Hi
I got 100,000 points from chase for opening a credit card and using it. That’s equal to $1000 in cash back or more if used for travel.
I used it to book some tickets and hotels.
Do I need to give masser based on the cash back value ?
Or on the value of the hotels/flights which are more than $1000?
Thanks!
No need to give Maaser. If you sold them for cash, then you’d need to give.
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why, after all, in both cases, a person receives money as a gift and saves this amount? Thanks
In the case of the points, the person isn’t receiving money.
isn’t the fact that he saves money because of the bank’s gift called a gift? even if he cannot hold this money in his hands?
My understanding from the Rabbi is it needs to be money. There are many things that are worth money but we don’t give maaser on it. If I do someone a favor and they pay me with 10 tomatoes, I don’t give 1 tomato to Maaser. If I sold the tomatoes, I would have to give Maaser on the profit.
I remember asking a similar question about the points. The question I had asked was this: when giving money via credit card to Tzedaka, I earn points. If I’m using Tzedaka money, shouldn’t the points that I earn belong to Tzedaka? The answer was no.
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It’s tovat hanaa, but in our case it’s money, not points or tomato
I’m not sure I understand. In our case we’re also dealing with points.
So the money that is literally deposited into my account when I cash in the points has the status of points even once it becomes cash ?
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If you cash the points in for cash thats deposited into your bank account then you would need to give maaser.
If instead of cashing in the points for cash I choose to buy airline tickets and hotels and rental cars with the points do I need to give any masser?
No need
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yes, but I think in this case the bank calls it points, but for you it’s money. it’s not like giving a man tomatoes, even though he saves money. it’s like you borrow something from a shop on yom tov and don’t say the amount in money, but say you owe so many nuts so you don’t have to say the word money.
No Maaser required for points that were received because of payment of money. ie Chase or airlines don’t give you points till you pay the bill. (I’m not familiar with all point programs. )