Question:
1)Currently I don’t have any source of income, besides my Kollel check, and I am living off my savings (which I was planning on using to help buy an apartment- when i can afford it). The savings is from money that was put into a mutual fund by my grandfather many years ago – when I pull money out of the mutual fund- do I or should I give maaser on it?
2)assuming yes- should I give 20% – as I saw from R Chaim Velozhin that it is a sure way to make money (and I believe it is a good hishtadlus for me as I have seen it work for others)?
3) can I or should I also give maaser from money that I receive from tzedaka?
4)may I also give 20% from money I receive from tzedaka?
Answer:
- From what you are writing it sounds like you are not obligated to give maser because you don’t have enough income, and the savings is needed. You should however give some money to tzedakah each year.
- If you want you can give either maser or a chomesh 20%, but this is up to you, if you want to do this. The same would be regarding the money that you receive from tzedakah. It might be a wise idea, but on the other hand you have to make sure that you are not pressing yourself too much.
- Essentially you don’t have to give maser from money that you received from tzedakah, but again you can if you want to.
Best Wishes and H-shem should send all the parnassa that you need, so you should be able to learn and become a big talmid chacham.
