[Avodah] karas hatov? required??

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Harvey Benton asked:

> if one takes money/services (garbage collection, etc), from a 
> medina, is one required to have hakaras hatov??

I don't understand the question. Why would the hakaras hatov for this be any less than the hakaras hatov due to a shopkeeper from whom one purchases his milk and bread?

Regarding RHB's specific examples:

I would argue that I must have even more hakaras hatov about the garbage collection than to the milkman, because I am paying the milkman for the milk (leading one to incorrectly think that he is not due any gratitude beyond his cash payment), whereas the government collects the trash from all equally, without regard to how much taxes they've paid.

And if one actually takes money from the government, such as in the form of welfare, isn't that an even stronger argument? I really don't understand the question.

Akiva Miller


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