Giving more than 20% to charity

I realized that I gave more than 20 percent of my money to tzedaka this month,do I have to stop giving tzedaka untill next month.also can I calculate the percentage of tzedaka that I give from the start of the jewesh year untill the start of the following year or do I have to calculate the monthly percentage if I get payed monthly and not annually ( I get payed the same amount every month throughout the year)also if I don't know how much I have given so far this year can I start calculateing starting now even if it might end up being more. I am not a wealthy person but I have a steady income but I only know I will for sure have this steady income for the next couple of years( the contract I have now only is untill 2025 and then will have to be renewed and it's not a sure thing that it will be renewed but hopefully it will be.

Hello there,

Our sages prohibited a person from giving more than 20% of his money to charity. However, there are a number of exceptions to this rule for example if one is extremely wealthy or if it's a cause to support Torah or if he splurges a lot on himself so he may give more than a fifth to tsedaka,or if a poor person is asking from him then he may give him and it is even considered as middas chsiddus. Etc.
The reason for this is to prevent him from becoming poor himself and needing to receive charity, therefore one may give a little more then "chomesh" since this little more won't make him poor.

A person can give more than 20% in one month and calculate what has already been paid in the following month.
You can decide to pay monthly or according to annual income, whichever is more convenient for you.

Have an additional question on this topic or need clarification? Leave your comment below. (Please note that the comment will not be published but will be sent directly to the answering Rabbi for review and a private response)