1. The Purpose of the Arei Miklot
The beginning of Shilishi in Parshas Va'eschanan discusses how Moshe Rabbeinu separated three cities on the other side of the Jordan River to serve as arei miklot—cities of refuge. These cities were designated for individuals who accidentally killed someone. The immediate response for such a person was to flee to one of these cities, which would provide protection from the goel hadam—the redeemer of the blood, meaning the relative of the victim who might seek revenge. As long as the accidental killer remained within the city, the avenger was not permitted to harm him. If he left and was killed by the relative, there would be no legal consequences for the avenger, since this was considered expected behavior outside the city’s protection.2. The Requirement for Six Cities
When studying the laws regarding arei miklot, we learn that there were actually six such cities in total: three on the east side of the Jordan (where Bnei Yisroel were located before entering Eretz Canaan), and three within Eretz Yisroel proper, on the west side of the Jordan River. However, for these cities to function as true refuges, all six needed to be designated and operational. The three alone on Moshe’s side did not serve their purpose until after Bnei Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel and Yehoshua designated the other three. Until then, if an incident occurred, these cities did not yet provide refuge.3. The Timing and Meaning of “Az”
This raises a question: Why does the Torah tell us about Moshe Rabbeinu designating these three cities if they could not yet serve their intended function? The verse uses the word az—“then”—to describe when Moshe separated them: “Az yavdil Moshe”. Rashi explains that az means “then,” at that specific point in time when Moshe realized he would not enter Eretz Yisroel and thus would never have another opportunity to fulfill this mitzvah. Even though these cities would not function until later, Moshe seized his chance to do whatever part of the mitzvah he could.4. Moshe Rabbeinu’s Motivation and Decree
Earlier in this parsha, we learn that Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded with Hashem to allow him into Eretz Yisroel but was told unequivocally: “Rav lecha al tosef daber elai”—“Enough! Do not speak to Me further about this matter.” Once it became clear that he would never enter Eretz Yisroel, Moshe realized he would not be able to designate all six arei miklot. Therefore, at that moment (az) he decided at least to separate those on his side of the Jordan while he still could.5. Halachic Implications: Rambam vs. Rashi
The Rebbe discusses a difference between Rambam and Rashi regarding whether Moshe’s designation had any halachic validity or whether Yehoshua needed to re-designate them once Bnei Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel. According to some opinions, what Moshe did was only preparatory and required completion by Yehoshua; according to others, his act had lasting value even before all six were operational. The Rebbe analyzes these views and their implications for how mitzvos are fulfilled.6. Lessons from Arei Miklot: Accountability for Mistakes
The Rebbe draws a lesson from this parsha about personal responsibility even in cases of accidental wrongdoing (beshogeg). Someone who kills unintentionally must still go into exile in a city of refuge—accidents do not remove accountability entirely. Similarly, if a person sins unintentionally (beshogeg) they must bring a korban chatas—a sin offering—to atone for their mistake. There is a distinction between shogeg—a mistake due to negligence or lack of awareness—and oness—a situation where one is forced with no choice at all.7. Sensitivity Toward Mitzvos and Avoiding Mistakes
The Rebbe brings an example: even an animal instinctively avoids fire despite lacking intelligence because it senses danger. If a person is truly sensitive toward mitzvos, they will avoid sin even unintentionally (beshogeg). This teaches us that spiritual sensitivity can help prevent mistakes before they happen—not just deliberate sins but even those done without intent should be guarded against through heightened awareness and care in our actions.