Explaining the Astonishing Fact that Three Arei Miklat Will Be Required Le’asid La’vo
It is with great delight that we can now explain based on the Shela hakadosh the surprising fact that Yisrael are commanded to add three “arei miklat” le’asid la’vo, after the Melech HaMashiach conquers the lands of the Kini, Kenizi, and Kadmoni. This seems surprising, since murder will no longer be present in the world, in keeping with the passuk: "בלע המות לנצח". So, why will cities of refuge be necessary when there will not be any murders?
It appears that we can resolve this quandary based on the teaching in the Gemara (Succah 52a) that le’asid la’vo, HKB”H will send two Mashiachs to redeem Yisrael—Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. Furthermore, we will experience a tragic loss, since Mashiach ben Yosef is destined to be killed. In his Chiddushei Aggados, this how the Maharsha explains the matter:
At the time of the future geulah, swiftly in our times, Mashiach ben Yosef will come first to save Yisrael, as it is written (Ovadiah 1, 18): “The house of Yosef (shall be) a flame and the house of Eisav for straw, etc.” For, the offspring of Eisav will only be eliminated by Mashiach ben Yosef. Yet, he will be murdered by the numerous idolaters who will return to Yerushalayim. The complete geulah will not be realized until the arrival of Mashiach ben David, as explained in several scriptural references.
We are taught in our sacred sefarim that Mashiach ben Yosef will die on account of the sins of the generation, as it is written (Yeshayah 53, 4): "אכן חליינו הוא נשא ומכאובינו סבלם... והוא מחולל מפשענו מדוכא מעוונותינו... כולנו כצאן תעינו איש לדרכו פנינו וה' הפגיע בו את עון כולנו." But in truth, it was our ills that he bore, and our pains that he carried . . . He was pained because of our rebellious sins and oppressed through our iniquities . . . We have all strayed like sheep, each of us turning his own way, and Hashem inflicted upon him the iniquity of all of us.
In Sha’ar HaKavanos (Drushei HaAmidah 6) Rabeinu Chaim Vital writes something incredible in the name of his mentor, the Arizal. When we utter the words: "וכסא דוד עבדך מהרה בתוכה תכין"—and the throne of David, Your servant, may You speedily establish within her—in the Shemoneh Esrei, which we pray thrice daily, we should have Mashiach ben Yosef in mind. We should pray to the Almighty that he will survive and will not die.
Rabeinu Chaim Vital also mentions this in Pri Eitz Chaim (Sha’ar HaAmidah 19). He suggests that his mentor, the Arizal, passed away in the prime of his life, because he was a spark of Mashiach ben Yosef. In fact, the Arizal requested that his disciples pray—when uttering the words "וכסא דוד עבדך" which allude to Mashiach ben Yosef—that he not pass away prematurely. Apropos this subject, in the gloss of Rabbi Nasan Shapiro (ibid.), he writes:
Mashiach ben Yosef will reincarnate in each and every generation. If there are worthy tzaddikim in the generation, they will protect him from dying; when no one is found to protect him, he will perforce die himself. By suffering the punishment of death in each generation, he atones for himself precluding that he will die at the hands of the wicked Armilus. Instead, he will die each time by the hands of HKB”H Himself with a divine kiss.
The Holy Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli Possessed the Neshamah of Mashiach ben Yosef
It is accepted that the holy, divine kabbalist Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli, zy”a, who died sanctifying the name of Hashem (5708-5709) possessed a spark from the holy neshamah of Shimshon ben Manoach of shevet Dan. Hence, the names of all his sefarim signify this lineage. For instance, he named his commentary on sefer Karnayim “Dan Yadin.” Other sefarim of his are named Machaneh Dan, Ben Manoach, Shemesh U’Magen. All these names are related to Shimshon ben Manoach of whom they said in the Gemara (Sotah 10a): "שמשון על שמו של הקב"ה נקרא, שנאמר כי שמש ומגן ה' אלקים"—Shimshon was named after HKB”H, as it says (Tehillim 84, 12): “For a sun and a shield is Havaya Elokim.” HKB”H is described as a sun and a shield; so, too, Shimshon shielded Yisrael in his generation.
Many tzaddikim claim that Rabbi Shimshon possessed the neshamah of Mashiach ben Yosef, which enabled him to atone for Yisrael. Hence, in Divrei emes (Vayeitzei), the Chozeh of Lublin, zy”a, wrote: "וכן משיח בן אפרים לקבץ את ישראל לארץ ישראל, כי נראה שלא יהרג כי היה מקוים ברבי שמשון אוסטרופאליה זה, ולא תקום צרה פעמיים"—so, too, Mashiach ben Ephraim will come to gather the people of Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael. It seems that he will not be killed, because this already transpired in the person of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli; and a tragedy does not repeat itself.
We have now been enlightened as to why Yisrael were commanded to add three more “arei miklat” in the times of the Mashiach. We learned from the Shela hakadosh that Mashiach ben Yosef will come first to conquer the three nations of Kini, Kenizi, and Kadmoni. Mashiach ben David will follow him and conquer the entire world. This will impart the kedushah of Eretz Yisrael to the entire world. This concurs magnificently with the teaching of Chazal that Yosef is the nemesis of Eisav, who is Edom. Hence, Edom, which is the Kadmoni, can only be defeated by Mashiach ben Yosef.
Therefore, Yisrael were commanded to add three “arei miklat.” As we learned, Mashiach ben Yosef was or will be killed to atone for the iniquities of Yisrael. So, even though this was clearly not their intent, chas v’shalom, there are Jews who share responsibility for the death of Mashiach ben Yosef. Since it is as if they committed an inadvertent murder, they will be obliged to seek atonement in the three new “arei miklat” that will be built. After receiving their atonement, Mashiach ben David will come and sanctify the entire world with the kedushah of Eretz Yisrael—swiftly, in our times! Amen.
