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The Torah states in very strong terms the prohibition of Jewish king from accumulating a large number of wives, horses, or wealth. To each of these prohibitions the Torah attaches a reason, “Lest his heart turn away from Hashem.” Shlomo Hamelech, whose Torah wisdom was so immense and whose heart was so pure, felt certain that no surfeit of wives would turn his heart from Hashem. He therefore declared that he maintained the strength to withstand all the trials without sinning, and proceeded to transgress these commandments. The Midrash points out that when Shlomo transgressed these commandments, the letter “yud”…

The unintentional murderer is instructed to flee for the safety of the city of refuge, so that he may continue to live safely without fear of vengeance from the relatives of his victim. To “live” is not merely to exist, but rather, to continue his original life to which he had been accustomed. The Talmud in Makos (10a) states: “If a disciple was exiled to a city of refuge, they in turn exile his teacher with him, for it says, “and he shall live” which implies provide him with the proper arrangements to enable him to live, and a student…