Yehoshua - Perek 20: “Cities of Refuge”
Cities of Refuge (20:1-9)
Summary
Points to Ponder
Is this a new idea?
This chapter introduces a unique linguistic feature in Nach. The first verse of our chapter reads “Vayedaber Hashem el Yehoshua Lemor” – and God spoke to Yehoshua saying. The Malbim notes that this phrase phrase is used in only used in reference to Moshe and no one else, except to Yehoshua here. relation to a navi other than Moshe. The reason is that Yehoshua is currently fulfilling a Torah command, not doing something on his own volition.
Why the disproportionate number of refuge cities?
There are three refuge cities set up on the east bank and three set up on the west bank of the Yarden. But considering the population difference, that is surprising. There were two and half tribes living in the east and nine and a half tribes in the west. So why the equal distribution of refuge cities?
The gemara in Makkos 10a teaches that there were a greater number of murderers in Gilad (east bank) then there were in Israel proper. However, this leads to a further question. Why would a greater number of deliberate murders warrant a need for more cities of refuge? After all, these cities are to protect accidental murderers.
There are two fascinating answers to this difficulty.
The first answer is that in fact all murderers went to the city of refuge in the first place, after which there would be a legal investigation process. If the courts found him to have killed accidentally, they would then return to the refuge city. However, if he was found guilty for deliberate murder he would then be killed. Since these cities were always the first place of refuge after a murder, more were needed where there were more murderers.
The second approach is that of the Shem Mishmuel, the second Sockatchover Rebbe. He explains that our subconscious decisions, our mistakes, are an accurate indication of what what we really care about. The reason why a person must bring a sin offering for mistakenly breaking Shabbos is because it indicates that it did not really matter enough. When we care enough about something, we do not make mistakes. For example, no one accidentally steps on the third track of the railway, because it is just too big a mistake to make.
In life, we need to ensure that the things that matter to us are too big a mistake to make. If the level of depravity in society is such that murder is not such a big deal, such a society will yield many accidental murderers too. The mistakes which happen in each society are an indication of the value system of that society. If, on the east bank of the Yarden, murder was not taken seriously, there would be a rise in incidental murder as well. This approach explains why extra cities of refuge were required on the east side of the Yarden.
Summary
- Arei Miklat, cities of refuge, are prepared in Israel as the Torah instructed.
- Yehoshua explains the purpose of the cities to the nation. They are to act as a refuge for those who kill accidently so no family member of the victim will kill the accidental murderer.
- Once the killer has reached the city of refuge, he must remain there until the kohen gadol dies.
- He explains how, outside the city of refuge, the murderer can legally be killed by the ‘redeemer of the blood.’
- Three cities were erected on the east side of the Yarden river and three cities in the mainland Israel.
Points to Ponder
Is this a new idea?
This chapter introduces a unique linguistic feature in Nach. The first verse of our chapter reads “Vayedaber Hashem el Yehoshua Lemor” – and God spoke to Yehoshua saying. The Malbim notes that this phrase phrase is used in only used in reference to Moshe and no one else, except to Yehoshua here. relation to a navi other than Moshe. The reason is that Yehoshua is currently fulfilling a Torah command, not doing something on his own volition.
Why the disproportionate number of refuge cities?
There are three refuge cities set up on the east bank and three set up on the west bank of the Yarden. But considering the population difference, that is surprising. There were two and half tribes living in the east and nine and a half tribes in the west. So why the equal distribution of refuge cities?
The gemara in Makkos 10a teaches that there were a greater number of murderers in Gilad (east bank) then there were in Israel proper. However, this leads to a further question. Why would a greater number of deliberate murders warrant a need for more cities of refuge? After all, these cities are to protect accidental murderers.
There are two fascinating answers to this difficulty.
The first answer is that in fact all murderers went to the city of refuge in the first place, after which there would be a legal investigation process. If the courts found him to have killed accidentally, they would then return to the refuge city. However, if he was found guilty for deliberate murder he would then be killed. Since these cities were always the first place of refuge after a murder, more were needed where there were more murderers.
The second approach is that of the Shem Mishmuel, the second Sockatchover Rebbe. He explains that our subconscious decisions, our mistakes, are an accurate indication of what what we really care about. The reason why a person must bring a sin offering for mistakenly breaking Shabbos is because it indicates that it did not really matter enough. When we care enough about something, we do not make mistakes. For example, no one accidentally steps on the third track of the railway, because it is just too big a mistake to make.
In life, we need to ensure that the things that matter to us are too big a mistake to make. If the level of depravity in society is such that murder is not such a big deal, such a society will yield many accidental murderers too. The mistakes which happen in each society are an indication of the value system of that society. If, on the east bank of the Yarden, murder was not taken seriously, there would be a rise in incidental murder as well. This approach explains why extra cities of refuge were required on the east side of the Yarden.