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Terumah 5770 The Beis HaLevi asks why the Parshah of donations, Terumah, follows the Parshah of civil law, Mishpatim. He answers, that this is to teach us that before a person can begin to give tzedakah with his money, he must meticulously ascertain that none of his wealth has been acquired in a manner that contained even a trace of theft. If this condition is not fulfilled, his mitzvah of tzedakah will have been in vain. This is an example of the rule that chazal teach us: A mitzvah that is fulfilled as a result of sin – is not a mitzvah. “For I am the Lord, Who loves justice, hates robbery in a burnt offering” (Yeshayah 61:8) – we must ensure that our sources of merit remain uncontaminated. Good Shabbos!