Charity to a Sister

Shalom, I would like to know my son giving his 10%every month , but at this moment his sister needs some money I told him that from that 10%give your sister small amount . She is working and going to school but she is not making that much and I can not provide her anything . My son telling me that it’s not mitzvah he pay for his sister expense. I would like to know really is like that ? If he make his sister happy only for a very short time even only for this month , wouldn’t be mitzvah? Please let me know Thank you Sara

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Charity money, including “ma’aser money,” may be given to poor relatives, and this is indeed preferable since relatives come first.

You can tell your son that there is indeed a mitzva to help his sister.

Important to note: A parent who is setting aside ma'aser as savings to marry off his children may only allocate up to half of his ma'aser for this purpose. Additionally, he may not hold onto the money himself; rather, he must deposit it into a gemach, and only when the time comes to marry of his child he may withdraw it. The remaining half should be given to current charitable causes.