Tzedaka: Giving More Than 20 percent
Question
Where does it say about the chomesh can you tell me more about donating 20 percent of income ?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
Here are some important points about “chomesh” – giving over 20% of one’s money to tzedakah.
As a general rule, one is not to give more than 20% of one’s money to tzedakah except for the following:
1. To support Torah study
2. A person who is incredibly wealthy
3. A person about to die (who can even give up to half his wealth away)
4. If truly poor people are asking for money
5. One who anyways spends needless money on “extras”
6. One who knows that he won’t get poor from giving a bit more therefore giving a little bit of money is permitted
7. One who chooses to give for the sake of atonement for sins