Q&A: Buying Books for Myself with Tithe Money
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Buying Books for Myself with Tithe Money
Question
Hello and blessings to the honorable Rabbi, may he live long and well,
Is a person allowed to buy holy books for himself with tithe money? I have seen quite a few halakhic decisors who are strict about this, but the question is whether it is permitted (and whether there is room) to be lenient.
And in general, I would be glad to hear the Rabbi’s opinion on this matter, please.
Answer
Tithe money is intended for the poor. The whole idea of tithing probably is not a fully binding legal obligation, so this is not really a question of “room to be lenient.”