“Then Moshe set aside three cities… for a murderer to flee there …” (Devarim 4:41)
Sefer Devarim is called Mishnah Torah because in this sefer Moshe Rabbeinu reviews various events and laws that have been discussed earlier in the Torah. It is interesting to note that after reminding the Jewish people of the momentous experience of Matan Torah, the Torah tells us that Moshe set aside three cities of refuge (arei miklat) for those people who killed someone unwittingly. These cities were intended to protect the murderer from the go’el hadam – a relative who sought to avenge the murder.
We already learned at the end of Parshas Masei that Moshe taught the Jewish people about the arei miklat. These three cities that Moshe set aside at this time would, in fact, not be operative until the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisrael and conquered the land. Why is this brought up now?
The Abarbanel comments that this was intended to bolster the Jewish nation and reinforce the promise that they would be successful in quickly conquering the land of Israel.
The medrash (Vayikra Rabbah 25:5) relates a fascinating story. The Roman Caesar Adrayanus was walking on the roads of Teveriah when he saw an elderly Jew planting saplings. Curious, the Caesar approached the man and inquired, “How old are you?”
“I am one hundred years old,” your Majesty.”
The Caesar began to laugh. “Do you think that you will live to enjoy the fruits of these trees that you are now planting? It will be many years before they bear fruit.”
“Indeed, the Caesar is correct,” replied the old man. “If I merit, I will eat the fruit; if not my children will have the fruit. Just as my ancestors planted trees for me, so too my trees will provide for my children.”
Impressed by the man’s convictions, the Caesar told him, “Please let me know if you live to eat the fruit.”
Years passed, and the trees yielded huge tasty figs of the finest quality. The elderly man kept his word and came to the gates of the palace with a basket of the juiciest figs on his shoulders.” The elderly man had to convince the guards that the Caesar was waiting to see him, and finally he was brought before his throne. “As you requested many years ago, I have come to let you know that I merited long life, and I have eaten from the figs that I planted.”
The Caesar instructed his servants to take the man’s figs and fill up his basket with gold coins. The servants were astonished at the honor he gave the old man, but the Caesar explained, “If Hashem has given him honor, certainly I should show him respect.”
When the elderly man returned home with his basket of gold, his neighbor’s wife begrudged his good fortune. She berated her husband for not taking initiative, and advised him to bring the Cesar some of their own figs for a similar basket of gold. Reluctantly, the man saddled his donkey and took a basket of his own succulent figs to the palace. He explained to the guards that he had heard the Caesar gave gold coins for a man’s figs.
When the guards informed the Caesar of the Jew at the gate, he was greatly angered. “This fool wants gold? Let the man stand at the gate and everyone who passed through should take a fig and throw it in his face.”
Crushed, beaten and disgraced, the man returned home, totally humiliated, and painfully crawled into his bed. His wife had no sympathy for him, and said derisively, “You should thank me for telling you to take soft figs and not hard esrogim, because then you would have come home with broken bones.”
A person has to make his hishtadlus (exert effort) to achieve results, without fretting about the outcome. Moshe Rabbeinu taught the Jewish people that one should focus on what he can do now, and not worry about the future. One should not become discouraged thinking that he will not be able to master the depth and breadth of the Torah, and therefore he might as well not learn at all. Our sages teach us (Avos 2:16), “You are not required to complete the task.”
Rabbeinu Bechaye says that even though the three cities would not be functional, Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to fulfill as many as mitzvos as he possibly could. This illustrates how significant it is for one to make every effort to perform a mitzvah – even if it is only half a mitzvah, even if it is a “light” mitzvah or a less stringent one (mitzvah kalah). We should know that the reward for small mitzvos, or even incomplete mitzvos is exceedingly great, for mitzvos form the foundation of our emunah.
