135- Righteous Take by Force

There are three manners in reception: 1) receiving charity, 2) receiving a gift, 3) receiving by force, meaning demanding because he deserves it.

1) In charity, one is ashamed when receiving charity, but a person demands although he is ashamed.

2) With a gift, it is not customary to ask for a present. Rather, a present is given without a demand from the receiver. Instead, it is customary to give gifts to those we love.

3) Demanding by force, meaning he is not ashamed to ask. Under which discernment can we categorize this? When demanding charity, we are ashamed. We also cannot attribute this to a gift because one does not ask for a gift.

Instead, when one comes to ask for something big, such that he does not aim for his own benefit, but for the sake of the giver, this is not a charity because it is not for his own sake. Hence, there is no shame here. It is also not like a present because it is not for his own sake. Therefore, he can ask and not be ashamed when receiving.

Hence, this is not similar to charity, which is why it is called “reception of the righteous,” who take by force, meaning like a debt that they deserve from the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations. This is the meaning of “Paying a debt is a commandment.”