Q. What is the halacha regarding using ma'aser money, or money from a generic pushke, for "fun" things, like a video, where the proceeds go to a tzedaka, or a Chinese Auction or dinner? Does it matter if you end up winning?
A. Poskim differ in opinion as to permitting buying raffle tickets or paying for a banquet meal offered by a charity. Some advise not to use maaser funds (Even Isroel 8,64); some consider it as borrowing from the funds. Rav M. Feinstein’s ZT”L (OCH 6-76), view is that it depends on the market value of the ticket. If few are sold and the price is significant, there is likely a market value and purchasing should be avoided. However if many tickets are sold and chances of wining are slim, then there is really no reselling market value and they could be purchased from maaser funds. If it turns out to be a winning ticket, then one is allowed to keep the gains, providing that he returns the money spent on the ticket and the added maaser on the value of the win to the institution that sold it. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that preferable one should contribute the wins to the organization that provided the raffle. If that is not an option, then a stipulated condition (tnai) should be made at the onset of giving maaser as follows: Any raffle ticket bought, if it is not a winning ticket, let it be accrued to the maaser funds expenditures, however, if it turns out to be a winning ticket, it should be considered as bought with personal funds.
As far as a banquet-meal tickets, the value of a similar meal as sold in a restaurant should be deducted and paid from ones own money, the rest is tzedaka and maaser funds can be used. (Emes Leyaakov Y’D n.134). The same would apply to a video.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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