Forty-two cities. Corresponding to the 42 encampments where Israel camped and were like strangers in all of them. Similarly, they gave to the Levites, who had no portion in the land, 42 cities. And the cities of refuge shall be from among the cities of the Levites because one who flees to his city of refuge is a stranger there. There is concern that the inhabitants of the land might say to him, “You are a stranger in the land.” Therefore, God commanded that the cities of refuge should be from the cities of the Levites, because the Levites are also like strangers and [the newcomers] could say to him [in effect], “Do not point out a blemish in your fellow if you have the same blemish.” This follows the principle stated You know the soul of the stranger, for you were strangers (Exodus 23:9), and as it is said Your offspring shall be strangers in a land not their own (Genesis 15:13) — meaning in a land that does not belong to the inhabitants, for Joseph relocated them to cities where they would be like strangers, so that they would not be able to say to Israel, “You are strangers.”

Until the death of the high priest. And what the Torah said regarding murderers, that he shall dwell there until the death of the high priest, is because Aaron’s attribute was peace. Therefore, he should have prayed for the people of his generation that only peace and truth would prevail in his days, and that such an impure incident would not occur. Therefore, the murderer shall dwell there until the death of the high priest, and then he and his entire household will pray for the death of the high priest so that he may quickly return to his home. For this reason, it says until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the anointing oil — do we not already know that the high priest is anointed with the anointing oil? Rather, because during the days of this priest a murder took place, this murderer extinguished the lamp of God, the soul of man, and extinguished the lamp of commandment and the light of Torah. Surely this priest did not remember the holy anointing oil upon him, half [the measure of which] was 250, that is, twice the numerical value of lamp (ner = 250), for every priest needs to guard these two lamps during his days and pray for this. And since this act occurred in his days, therefore the murderer shall dwell there until the death of the high priest.

And you shall not contaminate [tachnifu, which can also mean flatter] the land. The explanation of this matter is as follows: The land appears as if it has opened its mouth without limit to swallow everything upon it, as it is said, Therefore the grave has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth without measure (Isaiah 5:14), and it is written, The earth that is not satisfied with water (Proverbs 30:16). For truly, the earth is never satisfied, and the wicked murderers flatter the land by giving it something to swallow, and this is flattery. For anyone who gives something to one who is unworthy of it, so that they in turn will give him something back — this is called flattery. And so it is that the land flatters the wicked by giving them its produce for all their needs which come from the earth, and also a place to dwell and establish themselves upon it, even though the wicked are not worthy of all this, as it is said, The earth is contaminated/flattered beneath its inhabitants (Isaiah 24:5).

And this is what is meant by the blood will render the land contaminated/flattered, because the wicked person gives blood to the land to swallow so that it will give him in return its finest flour and oils. Therefore, the land cannot be atoned for except by the blood of the murderer. And this atonement is for having supported the murderer even for a single moment, because this is considered flattery for the land, and people will say that both are flattering each other. And the reason why Cain was not killed was for the sake of populating the world, as he was alone in the world. Nevertheless, the land removed itself from this suspicion by causing thorns and thistles to grow for him, and he became a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth. Thus, it no longer gave him the two types of benefits he had previously received from the land. Even this was specifically an act of kindness toward Cain, as mentioned. But for future generations, the land cannot be atoned for except through the blood of the one who shed blood, to remove it from this flattery.