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Maaser Kesafim

Question:

The Goldberg’s monthly expenses are $8000. This reflects $6500 of bare-bones essentials (utilities, tuition, basic food/household expenses etc) plus ~$1500 of “shalom-bayis” types of needs (slightly better and nicer food, recreational activities, clothing and home decor satisfaction). Their net salary is $5000 and they receive an additional $3000 from a wealthy family member.

  1. What is their obligation of maaser? Since their salary does not even cover their basic needs, maybe they’re not obligated at all? Or maybe, because they have extra help and can now pay for even non-essentials, they are obligated? Or, are those extras also considered essentials because shalom bayis is so important and therefore they’re exempt?
  2. Also, would the fact that the family support is being given specifically for expenses and not for charitable distribution thus make it even inappropriate to give? What is their obligation?

Answer:

 

  1. According to what you are describing, even without getting into the issue if their “shalom bayis money” will make them be considered “rich”, since they don’t make enough income even for their basic expenses, therefore they are permitted to receive tzedakah. Regarding the fact that they receive more money than for their basic essentials, they are still not considered rich, since the money is needed for items that are important. (The terminology that you are using “slightly better and nicer food, recreational activities, clothing and home decor satisfaction” is not clear, and can have different levels, but basically it sounds like this would still be considered as needs and not luxuries.) Regarding if a poor person has to give tzedakah, according to most poskim he doesn’t, however he should not totally abstain from giving tzedakah, and he should still give something.
  2. The fact that he is receiving support from his family, it is doubtful that they specifically stipulated that the money is still considered theirs, and it is not to be used for tzedakah. (Otherwise they might have to give back any extra money, that wasn’t used for the specific need that it was given for, which I doubt is the case). Therefore it would not be inappropriate for them to give, however as stated tey ae not obligated.

Sources:

Teshvos V’hanhagos 1-560(2), Shevet Halevi 2-120, Borach Tzedakah 3-4 ftnt 10, 3-5, 5-2 ftnt.5, 5-16.

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