Gratitude for an act done with selfish motives
Hello Rabbi,
I remember that you previously said that one should be grateful for an act done out of selfish motives because other, non-egoistic motives are probably involved. I wanted to ask whether one should still be grateful in the case where the selfish motive is sufficient and necessary for performing the act, and the other motives are not sufficient and necessary for performing the act.
Best regards,
A complicated issue. It seems that in moral gratitude there is no obligation in such a situation. But in ontic gratitude there is. See my article that distinguishes between the two.
It should be added that if I have enjoyed you without your intention to enjoy me, there is sometimes a cause of action against me for the enjoyment (ka mashtarshi liya). In this sense, there can be a duty of gratitude that is actually the product of the enjoyment I derived from you, even if from another motive.
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