Supporting married kids

Question:

I have B”H married a few kids, my older ones are working and are just able to finish the month without help, so I help them for extra expenses, however my last daughter married a real learning boy, who learns all day in kollel, she works, but it’s impossible to live on that salary, I am giving them a monthly stipend to pay their rent and food, am I allowed to use it from ma’aser money?

Answer:

Thank you for your question.

You can definitely use ma’aser money for this. In fact, it is the best cause that you can give to. One of the main factors regarding who has a person should give their tzedakah /ma’aser money to, is the relationship that the needy person to the one giving the money. This is because our obligation is to help out those who are closest to us first. Therefore, a neighbor has priority over a person who lives in your city, and a person from your city has priority over a person from your country. Regarding this family comes first, and a person’s children (and parents) are at the very top of the list.

A second consideration is the cause of the tzedakah, giving money to a needy person, especially if it is also supporting torah is the worthiest cause there is.

So, by all means, support you daughter and son-in-law, and IY”H he will grow to be a big talmid chacham and you should have much nachas from them and all you children and grandchildren.

Sources:

שו”ע יו”ד סי’ רנא ס”ג ובש”ך ס”ק ד’, וסי’ רנא סט”ז.