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Why does the Torah (תורה) present the mitzvah (מצוה) of cities of refuge three separate times with different emphases? Each presentation reveals a deeper layer: first, protection for the unintentional killer; second, societal awareness to prevent murder; third, punishment for negligence in safeguarding human life. The progression shows that human life has infinite value because each person represents God's presence in the world.
Rabbi Zweig explores why the Torah (תורה) presents the mitzvah (מצוה) of cities of refuge (arei miklat) three separate times with distinct emphases, addressing the apparent redundancy and the deeper messages conveyed. He begins with a fundamental question: why did Moshe Rabbeinu establish the three cities east of the Jordan when they provided no actual refuge until the western cities were established? The Gemara (גמרא) states that Moshe 'loved mitzvos,' but Rabbi Zweig argues this explanation is insufficient since there was no functional mitzvah at that time. The shiur develops a three-tiered understanding of the cities of refuge based on their different presentations in the Torah. In Bamidbar, the cities are called 'arei miklat' (cities of refuge) eight times, emphasizing their protective function - safeguarding the unintentional killer from the victim's relatives who have a legitimate right to pursue vengeance. This represents the first level: protection after the fact.
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Parshas Shoftim 19:1-13
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