1)According to some Poskim, paying tuition for girls' education from Ma'aser money is allowed, as there is no obligation to teach or hire someone to teach your daughters Torah. (Opinion of Dayan Weiss Zatzal in Shu"t Minchas Yitzchok Vol. 10 Siman 85. See also Shu"t Teshivos V'hanhagos from Rav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita Vol. 1 Siman 560 and 561)
Others, however, maintain that in places where girls' [elementary school] education is mandatory by law[as it is in the USA], thus it is an obligation on parents to send their daughters to Torah schools (so as not to be forced to place them in Public schools) and the tuition may not be paid from Ma'aser money.(Opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal in Igros Moshe Y"D Vol. 2 Siman 113 and Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal in Emes L'Yaakov Y"D Siman 249)
2) Using Ma'aser money for tuition for older daughters for their seminary education, which isn't obligatory on a father, is acceptable. (Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal ibid. This was also the opinion of the Steipler Zatazal)
Regarding using Ma'aser money to pay for a daughter's college education, where the purpose of her education is to be able to learn the skills necessary to support a husband that will learn in Kollel, a Rav should be consulted. (The Rav should also be consulted as to which college, if any, is proper for a Bas Yisroel to attend)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
(Reader Submitted Questions of interest (on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topics) and my Answers taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Today website. For study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. Questions can be sent to Halacha For Today )
Reader's Question:
For how long does one have to sleep in order to be obligated to recite Birchas Hatorah? If one takes an afternoon nap is one required to recite birchas Hatorah when he wakes up?
My Answer:
I am assuming your first question is referring to an amount one slept during the night in order to require him to recite Birchos HaTorah upon waking in the morning. In that case, the amount of sleep is a "Shinas Keva" which is approximately half an hour. According to some opinions, even if someone did not sleep at all during the night he would be obligated in Birchos haTorah in the morning. The best thing to do is to hear the Brachos from someone else and answer Amen and be Yotzei that way. If however if one slept during the day on the previous day, but was up all night ,then he makes Birchos HaTorah himself the next morning based on yesterday's nap.
If one naps during the day he does not need to recite Birchos HaTorah again upon waking from his nap.
Follow Up Question from the Same Reader:
I have one more question, if one goes to sleep at night and wakes up an hour later, says birchas hatorah and learns. Then one falls back asleep for "30 min" or more does one need to recite birchas hatorah again upon awakening or is it like an "afternoon nap"? How about if one refalls asleep until the next morning?
My Answer:
If one wakes before Alos HaShachar and makes Birchos HaTorah, he does not repeat the Brachos in the morning, even if he goes back to sleep, according to most Poskim. If one did repeat Birchos HaTorah in the morning, he has upon who to rely, but better not to initially do this. (See Mishna Berura Siman 47:29. Also see Biur Halacha ibid. Dibur HaMaschil Hamashkim)
Important Numbers
