Question:
After my regular job each day I go to a second job where I am a Para for a special needs child. With this job I get paid by the hour. I work about 2 hours each day from 345-545.
She is entitled to more hours then i work and also she will get more benifits from these extra hours.
The mother of this child requests that I bill for more hours….
Can I bill for it and give to purely to tzedakah??
Thank you!!
Answer:
You are not allowed to bill the government for any extra hours more than what you worked. There are two problems with doing this, first of all it would be geneiva, and secondly it is lying. Giving the money to tzedakah will not help at all, because we are not allowed to steal in order to give money to tzedakah, in fact any money that is stolen has to be returned to the place it was stolen as part of the mitzvah of “vehioshiv es hagezeila”, and not give to tzedakah. Even if the extra money would not be coming to you, but would go to the parents of the child you would still not be allowed to submit such a claim. The reason is because it would be mesayeiya b’yidei ovdei aveiro”, assisting someone sinning.
H-shem should send everyone a Refuah Sheleima and enough parnossa for all their needs.
Sources:
CH:M 356-1.
