All-<div class="gmail_quote"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><br>I recently received an e-mail from a local yeshiva I highly respect regarding their most recent fund raising project.<span> </span>In essence, the yeshiva is running a lottery wherein (numbers changed for simplicity) 200 people each pay-in $1,000.<span> </span>One person will win $100,000 and 40 others will win $2,000.<span> </span>The yeshiva will keep the rest. (In the actual case the yeshiva will be keeping between 22%-23%.)<span> </span>The e-mail also mentioned by way of reference that the funds for this lottery could come from one's ma-aser funds.<span> </span>For the purposes of this discussion I would like to assume that ma'aser kesafim is a hiyuv.<span> </span>A general discussion on the nature of such obligation (if any) is not my intent.<span> </span>My questions are as follows:</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">1.<span> </span>Primarily, can one allocate ma'aser funds for such a project?<span> If so, where do we draw the line in terms of percentages retained by the charity?<br>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><span>2. If not, must one always take into account the administration costs of charity (e.g. the 10% paid to the collector)?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Joseph Sasson<br>
<a href="mailto:sasson11@gmail.com" target="_blank">sasson11@gmail.com</a><br></span></font></div>
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