The Torah of the Cities of Refuge-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 125

The Messianic Torah Observer

This week's Parashah is the 125th reading of our 3-year reading cycle and it entails the Torah of the Cities of Refuge. Herein we gain insight into the righteous concepts of atonement, redemption, and grace. Our text is found in Numbers 35.9-34

Key Terms and Concepts Discussed

• Refuge (aka asylum): miq-lat
• Die or dying: mwt (mem-vav-tav)
• Kill or killer or murder or murderer; manslaying or manslayer: rot-zah. In our reading, Yehovah distinguishing for us the difference between murder/intentional homicide and what we call here in the West, manslaughter, accidental, or unintentional homicide. Yah's Torah of the Cities of Refuge clarifies the distinction between these two forms of killings/homicides. Besides distinguishing between intentional and unintentional homicide, Yehovah, through His instructions on the Cities of Refuge, further emphasized the extreme value that He places on life. Yah's extreme value for life must serve as a mandate for us to value life as He does. We value life in a Godly manner when we keep Yah's commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev 19.18) and to steadfastly enact righteous justice in our communities.
• Redeem; redeemer; avenger such as a blood avenger; to reclaim as one's own; to right a wrong or restore equilibrium: ga'al
• Blood; the shedding of blood; bloodguilt: dam
• Bribe; ransom (given to one who holds sway in a case to avoid impending judgment or punishment against a guilty party): ko'fair (ko'per)
• Strike; smite; to strike someone dead; to hit or injure another: neekah
• To flee (such as flee to a refuge city): nun-vav-semach
• Enmity or hostility: ehvah
• Witness: 'ed (ai-ed)

Shabbat Shalom Beloved of Yeshua Messiah!