Ki Seitzei

Towards the end of a long list of mitzvos, the parsha states אבן שלמה וצדק יהיה לך איפה שלמה וצדק יהיה לך, a perfect & honest stone shall you have, a perfect & honest measure shall you have. למען יאריכו ימיך על האדמה, so that your days shall be lengthened on the land.

Rashi says if you will do that then you will have much. 

Why is this mitzva so important that it promises ‎long life & financial success?

  

Chazal tell us that the first question one is asked at the final judgment is whether ‎or not he dealt honestly in business. The gemara tells us that someone who deals honestly in business is considered as if he kept the whole Torah.     

The Chafetz Chaim says that one shouldn't say that since everyone else is cheating in business, I can too. Rather, one should know that cheating in business is a lack of trust in Hashem. We know that Hashem sets what we're going to make over the year on Rosh Hashana.  Hashem definitely did not establish that the way you will earn your money is through cheating, so one who trusts that Hashem is in charge of his livelihood, will have no reason to try to get it dishonestly. 

Chazal tell us that for all other sins Hashem doesn't pay us back right away but waits until the measure of the sin is filled up. For one who deals with false measures, Hashem punishes right away. Why? Because Hashem works mida k'neged mida which means Hashem treats us as we treat others. Therefore, if one didn't measure properly & cheated people with measurements, Hashem won't deal with his measure the way He deals with other people by waiting to punish until the measure of sin is filled up. Rather, He will punish right away. Therefore, it says if you use the proper measures then you will have long life because Hashem will not rush to punish. 

The sefer Mordechai Avraham relates a story that many years ago in Bavel, there was a famine.  It hadn't rained in months; the whole country was dried out from thirst. The king, who knew that the Jews had the power of prayer, called the rabbis together & said if it doesn't rain in the next seven days, all the Jews have to leave the country. 

The rabbis made a day of fasting & prayer but the rains didn't come. It was approaching the seventh day & still no rain so they sent out a call around the town that everyone - men, women & children -  should come to the main shul. They would storm the heavens. Thousands of people came to pray to Hashem for rain so that they don't get expelled from their homes into the desert. After hours of prayer & no answer, the rabbi called out, “if there is anyone here that could save us & doesn't do it, great is his responsibility”. 

Suddenly, one man calls out, “wait for me” & runs out of the shul. This man was a simple man who sold vegetables. He ran to his store & brought his scale, put it on the table & called out, "Hashem, in the merit that all my life I was careful to use the correct weights & never cheated anyone & was careful never to take money that wasn't coming to me, in the merit that my hands are clean from thievery, have mercy on Your people. As he finished speaking, the heavens filled with clouds & the rains came. 

We see the power of honesty in business.  Even a simple man that is honest has the power to make miracles, for honesty shows that you have complete trust in Hashem that He will take care of you. ‎Perhaps this is why we are promised long life and financial success for being honest. It’s not just doing one mitzvah; it's the epitome of emuna; it's the rock solid trust that whatever you need‎ Hashem will take care of and that's equal to all the mitzvos.  If you are doing everything for Hashem, so of course Mida k'neged Mida He will do everything for you!