The Six Cities of Refuge Set in Balanced Rows

"And they sanctified Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali" (Joshua 20:7). Our Rabbis taught: Three cities did Moses set apart beyond the Jordan, and corresponding to them Joshua set apart [three] in the land of Canaan. And they were aligned like two rows in a vineyard: Hebron in Judah corresponding to Bezer in the wilderness; Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim corresponding to Ramoth in Gilead; Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali corresponding to Golan in Bashan. "And the three" (Deuteronomy 19:9) — that they be evenly spaced [meshulashot], so that the distance from the south to Hebron equals that from Hebron to Shechem, and from Hebron to Shechem equals that from Shechem to Kedesh, and from Shechem to Kedesh equals that from Kedesh to the north. Three beyond the Jordan and three in the land of Israel. Abba Shaul said: In Gilead murderers were common, as it is written, "Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood" (Hosea 6:8). Rabbi Eleazar said: they would lie in ambush to shed blood. And why are those on this side and that side far apart, while the middle ones are close together? Abba Shaul said: In Shechem too murderers were common, as it is written, "and as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem" (Hosea 6:9). What is "the company of priests"? Rabbi Eleazar said: they would band together to shed blood, like those priests who band together to divide the heave-offering at the threshing floors. And are there no more? Is it not written, "and besides them you shall give forty-two cities" (Numbers 35:6)? Abba Shaul said: These [six] give protection whether [the killer entered] knowingly or unknowingly, while those [forty-two] give protection knowingly but not unknowingly. And was Kedesh a city of refuge? But is it not written [it was a fortified city] (Joshua 19:35-37)? And it was taught: These cities are not to be made into small towns nor into great cities, but into middling towns; and they are settled only in a place of population, and if the population decreased they add to it; if its inhabitants decreased they bring there priests, Levites, and Israelites; and one may not sell to them weapons of war or hunting gear — the words of Rabbi Nehemiah; and the Sages permit it. And both agree that one may not spread nets within them nor twist ropes within them, so that the feet of the blood-avenger not be found there. Rabbi Yitzhak said: What is the verse? "And he shall flee to one of these cities and live" (Deuteronomy 4:42) — provide him something by which he may have life. Rabbi Yosef said: There were two [places named] Kedesh. "And beyond the Jordan by Jericho eastward they assigned Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain, of the tribe of Reuben" (Joshua 20:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Make the sun shine for the murderers. Rabbi Tanhum bar Hagilai said: Why did Reuben merit to be counted first among those who save [by being listed first]? Because he was first to open with saving, as it is said, "and Reuben heard it and delivered him out of their hand" (Genesis 37:21).