IOW, buying goods and services in the community — even when “overspending” on “lavish” items *reduces* the need for tzedaka and makes us better off financially.
Wolf:
But when Tzedaka is required to PAY for the overspending of others, because people feel they can’t make anything less, that goes way beyond the line.
I have no problem with the G’vir who gives Chomesh, pays full tuition and wants to make a nice, even somewhat “lavish” but not ostentatious/showy simcha.
The bigger problem is when the guy who doesn’t pay full tuition, and is not a big Baal Tzedoka, feels he also “needs” to make a “nicer” simcha (or support his children, or buy them an apartment) and needs to collect Tzedaka to do so. He can and SHOULD do with much less, if anything.