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Wednesday, 26 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 6, 2024

Should You Pay Your Mashpia?

Stump the Rabbi: Should people pay their Mashpia for their time like one would pay their coach or therapist? Chassidus teacher Rabbi Yossi Paltiel answers. Video

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Disagree
March 2, 2021 6:38 pm

This may prevent people from getting advice from a mashpia. Its definitely mentschlich to show appreciation in whatever capacity you can, but to say people “should” pay, I dont think the Rebbe meant that when he suggested having a mashpia.

Agree with you
Reply to  Disagree
March 2, 2021 8:14 pm

Maybe there needs to be a fund made for full time Mashpiim to have Parnassa? How will the financially struggling yid be encouraged to call?

Absolutely not
Reply to  Agree with you
March 2, 2021 8:40 pm

This is a good suggestion

Absolutely not
March 2, 2021 8:38 pm

This is wrong. $180 to talk to someone with a beard?
If you get paid, you absolutely become partial to the money. It does not remain glatt

Look at this letter.
https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/937265/jewish/On-A-Chabad-House-Operating-Small-Businesses.htm
It’s not so simple

Yisroel
Reply to  Absolutely not
March 3, 2021 11:01 am

If a therapist wears a beard then he should not get paid??!! What are you saying? Your plumber gets paid, your Dr gets paid, your housekeeper gets paid. Don’t they?

Simple anser!!
Reply to  Yisroel
March 3, 2021 8:51 pm

Is the rabbi trained in the field to advice ppl on mental health issues and issues regarding day to day life?
Not regarding jewish stuff???
If not then absolutely they shouldn’t charge a penny.

Yossi
Reply to  Absolutely not
March 3, 2021 2:03 pm

Sorry sir but that letter is an entirely different concept.

Shluchim/mashpiim (should) get paid. Running a side *business* that is not shluchis related is the issue in the letter.

Um!
March 2, 2021 8:44 pm

If the Rebbe wanted it that way, he would have instituted it like that.
But then there would be many many people who wouldn’t ask advice
And it would become an ego business just like many other money and status things have become

Chas V’Shalom
March 2, 2021 9:12 pm

As much respect held for R. Paltiel, this is inappropriate, particularly for someone to give opinion when such isn’t theirs to state, outside those able to speak- the Rebbeim. Mashpia is an unpaid position, and expecting makes a public contradiction, the opposite of mashpia, who is a public sign, otherwise. Someone as R. Paltiel could answer, by research, whether a FULL time mashpia receives compensation. I do not know if this has existed being that teachers, who are paid if full time, serve as Mashpia. A mashpia’s job is to show emunat Hashem, acting, definitively, as a Malach Hashem- one… Read more »

The Rebbe's Directive
March 2, 2021 9:21 pm

Did the Rebbe endorse paying Mashpiim?
The Rebbe didn’t shy away from encouraging Yidden to give Tzedaka and directing people where to spend their money. I think it only makes sense that the Rebbe would have made it clear that people should pay their mashpia if this were the correct approach.

Hakoras Hatov is always important, and one should ensure to show appreciation to their mashpia, of course. Paying, I’m not so sure…

Interesting..
March 2, 2021 10:25 pm

Yasher Koach R. Yosef . I believe there is a letter to the chabad cummunity of montreal regarding r peretz mochkin ah to pay him a salary so he can be the mashpia to anash. If i recall correctly it said in the letter that this was always the way before in anash communities to set aside a person to inspire people towards avoda and ruchnious. And that to help this person do so with all his time and ability by taking away from him the worries and pressure of earning a living. Hence to pay r peretz for his… Read more »

Berel
Reply to  Interesting..
March 2, 2021 11:52 pm

Reb Peretz would also farbreng a lot. So this was more than simply having him answer questions. Also, there was no per hour fee to speak with him. It was a community obligation which falls more heavily at least on the wealthy members of the community.

Moreover, Reb Peretz was of sufficient stature to act as community mashpia which is a different breed that your standard personal asking for advice type of mashipia.

This is apples to oranges.

Berel
March 2, 2021 10:53 pm

There are relatively few professional mashpim. Most have other means of parnossa and that is good. There is no historical precedence for a mashpia being paid on a per visit basis. The upshot is that people will do without a mashpia just like they do without expensive quality therapy even though they need it. Walking your mashpia home from shul is not a considerable drain on his time. Certain mashpiim are in high demand and need to be selective and can therefore make these types of arrangements. More power to them. Not everyone needs these professional mashpiim. The Rabbi starts… Read more »

About time
March 2, 2021 11:27 pm

Finally someone said it straight Has anyone who asks for many hours of their Mashpia’s time – someone they respect and value, who probably has dozens of other mushpaim vying for his or her time – considered how the Mashpia is supposed to live? We pay melamdim. We pay shadchanim. We pay Rabbonim. Even if it’s a holy endeavor and undertaken lishma, there is a basic understanding that the individual needs to be compensated. And in fact, the pay hardly compensates the effort invested, which is never limited to hours. Shluchim fundraise – essentially, their community is asked to support… Read more »

Many want to fulfill
Reply to  About time
March 3, 2021 1:18 am

this Bakasha Nafshis of the Rebbe, but if you’re adding a fee to it, you might be essentially leaving out many Chassidim who can’t afford to pay.
As was mentioned, the community should organize a fund for these Mashpiim, or Mashpios.
Shluchim are different bec, they don’t demand payment/funding from those who can’t afford it. They rely on those who can. And as others have mentioned, when did the Rebbe say it should be compensated for?
I also, wonder if there would be a Shaila of bribery, as there is when it comes to Rabbonim!!!

Paying a talmid chacham
March 3, 2021 1:10 am

Definitely, one should pay a rov and/or a mashpia so they can learn and teach others without a burden. Maybe a generous weekly or monthly payment regardless of the amount of time that individual uses. Paying a talmid chacham (i.e., a rov and/or a mashpia) is a Halacha in Shulchan Aruch. (One may pay with his maaser or chomesh. Paying talmidei chachamim usually comes before other tzedakahs). Moreover, it is common sense and one who doubts this, is lacking kavod haTorah. I don’t think a detective from the Rebbe is needed for this. Obviously, I am not referring to individuals… Read more »

(Chas V’Shalom)
March 3, 2021 4:48 am

This is a sign the individual has to work on their avodah. If they are thinking about money, and not the importance of spiritual well-being, and hafatzos- the purpose of mashpia, their avodah need be corrected, and they are hardly a malach Hashem. Everyone’s time is limited, and one can create a “system”, asking that a mushpa speak to a friend, regularly to supplement (speaking to primary mashpia less, such as prior to holidays). To clarify, as those answering, and voting for paying, I suspect do not, in fact, understand the role of mashpia. A mashpia is NOT a therapist.… Read more »

the question is very broad
March 3, 2021 6:47 am

Iirc the gemera discusses if a person can use for kiddushin the value of the hanaa that the women gets from knowing that he wants to marry her. Same here, even if the mashpia doesnt get paid, there is a certain ego, power that he gets out of the relationship which can be a form of payment. There is a difference between a full-time, professional Mashpia and someone who has a regular job and you ask them questions from time to time. Obviously its important to show appreciation and that could come in different ways. So too, we dont pay… Read more »

Fairness
March 3, 2021 8:32 am

Maybe there should be a significant sliding scale if mashpia’s charge for their service. There is an altruistic aspect of being a mashpia, and the Rebbe asked everyone to have a mashpia. I think a genuine mashpia should not judge how much someone charges, it should be more of a suggested donation. Some people pay more, some people pay less. Sometimes people can’t afford to pay. This way the mashpia gets some compensation and people will feel better seeking and respecting the advice. I feel there’s a difference between a mashpia and a professional coach or therapist. Mashpia’s devote their… Read more »

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