(Devarim 19:11) "and he rise up against him, etc." (Ibid. 12) "Then the elders of his city shall send, and they shall take him from there": From here R. Yossi b. Yehudah says: If one slays a soul, whether unwittingly or wittingly — all proceed to the cities of refuge, and beth-din send and bring him from there.
One who was liable to exile would be returned to his place (in the city of refuge), viz. (Ibid.) "then the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge."
(Devarim, Ibid. 12) "and they shall place him into the hand of the avenger of blood and he shall die": Whence is it derived that if he did not die at the hands of the avenger of blood, he is to die at the hand of any man? From "and he shall die."
(Ibid. 13) "Let your eye not pity him, and remove the innocent blood from Israel": Lest you say: If one has already been killed, why should we be guilty of the blood of others? It is, therefore, written "Let your eye not pity him." "and remove the innocent blood": Remove the doers of evil from Israel.
מִכָּן הָיָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הַהוֹרֵג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד – הַכֹּל מַקְדִּימִים לְעָרֵי מִקְלָט, בֵּית דִּין שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם.
(Devarim 19:11) "and he rise up against him, etc." (Ibid. 12) "Then the elders of his city shall send, and they shall take him from there": From here R. Yossi b. Yehudah says: If one slays a soul, whether unwittingly or wittingly — all proceed to the cities of refuge, and beth-din send and bring him from there.
מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – הֲרָגוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ וְלָקְחוּ אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם״.
One who was liable to the death penalty was killed, viz. "Then the elders of his city shall send, and they shall take him from there."
מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה – פְּטָרוּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה כה): ״וְהִצִּילוּ הָעֵדָה אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ״.
One who was not liable to the death penalty was let go, as it is written (Bamidbar 35:25) "then the congregation shall rescue the slayer."
מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב גָּלוּת – מַחֲזִירִים אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם): ״וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדָה״.
One who was liable to exile would be returned to his place (in the city of refuge), viz. (Ibid.) "then the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge."
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: רוֹצֵחַ גּוֹלֶה לְעִיר מִקְלָט, כְּסָבוּר שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁקּוֹלַטְתּוֹ שׁוֹגֵג; זִקְנֵי הָעִיר שׁוֹלְחִים וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁלְחוּ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ״.
Rebbi says: The slayer himself would exile himself to the cities of refuge, thinking that they shielded the witting as well as the unwitting.
וּמֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם, מִנַּיִן לֹא מֵת בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם – יָמוּת בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יט יב-יג): ״וְנָתְנוּ אֹתוֹ בְּיַד גּוֹאֵל הַדָּם וָמֵת, לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַם הַנָּקִי״.
(Devarim, Ibid. 12) "and they shall place him into the hand of the avenger of blood and he shall die": Whence is it derived that if he did not die at the hands of the avenger of blood, he is to die at the hand of any man? From "and he shall die."
שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: הוֹאִיל וְנֶהֱרַג זֶה, לָמָּה אָנוּ בָּאִים לָחוּב בְּדָמוֹ שֶׁל זֶה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו וּבִעַרְתָּ דַּם הַנָּקִי – בַּעֵר עוֹשֵׂי הָרָעוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל!
(Ibid. 13) "Let your eye not pity him, and remove the innocent blood from Israel": Lest you say: If one has already been killed, why should we be guilty of the blood of others? It is, therefore, written "Let your eye not pity him." "and remove the innocent blood": Remove the doers of evil from Israel.