אָ֣ז יַבְדִּ֤יל מֹשֶׁה֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ עָרִ֔ים בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן מִזְרְחָ֖ה שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃
Затем Моисей разделил три города за Иорданом к восходу солнца;
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
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."
Devarim Rabbah
“You shall know this day and restore to your heart that the Lord, He is the God in Heaven above and upon earth below; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
“Then, Moses designated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the rising sun” (Deuteronomy 4:41).
“Then, Moses designated” – halakha: Regarding how many matters was Adam the first man commanded? So the Sages taught: Adam the first man was commanded regarding six matters: Regarding idol worship, regarding profaning the Name, regarding judges, regarding bloodshed, regarding illicit relations, and regarding robbery. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: All of them are [alluded to] in one verse, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man, [saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat]” (Genesis 2:16). “Commanded [vaytzav]” – this is idol worship, as it is stated: “[Ephraim is exploited…] because he willingly followed an order [tzav]” (Hosea 5:11).56Ephraim followed the orders of the prophets of idols, or Yerovam, and they worshipped idols. “The Lord” – this is profaning the Name, as it is stated: “And one who blasphemes the name of the Lord [shall be put to death]” (Leviticus 24:16). “God [Elohim]” – this is the judges, as it is stated: “The statement of both parties shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8). “The man” – this is bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, [by man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6). “Saying” – these are illicit relations, as it is stated: “Saying, behold, if a man sent his wife away…[but you acted licentiously]” (Jeremiah 3:1). “From every tree of the garden you may eat” – but not from what has been obtained through robbery57Adam was permitted to eat only from the trees of the Garden, implying that if he were to eat from anything else, that would be considered stealing (Maharzu). – [God thereby] commanded him regarding robbery. For all of them there is forgiveness, except for bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” Rabbi Levi said: But there are many men who killed, and died in their beds. They answered him: What is “by man shall his blood be shed”? When all people will come [back to life] in the future, at that time, his blood will be shed.
They said: There was an incident involving two brothers, one of whom killed the other. What did their mother do? She took a cup and filled it with [her son’s] blood and placed it in a tower. She would enter each day and find that blood effervescent. One time, she entered, looked at it, and found that it had settled. At that moment, she knew that her other son had been killed, to realize what is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6).
“Then, Moses designated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the rising sun” (Deuteronomy 4:41).
“Then, Moses designated” – halakha: Regarding how many matters was Adam the first man commanded? So the Sages taught: Adam the first man was commanded regarding six matters: Regarding idol worship, regarding profaning the Name, regarding judges, regarding bloodshed, regarding illicit relations, and regarding robbery. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: All of them are [alluded to] in one verse, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man, [saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat]” (Genesis 2:16). “Commanded [vaytzav]” – this is idol worship, as it is stated: “[Ephraim is exploited…] because he willingly followed an order [tzav]” (Hosea 5:11).56Ephraim followed the orders of the prophets of idols, or Yerovam, and they worshipped idols. “The Lord” – this is profaning the Name, as it is stated: “And one who blasphemes the name of the Lord [shall be put to death]” (Leviticus 24:16). “God [Elohim]” – this is the judges, as it is stated: “The statement of both parties shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8). “The man” – this is bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, [by man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6). “Saying” – these are illicit relations, as it is stated: “Saying, behold, if a man sent his wife away…[but you acted licentiously]” (Jeremiah 3:1). “From every tree of the garden you may eat” – but not from what has been obtained through robbery57Adam was permitted to eat only from the trees of the Garden, implying that if he were to eat from anything else, that would be considered stealing (Maharzu). – [God thereby] commanded him regarding robbery. For all of them there is forgiveness, except for bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” Rabbi Levi said: But there are many men who killed, and died in their beds. They answered him: What is “by man shall his blood be shed”? When all people will come [back to life] in the future, at that time, his blood will be shed.
They said: There was an incident involving two brothers, one of whom killed the other. What did their mother do? She took a cup and filled it with [her son’s] blood and placed it in a tower. She would enter each day and find that blood effervescent. One time, she entered, looked at it, and found that it had settled. At that moment, she knew that her other son had been killed, to realize what is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6).
Devarim Rabbah
58These sections are printed together in the Vilna edition of Midrash Rabba. “Then, Moses designated” – this is what the verse said: “One who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver [nor one who loves abundance with produce]” (Ecclesiastes 5:9). Do we not know that a person never satisfies himself? What is “with silver”? The Rabbis say: These are Torah scholars who love matters of Torah, which were compared to silver, as it is stated: “The acquisition of understanding is choicer than silver” (Proverbs 16:16). Rav Naḥman said: One who loves Torah is never satisfied with Torah. What is “nor one who loves abundance with produce”? One who avidly longs for Torah, “nor…with produce” – but he does not produce students – “this, too, is futility” (Ecclesiastes 5:9). Rav Aḥa said: One who studies Torah and does not teach, he has no futility greater than that.
Another matter: “One who loves silver” (Ecclesiastes 5:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who loves mitzvot is never satisfied with mitzvot. How so? You find two greats of the world, David and Moses, who were not satisfied. David, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “However, you will not build this House for Me” (see II Chronicles 6:9), David would say to himself: Just because the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “You will not build the House,” will I sit idle? What did he do? He hurried himself and prepared all its needs before he died.59He prepared the materials for the construction of the Temple. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Behold, in my affliction, I have prepared for the House of my Lord [one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million talents of silver…]” (see I Chronicles 22:14). Likewise, Moses, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), Moses said: Will I pass from the world and not designate cities of refuge? Immediately, “then Moses designated.”
Another matter: “One who loves silver” (Ecclesiastes 5:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who loves mitzvot is never satisfied with mitzvot. How so? You find two greats of the world, David and Moses, who were not satisfied. David, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “However, you will not build this House for Me” (see II Chronicles 6:9), David would say to himself: Just because the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “You will not build the House,” will I sit idle? What did he do? He hurried himself and prepared all its needs before he died.59He prepared the materials for the construction of the Temple. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Behold, in my affliction, I have prepared for the House of my Lord [one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million talents of silver…]” (see I Chronicles 22:14). Likewise, Moses, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), Moses said: Will I pass from the world and not designate cities of refuge? Immediately, “then Moses designated.”