📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Matos Maaseiy: Shevi’i – The cities of refuge

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Shevi’i when combined with Matos

1. The cities of refuge:
   • Hashem spoke to Moshe saying that he is to command Bnei Yisrael that upon then passing the Jordan towards the land of Canaan they are to designate cities of refuge for one guilty of unintentional manslaughter. The cities will be used by the murderer as a refuge from the relative of the victim. The murderer is not to be killed until he has a court case.
   • Amount and locations: There are to be six Arei Miklat. Three of the cities are to be in Eretz Yisrael and the other three past the Jordan river. They are to be a city of refuge for all accidental murderers, whether a Jew or a convert.
   • An intentional or unintentional murderer: If the murderer intentionally or premeditatedly killed someone using a metal object, or a stone object, or a wooden object, then he is to be put to death. The Goal Hadam [relative of the victim] is to kill the murderer. If, however, the murderer killed him without intent and he is not his enemy, then the assembly shall judge between him and the relatives and save him from being killed by the relatives. They are to escort him to the city of refuge.
   • The conditions of the Ir Miklat: The accidental murderer is to remain in the city of refuge until the anointed Kohen Gadol passes away. If the murderer leaves the city of refuge, he has given up his blood and may be killed by the Goal Hadam (avenger).
   • Laws of a murder trials: A single witness may not be used as testimony to kill a murderer. One may not take a ransom from the murderer to save him from punishment of death or Ir Miklat. “Do not corrupt and defile the land that I dwell in by not giving due punishment to the murderers, as the land will not have atonement for the spilled blood. I am Hashem who dwells amongst the Jewish people.”

2. The marriage of Bnos Tzelafchad:
   • The family of Gilead, son of Machir, who is the son of Menasheh, approached Moshe complaining that the lands inherited by the daughters of Tzelafchad will be inherited by their husbands and consequently leave our tribe. Hashem agreed with their complaint and Moshe thus commanded the daughters of Tzelafchad to marry within their tribe. He also commanded all the Jewish people that all female heirs may only marry into their tribe in order to prevent a family heritage from falling into the hands of other tribes.
   • The daughters of Tzelafchad; Machlah, Tirtzah, Chaglah, Milcah, and Noah did as they were instructed and married their cousins from the tribe of Menasheh.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Bamidbar 35:9–34 & 36:1–13

35:9–15 — Cities of Refuge

Q1. What were the Cities of Refuge for?

1. They provided protection for someone who killed unintentionally.

Q2. What does “והקריתם” mean?

1. You shall prepare and designate cities.

Q3. Who is the “גואל הדם”?

1. The blood avenger, a relative of the victim.

Q4. How many Cities of Refuge were there?

1. Six.

Q5. When did the three cities designated by Moshe become effective?

1. Only after Yehoshua designated the other three in Canaan.

Q6. Why were three cities placed east of the Jordan despite the smaller population?

1. Because accidental killers were more numerous in Gilad.

Q7. Who could use the Cities of Refuge?

1. Israelites, converts, and resident aliens.

 

35:16–21 — Intentional Murder

Q8. What happens if someone intentionally kills with an iron object?

1. He is a murderer and must be executed.

Q9. Why is no minimum size given for iron?

1. Even a tiny piece of iron can kill.

Q10. What does “אבן יד” mean?

1. A stone large enough to fill a hand.

Q11. Why must the stone or wood be capable of causing death?

1. To establish that the object was a deadly weapon.

Q12. What may the blood avenger do to a murderer?

1. Kill him wherever he finds him.

Q13. What does “בצדיה” mean?

1. By ambush.

 

35:22–25 — Unintentional Killing

Q14. What does “בפתע” mean?

1. Accidentally.

Q15. What does “without seeing” mean?

1. The killer did not see the victim.

Q16. What legal principle is learned from “he threw it down upon him”?

1. Exile applies when the fatal action occurred through a downward motion.

Q17. What must the community do?

1. Judge between the killer and the blood avenger.

Q18. Where must the accidental killer remain?

1. In a City of Refuge.

Q19. Until when?

1. Until the death of the High Priest.

Q20. Why is the High Priest’s death connected to the exile?

1. His role brings Divine Presence and life, whereas the killer shortened life.

Q21. What is another explanation?

1. The High Priest should have prayed that such tragedies not occur.

Q22. If a new High Priest was appointed after the crime but before sentencing, whose death ends the exile?

1. The death of the later High Priest.

 

35:26–29 — Leaving the City

Q23. What happens if the exile leaves the City of Refuge?

1. He loses its protection.

Q24. What if the blood avenger kills him outside the city?

1. The avenger is not liable.

Q25. What does “אין לו דם” mean?

1. The killer is treated like one who has no blood liability.

Q26. When may the exile return home?

1. After the High Priest dies.

Q27. What does “in all your dwelling places” teach?

1. Lesser courts may function outside Israel when the Great Sanhedrin functions in Israel.

 

35:30–34 — Justice and the Sanctity of the Land

Q28. How many witnesses are required for a capital case?

1. At least two.

Q29. Can one witness impose the death penalty?

1. No.

Q30. May a murderer pay money instead of being executed?

1. No.

Q31. May an accidental killer pay to avoid exile?

1. No.

Q32. What does “לא תחניפו” mean here?

1. Do not make the land guilty through unpunished murder.

Q33. How is bloodshed atoned for?

1. Through the punishment of the murderer.

Q34. Why must the land not be defiled?

1. Because Hashem dwells there.

Q35. Does the Divine Presence remain among Israel when they are impure?

1. Yes, the Shechinah remains among them.

 

📘 Bamidbar 36:1–13 — The Daughters of Tzelofchad

36:1–4

Q36. Why did the leaders of Menashe approach Moshe?

1. They feared that Tzelofchad’s daughters would marry into another tribe.

Q37. What problem would that create?

1. Their inherited land would transfer to another tribe.

Q38. Why would it transfer?

1. Their sons would belong to their husband’s tribe and inherit the land.

Q39. Would Yovel return the inherited tribal land?

1. No, inherited land does not return in Yovel.

Q40. What proof did Rabbi Yehudah derive from this passage?

1. That Yovel would eventually cease.

 

36:5–9

Q41. How did Moshe respond?

1. He agreed that the tribe of Yosef was correct.

Q42. What was Hashem’s ruling?

1. Tzelofchad’s daughters could marry whomever they wished within their tribe.

Q43. Why was this restriction required?

1. To prevent tribal inheritances from shifting.

Q44. To whom does this law apply?

1. A daughter who inherits because her father had no sons.

 

36:10–12

Q45. Did Tzelofchad’s daughters obey?

1. Yes.

Q46. Whom did they marry?

1. Their cousins within the tribe of Menashe.

Q47. Why are their names listed in a different order here?

1. Here they are listed by age.

Q48. How are they listed elsewhere?

1. By wisdom.

Q49. What does this teach?

1. They were equal in greatness.

 

36:13

Q50. Where were these final commandments given?

1. In the Plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.