Yechiel Michel Epstein

“ Section 1 Even though an individual cannot act as judge and litigants cannot rule for themselves, there are times when one may decide the application of the law for oneself. For example, if one should see his object in the hand of another, and it is clear that the other's intention is to steal it, damage it or otherwise refuse to return it, he can grab it away and does not have to hold himself back until he can file a complaint with the court. ”

“ However, if the dispute concerns a non tax issue from an individual of their city or concerns an individual of another city, the community cannot act on their own and must take the matter to a court. The individual is still required to give a deposit, because communal concerns usually drag on interminably as each one expects his fellow to follow up on the issue ("a pot with two cooks is neither hot nor cold") . If the community's conflict is with a Torah scholar the community does not have the status of 'a possessor', even in regards to tax issues. ”

“ If one is concerned that the possessor will abscond from justice, hide his valuables and claim inability to pay, or will not obey the court, he can seize other valuables as security, with the stipulation that they be returned at the direction of the court when the case is adjudicated. ”