Torah

Question: May a person deduct business expenses before giving maaser k’safim? May he offset profits with losses from a different transaction?

Short Answer: Most Acharonim allow business expense deductions before giving maaser k’safim. Many Acharonim also allow offsetting profits with losses so long as the transactions occurred in the same maaser year or before maaser was calculated.

Shemoneh Esrei 22

Oh, to be one unified family!

Hashiveinu Avinu l’sorasecha, v’keirvanu Malkeinu la’avodasecha, v’hachazireinu bis’shuvah sh’leimah l’fanecha

Question: May one use maaser k’safim funds for kimcha d’Pischa, the special charity given before Pesach?

Short Answer: According to most poskim, since there is no set amount or specific community tax for kimcha d’Pischa, it can be paid for with maaser k’safim funds.

What Does Hashem Want?

As we begin this period of 40 days of unique opportunity and closeness to Hashem, we will focus our segments on one of the Request Brachos in Shemoneh Esrei. Out of all the requests we make in our Shemoneh Esrei, there is only one request that clearly and explicitly is what Hashem desires, as opposed to what we desire. This request is, in fact, also the core focus of these 40 days.

In “What Does Hashem Want – part 1,” we wrote about the crucial importance of the brachah of “Hashiveinu” in Shemoneh Esrei and suggested that we place great emphasis on this brachah at least until after Yom Kippur.

Seriously Anticipating Mashiach’s Arrival

We are within The Nine Days, just prior to Tish’ah B’Av. May we see the salvation before this Tish’ah B’Av.