I did a Yeshiva Bein Hazmanim program which instead of money, they give you a certain set of sforim.
They guy in charge said he owed me one more of the set (the one I was missing..) and that I should check in with him again. I did a couple months later and he told me, “Sure there’s the sefer in so and so place, just take one.” When I went to check, there wasn’t the one I needed. I didn’t go back to him to tell him it was missing and I am still owed that sefer because I felt uncomfortable (I always do when it comes to asking for something.)
It’s 7 years later and I think about that one sefer all the time… Instead of asking him for it, you think I would be able to buy one with maaiser money? Since he got the seforim with maaiser money to give out?
Thanks,
Answer:
You cannot use maaser money to buy the sefer, because it is the guy in charge, and not maaser, who owes you the book.
The fact that he used maaser money to pay for the books is his issue, but this doesn’t permit you do use your own maaser contributions (which must be given to the poor or to other qualified causes) for the book.
Best wishes.
