Makkot 10a (י.) — the Talmud in English

As it is written: "

Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood."

And we explain:

What does "

tracked with blood" mean?

Rabbi Elazar said: They would lie in wait

to ambush

in order to kill people.

The Gemara discusses this:

Since the distance from the border to a city of refuge is equal to the distance between one city of refuge and the next, it follows that Eretz Yisrael was divided, with regard to the cities of refuge, into four equal regions:

Two outer regions—from the city of Kedesh to the northern border, and from the city of Hebron to the southern border.

And two middle regions—from Hebron to Shechem, and from Shechem to Kedesh.

From this point one must ask:

And what is the difference,

why are the two outer regions of the land, the northern region and the southern region, which are

on this side and on that side,

on the two sides of the land,

distant,

with the cities of refuge far from the murderers who need to reach them?

For if a murderer killed at the edge of their region, on the borders of the land, in the north or in the south, he would have to flee from the border to the city of refuge [Kedesh in the north or Hebron in the south] along a route measuring one-quarter of the length of Eretz Yisrael.

And what is the difference

and why are the

middle regions,

the two regions in the center of the land, between Hebron and Shechem and between Shechem and Kedesh,

near,

with their cities of refuge close to the murderers?

Since every murderer located in these two regions has the option of fleeing to one of the two cities of refuge, either to the north or to the south, as he is situated between them.

And since the distance between one city and the next is one-quarter of the length of Eretz Yisrael, the length of the route along which the murderer must flee there will be no more than one-eighth of the land,

and it follows that one who killed near the border must run twice as far as a murderer between the cities, since the distance from one place to the next is equal, but on the side of the border there is no city of refuge.

And we answer:

Abaye said: Murderers are also common in Shechem.

As it is written [Hosea 6]: "

As a band of men lying in wait, an assembly of priests, they murder on the way to Shechem."

And so on.

And we explain:

What does "

an assembly of priests" mean?

Rabbi Elazar said:

The verse speaks metaphorically:

They would assemble,

the murderers would gather in Shechem,

to kill people—

like those priests who assemble to divide the teruma in the granaries.

This resolves why the route between the cities was shorter than the distance between the outermost cities and the border. Shechem was the city in the center, and on both sides of it

murderers were common. Therefore, more cities of refuge were needed for them to flee to.

However, murderers were not as common there as in Gilead, and therefore they did not need to add as many cities of refuge in Eretz Yisrael as in Transjordan [Maharsha].

And we raise an objection to what we learned, that one is exiled only to the six cities of refuge:

And

is it the case that

there are no others,

that one cannot be exiled to other cities, but only to these six cities?

But it is written [Numbers 35]:

“And the cities that you shall give to the Levites—the six cities of refuge that you shall give for the murderer to flee there.

And in addition to them you shall give

[another]

forty-two cities.”

This indicates that a murderer could also flee to the other cities of the Levites and find refuge there from the blood-avenger.

And we answer:

Abaye said: These,

the six cities of refuge discussed in our Mishna,

provide refuge whether

the murderer fled to them

intending

that they provide him refuge,

and whether

he entered them

without intending

this—even if he did not know that they provide refuge, and he did not flee to them as a city of refuge. The blood-avenger may not kill him. But

these,

the other forty-two cities of the Levites, provide refuge only if he fled to them

intending

that they provide him refuge; only then do they

provide refuge.

However, when he enters them

without intending

to take refuge,

they do not provide refuge.

And we raise an objection to the beraita in the Tosefta above, which listed Hebron as one of the three cities of refuge in Eretz Yisrael:

And

what of

Hebron—

is it a city of refuge?

But is it not written:

“And they gave Caleb Hebron, as Moses had spoken”?

But concerning the six cities of refuge, the Torah states that they should be given to the Levites, whereas Caleb belonged to the tribe of Judah!

And we answer:

Abaye said: They gave Caleb only

the

the surrounding villages

of Hebron, namely, the villages and courtyards adjacent to Hebron that were named after it. But Hebron itself was a city of the Levites, and it was one of the six cities of refuge. And so it is stated in Joshua [21:13]: “And to the sons of Aaron the priests they gave the city of refuge for the murderer, Hebron.”

And the end of that verse indicates in accordance with Abaye,

as

it is written:

“And the field of the city and its courtyards—

they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh.”

And we also raise an objection concerning the city of Kedesh:

And

what of

Kedesh—

was it a city of refuge?

But is it not written [Joshua 19]:

“And the fortified cities

[these are the large cities that were in the inheritance of Naphtali]:

Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath and Chinnereth.

And so on,

and Kedesh, Edrei, and En-Hazor.”

And

whereas concerning the cities of refuge

it is taught: These cities,

which are designated to provide refuge to murderers,

must be made neither small fortresses,

small fortified settlements, where food is not readily available to the murderers, who cannot leave,

nor large cities,

where many people gather and the blood-avenger will be present,

but rather medium-sized towns,

so that food will be readily available for the exiles residing there, but there will not be many passersby there.

If so, how could Kedesh, which was a fortified city and a large city, be a city of refuge?

And we answer:

Rav Yosef said: There were two

cities called

Kedesh,

and the city of refuge Kedesh was not included among the fortified cities in the territory of Naphtali.

Rav Ashi said: In my view, the city of refuge Kedesh was indeed in the territory of Naphtali, and it was a medium-sized town suitable to serve as a city of refuge. However, it was adjacent to a large city called “Kedesh,” as explained above from the biblical text. Because of its proximity to the large city, this medium-sized town was also called “Kedesh.”

And we find a similar case,

for example: Seliḳum and the village of Seliḳum.

Seliḳum is a large fortified city, and adjacent to it there is a village called after it, the village of Seliḳum.

With regard to the matter itself, these cities—

must be made neither small fortresses nor large cities, but rather medium-sized towns.

And they establish them,

the cities of refuge,

only in a place

where there are

sources of

water,

so that they will not be forced to leave in order to obtain water outside the city of refuge.

And if there is no water there,

for example, cities of the Levites that were designated by lot, at the time of the division of the land, in a place far from a source of water, and murderers took refuge in them,

they bring them water,

by means of aqueducts that carry the water from distant rivers to the city.

And they establish them only in a place with markets,

so that food will be available for purchase.

And they establish them only in a place

where there are

inhabitants,

in a settled region that also contains villages and settlements [the Meiri wrote that there should be men of valor there to provide protection], so that many blood-avengers will not gather together and besiege the city.

And if

the population around them diminishes

in the region surrounding the city,

they add to them

residents, even temporary residents.

But if

the number of their residents diminishes

within the city,

they bring them priests and Levites

and Israelites

to live with them, so that the murderers will not constitute the majority of the city’s residents, since a city does not provide refuge when the majority of its residents are murderers, as stated below. Therefore, they must add permanent residents to the city.

And they may sell there neither weapons

so that the blood-avenger will not come and purchase a weapon in the city of refuge with which to kill the murderer.

They are not concerned that he might bring a weapon with him from his home, because they will notice the weapon when he comes to the city.

And

they may not sell there even

hunting implements,

with which animals are killed,

according to Rabbi Neḥemya.

But the Sages permit it.

And Rabbi Neḥemya and the Sages agree

that

one may not spread traps within them,

because hunters are accustomed to weapons, and wherever traps are common, weapons are common; perhaps the blood-avenger will come in disguise and take a weapon there [the Meiri].

And one may not lower hunting ropes into them

for the same reason—

so that the blood-avenger will not have occasion to come there.

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the verse

from which it is evident that this is what should be arranged in a city of refuge? As it is stated:

“And he shall flee to one of these cities, and live.”

And its meaning is:

Provide him with something through which he can live.

Provide him with something by which he will be able to live there.

It was taught: If a student was exiled—

his teacher is exiled with him!

Even if there is a yeshiva in the city of refuge, since not everyone is privileged to learn from every teacher [the Rishonim]. And since he needs his teacher to teach him, the teacher is exiled with him,

as it is stated:

And Maimonides added [chapter 7 of the laws of a murderer, law 1]: “And the life of a possessor of wisdom and one who seeks it without learning is considered like death.”

“And live”—

provide him with something through which he can live.

And Maimonides added [chapter 7 of the laws of a murderer, halakha 1]: “The life of a person of wisdom and one who seeks wisdom, without study, is considered like death.”

Rabbi Zeira said: From here

we learn

that a person should not teach a student who is unworthy,

so that the student’s sins will not cause him to kill inadvertently, and when the student is exiled, his teacher will be forced to be exiled with him.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If a teacher was exiled—

his entire yeshiva is exiled with him,

because he has no life without a yeshiva [Meiri]. And one must arrange for him whatever he needs in order to live, as it is stated: “And live.”

And we raise an objection:

Is that so?

Why should the teacher who killed inadvertently be exiled?

But Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From where is it derived that words of Torah provide refuge

and save one like a city of refuge?

As it is stated concerning a city of refuge:

“In the wilderness, Bezer.”

And so on.

And it is written afterward: “

And this is the Torah.”

The letter vav adds this to the preceding matter, and the verse teaches that just as the three cities provide refuge, so too does the Torah provide refuge [Maharsha]. If so, the rabbi who killed unintentionally is “sheltered” by his Torah and need not go into exile!?

And we answer:

This is not difficult.

This

statement that “the Torah provides refuge” means only

when he is engaged in it,

when he is occupied with its study.

And the statement that the rabbi goes into exile refers to

when he is not

engaged in it,

when he is not sheltered at that time and requires protection from the blood avenger.

And if you wish, say instead: What does “

words of Torah

provide refuge” mean?

They provide refuge and protection only

from the Angel of Death,

which is a matter in the hands of Heaven, but they do not save one from death at the hands of a human being.

And the instance we find in which words of Torah provide refuge is

as follows:

For Rav Ḥisda would sit and study in Rav’s study hall.

And the messenger of the Angel of Death was unable to approach him,

because

his mouth did not cease from study.

The messenger of the Angel of Death could not approach him and take his soul, since his mouth never ceased engaging in Torah, which is the Tree of Life, and anyone who grasps it cannot die.

What did the messenger of the Angel of Death do?

He went up and sat

above,

on the cedar tree in Rav’s study hall,

the cedar tree that was in Rav’s study hall.

The cedar tree broke,

and

the cedar

made a noise when it broke,

and he fell silent,

as Rav Ḥisda ceased his study because the noise disturbed him,

and

then

he was able to overcome him,

so the messenger of the Angel of Death was able to overcome him and take his soul.

Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: For what reason did Reuben merit being counted among the “

rescue”

first?

That is, the city of refuge Bezer, which was in Reuben’s inheritance, was listed first in the passage concerning the cities of refuge.

Because he initiated rescue first,

in the sale of Joseph.

As it is stated

Genesis 37]: “

Reuben heard, and he rescued him from their hands.”

Rabbi Simlai taught: What is the meaning of

this

that is written

Deuteronomy 4]: “

Then Moses set apart three cities across the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun”?

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Make the sun shine for the killers!

Prepare for them their means of sustenance and their needs, as stated above.

Some say:

This is what

He said to him,

the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses, who had set apart the three cities across the Jordan on his own initiative:

You have made the sun shine for the killers!

The Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him, as will be stated immediately below.

Rabbi Simai taught: What is the meaning of

this

that is written

Ecclesiastes 5]: “

One who loves money will never be satisfied with money, and one who loves abundance—

with produce”? “

One who loves money will never be satisfied with money” refers to

Moses our teacher, who knew that the three cities across the Jordan would not provide refuge until three

cities of refuge

in the land of Canaan had been chosen, and

nevertheless

said: A mitzva that has come to my hand—

I shall fulfill it,

and he set apart the three cities across the Jordan, even though they could not yet provide refuge. We see that one should value even every part of a mitzva, even when it does not complete the mitzva. “

And one who loves abundance, with produce” refers to

one who is fit to teach before an audience

and expound publicly—

one whose entire produce is his,

who is proficient in Scripture and Mishna, in halakhot and aggadot.

And this is what Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of

this

that is written

Psalms 106]: “

Who can recount the mighty deeds of the Lord, who can make heard all His praise”?

Who is fit to recount the mighty deeds of the Lord?

Only

one who can make heard all His praise!

And since there is no one who can recount all of His praise, it is therefore not appropriate to recount it on one’s own initiative, but only what the Sages instituted [the wording of Rashi, Megilla 18a].

And the Sages, and some say Rabba bar Mari, said

another explanation of this verse: “

And one who loves abundance, with produce” means:

Anyone who loves teaching before an audience,

who loves Torah scholars—

he shall have produce!

For the Torah seeks him out and his descendants, and he will have sons who are Torah scholars.

And when they stated this exposition,

the Sages cast their eyes upon Rabba’s son,

blessing him, for they found in him the fulfillment of the verse: Rabba loved Torah scholars, and his sons were Torah scholars.

Rav Ashi said

another explanation of this verse:

Anyone who loves studying before an audience

with many companions—

he shall have produce!

And this is what Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said:

What is the meaning of

Jeremiah 50]: “

A sword against the isolated ones, and they shall become foolish”—

let a

sword come upon the necks of the “enemies”

[in inverted language]

of Torah scholars who sit and engage in Torah study separately,

in solitude, each one by himself.

Furthermore, they become foolish

through solitary study without a fellowship.

For

it is written here: “

and they shall become foolish,”

and it is written there

Numbers 12]: “Please do not place upon us a sin

that we have foolishly committed,”

and we translate it: “that we have become foolish.”

Furthermore,

those who study in solitude

sin.

As it is stated

there: “that we have foolishly committed

and that we have sinned.”

And if you wish, say instead: From here

we learn that those who study in solitude sin because they become foolish [“nivalim”]—

as it is written [Isaiah 19]: “

The princes of Zoan have become foolish;

the princes of Noph have erred,” and “have erred” means “have gone astray”; thus, those who become foolish are also sinners.

Ravina said

another explanation of this verse:

Anyone who loves teaching

others

before an audience—

he shall have produce,

because through them dialectic analysis will increase, and he will apply himself to resolving their difficulties.

And this is what Rabbi said: I learned much Torah from my teachers, and from my companions

I learned

more than from them, and from my students—

more than from all of them.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of

this

that is written

Psalms 122]: “

Our feet stood within your gates, Jerusalem”?

What caused our feet to stand in battle

and prevail?

The gates of Jerusalem!

Because

they were engaged

in it,

in Torah.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of

this

that is written

there]: “

A Song of Ascents, of David: I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’”?

David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe! I heard people saying, ‘When will this old man die, so that his son Solomon will come, build the chosen House, and we will ascend for the pilgrimage festival?’

And I rejoiced

that the Jewish people longed for the building of the Temple and the fulfillment of the Temple service.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: [

Psalms 84] “

For one day in Your courtyards is better for me

than a thousand.”

And its explanation is:

One day is better for Me when you

David

are engaged in Torah before Me than the thousand burnt offerings that your son Solomon will eventually offer before Me upon the altar!

We learned in the Mishna:

And direct roads were prepared for them, etc.