Question: I run an outreach organization. There were others running the organization before we came to town who have since moved on. Going through many old files, we found checks… Read more »
Category: Tzdakah and maaser
Maaser to a friend in need
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am very strict in giving maaser…to me it’s one of the most important mitzvot. I usually give to different organizations… My friend called me up and… Read more »
Does the tax deduction on a donation add to maaser obligation?
Question: Being that charitable donations are tax deductible, does that add on the maaser-able income, bc now I have earned more money? Answer: It isn’t actual income, because you didn’t… Read more »
Using Maaser for Mitzvah
Question: Can I use maaser money to pay to get my teffilin checked and get new straps? Answer: The general rule is that we may not use maser money for… Read more »
Maaser
Question: If I am fully supported from my parents, do I need to give maaser? There would be some left over but it would make things very tight Answer: My… Read more »
Maaser for students supported by thier parents
Question: What are my obligations for maaser? I am a student and am being supported by my parents. I do have some money left over at the end of the… Read more »
Maaser for hospital donations
Question: Dear Rabbi, My brother is fundraising money to help support Shaare Zedek hospital. Can I use my maser money for a donation to this hospital? Many thanks in advance!… Read more »
Can one use maaser for Yom Tov? Can a wife give a husband her maaser if he is poor?
Question: Can one use their maaser money for Yom Tov expenses? Can ones wife give her husband her maaser money if he is poor? Answer: In general, maaser… Read more »
Mafrish Ma’aser to a separate account?
Question: I know the chofetz chayim says a person should be mafrish ma’aser and not just do a cheshbon on paper. However, is it required to be mafrish ma’aser into… Read more »
Buying an expensinve store of a poor person and taking the difference from maaser
Question: There is a small grocery next to my house that is a tad more expensive than the bigger grocery further down the block. I know the small grocery needs… Read more »
Can a Ba’al Tzedaka use lie detector on collectors
Question: We are friendly with an extremely wealthy person whose 10% reaches out to 10’s of millions per year. Poor people are at his office and home on a daily… Read more »
maaser for mishnayos
Question: Can I use maser to pay for a group to learn mishnayos for my recently deceased uncle? Answer: If the people learning the mishnayos are poor people then the… Read more »
Maaser on school loan
Question: Do we need to give maaser on school loan? What if down the line the loan is forgiven (federal loan)? Thank you Answer: You do not have to give… Read more »
Maaser
Question: If I am fully supported by my parents and have a job, do I need to give maaser money from the money I earn? Answer: You should give ma’aser… Read more »
Am I allowed to take tzedakah
Question: I was always very careful never to borrow money from anyone ever and only spending whatever I could afford, and gave up on a lot of things I felt… Read more »
Tzeddaka to a certain organization, in thought
Question: I read through your article “Think before you Think”, but I would like a clear p’sak what to do in the following situation. I met the director of a… Read more »
Bais medrash and Bais Yakov tuition
Question: My husband needed to close his business and he has lots of debts that he owes. He’s trying to start up a business in a different industry. I currently… Read more »
Money for a haircut
Question: There is a rosh kollel who came over to me in beis medrash, put $100 into my hand, and told me to get a haircut (because he felt that… Read more »
Tzedakah to everyone
Question: When we say mefarnesin aniyei akum im aniyei yisrael mipnei darchei shalom, is that similar to mishum eivah or is it an inherently positive thing to be “Verachamav al… Read more »
Donating Dead Inventory – Can it count as Maaser
Question: I have a business where I buy and sell. A have a decent amount of inventory that doesn’t really sell, and I would like to donate it towards a… Read more »
Can a reduction given to a poor person be deducted from maaser kesofim?
Question: If my daughter charges $12 an hour for babysitting, there’s a family who is not is a good financial status and my daughter charges them $6 an hour. Does… Read more »
Is it permitted to take goverment assistance
Question: Is it permitted for a Jew to receive “food stamps” money and/or disability money from the US government, with regard to receiving charity from a non-Jew?’ What if the… Read more »
Is it prohibited to take advantage of government tax incentives from giving tzedaka?
Question: Tzedaka is such an important mitzvah which lies at the core of Jewish life. I came across a confusing article online in a Jewish Journal, which made it seem… Read more »
Maaser For Fees For Girl Schools
Question: I am aware that Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal says tuition for Girls schools should not be paid from maaser. What about fees such as registration fee and building fee… Read more »
Do I have to give masser from chanuka gelt?
Question: Does on need to give masser on chanuka gelt? Can that masser go to bochrim in a dira to help cover daily costs? Answer: Monetary gifts that a person… Read more »
Deducting expenses from Ma’aser
Question: Can I deduct the car expenses (gas, maintenance, lease payments, insurance, etc) from my income when calculating the ma’aser? Thanks. Answer: If these were business expenses then they may… Read more »
Received maaser to give to those in need – can we keep?
Question: A friend occasionally sends ma’aser money for us to give to those in need. We’re now in a position to be recipients of such assistance. This friend isn’t aware… Read more »
Charity obligations for one who has debts
Question: If I have debts of bank loans and credit cards let say of $50,000, do I still have the mitvah of tzedokoh and how much per year? Answer: Assuming… Read more »
Can money raised at charity Torah teaching count towards maaser
Question: I teach Torah and am not wealthy, but give money daily towards maaser kesafim because I believe in the value of daily giving. I have been asked to teach… Read more »
chinuch
Question: The gemara Kiddushin 29a says there is a mitzvah for a father to teach his son a profession (um’nis). what is the obligation of a parent nowadays in this… Read more »
Maaser from Pension Scheme Contribution
Question: Dear Rabbi, My parents pay me monthly a certain amount of money for my pension (they pay it on my account and I transfer it to the pension company… Read more »
Had in mind to give tzedaka and poor person disappeared
Question: If I see a man going around my shul collecting tzedakah and I have in mind to give him some tzedakah (is there a difference if I think of… Read more »
Maaser and Debt
Question: Due to the financial crisis in 2008, I had to borrow very substantial sums of money from family in order to stay afloat and for my family and I… Read more »
Yerusha
Question: I got a significant amount of money as inheritance. Do I have to give maaser on all of it soon or can I save and disburse it yearly over… Read more »
Maaser and charity with separate funds
Question: I have three separate bank accounts. In one of them I receive my salary. In the second one, I deposit all the maaser money. I have a question with… Read more »
Maaser money on sale of a home
Question: I sold a home, bought an apartment, performed shipputizm on the latter, & still realized a profit. Question: am I required to give maaser on the net profit on… Read more »
Can I use my maaser to help someone pay off their debt to me?
Question: Someone owes me money and can’t afford to pay it back. Can I use some of my maser to pay off the this debt on their behalf. Do I… Read more »
Can some of our tuitions be paid from Maaser money?
Question: If there are other yeshivas and Bais Yakovs available in my city that charge lower tuition, can the difference that we have to pay be paid from our maaser… Read more »
Can I give my maaser to myself
Question: If my monthly income is 10000 and expenses are 11000 (I need to borrow or collect donations from relatives $1000 monthly) can I give my maaser to myself? Or… Read more »
Maaser mony to pay Mohel
Question: May I use maaser money to pay the Mohel who performs to bris on my son? Answer: It is a dispute amonst the Rishonim and Achronim. If the situation necessitates you can… Read more »
Maser & saving for down payment on coop
Question: I’m 60 years old, live alone, and never have owed my own home. I’m trying to save money to buy a modest one bedroom coop because rents are raising… Read more »
Saving while giving maaser
Question: Dear Rabbi, BH I’ve been giving maaser for a few years now and I normally only deduct my transport expenses to work. However, I am finding it impossible to… Read more »
Maaser from Earmarked Money
Question: I was given a sum of money to help subsidize the purchase of a car. Am I obligated to give maaser on that sum? As an aside, what are… Read more »
Maaser for Promised Tzedakah
Question: I had promised in my mind to give a certain amount of money to tzedakah while in an unpleasant situation. May I now use maaser money to pay this… Read more »
Exporting Tzedaka & Adopt-a-Kollel
Question: I have heard criticism about the Adopt-a-Kollel program that shuls in Chutz Laaretz should be focusing their tzedaka money on the needs of their own local poor as per… Read more »
Maasar Money for an Orphan
Question: There is an orphan in my community who I’ve grown close to. She’s a young girl who lost her mother and I got to know her while volunteering to… Read more »
Preemptive Maaser Payments
Question: I recently made a donation to a tzedaka organization using their online website. I accidentally clicked submit more than once and was charged on my credit card more times… Read more »
Maaser on a Tax Refund
Question: Do I have to give Maaser on my tax refund like regular income? Answer: In the event that Maaser has not been taken yet from this money, Maaser should… Read more »
Maaser Money for Wedding Gifts
Question: 1) Can you use Maaser money for a wedding gift (simchas chosson vekaloh)? 2) If yes, could you pay for a flight to visit a very good friend’s wedding… Read more »
Buying Mezuzos with Maaser Money
Question: I’m moving into an apartment and need to buy a bunch of mezuzas I was wondering if I can buy them using maaser money. Answer: No, a mitzva you… Read more »