Question:
Hi,
I separate chomesh from my income. But I don’t know which types of things I can give the second 10% of my income.
Thanks in advance!
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
How fortunate you are that you can separate chomesh! The Vilna Gaon says (Keser Rosh) that a person who gives maser is guaranteed that he won’t lose out because of it, and one who separates chomesh is guaranteed to get rich. While it is controversial if one can give ma’aser money for mitzvos, such as supporting his teenage children, and paying for their tuition, it is permitted to use the chomesh money for it.
Additionally, a person can use chomesh money to pay for hiddur mitzva, something we cannot do with maaser money, (see Igros Moshe Y:D 3 -93).
As a side point it is interesting that the poskim say that if a person cannot give chomesh from all his income, he can still perform it on some of it!
Hashem should send you all the brachos that are written for a person who gives chomesh!
Sources:
Ahavas Chesed 2 chap 19-3, Bais Dino Shel Shlomo siman 1, B’orach tzedkah pg. 391 in the name of Horav C. Kanievsky shlit”a.
