Maaser Kesafim: Tithing Your Income — A Practical Guide

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You are viewing the replay of this webinar, which originally aired live. The full session is available below.

What This Webinar Covers

Maaser kesafim — tithing one's income — is one of the most significant yet least systematically practiced aspects of Jewish giving. Many Jews have heard of the 10% standard but have never applied it practically to their own finances.

This session, recorded live with Q&A, covers:

The Sources: Where does the obligation come from? We trace maaser kesafim from biblical tithes through Talmudic application to the definitive ruling in the Shulchan Aruch and its complications.

Calculating Your Maaser: A detailed walk through the halachic opinions on what counts as income, what deductions are permitted, and how to handle edge cases (bonuses, inheritance, selling assets, business income vs. salary).

The 20% Upper Limit: Why does halacha discourage giving more than 20%? We explore the surprising logic behind this ruling and its limits.

Practical Setup: How to actually implement a maaser system — donor-advised funds, dedicated accounts, annual calculations, and the concept of "bal tigra" (not reducing below your commitment).

Common Questions Addressed in This Session

• Does maaser apply before or after taxes?

• Can I count synagogue dues toward my maaser?

• What about volunteer time — does it count?

• How do I handle years when my income drops significantly?

• What if my spouse and I disagree about how to allocate our giving?