Jewish raffles | Imamother

amother

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 7:54 am

have you ever won any? How many tickets did you put in? did you think you were going to win?

amother

Chocolate

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:00 am

You mean Chinese auctions? Yes BH I win often. I spend a lot, on different auctions. I usually win several prizes a year.

Over the years won trips, gift cards (3000, 1200, etc) restaurant vouchers, etc etc

PinkFridge

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:18 am

I only put in one per item I bid on. The hashgacha pratis necessary for me to win isn't going to be tremendously decreased for each ticket.
I did win packages. Twice. 2 different raffles.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:18 am

I've won a few times in small ones, once in a larger (not large) one (GPS in a mid-size community school). I only put in 1 ticket in an item because that is my hishtadlus to give a "vehicle" to win if Hashem has destined it for me.

PinkFridge

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:21 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

You said it better than I Wink

flowerpower

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:25 am

In only put in one ticket per raffle. I never win. I am fine with it. I give for the tzedaka.

amother

Cerise

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:47 am

I've won one Chinese Auction raffle in HS that was basically just open to the HS students and to who we advertised to. (Maybe like between 50-300 people entered for each prize.)

I also won 3 Instagram "raffles".

I just entered the NERC raffle and really wouldn't mind winning something there.

I used to be convinced every year that I'll win from OORAH, RCCS, etc but haven't as of yet.
I don't usually enter unless I either know the person running it, am familiar with the organization, or think I have an actual chance at winning.
I see it as playing the lottery while giving to a cause.

amother

Mauve

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 8:53 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Maybe buying more tickets is considered making a greater hishtadlus just like with anything else that we put a bigger effort into something we say we have a better chance. Studying for a test, pursuing a better degree to make more money, working longer hours ,meeting many shadchanim, we always say the more the merrier.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 5:58 pm

Not sure who "we" is who "always" says that Smile

But that's the basic dilemma one always has about balancing hishtadlus and bitachon. The cap someone needs to do hishtadlus at varies based on their inner beliefs. There is no one size formula.

I learned that while it's true that certain professions generally yield to more parnassa, it's because it's giving a bigger "receptacle" for what is destined to you to fall into. If you are catching more than you really were destined, you may end up having a "hole" with it leaking somewhere else. If you have too small a vessel for the parnassa to come in (you're a teacher making $18K instead of a doctor making $200K), depending on your kavanos, you may be converting the excess that you can't receive into schar in olam haba. Very esoteric concepts that I don't know the answers to, just this basic mashal.

That being said, I am of strong emunah that Chinese auctions seem to be extra and not my normal hishtadlus and I don't have to enter at all. If there is something I feel could be useful and I want to give tzedaka anyway, I will put in one ticket, and if I did happen to be destined to win it, that's enough. I have many losses as well. I obviously didn't need X item at the time, or someone else needed it more.

(I actually won once where I didn't put in; they had mixed up the bowls of tickets. I corrected them because I didn't want that; I wanted what I did enter in for Smile

)

amother

Burlywood

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 6:05 pm

I had never entered into any of these raffles before, but my sil was selling tickets so I bought some through her. I figured at the end of the day it's tzedaka, and I was mindful to only put in for some things I really would be happy to win.

Fast forward a couple weeks later, I get a call that my family (my husband and I with our kids) won a free trip to Israel! So off we went last summer on a two-week family trip (they gave us some money towards accommodations but it was really the tickets that was the huge part)!

To answer your questions: I don't know how many tickets I put in, I probably spent around $150 on tickets. I did not think I was going to win, I chose and paid for the tickets and forgot about it until I got the phone call with the org's name on the caller ID.

amother

Chocolate

Tue, Nov 26 2019, 6:06 pm

BH I won another auction today! Nothing too exciting ($250 value) but a win is a win!

Ruchel

Wed, Nov 27 2019, 3:02 am

A gorgeous necklace we keep for our girls bm bh