1) One may pay a non religious worker or employee, even if it is clear that he/she will not separate Ma'aser from their paycheck, and there is no problem of "Lifnei Iver Lo Siten Michshol- before a blind man do not place a stumbling block". (Psak of Dayan Yisroel Yaakov Fischer quoted in Sefer Hilchos Ma'aser Kesofim.)
2) One may use Ma'aser money to pay the cover charge for a "Dinner" or a "Melava Malka" or other function which is organized to benefit a Tzedaka organization.
However, the cost of the actual portion should not be paid with Ma'aser. (e.g. if a reservation to the dinner cost $180 and you would pay in a restaurant for a similar portion of food $20, you may pay $160 toward your dinner reservation from Ma'aser money) (Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky Zatzal in Emes L'Yaakov Y"D Siman 249)
(Note: In a few more days we will iy"H be finishing this topic and starting a new one. I have heard many different (and good) ideas from many readers as to what the next topic should be. However, before I make the final decision, I would like to hear from you which Halachos you would like to learn next. Please email me your requests at Halacha For Today . Thank you.)
IMPORTANT: If you submitted a suggestion yesterday and it bounced back to you or you didn't get a response from me, please re-submit today, as the email address given yesterday for submissions was inadvertently written out wrongly. Thank you.
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 Todaywebsite. For study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. Questions can be sent to Halacha For Today )
Reader's Question:
Can a girl (over Bas Mitzvah age) touch a boy younger than 11, in a non-chibah(non affectionate) manner (i.e.- helping a child button his coat, herding students along in a line for recess, etc.)?
My Answer:
According to Harav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Shlita, a female over Bas Mitzvah should not have any physical contact with any boy above the age of 9 for any reason. (Halichos Bas Yisroel)
Likewise, a male over the age of Bar Mitzvah should not have any physical contact with any girl over the age of 3 (Opinion of the Debreciner Rav Zatzal in Be'er Moshe Vol. 4 Siman 145). Some Poskim allow physical contact until the girl is 5 or 6 years old. (Opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal quoted by Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen in his sefer Children in Halacha page 32 footnote 14. See also page 30 footnote 4 for a lengthy discussion)
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
Important Numbers
