Q. Sometimes I do a commercial activity as a chessed. For a variety of reasons, I let the person I do it for know that 100% of the money they give me will go to tzeddakah (charity). Can we both count this as maiser money?

A. Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a pointed out that the person you do your commercial activity for, is obviously receiving a benefit and he is paying you for it. The only one contributing to Tzedakah is you, as you can do with that money as you please, not him. So only you can count it as “Maaser Money”. He would be considered though as a “Mesaayeah Lidvar Mitvah”, somebody who helps his fellow do a Mitzvah.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld