A certain man told that he had been sent to prison for many long years of incarceration, and he had been there for several years, until one day new testimony arrived that cleared him of all guilt, and immediately on that very day he was released to his home, to life and to peace. When he was asked by his friends: What sustained you? How did you endure during all those years that you sat in prison for no wrongdoing on your part?
He answered them: I knew that there was one person who knew that I was innocent and he desired my good, and I knew with certainty that the moment he would be able, he would appear and testify, and then they would know that I was innocent, and every day I thought that today this could happen, it could be that today I will go free, and that thought is what gave me the strength to endure.
HaKadosh Baruch Hu commands to build six cities of refuge—three in the Land of Israel and three across the Jordan—and Moshe Rabbeinu immediately hastened to build the three cities across the Jordan. Nevertheless, according to the words of the Gemara as brought by Rashi (Makkos 9b): “Even though Moshe designated three cities in his lifetime on the far side of the Jordan, they did not offer refuge until the three in the Land of Canaan were also designated,” and we must understand, why do the cities not provide refuge until the cities in the Land of Canaan are built? After all, the entire purpose is to save the one who killed unintentionally, and especially in light of the words of the Gemara: “For in Gilead there were many murderers,” meaning that in Gilead there were more murderers, then why not use immediately the cities that Moshe Rabbeinu prepared?
HaKadosh Baruch Hu in His abundant mercy, created the world in a manner of “He has set an end to darkness,” meaning every difficult thing has an end. So too with the city of refuge: ‘וישב בה עד מות הכהן הגדול’ - “And he shall dwell there until the death of the Kohen Gadol,” (35:25)—the one who killed unintentionally sits in the city of refuge with the knowledge that he has hope to leave (35:28): ‘ואחרי מות הכהן הגדול ישוב הרוצח אל ארץ אחוזתו’ - “And after the death of the Kohen Gadol the murderer shall return to the land of his possession.” And that knowledge is what sustains him in the meantime. But during those fourteen years, that hope did not exist, because everyone knew that Elazar the Kohen would live until the war ended, as we read last week (27:21): ‘על פיו יצאו ועל פיו יבואו’ - “By his word they shall go out and by his word they shall come in.” If so, a murderer who would enter the city of refuge during those years would have no hope, and that is not the will of HaKadosh Baruch hu. This is also what sustains us throughout the length of exile: ’ואף על פי שיתמהמה עם כל זה אחכה לו בכל יום שיבוא‘ - “And even though he may delay, with all of this I wait for him every day that he will come.”
