Question: My husband has been struggling financially for many years since the collapse of his business. I started working and began paying many of the bills my husband used to… Read more »
Category: Tzdakah and maaser
Massar to use to pay someone else’s debt who can’t pay it back
Question: My father declared chapter 7 bankruptcy a couple years ago. There was an unsecured loan he had from a relative that was done with a heter iska (the business… Read more »
Maaser Money
Question: Is it better to split my maaser money between many organizations or give it all to one? Answer: It is better to split it, that way you have a… Read more »
Tzedakah
Question: Hi- if one had daas to give a certain amount of tzedakah to a meshulach and then he realized he didn’t have money on him or his credit card… Read more »
Money for KOLLEL
Question: If a working man puts away money so that he can retire early for kollel, can maasar money be used? Or put away money so that his daughter can… Read more »
Maaser fulfillment through donating appreciated stocks
Question: Shimon receives a gift of $100,000 and wants to give maaser. Shimon has a stock portfolio with a base cost of $6,000 that appreciated to $10,000. Can Shimon donate… Read more »
Starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with Maaser money
Question: Can Maaser money be used to begin a nonprofit organization? The purpose of the organization is to increase and improve Torah learning and help people donate money to Torah… Read more »
Is it allowed to use money from maser to give Chanukah gelt to boys rebbi’s ?
Question: Is it allowed to use money from maser to give chanukah gelt to boys rebbei’s ? Answer: It is permitted to use maaser money when giving money to a… Read more »
Credit card expense when giving maaser
Question: I would like to donate money to a charity in EY. I live in CA and if I pay by credit card I will be charged a foreign transaction… Read more »
Maaser for Future Weddings & Extra Tuition
Question: My Financial Situation: I have approximately 6 months worth of savings plus a retirement account with approximately 6 months of savings in it. My income fluctuates. Without calculating maaser,… Read more »
Maaser vs repaying flexible loan
Question: To buy my house I needed to take a mortgage together with a loan from my family. The terms of the family loan are very flexible: When I have… Read more »
Misor money for tzedukah
Question: I tutored someone for a college course in Math which came out to 700. The students parents promised me that I would get paid. They now said they are… Read more »
Therapy with Maaser
Question: Hello, my son’s Yeshiva has recommended that he see a therapist for certain behavioral issues he has. May we pay with Maaser funds? Secondly, the therapist recommends that he… Read more »
Maaser to son for baby carriage
Question: My son and daughter in law that are newly married and live in Eretz Yisroel that I help support (as my son is learning in kollel) just had a… Read more »
Maaser for Mehudar Tefillin
Question: Hi, I am looking for a new pair of tefillin (for myself). Can I use maaser money for part of it? For the difference between “kosher lechatchila” and “mehudar”?… Read more »
Giving Maaser from money I receive from my parents
Question: My parents who are not religious support me and my two children completely (I am divorced). I have certain health issues and right now am completely dependent on them…. Read more »
Maaser for Kollel Support
Question: when supporting adult children, can it be taken from maaser funds? if not, what if they are a kollel couple? if yes, does it only qualify if they are… Read more »
Pidyon Nefesh
Question: Hi, I came across the concept of Pidyon Nefesh in Likkutei Maran, whereby you send a letter to a Tzaddik to daven for you in a time of a… Read more »
Using maaser money to pay for tickets to go visit parents?
Question: Using maaser money to pay for tickets to go visit parents? For myself, my wife and my children? Answer: It is permitted to use your maser money for it,… Read more »
Can I use maaser money to take a course on how to check shatnez?
Question: Can i use maaser money to take a course on how to check shatnez? Thanks Answer: In general, we don’t use ma’aser money to do personal mitzvos, a person’s… Read more »
Switching donation from one organization to another
Question: B”H Thank you for your help. Regarding donating clothing- I said out loud that I was planning to donate clothing to organization A, but their policy of picking up… Read more »
Paying ma’aser belatedly
Question: Hi, I forgot to take into account investment income (dividends, interest) and gifts from the government into my ma’aser calculation for last year (תש”פ) . I will pay it… Read more »
Borrowing from tzedaka that I set aside
Question: Throughout the years I give to a specific tzedaka organization. tzedaka and maaser. At times when I’m low on funds myself I borrow from that set aside money and… Read more »
Donating to Hebrew free loan society – which mitzvah?
Question: Is donating a small sum to a Hebrew free loan society considered the mitzvah of tzedekah or the mitzvah of giving a loan? Answer: Essentially it is the mitzvah… Read more »
Giving maaser to a parent
Question: My parents who are elderly have a major problem that requires an exterminator… They don’t have money and are trying homemade products to try to get rid of their… Read more »
Do monthly/daily tzedekah withdrawals count as separate instances of giving tzedekah?
Question: Dearest Rabbi: On tzedekah platforms, sometimes I see an option to divide the tzedekah into daily (https://dailygiving.org/) or monthly for example instead of paying $180 at once, giving $18… Read more »
Work Instead of Maaser
Question: I have a lot of maaser that I owe but money is tight now. Can I take on volunteer projects that I would normally charge for (pay myself the… Read more »
Volunteer Work instead of Maaser
Question: I have a lot of maaser that I owe but money is tight now. Can I take on volunteer projects that I would normally charge for (pay myself the… Read more »
Does one need to give maaser on money that they receive from pension?
Question: Hi 1. Does one need to give maaser on money that they receive from pension? 2. Secondly is it a brocha to give 20% of it even if you… Read more »
Tzedaka pledge by now deceased
Question: A relative of mine told my son before Purim that he would give him a donation towards his yeshiva. I don’t believe that he specified an amount. Unfortunately, this… Read more »
Can Tzedakah given for someone’s refuah be counted for Maaser?
Question: lkvod HaRav Can Tzedakah given for someone’s refuah (or any other need like parnasa, shidduchim etc) be counted for Maaser if given to situation that one is allowed to… Read more »
Followup to Maaser and Tuition
Question: They send me an itemized bill but it doesn’t add up, they refuse to discuss why… Whatever I earn goes to my private bank account that my husband does… Read more »
Using maaser for an adult child’s ongoing therapy.
Question: We have an adult child without sufficient income that needs ongoing therapy and psychiatry that is very costly. Can we use maaser money to help her? Thank you. Answer:… Read more »
Paying for benefiting from a shul or website
Question: Hi, if I daven in the same shteiblich every morning and enjoy the AC and obviously the lighting, is it advisable to contribute to the financing someway? I don’t… Read more »
Maaser for a well needed vacation
Question: My father has always struggled financially. Recently, he was very ill and has mostly recovered. He wants to take my mother on vacation after all they went through but… Read more »
Parents unpaid tuition
Question: My parents still owe tuition money for yeshivas that I went to as a Bachur and are slowly paying it back. Should I be the one to pay the… Read more »
Asnan question
Question: What would be the halakha if a prostitute brings a maaser kesafim to Beis Hamikdash? Answer: It would depend on different factors. see O:CH 153-21 and M:B there. Also… Read more »
Maaser on Inheritance
Question: Received some money as inheritance from a parent who passed away, must separate maaser? Obligation or just “nice to do”. Same 10% and treated as income? Thanks, Answer: Inheritance… Read more »
Sofer Donating Mezuzos to Shul from Maaser Money
Question: I am a sofer and write many mezuzos. Can I give some of the mezuzos to an organization – a shul or yeshiva and consider it as if I gave the… Read more »
Maaser and Sleepaway Camp
Question: Is it permissible to partially pay for sleepaway camp for a teenage daughter with maaser money. Especially because of Coronavirus, it is evident that she really needs to get… Read more »
Cash back from maaser
Question: I have a bank account which gives a certain amount of cash back for every transaction, similar to most credit cards which offer 1-2% of each transaction as cash… Read more »
Helping only one Torah institution
Question: Can I just help only one Torah institution? I once heard that one can not and that one should diversify his maaser money. Is there a halacha forbidding to… Read more »
A gift with a condition
Question: Hi, a parent gave me a sum of money to be used at my discretion in general, but not to be used for Torah studies. Do I have to… Read more »
Maaser before taxes vs. after taxes?
Question: Hi, If we are giving 10% maaser from our income before paying income taxes Vs somebody who gives 10% maaser after paying income taxes, in essence is person who… Read more »
Is tzedakah time sensitive per year?
Question: H 1. If one didn’t give the minimum required amount of tzedakah not necessarily maaser (I read its 1/3 a silver shekel) for a few years is one required… Read more »
Can taxes be subtracted from my income regarding maaser?
Question: What is subtracted from the amount of tzedaka you should pay? Are expenses subtracted? Tax? Assuming that expenses are subtracted, would a fee paid to an accountant to file… Read more »
Money received for Yom Tov expenses
Question: Someone gave me money for Yom Tov expenses. (He gave me more than necessary, especially since I ate out by some of the meals.) May I spend whatever is… Read more »
Masser
Question: If I got money from Trump due to the Corona but I presently don’t have an income (I’m still supported by my parents but not living with them) do… Read more »
Giving food to orchim
Question: I am living now separate from my parents due to corona concerns. My parents bring me food for me to eat. Is it permitted for me to invite bachurim… Read more »
Using someone else’s Wifi
Question: May one use neighbour or someone else Wifi if they don’t know about it. It has a password but the person finds it out. Do we say theres no… Read more »