Using Maaser Kesafim for Fertility Treatment
For many couples, the journey to building a family involves more than emotional and physical challenges — it can also carry a significant financial weight. Fertility treatments, medications, consultations, and procedures can quickly add up, leaving couples searching for ways to manage the costs. One question that often arises is whether a person may use their maaser kesafim — the tithe traditionally set aside from one's income for charity — to help pay for fertility treatment.
This is a meaningful and sensitive question that touches on the laws of tzedakah, the priorities of giving, and the deeply personal nature of building a Jewish family. The answer is not always simple, and it depends on whose treatment is being funded and the specific circumstances involved.
In this article, we will explore the foundations of maaser kesafim, when it may be applied toward fertility care, and how to think through these questions. As always, these matters should be brought to a qualified rabbinic authority, and our team at PUAH is here to guide you.
What Is Maaser Kesafim?
Maaser kesafim is the practice of separating a tenth (and sometimes a fifth) of one's earnings to be given to tzedakah. While there is discussion among the authorities as to whether this obligation is from the Torah, rabbinic, or a binding custom, it is a widely observed practice in Jewish life.
The purpose of maaser kesafim is to support those in need and to fulfill the mitzvah of charity. Funds set aside as maaser generally must be used for genuine charitable purposes — typically helping the poor, supporting Torah study, and similar worthy causes. This is an important principle when considering whether the money may be directed toward fertility treatment.
Who Qualifies to Receive Tzedakah?
A central factor in this discussion is whether the person receiving the help meets the definition of someone in need. Tzedakah is intended for those who cannot reasonably afford their essential needs on their own. Whether fertility treatment qualifies as such a need depends heavily on the financial situation of the couple in question.
Can You Use Maaser for Someone Else's Fertility Treatment?
When the funds are used to help another couple afford fertility treatment, the case is generally more straightforward. Helping a couple who cannot afford treatment on their own can be a profound and valuable form of tzedakah.
Many authorities view assisting others with the costs of fertility care as a legitimate charitable use of maaser funds, particularly when the recipients genuinely cannot cover these expenses themselves. Enabling another Jewish family to fulfill the mitzvah of building a family — and to be spared anguish — is widely considered a worthy purpose for tzedakah money.
PUAH is involved in helping couples access the financial support they need for treatment.
Can You Use Maaser for Your Own Fertility Treatment?
The question becomes more complex when a couple wishes to use their own maaser funds to pay for their own treatment. Here, a basic tension emerges: maaser is intended to be given away to others, not used for one's own personal expenses.
Generally, a person may not use maaser money to pay for obligations that already rest upon them or for their own ordinary needs. Fertility treatment, in many cases, may be viewed as a personal expense rather than a charitable gift.
However, there are important considerations that may shift this analysis:
Genuine financial hardship: If a couple truly cannot afford treatment and would themselves qualify as recipients of tzedakah, some authorities may permit using maaser funds toward their own care.
Stipulations made in advance: A person who, from the outset, established a personal condition allowing flexibility in how their maaser is used may have more room to apply it to their own pressing needs.
The nature of the obligation: Whether fertility treatment is considered an existing obligation or an extraordinary expense can affect the ruling.
Because these factors vary so much from couple to couple, this is precisely the kind of question that requires individual guidance.
Halachic Perspective
The use of maaser kesafim for fertility treatment sits at the intersection of several important halachic principles: the obligation of tzedakah, the priorities of who receives it, the mitzvah of building a Jewish family, and the rules governing how a person may use funds already designated as maaser.
As a general rule, maaser funds are most clearly suited to helping other couples who cannot afford treatment, which is a recognized and meaningful form of charity. Using one's own maaser for one's own treatment is more limited and depends on factors such as financial need and any conditions established when one began the practice of maaser.
Because the rules of maaser involve genuine differences of opinion among the authorities — and because each couple's financial and personal situation is unique — there is no single answer that applies to everyone. Establishing clear conditions for your maaser practice in advance can provide helpful flexibility in the future.
Specific questions should be discussed with a qualified rabbinic authority. Our team at PUAH is available to help you navigate these questions.
When to Speak With a Professional
If you are facing the costs of fertility treatment and wondering how maaser kesafim might apply, this is the right moment to seek guidance. You may want to speak with a rabbinic authority before directing maaser funds toward treatment — whether your own or someone else's — to ensure your approach is consistent with halacha.
It is also wise to consult when planning ahead, so that you can establish any helpful conditions on your maaser practice before the need arises. PUAH's team of doctors and rabbis specializes in exactly these situations, combining halachic knowledge with practical familiarity with the world of fertility care and financial support. Reach out to PUAH to discuss your circumstances confidentially.
Summary
Maaser kesafim can be a valuable resource for helping other couples afford fertility treatment, which is widely viewed as a worthy form of tzedakah. Using one's own maaser for one's own treatment is more restricted and depends on factors such as genuine financial need and conditions set in advance. These questions are nuanced, and each situation deserves individual halachic guidance.
Resources
For an in-depth halachic discussion of this topic, click here to explore the relevant sources and rulings in Sefer PUAH.
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information. Personal halachic questions should be discussed with a qualified rabbinic authority.