Reb Yisrael Salanter would say, “Business ethics is the highest level possible. There is nothing greater.”
A student asked Reb Yisrael Salanter, “Rebbe, in your world view, which person is greater: a Torah student who studies eighteen hours a day or a store owner who does honest business, and only studies one hour each day?”
Reb Yisrael answered cleverly, “Surely the store owner who deals honestly in business is on a higher level. However, since he is on such a high level, it is a shame that he only learns for an hour a day. It would be appropriate for such a person to study Torah eighteen hours a day…”
