Question: I have ma’aser that I owe but I don’t have extra cash now to give. I’m doing volunteer work for a Kollel. Can I calculate the money I would… Read more »
Category: Tzdakah and maaser
Annual Expenses Included in 200 zuz (tzedakah recepients)
Question: What expenses are included in the calculation to determine if a person has sufficient funds or ability to generate funds, to cover expenses for the year? Is it minimum… Read more »
Am I allowed to reinvest interest/dividend income?
Question: Hi. I understand that in giving tzdaka in the form of ma’aser any profits I have from investments held are subject to ma’aser. I have investments in funds that… Read more »
Maaser for money given to buy a specific thing and maaser to one’s children
Question: I was given money by someone to buy a specific thing for my child, do I need to give maaser from this money? I’ve given maaser for years from… Read more »
Busker tzedakah
Question: Should one treat a busker (a street musician) like any other request for tzedakah, or is it a pay what you feel performance? Answer: No one is obligated to… Read more »
zdaka on Shabbos
Question: Can a person give zdaka on Shabbos? or at least touch the money Answer: Your question doesn’t sound right, because money is muktza on Shabbos. If you would like,… Read more »
Maaser for torah vaad
Question: I am attending a Mussar Vaad which costs $560 for the year (I’m a female) I’d like to take a course on Emunah which costs $100 for one time… Read more »
Tzedekah;
Question: My father’s yurzheit is coming up on a yom tov (and there is competitive bidding) and I reserve money to possibly purchase an aliyah. But someone called me in… Read more »
Ma’aser
Question: My daughter got engaged and I said to her that I would pay for her Chatan’s guests at the wedding because his parents are in financial difficulty. Can I… Read more »
Tzedekah;
Question: A poor person needs tzedekah. Can I donate an amount to him knowing that the money given to him will be through some tzedekah agency, from which i will… Read more »
Beginning to give ma’aser- Do I have to give retroactively?
Question: At the recommendation of others and a few years after having become frum, I’ve decided that I would like to give tzdaka in the format of ma’aser. My question… Read more »
Can one ever NOT give a poor person money when he asks?
Question: Whenever i daven in the shtibel here, there are always alot of beggars that come ask for money. I once heard that a certain gadol( don’t remember who, and… Read more »
Massar sefer torah
Question: Although one properly can not use masar money to write a Sefer Torah ( as you cant be mekkaim the mitzvah asha with massar ). Question if one can… Read more »
Can I use maaser for school classroom supplies
Question: I am teaching in a kiruv school that also has modern orthodox students in it. Can I use my maaser money to buy supplies and activities for my classroom…. Read more »
Masser for my own medical bills
Question: dear Rabbi, I am not well and do to this we are a one income family. I do get money from social security and have been giving Masser on… Read more »
Maaser on investments
Question: Hi, I had a question regarding Masser on investment withdrawals. Here is the question: 1. Earn $1000 and pay $100 to Maaser. 2. Invest $900 3. After a number… Read more »
A 19 year old taking off Maaser
Question: My 19 year old son that does not work he occasionally works once in a while a day here and there but no steady income gives maaser, I told… Read more »
Money given as a loan that wasn’t paid back
Question: Someone has owed me money for a long time. I do not want to give up on getting the money back, but on the other hand I don’t want… Read more »
Masser deduction para and camp
Question: Can I deduct masser for paying a para for my son at school or camp or even camp tuition. Is camp like babysitting or different ty. Son is five… Read more »
Pushka Problem with Tzedakkah.
Question: I was recently made aware of a puska in our home (perhaps my wife or children acquired it without my knowledge from someone distributing them in our neighborhood) for… Read more »
Using chomesh money
Question: Could I use money that I was מפריש as חומש to use for personal use as a incentive for something רוחני? Answer: If it is meant for tzedakah, it… Read more »
Maaser from used goods
Question: If I sell a used object that I don’t need anymore (eg. clothing), do I need to take off maaser from the amount I get paid? Answer: It depends… Read more »
Massar sefer torah
Question: 1) I recently purchased some nevium on klaf for my shul to use for the Hoftorah. Although the shul is using it they belong to me ( I didn’t… Read more »
Maaser from canceled torah study subscripton.
Question: I subscribed to receive a weekly torah study booklet (Chayenu) but was forced to cancel the subscription a few weeks in due to certain circumstances. Can the money i… Read more »
Maaser Kesafim for a needy Kallahy Kallah
Question: Dear Rabbi I know of a situation where an orphan is about to become a Kallah. The orphanage as her family are paying for all her wedding expenses. Her… Read more »
Masser from money that was collected
Question: I am collecting money for my daughters Chasana Do I give maaser money on money I am collecting that was designated for tzedokah by others. Also can I use… Read more »
Changing where to give Maaser to
Question: We were planning on giving a large amount of maaser to our shul, and tried to do it but could not succesfully do it on the shul website. After… Read more »
Donating to a Rabbi’s organisation
Question: Is one permitted to donate money to a Rabbi’s organisation if this Rabbi is known to publicly denigrate talmidei chachamim (who disagree with him) on a regular basis? Thank… Read more »
Designated money for rabbi
Question: Hi, two years ago I meant to give money to my rabbi and even set it aside, awhile after we lost touch I thing I didn’t end up giving… Read more »
Maaser from child support
Question: Do I have to give maaser from money that was given to me but for a specific purpose? For example, If one is divorced, and the ex does not… Read more »
In which circumstances is it permissible to test G-d through Maaser?
Question: Someone has been asking me a question for months. I’ve been asking round but no-one has yet given a straight answer to it. I was wondering what you could… Read more »
Investing maaser money
Question: I want to donate a substantial sum of money for my maaser obligations, but don’t want to have to give it away all at once, in order to better… Read more »
Maaser
Question: Is donating a prescription medication that I can’t sell maaser deductible? Answer: Technically you could take it from maaser. Practically though you can not take off too much money… Read more »
Doubling my maaser with “matching”
Question: If i donate money to a campaign that has someone else match my donation, can i take the doubled amount off my Chiyuv Maaser? Answer: No you can’t. You… Read more »
Inherited IRA and giving maaser
Question: My situation and then the question: I am 69 years old and retired. I was recently diagnosed with cancer. My only family (3 siblings) live out of state. My… Read more »
Paying debts from maaser
Question: Kavod Harav. If I owe other Jews money from 10 years ago when I was in trouble financially and they helped me. And now I pay my maaser money… Read more »
Donate maaser locally?
Question: Should all maaser be donated locally? What about the needs of the poor in Israel? Thank you. Answer: You don’t have to give all of your maaser locally, and… Read more »
Chomesh
Question: As a bocbur I gave chomesh. Married with kids, can not really afford nasser but give since we have family help, so tithe mine and wife’s earnings. The q… Read more »
giving maaser or 20%
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… Read more »
Maaser
Question: Who can I give maaser to. Can I give to my sister and she give me Answer: Maaser money can be given to a poor person, to support torah,… Read more »
Masser deductions
Question: May i deduct the return from work to home taxi fee Answer: Getting home from work is considered a business expense, the same way that getting there is. Therefore… Read more »
Master ksafim
Question: Can one use maaser money for a yisachar zevulun shutfis, even to the extent of drawing up a formal contract? Answer: A Yisachar Zevulun shutfus is business deal between… Read more »
Using rental debt as charity?
Question: I rented a machsan for many years to a person who makes batim for tefilin. He was always late with rent but eventually paid. More than a year ago,… Read more »
Payments to Bituah Leumi
Question: Could mandatory payments to Bituah Leumi qualify as maaser money? The cause assists other Jews, one would need to qualify stringent criteria to (indirectly?) benefit from these payments; in… Read more »
tzedakkah
Question: We have a tzedakah box in our house which was leftover from renters before us. I just read the label on it and realized that the money goes to… Read more »
Does one fulfill maaser if they give maaser to an atheist Jew?
Question: Does one fulfill maaser if they give maaser to an athiest jew? Answer: One should not give his maaser kesofim to an atheist Jew as he is considered an… Read more »
False pledge to tzedakah
Question: I saw a sign advertising for our community’s melava malka for women. It stated the price, but underneath, it read ‘we would rather you come so pay any amount… Read more »
Maaser money separated, but now person may not need the money
Question: Hi, I set aside maaser money for a relative of mine whom I knew can use the money, as she was a divorced mother of 5 with barely making… Read more »
Maaser on proceeds from pain and suffering award
Question: I developed cancer that was deemed to be related to 9/11 and I will receiving two awards one for pain and suffering and one for lost income. Am I… Read more »
Taking back unused item donated to hekdesh
Question: Bechavod, I donated a large amount of sweetener to a community kollel about a year ago, but nobody has been using it. Can I take it back? Answer: You… Read more »