Numbers 35:7 - Levites' sacred refuge cities

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

The verse (Numbers 35:7) states that the Levites were to receive forty-eight cities along with their surrounding open spaces (migrashim). This allocation is significant in several ways according to traditional Orthodox Jewish sources:

Purpose of the Levitical Cities

Rashi explains that these cities served a dual purpose:

• They provided dwelling places for the Levites who, unlike the other tribes, did not receive a territorial inheritance in Eretz Yisrael (Numbers 18:20).
• The open spaces around the cities were designated for their livestock and agricultural needs (Rashi on Numbers 35:2).

The Number Forty-Eight

The Talmud (Arachin 33b) derives significance from the number forty-eight:

• This corresponds to the forty-eight cities conquered by Sichon and Og (Numbers 21:25-35), showing that even lands acquired outside the original boundaries of Eretz Yisrael were included in this mitzvah.
• The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 23:4) connects this number to the forty-eight prophets who served Israel, suggesting a spiritual dimension to the Levites' role.

The Open Spaces (Migrashim)

The Rambam (Hilchot Shemitta 13:2-3) elaborates on the laws concerning these open areas:

• The migrashim extended 2000 cubits (approx. 3000 feet) in each direction from the city walls.
• These areas were to remain permanently available for the Levites' use and could not be sold or converted to other purposes.

Spiritual Significance

The Kli Yakar (Numbers 35:7) offers a deeper interpretation:

• The forty-eight cities correspond to the forty-eight ways through which Torah is acquired (Avot 6:6), emphasizing the Levites' role as teachers of Torah to the nation.
• The open spaces represent the need for spiritual "breathing room" - just as physical space was provided around their cities, the Levites needed intellectual space to properly study and teach Torah.