Money Talks

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

Q: May I use maaser money to pay for matanos l’evyonim on Purim or maos chittim before Pesach?

A: Matanos l’evyonim is a mitzvah mid’Rabbanan that requires each adult to give a gift of money to at least two poor people on Purim. Since maaser money can only be used to pay for mitzvos that are optional and voluntary, not for mitzvos that are otherwise mandatory, maaser money can’t be used to pay for the obligation of matanos l’evyonim. But this applies only to the minimum (mandatory) amount of money that one needs to give for matanos l’evyonim. Any additional money above and beyond the minimum amount may be given from maaser funds. While technically one can fulfill the basic obligation of matanos l’evyonim with a miniscule amount, the recommended approach is to give something significant (at least $10 per each adult in the family to at least two poor people). Any additional amount may be given from maaser funds.
Maos chittim, on the other hand, isn’t a rabbinic obligation but a widespread and age-old custom that was established to help poor people with their Pesach needs. Although in past generations each family was assessed as to their ability to give and the collection of the money was enforced by the community, nowadays maos chittim is a custom that is completely optional and voluntary. The entire amount many be given from maaser funds.

Q: I know that matanos l’evyonim must be given to the poor on Purim itself, but is there a time range when maos chittim must be given out?

A: As mentioned, maos chittim is an optional custom and it may be disbursed at any time, but obviously it should be given out early enough before Pesach so that the recipients can use it for their Pesach needs.

Q: With several children in various elementary, high school, yeshivos, and chadarim, I find the mandatory payments from parents for the school’s building funds are the straw that breaks our financial back. May I use maaser, as this is really not about my children benefiting but future students ten years from now?

A: If the school structures the building fund fee as part of the obligation of tuition and aggressively enforces its collection, then that fee shouldn’t be paid from maaser money. But if the school structures the building fee as an additional donation on top of the tuition, and allows you to pay it as money becomes available, then the building fee money may be taken out of maaser funds.

Q: My son was recently bar mitzvah and many relatives gave him monetary gifts. Must he give maaser off these?

A: Your son should be taught to give maaser from all monetary gifts he received at his bar mitzvah (or any other monetary gifts he receives). But prior to giving maaser for the first time as an adult, it’s important to guide him to accept upon himself the mitzvah of maaser bli neder, without the force of a vow. From a halachic perspective, the halachos of giving maaser when the obligation becomes a neder are far stricter and more difficult to fulfill than when maaser is given bli neder.