AZ
I did not say it was a bribe. A bribe however shares the same mechanism of a pidyon in that it is an implanted nature that a gift bends the heart of the recipient. This is why I mentioned the Gemorrahs.
And it is NOT given primarily for appreciation, it is always given BEFORE the Bracha, and must be so in order to be effective. The appreciation is a secondary intention. It is given in order to bend the heart of the Rebbe towards the recipient of the Brocha, to increase the intensity of the Brocha. The Rebbe himself wishes to have the pidyon so that it will help him give a better Brocha. This is well known, even great Rebbes, even Yaakov Avinu.
I am not attempting to argue with you, I don’t even know what your position is. I’m just bringing some useful information to whomever wishes to think about it.
Unfortunately, today we have been drowned in American values and think such a practice is lowly, or at the best, a matter of showing appreciation. It was something else entirely.