Children’s Chanukah Gelt in Halacha

 

Question:

I have two young children Bh, one a year and a half, and one 2 months old.

Am I allowed to use the Chanukah gelt they received to buy them things they can use and enjoy (eg books) or is it considered their money that I can’t use, and must save it for them when they will be old enough to spend it on their own?

 

Answer:

According to halacha, the gifts given to children at this age, who are living at home, do not really belong to them.

Even in other cases where the children would have their own money, the parents can decide how to spend the money for the children’s benefit.

[Accordingly, the parents should also be separating Maaser.]

 

See here for a related question:

Halacha2go article #663 May I use my son’s gifts to pay for his Bar Mitzvah celebration? מ״מ

 

Sources:

רמ”א חו”מ סי’ ע”ר סעי’ ב’, והוא בשו”ע אדה”ז הל’ הפקר סעי’ ט’, ראה גם בחו”מ סי’ רמ”ג סעי’ ט”ו ובש”ך שם ס”ק ו’ מובא באדה”ז הל’ מכירה סעי’ יו”ד (וראה הערת אדה”ז שם בשוה”ג על דברי הש”ך), וראה שו”ע חו”מ סי’ ר”צ סעי’ ז’ וסעי’ ט”ו, ועוד.

 

 

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