דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר תְּנ֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֙מָּה֙ רוֹצֵ֔חַ מַכֵּה־נֶ֥פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָ֖ה בִּבְלִי־דָ֑עַת וְהָי֤וּ לָכֶם֙ לְמִקְלָ֔ט מִגֹּאֵ֖ל הַדָּֽם׃
to which a manslayer who kills a person by mistake, unintentionally, may flee. They shall serve you as a refuge from the blood avenger.
What do you think would be the reason for the city of refuge?
Why do you think this was especially important for unintentional murder?
What is unintentional murder?
Why do you think this was especially important for unintentional murder?
What is unintentional murder?
וְנָ֞ס אֶל־אַחַ֣ת ׀ מֵהֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְעָמַד֙ פֶּ֚תַח שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֔יר וְדִבֶּ֛ר בְּאׇזְנֵ֛י זִקְנֵֽי־הָעִ֥יר הַהִ֖יא אֶת־דְּבָרָ֑יו וְאָֽסְפ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ הָעִ֙ירָה֙ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנוּ־ל֥וֹ מָק֖וֹם וְיָשַׁ֥ב עִמָּֽם׃
We translate this together:
How is this serving justice?
Who is served justice?
Who is served justice?
וְכִ֨י יִרְדֹּ֜ף גֹּאֵ֤ל הַדָּם֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְלֹא־יַסְגִּ֥רוּ אֶת־הָרֹצֵ֖חַ בְּיָד֑וֹ כִּ֤י בִבְלִי־דַ֙עַת֙ הִכָּ֣ה אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ וְלֹא־שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃
Should the blood avenger pursue him, they shall not hand the manslayer over to him, since he killed the other person without intent and had not been his enemy in the past.
וְיָשַׁ֣ב ׀ בָּעִ֣יר הַהִ֗יא עַד־עׇמְד֞וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י הָעֵדָה֙ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט עַד־מוֹת֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם אָ֣ז ׀ יָשׁ֣וּב הָרוֹצֵ֗חַ וּבָ֤א אֶל־עִירוֹ֙ וְאֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ אֶל־הָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁר־נָ֥ס מִשָּֽׁם׃
He shall live in that city until he can stand trial before the assembly, [and remain there] until the death of the high priest who is in office at that time. Thereafter, the manslayer may go back to his home in his own town, to the town from which he fled.”
What kind of society is the תורה creating?
How is this an evidence of that?
How is this an evidence of that?
עַד עָמְדוֹ וְגוֹ' לַמִּשְׁפָּט אִם יִפָּטֵר מִגָּלוּת יִפָּטֵר, וְאִם יִתְחַיֵּיב גָּלוּת יַחֲזוֹר לְעִיר מִקְלָטוֹ (במדבר לה נה): וְיֵשֵׁב שָׁם עַד מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל.
Until he stands, etc. for judgement. If he is acquited from exile, he is discharged. If he is sentanced to exile, he is returned to the city of his refuge, and he must reside there until the death of the Kohein-godol.
If the תורה is so occupied with justice, how can that be קודש and how can that serve ה׳?
Think of some good reasons the ערי מקלט will help with justice.
What do we have that is similar or the same in modern society?