[Avodah] Hilchos BINGO

[Micha Berger]

Someone posted on Areivim a link to suggestions put together by R Saul
Zucker and R ary Friedman for running a more affordable school. In the
list of small things that could be done immediately (among suggestions
that would be of more substantial help) was BINGO night.

To which R Chanoch Bloom asked on Wed, Jun 03, 2009 at 9:02am EDT:
: Isn't gambling (i.e. Bingo) assur according to the Maran Beit Yosef?

Moreso than the commmonplace Chinese Auction? Or buying a lottery
ticket? Or dreidl of kvitlach paid for money?

In any case, I thought the problem with a mesacheiq bequbios was only
WRT people who live of the winnings, not just the occasional entertainment.
So, I would like to see the BY, if you know of the precise mar'eh maqom.

RMF (IM EH 3:40, OC 4:35) does not forbid BINGO, and permits it if the
school needs funds. He does consider it inappropriate, and not permissable
to be held at the actual maqom Torah / tefillah, but not assur.

The Chinese Auction raises more money, although it can't be done as
frequently -- probably would raise less overall, I would guess. However,
from an AYH perspective, it creates an atmosphere that runs counter
to developing histapkus. (I get ads for those things and they generate
qinah in me...)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where
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