Numbers 35:7 - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities - Levites' sacred refuge cities

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Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

כׇּל־הֶעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּתְּנוּ֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה עִ֑יר אֶתְהֶ֖ן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶֽן׃

Parasha Commentary

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.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Arakhin 33b

The verse is cited in a discussion about the cities given to the Levites and their surrounding open spaces, as part of the broader topic of Levitical cities and their sanctity.

📖 Sotah 48b

The verse is referenced in the context of discussing the distribution of cities to the Levites and the significance of the number forty-eight.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Hebrew Text

כָּל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ לַלְוִיִּם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן׃

English Translation

So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty eight cities: both them and their open spaces.

Transliteration

Kol-he'arim asher titnu laleviim arba'im ushmoneh ir ethen ve'et-migresheihen.

Hebrew Leining Text

Parasha Commentary

The Forty-Eight Levitical Cities

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why were the Levites given 48 cities in the Torah?
A: The Levites were given 48 cities because, unlike the other tribes, they did not receive a portion of land in Israel. Their role was to serve in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and later the Beit HaMikdash (Temple), teach Torah, and assist the Kohanim (priests). These cities provided them with homes and pastureland (migrashim) for their livestock (Rashi on Numbers 35:2-3, Rambam Hilchot Shemitta 13:12).

Q: What were the 'open spaces' (migrashim) around the Levite cities for?
A: The 'migrashim' (open spaces) were areas of land surrounding each Levite city, extending 1,000 cubits (approx. 1,500 feet) outward. These served as pastureland for their animals and also as a buffer zone to maintain the sanctity of the Levite cities (Rashi on Numbers 35:4-5, Talmud Arachin 33b).

Q: Were the Levite cities spread out among all the tribes?
A: Yes, the 48 Levite cities were distributed among all the tribes of Israel. Each tribe was required to give cities proportionally based on the size of their land inheritance (Numbers 35:8). This ensured the Levites could live throughout Israel and fulfill their role as teachers of Torah (Sifrei on Numbers 35:8).

Q: Do the Levite cities have any significance today?
A: While the practical division of Levite cities is not applicable today without the Temple, the concept teaches us about supporting Torah scholars and ensuring the spread of Torah knowledge throughout the Jewish people (Rambam Hilchot Shemitta 13:13). Many communities today continue this ideal by supporting yeshivot and Torah institutions.

Q: Were the Levite cities also cities of refuge?
A: Six of the 48 Levite cities were designated as 'Arei Miklat' (cities of refuge) where accidental killers could flee (Numbers 35:6). However, all 48 cities had sanctity and provided spiritual benefit to those who lived there (Makkot 10a).