[Par-navi] Yehoshua chapter 20-21

[Menachem Leibtag]

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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             Yehoshua - chapters 20-21
                            
            The importance of shevet Levi
            
     When studying Sefer Yehoshua, it is usually very tempting to
simply skip over chapters 20 and 21, as they discuss the
designation of "arei miklat" [cities of refuge] and "arei
Leviim" (cities for the tribe of Levi).  Other than locating
these various cities on a map, there doesn't appear to be too
much to study.  Nonetheless, we'll give it a try.

INTRODUCTION
     Chapter 20 is not the first time that God speaks to
Yehoshua, however, it is the first (and only) time where the
Tanach introduces these instructions with the header:
  "va'ydaber Hashem el Yehoshua laymor."-
     [God spoke to Yehoshua, saying:]
  "daber el Bnei Yisrael ..." - [speak to the children of
  Israel...]
               (see 20:1-2)

     Even though we found this 'header' numerous times in
Chumash (just about whenever God spoke to Moshe concerning
commandments), this is the only place in Tanach where we find
the classic introduction.  This special introduction already
suggests that there most be something of 'Biblical importance'
in the details of chapter 20.
     In the following shiur, we'll try to explain why.

FROM MOSHE TO YEHOSHUA
     The reason for this anomaly most probably relates to the
fact that Yehoshua was now fulfilling a specific mitzvah from
the Torah that Moshe himself had begun, but had not been able
to finish.
  Recall from Parshat Masei (see Bamidbar 35:9-15) that God
had commanded Moshe to instruct Bnei Yisrael to set aside six
cities of refuge, three in Ever Hayarden (Transjordan) and
three in Eretz Canaan.
     In regard to the three cities in Ever Hayarden, we
learned in Devarim 4:41-43 that Moshe had already designated
those cities when he gathered Bnei Yisrael together for the
last time (see Ramban 4:41 & TSC shiur on Parshat Devarim).
However, since Moshe did not enter Eretz Canaan, he was unable
to designate the three cities on the west bank of the Jordan
River.  Now that the conquest of Eretz Canaan was complete,
Yehoshua was able to complete the mitzvah that Moshe Rabeinu
had begun.
     In this sense, chapter 20 could be considered a chapter
that 'belongs' in Chumash, and hence we find a 'Chumash style
header' that introduces the fulfillment of this mitzvah.
     Before we continue, let's discuss the reason why
specifically these three cities were chosen.

IMPORTANT CROSSROADS
     If you have a map of Israel handy, note where these three
cities of refuge in Eretz Canaan are located:
  Kedesh Naftali - in the Galil
    (today near highway 90, south of Kiryat Shmoneh)
  Shchem - in the Shomron
    (today on highway 60, south of Afula, & Jenin)
  Kiryat Arba - next to Hebron in the Judean mountains
    (today on highway 60, south of Jerusalem)

  Note how each of these cities is located at an important
crossroad along the major North-South highway located on the
central mountain range of Eretz Canaan.  That mountain range
begins in the south at Beer Sheva and climbs up to Hebron
(Kiryat Arba) where it meet the East-West Highway that travels
to the coastal plain at Lachish via Moresha (today Bet
Guvrin), and eastbound to the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea and
the crossing point to Moab.
       That main highway continues north through Yerushalayim,
Bet-el, and Shilo until it reaches Shchem, where once again it
meets an important East-West highway, which travels westbound
to the coast near today's Netanya and eastbound through Nachal
Tirzah to the Jordan Valley and the crossing point to Nachal
Yabok (a main crossing point into Jordan, today Adam Bridge).
     The highway continues northward through the Jezreel
Valley past Har Tabor and the Kinneret to Kedesh, where it
again meets a major crossroad, eastbound to the Golan Heights
and Syria, and westbound through the Galil until Acco.
     Therefore, Kedesh, Shchem and Kiryat Arba were logical
choices because of their central location along the main
highway, quite appropriate for cities of refuge.
     Finally, note in chapter 21 that these cities of refuge
(including those in Ever Hayarden) are specifically designated
as cities that belong to the Leviim (see 21:13,21,27,32 and
36).  Instead of sending these people to a "jail-type"
environment (where one criminal learns from another), they are
sent to a city of Leviim, in the hope that they will be
provided with proper guidance.
     This may explain why Chapter 21, describing the cities of
the Leviim, follows Chapter 20, even though in Parshat Masei,
the mitzvah to set aside the cities for Leviim (see 35:1-8)
precedes the mitzvah to set aside Arei Miklat (see 35:9-15).

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
     In regard to Chapter 21, there really isn't much to
explain, other than to take out a map and identify where each
city is located.  However, it is important to point out that
the cities of the Leviim are scattered throughout the entire
country, divided up among the "nachalot" of all the twelve
tribes.
     The reason why is very simple, but quite important.  In
order for Am Yisrael to truly become a "mamlechet kohanim
v'goy kadosh", i.e. a nation that can properly represent God
before other nations, spiritual guidance is essential.
Therefore, the Torah sets aside an entire tribe - whose sole
purpose is to provide spiritual leadership for the rest of the
nation.
     The job of Shevet Levi is not merely to officiate in the
Temple.  After all, according to the work schedule that David
ha'melech later set up (see I Divrei Ha'yamim Chapters 23-26),
the Kohanim and Leviim were to work in the Mikdash only week
out of every twenty-four!  What did they do with remainder of
their time?
     Clearly, it was their job to serve as teachers, judges,
and educators for the entire population.  As Moshe blessed
Levi in Devarim 33:10 :
  "You shall teach [God's] Laws to Yaakov and His Torah to
  Israel...".

  Furthermore, earlier in Sefer Devarim (see 17:9) we find
that the Kohanim and Leviim are identified as the most likely
candidates to be the "shoftim" [judges /see also the psukim
there in Divrei Hayamim].
     As we know from our own education system, if we were to
depend only on volunteers, it would be quite difficult to
assure that there would always be an adequate amount of
qualified teachers.  By designating an entire tribe for this
purpose, God's hope was that this tribe would become experts
in providing spiritual guidance for Am Yisrael, teaching them
the laws of the Torah, and serving as judges and officiants in
the Bet Ha'Mikdash.
  Note as well how this point is emphasized in Bamidbar 18:21-
24.  In order to support the tribe of Levi, the rest of Am
Yisrael must contribute a ten percent tax ("ma'aser").  This
tax is given directly by the people to the Leviim, without the
king (or government) serving a middleman.  This assures that
the education system is not 'influenced' (or controlled) by
the government - or whoever else would be paying these
educators' salaries.
  [Iy"h, we will deal with this topic in greater length when
  we study Sefer Shoftim.]


THE FINALE
     Chapter 21 concludes with a short summary pasuk, which is
often overlooked.  This pasuk summarizes not only the
"nachalot" of the Leviim, but the entire "kibush and nachala"
narrative that has encompassed the bulk of the Sefer:
  "And God gave to Yisrael the entire land that He swore to
  their forefathers, and they conquered it and settled it. And
  God gave them rest from [their enemies] surrounding them,
  just as He promised their forefathers.  No one stood in
  front of them from all their enemies, ALL of their enemies
  God delivered to them. Nothing fell short of all the good
  that God promised the House of Israel, everything came
  [true]."
                    [See 21:41-43.]

     At first glance, this pasuk seems to contradict the
summary of the 'partial conquest' as described in 13:1-5 and
18:1-9. There we find that the conquest was only partial, and
many areas were still left that needed to be conquered, while
our pasuk leaves us with the impression that the conquest was
complete.
     Furthermore, in Yehoshua's own final speech (see 23:4-
10), he clearly stated that much land remained to be
conquered. So how can chapter 21 make such a bold statement
that all their enemies were defeated and the conquest was
completed?
     To answer this question, we must take a closer look at
this pasuk, and its 'source' in Sefer Devarim.
     The phrase in 21:42 : "va'yanach Hashem lahem m'SAVIV"
clearly alludes to Devarim chapter 12, where Moshe commands
Bnei Yisrael to establish a permanent Mikdash [ha'makom asher
yivchar Hashem] once the conquest is complete:
  "And you shall cross the Jordan River, and you shall settle
  the land that the Lord your God is allotting you,
  *V'HINIYACH LACHEM M'KOL OYVEICHEM M'SAVIV* - and [He] gives
  you rest for all your enemies that surround you - and you
  will sit securely in safety. Then you must bring [your
  offerings] to the MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM..." (12:10-11)

     This parallel between chapter 21 in Yehoshua and Devarim
chapter 12 may allude to a certain criticism of Yehoshua's
generation.  If indeed the conquest was complete, as 21:41-43
implies (plus the textual parallel to Devarim 12:10), then
there should have been a greater effort to establish a
permanent Mikdash.  Considering that it was shevet Levi's
responsibility to officiate in that Mikdash, this may explain
why these psukim are recorded specifically at the end of this
perek, which dealt with the cities of the Leviim.
     On the other hand, they did establish the semi-permanent
Mikdash/Mishkan in Shiloh, and Jerusalem had not yet been
captured, so one could also suggest that Yehoshua had truly
done all that he could have in this regard. Nonetheless, the
use of this phrase in 21:42 may still allude to the fact that
at least something was missing.
  [Note as well the textual parallel to both Yehoshua 23:1 (in
  its context) and II Shmuel 7:1-4 ["v'Hashem hey'niach lo
  m'saviv m'kol oyvav"] when David ha'Melech wanted to build
  the permanent Mikdash. These two sources support our
  assumption that this phrase relates to Devarim 12:10.]

     One could also suggest, as we explained in our
introductory shiur, that these psukim in Yehoshua do not come
to inform us that the entire conquest of Eretz Canaan was
complete, but rather that Bnei Yisrael were successful in
whatever they attempted to conquer.  Here again, we can
suggest that this alludes to a certain criticism of this
generation. Just as God had promised them: "any where were you
foot shall walk will belong to you..." (see Devarim 11:24)
indeed came true.  However there were many places that Bnei
Yisrael did not attempt to conquer, those areas remained
outside their borders of conquest.
     In other words, Sefer Yehoshua may be teaching us that
God assisted Bnei Yisrael according on their effort. Wherever
they attempted to conquer, God helped them; but where no
effort was made, no conquest took place.
  [Sort of like God helps those who help themselves.]
  
  Even though God kept His side of the bargain, Bnei Yisrael
kept their side only partially. [See Ralbag and pirush Daat
Mikra.]
     Even though a certain level of conquest had been
achieved, and possibly there was a potential at that time to
complete the conquest, they had not reached the level of total
conquest and settlement necessary for the permanent Mikdash to
be established. This was only achieved several hundred years
later during the time of David & Shlomo.
     Iy"h, we'll continue this topic in our discussion of
Yehoshua's farewell speech in chapter 23.