Ask The Rabbi

Two Tickets to Lotteryville

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Topic: 2 Lottery Tickets vs. Faith in God

Havah wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Hi. In a recent "Ask the Rabbi" you wrote "G-d can do anything, but G-d doesn't 'like' doing miracles very often. G-d made natural laws and wants us to follow these laws." I was told that Orthodox Jews are not allowed to put more than one ticket in a box at a Chinese auction (popular Israeli fund-raiser) or to buy more than one lottery ticket per week because it shows a lack of faith in G-d. What I quoted above from "Ask the Rabbi" seems to indicate that this is not true. How do I know if Hashem wants to prove to me the laws of statistics work or if I should be proving my faith by only putting one ticket in the box? Thanks.
PS I love this publication.


Dear Havah,

First of all, buying multiple tickets and winning the lottery doesn't prove the laws of statistics. Neither does buying one ticket and losing. Second of all, buying more than one lottery ticket does not show a lack of faith. However, it does seem a waste of money, unless the money goes to a good cause.


 
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