Mussar sobre Isaías 24:16

But even if one’s garments are free of all filth and of sha’atnez, his prayers will not be accepted if any theft is involved.. Suppose, for example, that he makes his livelihood through fraud and deceit and then arrays himself with an elegant garment of which he is very proud. This is what the prophets refer to as a “swindler’s garment” — beged bogdim; (Yeshayahu 24:16). Every time he dons this garment in order to pray, he reawakens the memory of his sins and iniquities, causing his prayers to be cast to the demons. Woe to him and woe to his soul! This is the case even if his only sin was the failure to pay the tailor his due, if the latter did not press the issue but allowed him special terms against his will, or if he withheld his employee’s wages. For in all these cases he is guilty of theft. Moreover, the employee looks to him for survival. Heaven forbid that a person should withhold a worker’s wages or even pay him less than his due! For it is written, “Because the children of Israel are servants to Me, they are My servants!” (Vayikra 25:55). Therefore his punishment is very severe [as I have already explained at length in Chapter 14]. Just as the employer is commanded to pay his worker on time and in full, so is the worker commanded not to ruin the garment and not to take any of the materials for himself, even the leftovers. Rather he must return to the customer even the smallest quantities.