Zevachim

this would result in zabin and the unclean through the dead being sent out from one camp [only],1 whereas the Torah said, That they defile not their camps:2 [this intimates,] assign a camp for this one and a camp for that one.3 Said Raba to him: What then? there was no camp of the Israelites!4 If so, zabin and lepers would be sent to the same place, whereas the Torah said, He [the leper] shall dwell alone,5 [intimating] that no other unclean person may dwell with him? — Rather, there were all three camps after all; and what is meant by ‘there were only two camps’? In respect of reception.6 Hence it follows that in the wilderness the Levitical camp received [an involuntary homicide]? — Yes: and it was taught even so: Then I will appoint thee a place [whither he may flee]:7 ‘thee’ [implies] in thy lifetime;8 ‘thee a place’ [implies] in thy place;9 ‘whither he may flee’: this teaches that they banished [a homicide] in the wilderness; whither did they banish him? To the Levitical camp. From this they deduced that if a Levite committed homicide, he was banished from one district to another;10 and if he fled to his own [juridical] district,11 his district receives him. Which text [teaches this]? — Said R. Aha the son of R. Ika: Because he must remain in his city of refuge:12 [this implies,] in the city which has already provided him with refuge.13 WHEN THEY CAME TO GILGAL [etc.]. Our Rabbis taught: Whatever could be vowed or offered as a freewill-offering14 could be offered at a bamah;15 what could not be vowed or offered as a freewill-offering16 could not be offered at a bamah. A meal-offering and [a sacrifice of] naziriteship17 were offered at a bamah: these are the words of R. Meir. But the Sages maintain: Only peace-offerings and burnt-offerings were sacrificed on behalf of a private individual. R. Judah said: whatever the community and an individual offered in the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness18 were offered in the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal.19 What was the difference between the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness and the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal? [When] the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness [existed], bamoth were not permitted; [when] the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal [existed], bamoth were permitted, and one could offer on his bamah on the top of his roof20 only burnt-offering[s] and peace-offerings. But the Sages maintain: whatever the community offered in the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness they offered in the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal. In both places21 only burnt-offering[s] and peace-offerings were offered on behalf of a private individual. R. Simeon said: Even the community offered only Passover-offerings but permitted in the Levitical camp, whereas zabin are expelled from the Levitical camp too. might repair. seq.). In the wilderness this function was served by the Levitical camp; when they came to Shiloh, the Levitical camp lost that function. from his own city to another Levitical city. district; and explains: if he fled from one quarter to another in his own city. remain in this same city. The same therefore applies to a Levite living in that city.