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The Value Of Life
Demands Our Respect

BILL MEYER

conspirers for blood.'" (Hosea 6:8)
This explanation, though, is somewhat
puzzling. The verse from Hosea is
clearly speaking of those who murder
intentionally and are, therefore, sub-
ject to capital punishment; the refuge-
exile cities are the exclusive refuge and
punishment for the accidental mur-
n the second of this week's dou-
derer. What connection can there be
ble portion, Moshe instructs the
between the abundance of intentional
people concerning the conquest,
murderers and the apparent over-
boundaries and distribution of
abundance of these cities in Gilad?
the land of Israel. In the midst of
It seems to me that what Abaye in
those instructions is a whole discus-
the Talmud and, according to his
sion of the topic of murder and partic-
interpretation the Torah
ularly the laws of accidental
itself, is telling us is that
murder.
bloodshed and violence
One who kills someone
affect and influence all.
accidentally must flee to a
Because there are many
"refuge" city to avoid being
intentional murderers in
killed out of revenge by a
Gilad, life itself loses its
family member of the victim.
dearness and is cheapened.
While the city offers the acci-
Even the righteous can
dental killer a refuge, it also
become inured to the loss of
serves as his punishment. He
life when living in an envi-
must live the rest of his life
ronment of bloodshed.
(until the high priest dies) in RABB I ELIEZER
We live now in a culture
C
OHEN
this city of exile on threat of
where
life has been cheap-
Sp ecial to
death by the avenger.
ened.
Medical
decisions are
The J ewish News
The verses make it clear
based on financial considera-
that the community has an
tions. Abortion, assisted sui-
obligation to establish these refuge-
cide, lack of ultimate, just and speedy
exile cities (Exodus 21:13; Numbers
punishment for murder and animal
35:9-34; Deuteronomy 4:41-43, 19:1-
rights equated with human needs all
10) when they settle the land. The
reflect this devaluation of life.
Torah itself (Numbers 35: 33-34) tells
I am not advocating the imposition
us that (unpunished) bloodshed will
of one's religious-moral standards
"corrupt the land."
upon society in general; I personally
Apparently the excuse "it was only
find such advocacy reprehensible.
an accident" does not suffice when it
Likewise, I don't know which is the
comes to loss of life. Therefore, the
cause and which is the result.
accidental murderer requires punish-
Clearly, however, life is not as pre-
ment — the exile to the refuge city.
cious in our society today. We are apt
Just as the loss of life irrevocably
to ignore the Mishna admonition
affects in almost every way the family
(Sanhedrin 4:5), " ...therefore the
of the victim, so, too, the exiled mur-
being (Adam) was created singularly in
derer and his family face drastic life
order to teach that any who causes the
changes due to the exile. To emphasize
destruction of even one human life
the value of life, its extinction (even
destroys the whole world and any who
accidentally) must carry extreme
preserves human life is considered by
penalties; anything less cheapens life
the Torah as if he preserved the whole
itself.
world."
The Talmud (Makos 9B-10A) notes
that there were three refuge-exile cities
established on the east side of the
Jordan River (Gilad) for the two and a
half tribes residing there and another
Why does the Torah list the places
three on the west side of the Jordan
where the Jewish people camped
for the other nine and a half tribes.
in the wilderness? Why are the
This over-abundance of cities for
boundaries of the land described
the two and a half tribes is explained
and why are they different from
by Abaye "because in Gilad there were
those specified in Genesis 15:18,
numerous murderers, as it says, `Gilad
Deuteronomy 1:7; 11:24? Why
is a place of perpetrators of iniquity,
did the tribe of Levi not get a spe-
cific portion of land in Canaan,
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of
but scattered cities instead?
Congregation Or Chadash.

Shabbat Matot-Masei:
Numbers 30:2-36•13;
Jeremiah 2:4-28.

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Detroit Jewish News

7/24
1998

57

