10. Pidyon. One may give maaser money as pidyon to a Rebbe (שו"ת דברי שלום ח"ג או"ח סי' קל"א ), even if the Rebbe is wealthy, since he will presumably distribute it to the poor and needy. [And if the gabbai needs it, one may give him “kvittel gelt” from maaser].
11. Traveling to a tzaddik. If one had in mind when he designated his maaser that he would use it for travel expenses to get to a tzaddik and he has no other money, he may use it. In such a case, he must be sincerely going to get yiras Shomayim, grow in dveikus to Hashem, and fulfill the mitvza of visiting one’s rebbi (שו"ת בצל החכמה יו"ד ח"ד סי' קס"ג ). If he is only going because everyone else is, or primarily for another purpose, he may not use maaser money for his travel expenses.
12. Kivrei tzaddikim. One may not use maaser money to travel to kivrei tzadikim since that is not considered the mitzva of visiting one’s rebbi (שו"ת ב"ד של שלמה יו"ד סי' א' הלכתא פסיקתא אות י"א ).
