More Discussions for this daf
1. Teshuvah for a Shochet 2. Teshuvah of the Socharei Shevi'is 3. Mafrichei Yonim
4. בר ביניתוס
DAF DISCUSSIONS - SANHEDRIN 25

Dovid Erdfarb asked:

On amud bet, rav nechemia states that the only way a sochrei shevit can aquire tsheva is to announce thta he made X money from shevit and give that money to the poor.

Can we infer from this that its permissable from tzedkot to take "dirty" money, money with which an Isur was done. And does this hint of the problem of mitzvah Habah Mavera, and possibly forbidden to use the money??

Thank you for providing a forum to ask questions on the daf to someone who's holding on the daf.

Kol Tuv,

Dovid Erdfarb, Oceanside, USA

The Kollel replies:

Chas v'Shalom. There is no "dirty" money here, the actual money he made is long gone.

Even if the money is still present, the Tzedakah is not gaining from his misdeed. The point here is to return the money that he took from purchasers unjustly. Since the seller does not know to whom to return the money, he returns it to poor people in general. This is like someone who stole from many people and does not know from whom he stole. In order to do Teshuvah he must give the money for the needs of the public.

By the way, even in that case the Rishonim write that this not a full Teshuvah; if the thief were to actually find at a later date the one from whom he stole, he would still have to return to him what he stole.

D. Zupnik