Mitzvos (Commandments)
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The Laws of Terumah and Maaser
What are the laws of Terumah and Maaser? In Num. 18 the Torah discusses terumah (given to the Kohanim), maaser (a tithe, given to the Levites), and terumas maaser (a tithe of the tithe, given by the Levites to the…
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An Omer
How much is an Omer? An omer is the volume of 43.2 eggs; but there is a dispute about the volume of an egg for halachic purposes. Some say that an omer is 2510 cubic centimeters (which is about the…
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The Yovel
When was the Yovel in effect? Based on the verse “you shall proclaim freedom in the land to all its inhabitants” (Lev. 25:10), the Jubilee year was in effect only during the period when all the tribes of Israel were…
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Charity to a Formerly Rich Person
How much charity must be given to a rich person who becomes poor? The Torah (Deut.15:8) speaks about providing a poor person with “what he lacks”. This implies, for example, that if he was accustomed to having a horse to…
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Charity in the Torah
Where does the Torah speak about giving charity? The Torah speaks about giving charity in Deut. 15:7ff (“If there will be a poor man among you… you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand toward your poor brother;…
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The Eight Levels of Charity
What are the eight levels of charity referred to by Maimonides? Maimonides lists the eight levels in descending order in Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:7-14: a) Giving a poor person work so he will not have to depend on charity b)…
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Giving Loans
What is the Jewish view about loans to the poor or to the community? Lending money to someone in need, even without waiting to be asked, is the highest form of charity. A person who makes such a loan should…
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Tuition as Maaser
Is Yeshiva tuition admissible as a Maaser deduction? The consensus of most Poskim is that Maaser funds cannot be used for one’s children’s education.The Chofetz Chaim (Sefer Ahavas Chessed, Ch. 19) writes that it is prohibited because “it is like…
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Mixtures of Meat and Milk
What is the reason for not eating mixtures of meat and milk? The Torah repeats the prohibition of boiling a kid (a baby goat) in its mother’s milk three times. From the repetition we conclude that the prohibition applies to…