דברים, פרק ד׳, פסוק מ״ג

Moses established three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River to serve as protected safe havens for those who killed unintentionally [צאינה וראינה, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Some view the designation of these cities as a concluding summary to Moses' previous address [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The geographical placement of these havens was far from random. They were planned in precise alignment with the three cities Joshua would later establish in the land of Canaan, so that the eastern and western sanctuaries faced each other perfectly, resembling two straight rows of vines in a vineyard [תורה תמימה].

The first designated city was located in the wilderness, in the plain country, within the territory of the tribe of Reuben. While the tribe of Gad is frequently mentioned before Reuben elsewhere, Reuben is given precedence here due to his family history. Reuben was the first of the brothers to initiate a lifesaving act when he attempted to rescue Joseph from the pit. As a tribute to his actions, the very first city of refuge, whose entire purpose is saving lives, was established in his portion of land [רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן]. The specific setting of this city in the plain country reflects Reuben's straightforward and truthful character [שפתי כהן]. This deep connection between Reuben and the concept of refuge is echoed in a proverb describing a distressed person fleeing to a pit. The specific language used in the proverb indicates a victim of circumstance rather than a willful murderer, and the flight to a pit serves as a clear reference to Reuben, who returned to the pit to save his brother [רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן, דעת זקנים].

The next designated city was located in the region of Gilead, assigned to the tribe of Gad. Although this implies that the land of Gilead belonged exclusively to Gad, historical records show that half the tribe of Manasseh also received property there. This indicates that the tribes situated east of the Jordan River shared control and territory throughout the region [חזקוני].

Immediately following the establishment of these cities, the narrative transitions directly into a discussion of the Torah. This close proximity teaches that the words of the Torah function as a spiritual city of refuge in their own right, suggesting that a person forced into exile should seek a place steeped in Torah study [בעל הטורים, צאינה וראינה]. In truth, the protective power of the Torah surpasses that of the physical cities. While the physical sanctuaries only shield those who kill unintentionally, the Torah absorbs and saves even willful sinners, protecting the Israelites from destruction should they violate their covenant with God [שפתי כהן]. Continuous engagement with Torah study serves as an absolute refuge, shielding a person even from the Angel of Death [רבנו בחיי].

Finally, the name of the first city, Bezer, contains a prophetic hint regarding the future. Eventually, the angelic prince of Edom will make three fatal miscalculations connected to this sanctuary. He will flee to the similarly named Edomite city of Bozrah, mistakenly believing it is the refuge city of Bezer. Furthermore, he will operate under the false assumption that a city of refuge protects an intentional murderer, and he will wrongly believe that such a sanctuary offers asylum to angels, when it was designed exclusively to protect human beings [רבנו בחיי].