## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 187

###### Sifrei Devarim 187:1
[Sifrei Devarim 187:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:1)

מִכָּן הָיָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הַהוֹרֵג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד – הַכֹּל מַקְדִּימִים לְעָרֵי מִקְלָט, בֵּית דִּין שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. **On this basis R. Yose b. R. Judah taught:**
**[Originally,]**²⁴². **one who kills a person—**
**whether unwittingly or intentionally—**
**they all rush to the cities of refuge.**
**The court *sends for them***
**and *brings them* from there.**

footnotes:
²⁴² So M. Mak.2:6. Sifre and Sifre Nu., 160 agree against the Mishnah in deleting bari’shonah


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:2
[Sifrei Devarim 187:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:2)

מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – הֲרָגוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ וְלָקְחוּ אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**They would *execute***
**the one found guilty of murder,**²⁴³
**for it is said:**
**“Then the elders of his city will *send for* him and *take him* from there**
**and *give him* into the hands of the blood-avenger, and he shall die” (Dt. 19:12).**

footnotes:
²⁴³ //M. Mak.2:6; cf. Sifre Nu. 160.


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:3
[Sifrei Devarim 187:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:3)

מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – פְּטָרוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה כה): ״וְהִצִּילוּ הָעֵדָה אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**But they would release**
**the one found innocent of murder.**
**For it is said:**
**“Then the council will spare the unwitting killer**
**from the blood-avenger” (Nu. 35:25).** ²⁴⁴

footnotes:
²⁴⁴ Cf. T. Sotah 5:11.


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:4
[Sifrei Devarim 187:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:4)

מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב גָּלוּת – מַחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם): ״וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדָה״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**The one sentenced to expulsion**
***is returned* to his residence,**
**as it is said;**
**“And the council shall *return* him to the city of his refuge**
**where he had fled” (Nu. 35:25)**²⁴⁵

footnotes:
²⁴⁵ //M.Mak.2:6.


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:5
[Sifrei Devarim 187:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:5)

רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: רוֹצֵחַ גּוֹלֶה לְעִיר מִקְלָט, כְּסָבוּר שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ שׁוֹגֵג; זִקְנֵי הָעִיר שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. **Rabbi says:**
**if an [intentional] killer**
**is expelled to a city of refuge,**
**and thinks that the city will offer him refuge**
**as it would an unwitting killer,**
**then the *elders* of the city must**
***send for him* and *bring him* from there,**
**for it is said:**
**“Then the elders of his city will *send for* him . . .**


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:6
[Sifrei Devarim 187:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:6)

וּמֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם, מִנַּיִן לֹא מֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם – יָמוּת בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יט יב-יג): ״וְנָתְנוּ אֹתוֹ בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם וָמֵת, לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַם הַנָּקִי״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**and *give him* into the hands of the blood-avenger,**
**and *he shall die*” (Dt. 19:12).**²⁴⁶
**“And *he shall die* by *the hand* of the blood-avenger” (Dt. 19:12).**
**How do I know that**
**if he doesn’t *die by the hand* of the blood-avenger,**
**he shall *die by the hand* of anyone else?**
**The Teaching states:**
**“Have no pity on him,**
**so that you may expunge the spilling of innocent blood in Israel” (Dt. 19:13).**²⁴⁷

footnotes:
²⁴⁶ Cf. Sifre Num, 160, s.v., rabi ‘omer..
²⁴⁷ //M.Mak.2:7.


###### Sifrei Devarim 187:7
[Sifrei Devarim 187:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/187:7)

שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: הוֹאִיל וְנֶהֱרַג זֶה, לָמָּה אָנוּ בָּאִים לָחוּב בְּדָמוֹ שֶׁל זֶה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַּם הַנָּקִי** – בַּעֵר עוֹשֵׂי הָרָעוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל!

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Might you say that**
**since the victim is already dead,**
**why should we make ourselves liable**
**for the blood of his killer?**
**The Teaching states:**
**“So that you may expunge the spilling of innocent blood in Israel” (Dt. 19:13)—**
**that is, expunge the evil-doers from Israel.**²⁴⁸ 86.2.

footnotes:
²⁴⁸ Cf. Sifre Num, 160; cf. T. Mak.3:7 and Pisqa’