Community Authority to Impose Tax on Dissenting Individuals

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Mattersdorf

Description

A government levy prompted the Mattersdorf community to tax a specific type of business, approved by elected representatives after public notice, but two affected members dissented. The Chasam Sofer ruled in favor of the community on multiple grounds: absentees delegated authority to those who attended, the dissenter's personal stake disqualified his objection, and regional custom upholds majority rule in communal enactments. As a practical measure, he required a partial compromise with the dissenters, invoking the principle of doing what is upright and good and the requirement that communal enactments bear rabbinic endorsement.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer CM §116

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