Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 181/ספרי דברים קפ״א
א(דברים יט ד) וְזֶה דְּבַר הָרוֹצֵחַ, מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (מכות ב ח) רוֹצֵחַ שֶׁגּוֹלֶה מֵעִיר לְעִיר מִקְלָט.
1Pisqa’ 1812131. “Now, this rule is applied to the unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:4).On this basis you teach:An unwitting killer who is expelledto the city of [his] refuge,{and whom the residents of that citywish to honor —he must inform them:I am a killer!If they reply: Even so!—he may accept the honor,for it is said:“This rule is applied to the unwitting killer”}214 (Dt. 19:4).
במִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יט ו) ״פֶּן יִרְדֹּף גֹּאֵל הַדָּם אַחֲרֵי הָרוֹצֵחַ״, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא רוֹדֵף וְגוֹאֵל; רוֹדֵף וְלֹא גוֹאֵל, גּוֹאֵל וְלֹא רוֹדֵף, לֹא רוֹדֵף וְלֹא גוֹאֵל מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: רֹצֵחַ רֹצֵחַ, רִבָּה.
22. Inferring from what is stated:“Lest the blood-avenger pursue the unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:6)—I know only about a case involvinga pursuer who is himself the blood-avenger.215But on what basis do I rule whenthe pursuer is not the blood-avenger,[and who must fear family-vengeance or the court]?Or, the blood-avenger is not the pursuer[and, therefore, is not entitled to exact vengeance]?Or, neither the pursuer nor the blood-avenger[has been clearly identified]?The Teaching states:“Unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:4), and repeats,“Unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:6) in order to mandate an inclusive rule[protecting anyone who avenges the blood of an innocent victim].
גמִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כִּי יֵחַם לְבָבוֹ״, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חַמּוּת הַלֵּב; הָאָב אֶת הַבֵּן וְהַבֵּן אֶת הָאָב מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: רֹצֵחַ רֹצֵחַ, רִבָּה.
33. Inferring from what is stated:“For his heart boiled with rage” (Dt. 19:6),I know only about a caseinvolving an avenger who suffers boiling rage.216But on what basis do I rule whena father must take vengeance upon his child,or a child upon his father?217The Teaching states:“Unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:4), and repeats,“Unwitting killer” (Dt. 19:6) in order to mandate an inclusive rule[in which the avenger’s state of mind doesn’t weaken his claim to the city’s protection].
דמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר שָׁמָּה שָׁמָּה שָׁמָּה שְׁלֹשָׁה פְעָמִים? שָׁם תְּהֵא דִירָתוֹ, שָׁם תְּהֵא מִיתָתוֹ, שָׁם תְּהֵא קְבוּרָתוֹ.
44. What does the Teaching addby the three-fold repetition of the term:“There” (Nu. 35:6), “there” (Nu. 35:11), and “there” (Nu. 35:15)?There in the city of his refuge, shall he reside,there shall he die,there shall he be buried.218
המַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר רֵעֵהוּ רֵעֵהוּ רֵעֵהוּ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים? רֵעֵהוּ – פְּרָט לַאֲחֵרִים, רֵעֵהוּ – פְּרָט לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב, רֵעֵהוּ – כְּבָר קְרָאַתּוּ הַתּוֹרָה רֵעֵהוּ! אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּה אֶת רֵעֵהוּ בִּבְלִי דַעַת וְהוּא לֹא שֹׂנֵא לוֹ, הָא אִם שׂוֹנֵא לוֹ – אֵינוֹ גוֹלֶה.
55. What does the Teaching addby the three-fold repetition of the term:“His kinsman” (Dt. 19:4), “his kinsman” (Dt. 19:5), and “his kinsman” (Dt. 19:5)?219 without intending to or previously hating him, or joined his kinsman in the forest to chop wood, . . . and the axe-handle struck his kinsman, and he died.” See Pisqa’ 182 belowThe [first] kinsman excludes [gentile] others[from the rule of blood-vengeance];220The [second] kinsman excludes the resident alien;221In [the third] kinsman—the Torah now calls the victim kinsman“When he strikes his kinsman unwittinglywithout having hated him” (Dt. 19:4).So, if he’d hated him,he wouldn’t be expelled from his city?222
ומִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: תְּמוֹל – שְׁנַיִם, שִׁלְשֹׁם – שְׁלֹשָׁה.
6“Either yesterday or the day before” (Dt. 19:4)—R. Judah says:Yesterday—counts for two days;The day before—makes it three.223