Makkos 10a

מכות י׳ ע״א

Makkot 10a

Learn Makkos 10a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Makkos 10a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How the ערי מקלט were set up and made livable, the value of תורה learning, and אגדות about the cities of refuge

Overview

The גמרא explains how the ערי מקלט were spaced. They were placed closer to places with many murderers, like גלעד and שכם, and the six main cities protect even a killer who came there without meaning to take refuge, unlike the 42 cities of the לוים. It answers questions about חברון and קדש, and then quotes a ברייתא: an עיר מקלט must be a medium-sized town with water, markets and people, where the גואל הדם has no reason to come. רבי יצחק learns all this from the word 'וָחָי', 'and live', which also teaches that a student's רב, or a רב's ישיבה, goes into גלות with him. The גמרא asks how this fits with רבי יוחנן's teaching that Torah itself protects. It answers that Torah protects only while one is learning, or that it protects from the מלאך המות, as the story of רב חסדא shows. Next come אגדות about the ערי מקלט: why ראובן's city comes first, how משה 'made the sun shine' for killers, and how משה grabbed a מצוה even when it would not take effect yet. A פסוק in קהלת is then read in several ways about teaching the public and learning with others. Teachings by רבי יהושע בן לוי praise the power of תורה learning. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה's line about roads to the ערי מקלט, opening a ברייתא of רבי אליעזר בן יעקב that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. ProofProof that murderers were common in גלעד
2. ChallengeWhy is the middle city of refuge placed so close?
3. Resolutionאביי: murderers were common in שכם too
4. ChallengeAren't there 42 more cities of refuge?
5. Resolutionאביי: the six protect always, the 42 only with intent
6. ChallengeHow could חברון be an עיר מקלט if it was given to כלב?
7. Resolutionכלב received only the outskirts of חברון
8. Challengeקדש is listed as a fortified city, but ערי מקלט must be medium-sized
9. ResolutionThere were two places called קדש
10. Resolutionקדש was like סליקום and the fortress of סליקום
11. StatementHow the cities of refuge must be set up
12. StatementArgument about selling weapons and hunting tools in cities of refuge
13. StatementEveryone agrees: no nets or ropes in cities of refuge
14. StatementThe verse behind making the city livable
15. StatementA student's teacher goes into exile with him
16. StatementDo not teach an unworthy student
17. StatementA רב's ישיבה goes into גלות with him
18. ChallengeBut Torah itself protects like a city of refuge
19. ResolutionTorah protects only while one is learning
20. ResolutionA second answer: Torah protects from the מלאך המות
21. ProofThe story of רב חסדא and the cedar tree
22. StatementWhy ראובן's city is listed first
23. Statementמשה made the sun shine for killers
24. Statementמשה grabbed a מצוה even when it would not work yet
25. StatementOnly one who knows all of Torah should teach the public
26. Proofרבי אלעזר says the same thing from תהלים
27. StatementWhoever loves those who teach the public is rewarded
28. ProofThe רבנן pointed to רבא son of רבה
29. StatementA memory sign for the next two teachings
30. Statementרב אשי: whoever loves learning with others will succeed
31. ProofA sword on those who learn alone
32. ProofLearning alone leads to foolishness and sin
33. ProofAnother source that נואלו means sinning
34. Statementרבינא: whoever loves to teach many people will succeed
35. Proofרבי learned the most from his students
36. StatementOur feet stood firm in war because of Torah in Jerusalem's gates
37. Statementדוד rejoiced when people waited for שלמה to build the בית המקדש
38. StatementOne day of דוד's תורה is better than a thousand קרבנות
39. StatementBack to the משנה: roads aligned to the cities of refuge