Question:
I am selling a larger property and buying a smaller one. The difference in price I intend to distribute amoung my children. Can their ‘maaser’ be given to their children. Do I, as the seller, pay maaser on the price difference, minus Lawers fees, taxes., etc.
Thank you for your time and any opinion you might offer.
With great respect.
I am selling a larger property and buying a smaller one. The difference in price I intend to distribute among my children.
- Can their ‘maaser’ be given to their children.
- Do I, as the seller, pay maaser on the price difference, minus Lawyers fees, taxes., etc.
Thank you for your time and any opinion you might offer.
With great respect.
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
- A person is allowed to give his maaser money to his children, of course provided that they are eligible to receive tzedakah. In fact, if your children are in kollel etc. giving from your maser money is from the highest forms of tzedakah. First of all because it is supporting torah which is one of the highest forms of tzedakah, and because a person is supposed to give a priority to his relatives over other people.
- Maaser is given from the net profit of the deal. Meaning, that you will subtract the price you paid for the property, the price you paid to buy the smaller house, if there is a tax that must to be paid for selling a house (such as in Israel). Also included are the lawyer’s fees, and other mandatory expenses incurred in order to sell the house.
Best wishes
Sources:
ע’ בשו”ת שבט הלוי ח”ה סי’ קלג שכתב שמותר להחזיק את חתנו מכספי מעשר, וכ”כ בשו”ת חלקת יעקב יו”ד קלז וכתב שאף אם אינם לומדים מותר וכ”ש לבניו וחתניו הלומדים בכולל ומקבלים קצבתם בדחקות, דבר גדול הוא להחזיקם ממע”כ והוא בכלל המהנה נכסיו לת”ח אשר הפליגו חז”ל בגודל שכרו. ואם יש חשש שלא ירצו לקבל ממע”כ יתן להם בתורת מתנה. וכ”כ בשו”ת ציץ אליעזר ח”ט סי’ א פרק ד אות ג ו, וז’, וכן ע’ בשו”ע הרב הל’ ת”ת פ”א. ולענין כמה יכול לתת לקרוביו ע’ יו”ד ס’ רנ”ז -ט’ וש”ך שם ס”ק י”ט, הגהות הגר”א ס”ק י”ח, שו”ת ח”ס יו”ד ס’ רל”א, ומנחת צבי ח”ב ס’ ז’ אות ח’.
