In this week's parsha we read about the cities of refuge which were established as a safe haven for anyone who killed someone unintentionally. Killing another person is the worst act a person can commit. When Jewish courts were established this was a capital offense but someone who killed unintentionally with a certain degree of negligence was exiled to a city of refuge. This city would provide a safe haven for the unitentional murder and would act as a form of atonment as well.

Murder is an act that can't be taken back it can't be reversed. It isn't like stealing where a person can return what they stole, there is no recourse to pay back. Therefore it is an act even when done unintentionally that we would think there is really no atonement for, we can't bring back the dead person. But the Torah teaches us a very important lesson through these cities of refuge. That lesson is that there is always a "way out", there is never a situation of total despair and a person should never "give up". It doesn't matter how bad of a situation that a person is in, it doesn't matter what they may have done in the past, what sins they may have committed, there is always a path. Not only on a spiritual level but on a physical and emotional level as well a person should never despair we can always find our city of refuge. It might take some time to find it and it might take some effort to reach it but it is there.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath