R. Yossi n. R. Yehudah dit: Au départ, celui qui tue involontairement et celui qui tue volontairement se dirigent vers les villes de refuge et Beth-Din les envoient et les ramènent de là. Celui qui est passible de l'exécution par Beth-Din est mis à mort et celui qui ne l'est pas est acquitté. Celui qui est susceptible de s'exiler est renvoyé à sa place, comme il est écrit (Nombres 35:25): "Et l'assemblée le ramènera dans la ville de son refuge, etc." Le prêtre oint de l'huile d'onction et le prêtre des «vêtements multiples» [(car après la sécrétion de la cruche d'huile d'onction, on ne fut inauguré dans le grand sacerdoce que par l'enfilage des huit vêtements)], et le prêtre dont l'onction a été annulée [(si le grand prêtre a eu une émission sur Yom Kippour et un autre a été nommé à sa place)], "renvoie" le tueur (de la ville de refuge). [Avec la mort de l'un ou de l'autre, il revient, même si l'autre est vivant, «grand prêtre» étant écrit trois fois dans cette section.] R. Yehudah dit: Le prêtre oint pour la guerre (mashuach milchamah), aussi, revient le tueur, [il est écrit (Nombres 35:32): "… retourner habiter le pays jusqu'à la mort du prêtre." Et les rabbins ne l'exposent pas, il n'est pas écrit «le grand prêtre». La halakha est conforme aux sages.] Par conséquent, les mères des prêtres leur fourniraient (les tueurs dans la ville de refuge) de la nourriture et des vêtements, afin qu'ils ne prient pas pour que leurs fils meurent (afin qu'ils puissent quitter le ville.) [Et ils (les prêtres) étaient en faute, car ils auraient dû implorer la miséricorde pour leur génération afin que les malheurs ne se produisent pas, et ils ne l'ont pas fait.] Si après avoir été condamné [à l'exil], le souverain sacrificateur est mort , il n'est pas exilé. [Pour une fois qu'il a été condamné et attend l'exil, c'est comme s'il avait déjà été exilé.] Si avant d'être condamné, le grand prêtre est mort et un autre a été nommé à sa place, après quoi il a été condamné, il revient avec la mort du second.
Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ואחד המרובה בגדים – since after the flask of anointing oil was hidden, he was not inaugurated to become the High Priest other than the wearing of eight garments.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Introduction
The first half of mishnah six states that all killers, accidental or intentional, would initially flee to the city of refuge, before standing trial. The second half discusses issues concerning the death of the high priest, which according to Numbers 35:25, 28 is what allows the manslayer to leave the city of refuge and return home without fear of the blood avenger.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
ואחד שעבר ממשיחתו – that a nocturnal emission befell the High Priest on Yom Kippur and they appointed another n his place. With the death of all of those, he returns, even though the other one is alive, since “High Priest” is written three times in the portion.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Rabbi Yose bar Judah says: “Initially a slayer is sent in advance to [one of] the cities of refuge, whether he had slain in error or with intent and then the court sends and brings him out. Whoever was found guilty of a capital crime the court had executed, and whoever was found not guilty of a capital crime they acquitted. Whoever was found liable to banishment they restored to his place [of refuge] as it says, “And the congregation shall restore him to the city of refuge to which he fled” (Numbers 35:25). Before a trial it is impossible to know whether the killing was done accidentally or with intent. Therefore, all killers flee to the city of refuge immediately. Afterwards the court sends for them and puts them on trial. If they are found guilty of murder they are executed. If they are found not to have killed with intent and not to have been negligent, then they are totally exempt and incur no penalty. If they are found to have killed accidentally, without intent but with some degree of negligence, then they are sent back to the city of refuge.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
רבי יהודה אומר: אף משוח מלחמה – Another Biblical verse is written (Numbers 35:32): “…enabling one to return to live on his land before the death of the priest.” But the Rabbis, since “High Priest” is not written in this verse, they don’t expound it. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
All the same are [the deaths of] the high priest who had been anointed with the anointing oil; or had worn many garments, or had retired from his office all make possible the return of the manslayer. Rabbi Judah says also the [death of the] priest who had been anointed for war makes possible the return of the manslayer. There are several different types of high priests described in our mishnah. The first are those who have been anointed with oil, a practice that only existed during the First Temple period. The second are those who wore the high priest’s special clothing, which included more pieces of clothing than a normal priest. This would have included the high priest during the Second Temple period. Thirdly, the mishnah mentions a high priest who retires from office. The manslayer may leave the city of refuge at the death of any one of these types of high priests (see Numbers 35:25, 28). According to Rabbi Judah, even the priest who has been anointed to charge the people into war, referred to in Deuteronomy 20:2, is considered to be like a high priest, and therefore his death allows the manslayer to return home.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
שלא יתפללו על בניהם שימותו – and they were negligent, for they should have requested for mercy on this generation that no religious offense should happen on them, and they did not request this.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Therefore, mothers of high priests would provide food and clothing for them [who had been exiled] that they might not pray for their son’s death. Naturally, it is in the best interest of the manslayer who has been banished to the refuge city for the high priest to die as quickly as possible. They may even pray for his speedy death. In order to encourage them not to pray for their sons’ deaths, the mothers of the high priests would feed and clothe the manslayers who were stuck in the cities of refuge.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Makkot
משנגמר דינו – for exile, for when the proceedings were finished (i.e., the sentence was pronounced), and he is about to be exiled, it is as if he was exiled.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
If the high priest died at the conclusion of the trial, the slayer does not go into banishment. If he died before the trial was concluded and another high priest was appointed in his stead and the trial was then concluded, the slayer returns [home from refuge only] after the latter’s death. If the high priest were to die after the conclusion of the trial the manslayer does not need to go into banishment, for the high priest has already died. Although he never reached the city of refuge, once his trial has been concluded it is as if he is already there. If, however, the high priest dies before the conclusion of the trial and a new one is appointed, the manslayer must wait until the newly appointed high priest dies before he can leave the city of refuge.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Makkot
Questions for Further Thought: • Section one: Why does Rabbi Yose bar Judah suggest that all killers initially flee to the refuge city, even before a trial? • Section three: What does this section teach us about the nature of prayer in the eyes of the Rabbis?
