ספרי דברים 187

מִכָּן הָיָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הַהוֹרֵג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד – הַכֹּל מַקְדִּימִים לְעָרֵי מִקְלָט, בֵּית דִּין שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם.

2. On this basis R. Yose b. R. Judah taught:
[Originally,]²⁴²So M. Mak.2:6. Sifre and Sifre Nu., 160 agree against the Mishnah in deleting bari’shonah. one who kills a person—
whether unwittingly or intentionally—
they all rush to the cities of refuge.
The court sends for them
and brings them from there.

מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – הֲרָגוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ וְלָקְחוּ אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם״.

They would execute
the one found guilty of murder,²⁴³//M. Mak.2:6; cf. Sifre Nu. 160.
for it is said:
“Then the elders of his city will send for him and take him from there
and give him into the hands of the blood-avenger, and he shall die” (Dt.19:12).

מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – פְּטָרוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה כה): ״וְהִצִּילוּ הָעֵדָה אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ״.

But they would release
the one found innocent of murder.
For it is said:
“Then the council will spare the unwitting killer
from the blood-avenger” (Nu.35:25). ²⁴⁴Cf. T. Sotah 5:11.

מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב גָּלוּת – מַחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם): ״וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדָה״.

The one sentenced to expulsion
is returned to his residence,
as it is said;
“And the council shall return him to the city of his refuge
where he had fled” (Nu.35:25)²⁴⁵//M.Mak.2:6.

רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: רוֹצֵחַ גּוֹלֶה לְעִיר מִקְלָט, כְּסָבוּר שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ שׁוֹגֵג; זִקְנֵי הָעִיר שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ״.

3. Rabbi says:
if an [intentional] killer
is expelled to a city of refuge,
and thinks that the city will offer him refuge
as it would an unwitting killer,
then the elders of the city must
send for him and bring him from there,
for it is said:
“Then the elders of his city will send for him . . .

וּמֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם, מִנַּיִן לֹא מֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם – יָמוּת בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יט יב-יג): ״וְנָתְנוּ אֹתוֹ בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם וָמֵת, לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַם הַנָּקִי״.

and give him into the hands of the blood-avenger,
and he shall die” (Dt.19:12).²⁴⁶Cf. Sifre Num, 160, s.v., rabi ‘omer..
“And he shall die by the hand of the blood-avenger” (Dt.19:12).
How do I know that
if he doesn’t die by the hand of the blood-avenger,
he shall die by the hand of anyone else?
The Teaching states:
“Have no pity on him,
so that you may expunge the spilling of innocent blood in Israel” (Dt.19:13).²⁴⁷//M.Mak.2:7.

שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: הוֹאִיל וְנֶהֱרַג זֶה, לָמָּה אָנוּ בָּאִים לָחוּב בְּדָמוֹ שֶׁל זֶה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַּם הַנָּקִי – בַּעֵר עוֹשֵׂי הָרָעוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל!

Might you say that
since the victim is already dead,
why should we make ourselves liable
for the blood of his killer?
The Teaching states:
“So that you may expunge the spilling of innocent blood in Israel” (Dt.19:13)—
that is, expunge the evil-doers from Israel.²⁴⁸Cf. Sifre Num, 160; cf. T. Mak.3:7 and Pisqa’ 86.2.