More Than Quantity
The reason many mitzvot cannot be performed outside the Land of Israel or without the Temple is not merely logistical. These commandments require a specific spiritual atmosphere, an acute awareness of the Divine that enables people to experience their true impact and utilize their specific power in transforming the world.
Imagine a text message from one loved one to another. However meaningful or emotive, there is always the screen in between. The words themselves have no tone or nuance, and without context or subtext, can completely miss their mark. Such an exchange cannot compare, by any means, to any personal interaction, for humans depend on eye contact, facial expression, proximity, and dialogue to draw close to each other.
Mitzvot in the current era are that text: real and meaningful, but somehow distant. When Moshiach comes, the human relationship with the Divine will be face-to-face—every mitzvah alive with G-d’s presence, its impact clear and immediate, exactly as He desires.
A City of Refuge (Ir Miklat)
A City of Refuge (Ir Miklat) is a Levitical city designated as a sanctuary for those who accidentally caused another's death. Three were instituted by Moshe on the east side of the Jordan River as the Israelites were poised to first enter the Land, and three more designated when the land was settled. Yet three more were meant to be added when the territory expanded. This final set of cities were never established, making the Cities of Refuge the only category of mitzvah never completed. According to tradition, these cities will be established only in the Messianic era, representing the ultimate perfection of Torah observance and Divine justice in the world.
