Question:
I had recently asked a question but it had 2 parts so I am asking the 2nd part here.
I was advised on here due to a large unexpcted medical bill I have, I can use my maaser to help pay it off bc things are tight (and idk if i will get aid and my parents cannot afford it- i havent told them) but I need to put it in an envelope and only use it when needed.
I would use the maaser directly to pay off the bill. so, my next question was: I am a young woman in shidduchim, w friends bh, and I have only some savings (3k? For C"V emergencies) besides for what I have in my bank now which is not much and alone wouldnt cover the bill (1500). (my bill i owe was close to 3k. i am working very hard to not have to use that! I am a full time college student on break only now and finding work w my nursing school schedule during the semester is hard and scarce.
Therefore my question is: besides this bill, things come up. more appointments happen, shidduchim money needs come up too. While I want to pay off this debt asap w what I earn strictly it is hard to cut off my money for anything else. Aka OCCASIONAL clothes for shidduchim, rides to work, or ESPECIALLY if my friends ask to hang out somewhere (its very very embarrassing to say I may not be able to spend money to get even a silly ice cream bc i use my maaser to pay my debt so i really cant spend any money to hang out- its not right!)
Really what I am asking is, if I use my maaser to specifically pay the debt, can i even think to use the rest to ensure I have what to spend for rides to work -and while not all the time, to have spending money for shidduchim, or to not be embarrassed and get something small with friends and b a normal 23 yr old if asked to go somewhere)..? I want to do things by the book and I don't want to feel like if I am using money for those other things besides this bill, then I really shouldn't be using my maaser for the medical bill. What is correct?
Answer:
Hello,
The idea was, that even if you can’t afford to give maaser, it is still better to at least separate it, and then use it for yourself, when you need to. It doesn’t have to specifically be used to pay off this bill, but when you need the money, you can use it. I hope this clarifies things.
Regarding what you can spend money on, the idea is that a person who doesn’t have enough money for their basic expenses, is considered an oni. Buying occasional clothing needed for shidduchim is not a luxury, rather a necessity.
Regarding money for ice cream, if you need it, in order to save yourself from embarrassment, it would also be considered a necessity, however this is tricky, because we can’t consider buying yourself ice cream every day, hanging out, to be a necessity.
Best wishes
