Friday 17 November 2017

makkot 12

no asylum for angels, only for people. 
who can repent and confess. 
Who can accept public honours, once they can accept and publicly admit to the past. 
no hiding.

Every so often daf yomi feels so relevant. Today in daf yomi, discusses someone who has killed accidentally, and is exiled to a city of refuge, can accept a public honour only once they have made a public statement that they are a murderer. And the public know that they are a murderer, and still want to honour them. There is something powerful here about atonement and turning one's life around. Earlier on in the page is a comment that the cities of refuge are for people only. Not angels. Angels cannot change their nature. But people potentially can. if they do genuine repentance, which involves confession. I note that the case discussed in the talmud is when the public want to honour someone. Not someone who is seeking honour. (and this is referring to someone who has killed unintentionally. so it is tricky to extrapolate to other transgressions that have an aspect of intentionality to them)

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