Editing Ir Miklat (City of Refuge) (section)

== Laws of the City of Refuge ==

==== Regulations of the City of Refuge ====
In the cities of refuge, many precautionary measures were taken to enable a manslayer to arrive quickly so that the blood redeemer would not overtake him.

There is an obligation to straighten and mark the road to the cities of refuge with clear signs to allow for the fastest possible escape to the city of refuge. Every year on the 15th of Adar, toward the end of winter, the court is commanded to repair the roads to enable quick escape to the cities of refuge.

==== Allocation of Cities of Refuge ====
In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4, it is told that Moses set aside three cities of refuge in the eastern side of the Jordan: Betzer in the territory of the tribe of Reuben, Ramot in the territory of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in the territory of the tribe of Menashe.

In the book of Joshua (20:1-9), it is told that Israel dedicated three additional cities of refuge: Kedesh in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kiryat Arba (Hebron) in the territory of the tribe of Judah.

According to Abaye's opinion in the Babylonian Talmud (Tractate Makkot, page 10a), all forty-eight Levite cities were cities of refuge, except that the six cities provided protection even for one who fled to the city without knowing that it was a city of refuge for him, which is not the case with the remaining forty-two. The Rambam also ruled this way, as he wrote, "All the Levite cities provide refuge and each one of them is a city of refuge. As it is said, 'And you shall add forty-two cities to them... all the cities that you shall give to the Levites, forty-eight cities' - Scripture linked them all together for refuge" (Laws of Murder and Preservation of Life, chapter 8, law 9). However, the Ramban already noted that this interpretation contradicts the plain meaning of the verses, according to which there were only six cities of refuge. According to the Radbaz, his words align with the law described in the Jerusalem Talmud.

==== Cities of Refuge in the Redemption ====
In the Redemption, three additional cities will be added to the six, as appears in Scripture: "And if Hashem your G-d enlarges your territory, as He swore to your forefathers, and gives you all the land that He spoke of giving to your forefathers; if you keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love Hashem your G-d, and to walk in His ways all the days, then you shall add three more cities" in addition to these three.

The additional cities will be established in the lands of the Keni, Kenizi, and Kadmoni.

==== The Need for Cities in the Redemption ====
The commentators discuss the question of why cities of refuge will be needed in the redemption era, a time about which it is said "nation shall not lift sword against nation," implying there won't be murderers even by accident.

The Rebbe explains this by stating that the flight to cities of refuge will be for those who committed murder during exile, and the pursuit by the blood redeemer isn't because "his heart is heated," but rather because the pursuit by the blood redeemer is a commandment from the Torah.

==== Cities of Refuge as Proof of Redemption ====
The Rambam in the Laws of Kings brings the commandment of cities of refuge as additional proof for the redemption. The Rebbe explains the need for this additional proof since it strengthens the case against one who denies the redemption, because regarding a commandment in the Torah, one cannot say it will change or that it isn't meant literally.

The connection between this specific commandment and redemption: Just as a city of refuge absorbs in space, so too there is absorption in time. The time of redemption will absorb all the problems of exile, and then the absorption and atonement of the Jewish people will be completed.