.
2) Love on a higher level is someone who spends a great deal of his own money to make his king popular; however, even he draws the line at laying down his life on behalf of that king.
3) This subject not only tells the world about the greatness of his king and spends all his money advertising this fact, but he is also prepared to lay down his own life on behalf of his king.
§ The Gemara relates another story about the righteousness of common people. Rabbi Beroka Ḥoza’a was often found in the market of Bei Lefet, and Elijah the Prophet would often appear to him. Once Rabbi Beroka said to Elijah: Of all the people who come here, is there anyone in this market worthy of the World-to-Come? He said to him: No. In the meantime, Rabbi Beroka saw a man who was wearing black shoes, contrary to Jewish custom, and who did not place the sky-blue, dyed thread of ritual fringes on his garment. Elijah said to Rabbi Beroka: That man is worthy of the World-to-Come. Rabbi Beroka ran after the man and said to him: What is your occupation? The man said to him: Go away now, as I have no time, but come back tomorrow and we will talk. The next day, Rabbi Beroka arrived and again said to him: What is your occupation? The man said to him: I am a prison guard [zandukana], and I imprison the men separately and the women separately, and I place my bed between them so that they will not come to transgression. When I see a Jewish woman upon whom gentiles have set their eyes, I risk my life to save her. One day, there was a betrothed young woman among us, upon whom the gentiles had set their eyes. I took dregs [durdayya] of red wine and threw them on the lower part of her dress, and I said: She is menstruating [dastana], so that they would leave her alone. Rabbi Beroka said to him: What is the reason that you do not have threads of ritual fringes, and why do you wear black shoes? The man said to him: Since I come and go among gentiles, I dress this way so that they will not know that I am a Jew. When they issue a decree, I inform the Sages, and they pray for mercy and annul the decree. Rabbi Beroka further inquired: And what is the reason that when I said to you: What is your occupation, you said to me: Go away now but come tomorrow? The man said to him: At that moment, they had just issued a decree, and I said to myself: First I must go and inform the Sages, so that they will pray for mercy over this matter. In the meantime, two brothers came to the marketplace. Elijah said to Rabbi Beroka: These two also have a share in the World-to-Come. Rabbi Beroka went over to the men and said to them: What is your occupation? They said to him: We are jesters, and we cheer up the depressed. Alternatively, when we see two people who have a quarrel between them, we strive to make peace. It is said that for this behavior one enjoys the profits of his actions in this world, and yet his reward is not diminished in the World-to-Come.
(18) When He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Pact, stone tablets inscribed with the finger of God.