The gift of Maasser Kesafim<\/strong> (the tithe of personal income) is one of the pillars of solidarity within the Jewish people, primarily serving to support the poor and the study of the Torah. However, a question often arises when it comes to investing in one’s own sacred objects: can this money be used to buy a high-quality pair of Tefilines or Mezuzot?<\/p>\n\n Halacha establishes a fundamental distinction: one cannot use Maasser money to fulfill a personal obligation (Chovah)<\/strong> that concerns us personally.<\/p>\n\n Since every Jewish man is obligated to possess and wear Tefilines, the base cost of this Mitzva must be funded by his own personal income, and not by the charity fund. Using Maasser for a personal obligation would be like “paying one’s debts” with the money of the poor.<\/p>\n\n If the rule prohibits paying the base price with Maasser, many decisors (Poskim<\/em>) allow using this money for the price difference<\/strong> between a standard pair (Kacher) and a high-quality pair (Mehoudar).<\/p>\n\n This rule does not apply only to Tefilines. It also applies to:<\/p>\n\n During the Bar Mitzvah<\/strong>, purchasing the first pair of Tefilines is often a significant expense. If the parents have financial difficulties, some rabbis permit using part of the Maasser, because the child is not yet “obligated” before his Bar Mitzva, and it helps the family introduce the young boy to the practice in a dignified way. However, each case requires a specific rabbinic consultation.<\/p>\n\n Yes, provided you lend it to others or make it available to the community, as it becomes an act of disseminating knowledge.<\/p>\n\n The obligation to affix Mezuzot is tied to the dwelling. The base price should be paid by you, but the surplus for more prestigious scrolls can come from Maasser.<\/p>\n\n Maasser represents 10% of your net income after taxes and professional expenses. It is advised to keep a dedicated ledger for this accounting.<\/p>\n\n Maasser money is a sacred deposit destined for Ts\u2019daka. If it cannot replace our personal budget for mandatory Mitzvot, it remains a wonderful tool to elevate spiritually by acquiring objects more “Mehoudar”. In any case, for a rigorous application to your situation, feel free to ask your Rav.<\/p>\n\n{“@context”:”https:\/\/schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Puis-je acheter un livre de Torah avec mon Maasser ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Oui, \u00e0 condition de le pr\u00eater \u00e0 d’autres ou de le mettre \u00e0 disposition de la communaut\u00e9, car cela devient alors un acte de diffusion du savoir.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Et pour les Mezouzot d’un nouvel appartement ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”L’obligation de mettre des Mezouzot est li\u00e9e \u00e0 l’habitation. La base du prix doit \u00eatre pay\u00e9e par vous, mais le surplus pour des parchemins plus prestigieux peut provenir du Maasser.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Comment calculer mon Maasser ?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Le Maasser repr\u00e9sente 10 % de votre revenu net apr\u00e8s imp\u00f4ts et d\u00e9penses professionnelles. Il est conseill\u00e9 de tenir un carnet d\u00e9di\u00e9 \u00e0 cette comptabilit\u00e9.”}}]}\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introduction The gift of Maasser Kesafim (the tithe of personal income) is one of the pillars of solidarity within the Jewish people, primarily serving to support the poor and the study of the Torah. However, a question often arises when it comes to investing in one’s own sacred objects: can this money be used to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-non-classe"],"yoast_head":"\nThe basic rule: Mitzva vs Maasser<\/h2>\n\n
The exception: The transition to the “Mehoudar”<\/h2>\n\n
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Which objects are involved?<\/h2>\n\n
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The special case of children<\/h2>\n\n
FAQ: Practical questions<\/h2>\n\n
Can I buy a Torah scroll with my Maasser?<\/h3>\n\n
And for Mezuzot for a new apartment?<\/h3>\n\n
How to calculate my Maasser?<\/h3>\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n