Va’eschanan 4:41 · unit 1

TT #15 · Parashas Va’eschanan · Second Aliyah · Passuk 4:41

The Complete Passuk

אָ֣ז יַבְדִּ֤יל מֹשֶׁה֙ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ עָרִ֔ים בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן מִזְרְחָ֖ה שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

Then Moshe set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan, toward the sunrise.

Chabad.org — 4:41

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Makos 10a (R’ Simlai on “mizrachah shemesh”).

Sefaria — Makos 10a

E-Daf image — Makos 10a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב אָז יַבְדִּיל מֹשֶׁה שָׁלֹשׁ עָרִים בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ? אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: הַזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ לָרוֹצְחִים.

English: R’ Simlai expounded: What is meant by “Then Moshe set aside three cities… toward the sunrise”? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe: Cause the sun to shine for the manslayers (i.e., provide them with the means of life).

On the daf / in context: The extra phrase “mizrachah shemesh” is read as a divine instruction to establish the cities of refuge in a way that affords the accidental killer a viable life (markets, water, etc.), not merely bare shelter.

Type of Learning

R’ Eliezer #8 (from something superfluous) — diyuk of the extra phrase “mizrachah shemesh”.

What Is Learned

The cities of refuge must be places where the exile can live, not merely hide; Hashem commanded Moshe to “cause the sun to shine” for the manslayers.