[Avodah] Torah Institutions = Tzeddakah?

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, November 14, 2007 6:41 pm, R Zev Sero wrote:
: The actual obligation of tzedaka on each person is very small: only
: a third of a shekel a year (YD 249:2).  Anything more than that is
: voluntary, and therefore can be given to other causes.

What about maaser kesofim?

Isn't this because the mechabeir holds (as articulated explicitly by
the Bach) that maaser kesafim is at most a minhag? And given his
omission altogether in a book that contains minhagei Yisrael, it would
be a minhag chasidus that happens to be the norm, not even subject to
minhag Yisrael kedin.

Since in these more affluent times, many poseqim (and English guide
writers) are chosheshim for the Shelah (ma'aser kesafim deOraisa) or
the Maharil (deRabbanan), I wonder if one can blindly rely on this
tiny shiur lemaaseh.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv