The Torah grants the unintentional murderer the dispensation of fleeing to one of the Arei Miklat, Cities of Refuge, where he is protected from the close relatives of the victim. In his Igeres Ha’Mechaber the Sefer Ha’Chinuch distinguishes between the various mitzvos that we are obliged to fulfill. We must perform some mitzvos only under certain conditions; all Jews are commanded to perform other mitzvos at all times. There are two hundred and seventy of the latter mitzvos, of which forty-eight are mitzvos asei, positive mitzvos. The remaining two hundred twenty-two are mitzvos lo sa’asei, negative commandments. Of these mitzvos, only six are applicable every day, every minute of one’s existence. They are: belief in the Almighty; the prohibition against believing in any deity other than Hashem; yichud Hashem, the oneness of Hashem; loving Him; fearing Him; and the prohibition against following what the mind thinks and the eyes see. The symbol of these six mitzvos are the six Arei Miklat which are available to protect a person.
The Sefer Ha’Chinuch apparently sees a common denominator between the ability of the Cities of Refuge to protect a person from physical harm and power of the mitzvos which protect one’s neshamah, soul. Horav Elimelech Moller, Shlita, explains that those mitzvos temidios, constant mitzvos, which focus basically upon our belief in, and love of, Hashem serve as an island of serenity and succor for the Jewish soul.
The Sefer Ha’Chinuch suggests a reason that the arei ha’Leviim, cities in which the Leviim lived, were selected to be cities of refuge. The sublime level of yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, and devotion to Torah and mitzvos of the inhabitants earned them this distinction. Men of virtue and refinement, whose perspective on life has been influenced by Torah, will not show animus towards the unintentional murderer. Nothing will deter these people from their commitment to Hashem. Thus, they will carry out His will to love His children – even when they have erred. They will not hate the unintentional murderer, who, for some unknown reason, was Hashem’s agent to take someone’s life. Rather, their love and virtue will inspire him, raise him from the depths of depression and give him courage to go on.
The Ramban suggests that while “Levi” is ostensibly a reference to a specific shevet, tribe, the underlying idea of a person totally dedicated to serving Hashem applies to all Jews. Such a person is sanctified, and Hashem becomes his portion and sanctuary. He is removed from the mundane aspect of Olam Hazeh, this temporal world, as he receives his sustenance in the same manner as the Kohanim and Leviim merit subsistence from Hashem.
Thus, we can understand how one finds true peace and serenity only through Torah and mitzvos – especially those mitvos that underscore one’s total devotion to the Almighty.
