Question:
There is an orphan in my community who I’ve grown close to. She’s a young girl who lost her mother and I got to know her while volunteering to do homework with her for an hour each night. She wanted to make a chart for homework and get a prize if she gets enough checks. I wanted to know if I would be allowed to use Maasar money to buy that prize for her?
I also wanted to know if I wanted to buy her a present to bring a smile to her face, if I was allowed to take this out of Maasar
Thanks
Answer:
Yes, to provide for an orphan could be taken from Maaser. These are not luxuries but rather things that the average child would receive from a parent.
Sources:
Aruch Hashulchan Y:D 249:17
