신명기 4:41의 미드라쉬

R. Tanchum b. Chanilai said: "Why is the tribe of Reuben mentioned first among the cities of safety? Because he was the first to save Joseph from his brothers, as it is written (Gen. 37, 21) And when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hand." R. Simlai lectured: "It is written (Deut. 4, 41) Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan, toward the sunrise. The Holy One, praised be He! said to Moses: 'Thou hast caused the sun to shine toward the murderers (to save them from death)'." R. Simlai lectured: "What is the meaning of the verse (Ecc. 5, 9) He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, will finally have income? He that loveth silver refers to Moses, our master, who, [although] having been aware that the three cities on the other side of the Jordan could not protect [the innocent murderer] until the other three cities were selected; nevertheless he selected them, saying: "A meritorious act which has come to my hand, I shall fulfil;' nor he that loveth abundance, i.e., who is fit to lecture before a crowd? He who possesses all the grain [of knowledge] like the Bible, Mishna, Halacha and Hagada." And this is what R. Elazar said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 106, 2) Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord? or make all His praise to be heard? This means, who is fit to express the mighty acts of the Lord? He who can make all His praise to be heard." The Rabbis, and according to others, Rabba b. Mari explained this passage thus: "He who loves the abundance [of scholars], possesses the fruit of knowledge"; whereupon the Rabbis fixed their eyes upon Raba b. Rabba who possessed such a quality. R. Ashi said: "He who likes to learn among a crowd of scholars possesses the fruit of their knowledge." And this is what R. Jose b. Chanina said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Jer. 50, 36) The sword is upon the boasters (badim) and they shall become fools? This means the sword may cut the necks of the scholars who study separately [without interchange of ideas] and not only this, but they become also foolish; for it is written here, V'no-alu, (and they become foolish) and there is another passage (Num. 12, 11) For that we have done foolishly, and not only this but they also commit a crime, as it is written (Ib.) And wherein we have sinned. Rabina said: "He who loves to study among a crowd [of students], will possess the grain of knowledge." And this is what Rabbi said: "I learned much from my teachers, more, however, from my colleagues, but from my disciples, I learned the most."

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(Deut. 4:41:) THEN MOSES SET APART THREE CITIES. This text is related (to Eccl. 5:9 [10]): A LOVER OF MONEY NEVER RECEIVES ENOUGH MONEY; NOR WHOEVER LOVES ABUNDANCE, <ENOUGH> PRODUCE. <THIS ALSO IS VANITY. > R. Nehemiah says: Whoever loves the Torah never receives enough Torah.¹⁰Deut. R. 2:26/27. <When> one learns Mishnah, he seeks to learn the Talmud. <When> one learns, Talmud, he seeks to learn Tosafot.¹¹Buber, in n. 7, that Tosefta is what is meant here. So also: NOR WHOEVER LOVES ABUNDANCE, ENOUGH PRODUCE. Nor does he raise up students.¹²See Avot 1:1. THIS ALSO IS VANITY.

Another interpretation (of Eccl. 5:9 [10]): WHOEVER LOVES ABUNDANCE (rt.: HMH), <i.e.,> whoever longs for (rt.: HMH) and yearns (rt.: HMH) after the commandments. (Ibid., cont.:) NOR <ENOUGH> PRODUCE, for he does not have good works. (Ibid., cont.:) THIS ALSO IS VANITY. Moreover, the one who cherishes the commandments is Moses. For when he came to pass from the world, < there was> a small commandment that he had left out. He would not pass from the world until <in his words >: I separate it out while I still have the power in hand. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 4:41): THEN MOSES SET APART THREE CITIES.

(Deut. 4:41:) THEN MOSES SET APART. What is the meaning of THEN? <It is> a word <denoting> a song. Who uttered a song? The murderer of whom it is written (in Numb. 35:16): THE MURDERER SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH; for the murderer will not be slain.¹³I.e., the one who kills by accident will not be slain, when he reaches one of the cities of refuge set apart by Moses.

Another interpretation: Who uttered a song? Moses uttered a song. A common¹⁴Gk.: idiotes. proverb says: Whoever eats the dish knows how it tastes.¹⁵Deut. R. 2:26/27. Because he had killed the Egyptian and fled, he therefore knew what was in the soul of a killer. So it says (in Deut. 4:41:) THEN MOSES SET APART.

(Deut. 4:41:) THEN MOSES SET APART THREE CITIES <ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN > TOWARD THE RISING OF THE SUN. All murderers flee eastward. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:24): AND AT THE EAST OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN HE POSTED <THE CHERUBIM>. Cain fled to eastward, as stated (in Gen. 4:16): AND CAIN WENT OUT FROM BEFORE THE LORD AND DWELT IN THE LAND OF NOD, EAST OF EDEN.

Thus it is written (in Deut. 4:41): TOWARD THE RISING OF THE SUN. Israel said: Sovereign of the World, what about one who takes¹⁶The translation follows Buber, n. 10, in reading horeg for the unknown hawwat. a life unwillingly? The Holy One said: In the case of whoever takes a life by accident, behold, I have given him a place where he may flee. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 28:17): SOMEONE OPPRESSED BY BLOODGUILT WILL BE A FUGITIVE TO THE GRAVE; LET NO ONE SUPPORT HIM. What is the meaning of WILL BE A FUGITIVE TO THE GRAVE? The Holy One said: In the case of whoever has sinned by accident, behold, I have given him a place in the region of Reuben, (as stated in Deut. 4:43:) BEZER IN THE WILDERNESS IN THE LAND OF THE PLATEAU <BELONGING TO THE REUBENITES<…. >

“King” – this is the Holy One blessed be He; “is subservient [ne’evad] to a field” – this is Zion, as it is stated: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12).³⁸The midrash interprets this to mean that God, the King, is worshipped [ne’evad] in the Temple, in Zion. Therefore, “one who loves silver,” who loves mitzvot, “will not be satisfied” with the mitzvot.³⁹He will want more mitzvot. And if one does not have a mitzva that is fixed for the generations,⁴⁰That will have a long-term effect. what benefit does he have?⁴¹After his death. As Moses, how many mitzvot and acts of righteousness did he perform, and he has a mitzva fixed for the generations, as it is written: “Then Moses designated three cities” (Deuteronomy 4:41).⁴²Although Moses had done many mitzvot during his lifetime, and the three cities he designated as cities of refuge would not function in that capacity until the Israelites settled the Land of Israel, he nonetheless made sure to designate them before he died so as to fulfill a mitzva with a lasting effect.

Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Menaḥama were relating these incidents. There was an incident involving a certain man who was standing near a river. He saw a frog laden with a scorpion and taking it across the river. He said: This one is certainly prepared to fulfill its mission. It took it across, and it fulfilled its mission.⁴⁷It bit a person. And it took it back to its place. The sound of a cry was heard in the city: So-and-so, a scorpion bit him and he died.
Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori: There was an incident involving a certain man who was reaping in the valley of Beit Tofat. He saw a shrub and crafted [it into] a wreath for his head. A certain snake came and he struck it and killed it. A certain man⁴⁸Apparently, he was a snake charmer. came and stood and examined the snake. He said: ‘I wonder, who was it who killed the snake?’ That man said: ‘I killed it.’ He saw the shrub on his head [and] said to him: ‘Can you remove that wreath from your head?’⁴⁹The second man understood that the first man was protected from the snake’s venom only due to the wreath he was wearing on his head. He said: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘Can you come here [and touch] this snake with this staff?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ When he approached that snake, immediately his limbs fell off.
Rabbi Yannai was sitting and teaching at the entrance to the city and saw a certain snake that was agitated and was approaching. [When] he would pursue it from here, it would return from here, from that side. He said: This one is certainly prepared to fulfill its mission. Immediately the sound of a cry befell the city: So-and-so was bitten by a snake and died.
Rabbi Elazar was sitting in the bathroom; a certain Roman came and made him stand up and [the Roman] sat down [in his stead]. [Rabbi Elazar] said: This did not happen gratuitously. Immediately, a snake came and bit [the Roman], and he died. [Rabbi Elazar] read this verse in his regard: “I will place men [adam]in your stead” (Isaiah 43:4), [which he read as:] I will place Edom in your stead.⁵⁰The Sages identify Rome as Edom.
Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Elazar was strolling on a crag over the sea at Caesarea. He saw a femur bone rolling and coming. He buried it, but it rolled [out]; he buried it, and it rolled [out again]. He said: This is prepared to fulfill its mission. Several days later, a messenger from the kingdom passed and it rolled between his feet and he stumbled, fell, and died. They went and checked in his bag, and found that it was filled with evil edicts against the Jews of Caesarea.
Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta was a researcher. He had an orchard in which there was a tree stump. A hoopoe went and made a nest on it. Rabbi Shimon rose and dismantled it. What did he do? He brought a board and a nail to the entrance [to the nest] and affixed it. What did the hoopoe do? It went and brought a shrub, placed it on that nail and destroyed it. What did Rabbi Shimon do? He said: It would be best for me to conceal that [shrub] so thieves will not go and do as it did and bring destruction upon the people. Rabbi Yannai’s female donkey ate the shrub and was blinded. It ate a different shrub and recovered its sight.
There was an incident involving two men who were coming on the paths of Tiberias, one blind and one sighted, with the sighted leading the blind. They sat to rest on the way, and it happened that they ate of the shrub. The one who was blind recovered his sight, and the one who was sighted went blind. They did not move from there until the one who had been blind led the one who had been sighted.
There was an incident involving a man who ascended from Babylon.⁵¹He was travelling from Babylon to the Land of Israel. He sat to rest on the way and saw two birds fighting with each other, and one killed its counterpart. The other went and brought a shrub and placed it on the dead one and revived it. He said: It would be good for me to take this shrub and revive with it the dead in the Land of Israel. He ran and ascended; he saw a fox that was dead and cast on the way. He said: It would be good for me to test it on this fox. He placed it on it and revived it. He was walking until he reached the Ladder of Tyre. When he reached the Ladder of Tyre, he saw a lion that had been killed and cast on the way. He said: Let me test it on this one. He placed it on it and revived it. It rose against him and ate him. This is what people say: Do not perform good for the evil, and evil will not befall you. If you perform good for the evil, you have performed evil.
Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Even with water, the Holy One blessed be He accomplishes His mission. There was an incident involving one who was afflicted with boils who descended to immerse in the sea of Tiberias, and it happened that at that moment the spring of Miriam⁵²This was a spring of water that traveled with the Israelites in the wilderness and provided water for them. rose and he bathed and was cured.
Where is the spring of Miriam? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It is written: “And overlooks the surface of the wasteland [hayeshimon]” (Numbers 21:20), as anyone who climbs Mount Yeshimon sees a small sieve-like item in the sea of Tiberias, and this is the spring of Miriam. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Rabbis calculated it, and it is aligned opposite the middle gate of the ancient synagogue of Serongeya.
Rabbi Huna bar Pappa said: The children of Israel sacrificed offerings on prohibited makeshift altars in the wilderness [the way they did] before the Tabernacle was established. We learned: Before the Tabernacle was established, makeshift altars were permitted and the sacrificial service was by the firstborn. Once the Tabernacle was established, the makeshift altars were prohibited and the sacrificial service was by the priests. The Israelites would violate the prohibition of makeshift altars in the wilderness, and punishments would eliminate them. The nations of the world would say: They worship in His name and He kills them in the wilderness. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Any man of the house of Israel who slaughters a bull or sheep.… and to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting [does not bring it]…[that man shall be cut off from among his people]” (Leviticus 17:3–4).⁵³In order to prevent them from slaughtering consecrated animals outside the Tabernacle, God commanded them to refrain from slaughtering even non-sacred animals.

(Numbers 35:11:) “You shall provide yourselves with places to serve you as cities of refuge.” And it is written (in Numbers 35:13-14), “six cities of refuge shall there be for you. The three cities.” The three in the Land of Israel were in the West; and the three that were across the Jordan in the East were in the Land of the Children of Reuben, in the Land of the Children of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, as stated (in Deut. 4:43), “Bezer, in the desert [...].” R. Johanan said, (Ibid.,) “’Bezer, in the desert [...],’ see, there were three in the East. And the three in the West were in Hevron of Judah, and Shechem of Ephraim, which is Napolin (Nablus), and Kadesh in the Galilee from the tribe of Naphtali.” Moshe only apportioned [land] for the Reubenites, the Gadites and for the half tribe of Manasseh, and he set aside three cities from them, as stated (in Deut. 4:41), “Then Moses set aside three cities.” But Joshua apportioned [land] to all of the tribes, and they took [it] according to their lots, and they gave forty-eight cities to the Levites; the priests took thirteen, and the rest went to the [other] Levites, and the three cities of refuge came into their lot. And the tribe of Levi did not take a portion in the land, as stated (Jos. 12:33), “But no [portion] was assigned by Moses to the tribe of Levi.” Why? [Because (as in Deut. 18:2),] “the Lord is his portion, as He spoke to him.” You find that Sennacherib exiled Israel in three exiles.⁴³Numb. R. 23:14; cf. Lam. R. Proem 5. First, he exiled the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Second, [came] the tribe of Zebulon and the tribe of Naphtali, as stated (in Is. 8:23), “in the former time he abased the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali.” Third, he exiled the rest of the tribes, as stated (ibid., cont.), “and later he afflicted (hikhbid).”⁴⁴Translations of this verse vary, but the translation given here fits the sense of the midrash. He swept (hikhbid) them as [with] a broom (makhbed). Nebuchadnezzar also carried out three exiles with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In the first he exiled Jehoiakim [and] in the second, Jehoiachin. What did he do? He bound him in his carriage⁴⁵Lat.: carruca; Gk.: karrouchion. and [there] he became dear to him.⁴⁶Buber suggests a translation such as, “and it was his favorite.” Thus it is stated, “Behold, I am sending you away like a queen mother.”⁴⁷The text is not in Scripture, but cf. Jer. 29:2. Just as one honors the queen mother, so did Nebuzaradan act toward him. [Then] Nebuzaradan exiled Zedekiah, for a total of three exiles. From where do we know that Nebuchadnezzar was a world emperor? As he exiled these to here and those to there, and he exiled Israel to Babylon, and those in Babylon to the Land of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world Israel has gone into exile and spread among the gates of the world, because of iniquities, as stated (Jer. 15:7), “And I will scatter them with a winnowing fork to the gates of the world”; but in the future to come (according to Deut. 30:4), “If your banishment is to the end of the heavens, from there will the Lord your God gather you, even from there will He bring you back.” It also says (in Is. 11:12), “and he shall gather the dispersed of Judah […].” And it says (in Is. 31:11), “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” And so may it be His will. Amen and Amen!

14 (Numb. 35:11) “You shall provide yourselves with cities”: And it is written (in Numb. 35:13-14), “six cities of refuge shall there be for you. The three cities.” The three in the Land of Israel were in the West; and the three were across the Jordan in the East [in the Land of] the Children of Reuben, of the Children of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, as stated (in Deut. 4:43), “Bezer, in the desert [...].” R. Johanan said, (ibid.,) “’Bezer, in the desert [...],’ see, there were three in the East. And the three in the West were in Hevron of Judah, and Shechem of Ephraim, which is Napolin (Nablus), and Kadesh in the Galilee from the tribe of Naphtali.” Moses apportioned [land] for the Reubenites, the Gadites and for the half tribe of Manasseh, and he set aside three cities from them, as stated (in Deut. 4:41), “Then Moses set aside three cities.” But Joshua apportioned [land] to all of the tribes, and gave forty-eight cities to the Levites; the priests took thirteen, and the rest went to the [other] Levites, and the three cities of refuge came into their lot. And the tribe of Levi did not take a portion in the land, as stated (Josh. 12:33), “But no [portion] was assigned by Moses to the tribe of Levi.” Why? [Because (as in Deut. 18:1),] “the Lord’s fire offerings and His portion shall they eat.” You find that Sennacherib exiled Israel in three exiles.³¹Cf. Lam. R. Proem 5. First, he exiled the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Second, [came] the tribe of Zebulon and the tribe of Naphtali, as stated (in Is. 8:23), “in the former time he abased the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali.” Third, he exiled the rest of the tribes, as stated (ibid., cont.), “and later he afflicted (hikhbid).”³²Translations of this verse vary, but the translation given here fits the sense of the midrash. He swept (hikhbid) them as [with] a broom (makhbed). Nebuchadnezzar also carried out three exiles with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In the first he exiled Jehoiakim [and] in the second, Jehoiachin. What did he do? He bound him in his carriage³³Lat.: carruca; Gk.: karrouchion. and [there] he became dear to him.³⁴Buber suggests a translation such as, “and it was his favorite.” Thus it is stated, “Behold, I am sending you away like a queen mother.”³⁵The text is not in Scripture, but cf. Jer. 29:2. Just as one honors the queen mother, so did Nebuzaradan act toward him. [Then] Nebuzaradan exiled Zedekiah, for a total of three exiles. From where do we know that Nebuchadnezzar was a world emperor? As he exiled these to here and those to there, and he exiled Israel to Babylon, and those in Babylon to the Land of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world Israel has gone into exile and spread among the gates of the world, because of iniquities; but in the future to come (according to Deut. 30:4), “If your banishment is to the end of the heavens, from there will the Lord your God gather you, even from there will He bring you back.” It also says (in Is. 11:12), “and he shall gather the dispersed of Judah […].” And it says (in Is. 31:11), “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

(Bamidbar 35:9-10) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel … When you cross the Jordan, etc.": What is the intent of this section (on the cities of refuge)? From (Devarim 4:41) "Then Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan," we know only of these. Whence is it derived that Moses commanded Joshua to set aside cities of refuge (on the other side)? From (Bamidbar 35:11) "then you shall designate cities for yourselves." Scripture speaks of (the time) after inheritance and settlement. — But perhaps, upon their entry to the land? It is, therefore, written (Devarim 12:29) "When the L-rd your G-d has cut down the nations, etc." Scripture speaks of (the time after inheritance and settlement). (Bamidbar 35:10) "When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan": From here R. Yonathan derived: The Jordan is not part of the land of Canaan. R. Shimon b. Yochai says (Ibid. 26:3) "at the Jordan. Jericho": Just as Jericho is part of Canaan, so is Jordan. (Ibid. 35:11) "Then you shall call out cities (arim) for yourselves." "Calling out" connotes "designation." "cities": I might think, large cities; it is, therefore, written "arim" (connoting small cities). If so, I might think villages. It is, therefore, written "arim." How was this implemented in effect? They were of such size as to have markets and a food store. "And there shall flee there a slayer": I might think, any slayer. It is, therefore, written "a slayer, one who smites a soul unwittingly." If "one who smites a soul," I would think, even one who wounds his father and mother (unwittingly, viz. Shemot 21:15). It is, therefore, written "a slayer, one who smites a soul," Scripture hereby excluding from exile one who (unwittingly) wounds his father and mother.