Mishna Makkot 2:1

(ט) וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. (י) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן. (יא) וְהִקְרִיתֶם לָכֶם עָרִים עָרֵי מִקְלָט תִּהְיֶינָה לָכֶם וְנָס שָׁמָּה רֹצֵחַ מַכֵּה נֶפֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָה. (יב) וְהָיוּ לָכֶם הֶעָרִים לְמִקְלָט מִגֹּאֵל וְלֹא יָמוּת הָרֹצֵחַ עַד עָמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי הָעֵדָה לַמִּשְׁפָּט. (יג) וְהֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתֵּנוּ שֵׁשׁ עָרֵי מִקְלָט תִּהְיֶינָה לָכֶם. (יד) אֵת שְׁלֹשׁ הֶעָרִים תִּתְּנוּ מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וְאֵת שְׁלֹשׁ הֶעָרִים תִּתְּנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן עָרֵי מִקְלָט תִּהְיֶינָה. (טו) לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר וְלַתּוֹשָׁב בְּתוֹכָם תִּהְיֶינָה שֵׁשׁ הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לְמִקְלָט לָנוּס שָׁמָּה כָּל מַכֵּה נֶפֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָה. (טז) וְאִם בִּכְלִי בַרְזֶל הִכָּהוּ וַיָּמֹת רֹצֵחַ הוּא מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ. (יז) וְאִם בְּאֶבֶן יָד אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בָּהּ הִכָּהוּ וַיָּמֹת רֹצֵחַ הוּא מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ. (יח) אוֹ בִּכְלִי עֵץ יָד אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בּוֹ הִכָּהוּ וַיָּמֹת רֹצֵחַ הוּא מוֹת יוּמַת הָרֹצֵחַ. (יט) גֹּאֵל הַדָּם הוּא יָמִית אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ בְּפִגְעוֹ בוֹ הוּא יְמִיתֶנּוּ. (כ) וְאִם בְּשִׂנְאָה יֶהְדָּפֶנּוּ אוֹ הִשְׁלִיךְ עָלָיו בִּצְדִיָּה וַיָּמֹת. (כא) אוֹ בְאֵיבָה הִכָּהוּ בְיָדוֹ וַיָּמֹת מוֹת יוּמַת הַמַּכֶּה רֹצֵחַ הוּא גֹּאֵל הַדָּם יָמִית אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ בְּפִגְעוֹ בוֹ. (כב) וְאִם בְּפֶתַע בְּלֹא אֵיבָה הֲדָפוֹ אוֹ הִשְׁלִיךְ עָלָיו כָּל כְּלִי בְּלֹא צְדִיָּה. (כג) אוֹ בְכָל אֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בָּהּ בְּלֹא רְאוֹת וַיַּפֵּל עָלָיו וַיָּמֹת וְהוּא לֹא אוֹיֵב לוֹ וְלֹא מְבַקֵּשׁ רָעָתוֹ. (כד) וְשָׁפְטוּ הָעֵדָה בֵּין הַמַּכֶּה וּבֵין גֹּאֵל הַדָּם עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה. (כה) וְהִצִּילוּ הָעֵדָה אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ מִיַּד גֹּאֵל הַדָּם וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֹתוֹ הָעֵדָה אֶל עִיר מִקְלָטוֹ אֲשֶׁר נָס שָׁמָּה וְיָשַׁב בָּהּ עַד מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹל אֲשֶׁר מָשַׁח אֹתוֹ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. (כו) וְאִם יָצֹא יֵצֵא הָרֹצֵחַ אֶת גְּבוּל עִיר מִקְלָטוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָנוּס שָׁמָּה. (כז) וּמָצָא אֹתוֹ גֹּאֵל הַדָּם מִחוּץ לִגְבוּל עִיר מִקְלָטוֹ וְרָצַח גֹּאֵל הַדָּם אֶת הָרֹצֵחַ אֵין לוֹ דָּם. (כח) כִּי בְעִיר מִקְלָטוֹ יֵשֵׁב עַד מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹל וְאַחֲרֵי מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹל יָשׁוּב הָרֹצֵחַ אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזָּתוֹ.

Numbers 35:9-28

(9) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (10) ’Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, (11) then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the killer that killed any person through error may flee to there. (12) And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation for judgment. (13) And as to the cities which ye shall give, there shall be for you six cities of refuge. (14) Ye shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. (15) For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the settler among them, shall these six cities be for refuge, that every one that killed any person through error may flee to there. (16) But if he smote him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (17) And if he smote him with a stone in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (18) Or if he smote him with a weapon of wood in the hand, whereby a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. (19) The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meeteth him, he shall put him to death. (20) And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him any thing, lying in wait, so that he died; (21) or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him. (22) But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him any thing without lying in wait, (23) or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; (24) then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; (25) and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. (26) But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth; (27) and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; there shall be no bloodguiltiness for him; (28) because he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return into the land of his possession.

דברים י״ט:א׳-ז׳

(א) כִּי יַכְרִית ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ אֶת אַרְצָם וִירִשְׁתָּם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְעָרֵיהֶם וּבְבָתֵּיהֶם. (ב) שָׁלוֹשׁ עָרִים תַּבְדִּיל לָךְ בְּתוֹךְ אַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ. (ג) תָּכִין לְךָ הַדֶּרֶךְ וְשִׁלַּשְׁתָּ אֶת גְּבוּל אַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר יַנְחִילְךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהָיָה לָנוּס שָׁמָּה כָּל רֹצֵחַ. (ד) וְזֶה דְּבַר הָרֹצֵחַ אֲשֶׁר יָנוּס שָׁמָּה וָחָי אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּה אֶת רֵעֵהוּ בִּבְלִי דַעַת וְהוּא לֹא שֹׂנֵא לוֹ מִתְּמֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם. (ה) וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא אֶת רֵעֵהוּ בַיַּעַר לַחְטֹב עֵצִים וְנִדְּחָה יָדוֹ בַגַּרְזֶן לִכְרֹת הָעֵץ וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל מִן הָעֵץ וּמָצָא אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וָמֵת הוּא יָנוּס אֶל אַחַת הֶעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וָחָי. (ו) פֶּן יִרְדֹּף גֹּאֵל הַדָּם אַחֲרֵי הָרֹצֵחַ כִּי יֵחַם לְבָבוֹ וְהִשִּׂיגוֹ כִּי יִרְבֶּה הַדֶּרֶךְ וְהִכָּהוּ נָפֶשׁ וְלוֹ אֵין מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת כִּי לֹא שֹׂנֵא הוּא לוֹ מִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם. (ז) עַל כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לֵאמֹר שָׁלֹשׁ עָרִים תַּבְדִּיל לָךְ.

Deuteronomy 19:1-7

(1) When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou dost succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; (2) thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee to possess it. (3) Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which the LORD thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither. (4) And this is the case of the killer, that shall flee to there and live: he who kills his neighbour unawares, and did not hate him in time past; (5) as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbour to chop wood, and his hand grabs a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and lands on his neighbour, and he dies; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live; (6) lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

משנה מכות ב׳:א׳

(א) אלו הן הגולין, ההורג נפש בשגגה.

היה מעגל במעגילה ונפלה עליו והרגתו,
היה משלשל בחבית ונפלה עליו והרגתו,
היה יורד בסלם ונפל עליו והרגו,

הרי זה גולה. אבל אם

היה מושך במעגילה ונפלה עליו והרגתו,
היה דולה בחבית ונפסק החבל ונפלה עליו והרגתו,
היה עולה בסלם ונפל עליו והרגו,

הרי זה אינו גולה.

זה הכלל, כל שבדרך ירידתו, גולה.ושלא בדרך ירידתו, אינו גולה.נשמט הברזל מקתו והרג, רבי אומר, אינו גולה.וחכמים אומרים, גולה.מן העץ המתבקע, רבי אומר, גולה.וחכמים אומרים, אינו גולה.

Mishnah Makkot 2:1

(1) These are exiled: one who kills a human accidentally.

If he was rolling a roller and it fell on him and killed him,
or if he was raising a barrel and it fell and killed him,
or if he was descending a ladder and fell and killed him-- all of these would be exiled. However, if
he was pulling a roller and it fell and killed him, or
if he was lowering a barrel and the rope broke and it fell and killed him, or
if he was climbing a ladder and fell and killed him--

such a person is not exiled.

This is the principle: anything that is on its way down, exile. Anything that is not on its way down, no exile. If the blade came off the handle and killed, Rabbi says he is not exiled but the sages say he is exiled. If it came out of the wood being chopped, Rabbi says he is exiled but the sages say he is not exiled.

מכות ז׳ ב:ב׳-כ׳

גמ' מנא ה"מ אמר שמואל דאמר קרא (במדבר לה, כג) ויפל עליו וימות עד שיפול דרך נפילה תנו רבנן (במדבר לה, יא) בשגגה פרט למזיד (דברים יט, ד) בבלי דעת פרט למתכוין מזיד פשיטא בר קטלא הוא (אלא) אמר רבא אימא פרט לאומר מותר א"ל אבה' אי אומר מותר אנוס הוא אמר ליה שאני אומר האומר מותר קרוב למזיד הוא (דברים יט, ד) בבלי דעת פרט למתכוין מתכוין פשיטא בר קטלא הוא אמר רבה פרט למתכוין להרוג את הבהמה והרג את האדם לכותי והרג את ישראל לנפל והרג בן קיימא ת"ר (במדבר לה, כב) אם בפתע פרט לקרן זוית בלא איבה פרט לשונא הדפו שדחפו בגופו או השליך עליו להביא ירידה שהיא צורך עליה בלא צדיה פרט למתכוין לצד זה והלכה לה לצד אחר (שמות כא, יג) ואשר לא צדה פרט למתכוין לזרוק שתים וזרק ארבע (דברים יט, ה) ואשר יבא את רעהו ביער מה יער רשות לניזק ולמזיק ליכנס לשם אף כל רשות לניזק ולמזיק ליכנס לשם בעא מיניה רבי אבהו מרבי יוחנן היה עולה בסולם ונשמט השליבה מתחתיו ונפלה והרגה מהו כי האי גוונא עליה היא או ירידה היא א"ל כבר נגעת בירידה שהיא צורך עליה איתיביה זה הכלל כל שבדרך ירידתו גולה שלא בדרך ירידתו אינו גולה שלא בדרך ירידתו לאיתוה' מאי לאו לאיתוה' כה"ג וליטעמיך כל שבדרך ירידתו לאיתוה' מאי אלא לאיתוה' קצב הכא נמי לאיתוה' קצב דתניא קצב שהיה מקצב תנא חדא לפניו חייב לאחריו פטור ותניא אידך לאחריו חייב לפניו פטור ותניא אידך בין לפניו בין לאחריו חייב ותניא אידך בין לפניו בין לאחריו פטור ולא קשיא כאן בירידה שלפניו ועליה שלאחריו כאן בעליה שלפניו וירידה שלאחריו כאן בירידה שלפניו ושל אחריו כאן בעליה שלפניו ושל אחריו. לימא כתנאי היה עולה בסולם ונשמטה שליבה מתחתיו תני חדא חייב ותניא אידך פטור מאי לאו בהא קא מיפלגי דמר סבר ירידה היא ומר סבר עליה היא לא דכ"ע עליה היא ולא קשיא כאן לניזקין כאן לגלות איבעית אימא הא והא לגלות ולא קשיא הא דאתליע הא דלא אתליע ואיבעית אימא הא והא דלא אתליע ולא קשיא הא דמיהדק והא דלא מיהדק: מתני' נשמט הברזל מקתו והרג רבי אומר אינו גולה וחכמים אומרים גולה מן העץ המתבקע רבי אומר גולה וחכמים אומרים אינו גולה: גמ' תניא אמר להם רבי לחכמים וכי נאמר (דברים יט, ה) ונשל הברזל מעצו והלא לא נאמר אלא מן העץ ועוד נאמר עץ למטה ונאמר עץ למעלה מה עץ האמור למעלה מן העץ המתבקע אף עץ האמור למטה מן העץ המתבקע אמר רב חייא בר אשי אמר רב ושניהם מקרא אחד דרשו ונשל הברזל מן העץ רבי סבר יש אם למסורת ונישל כתיב ורבנן סברי יש אם למקרא ונשל קרינן ורבי יש אם למסורת סבירא ליה

Makkot 7b:2-20

[Or] if he was ascending on a ladder and if he fell and killed him, this one is not [liable for] exile. This is the general rule: Anyone on his way down, [that person is liable for] exile. Anyone that is not on his way down, [that person is liable for] exile. Gemara: From where is it derived [that downward motion that kills someone is punished by exile]? Shmuel said that the verse said: “And he cast it upon him, and he died” (Numbers 35:23) [meaning] until it falls in the way of falling. Our Rabbis taught [in a baraita]: “Through error” (Numbers 35:11) this excludes acting willfully. “Without awareness” (Deuteronomy 19:4) this excludes intentionality. Acting willfully is obvious! He is liable for death!? (Rather) Rava said: Say [instead: “Through error”] excludes the one who says it is permitted [to do a prohibited action]. Abaye said to him: If he is one who says it is permitted, [then he falls into the category of] one who had no choice. [Rava] said to him: It is because I say that the one who said it is permitted [falls into the category of] one who was grossly negligent. “Without awareness” (Deuteronomy 19:4) excludes intentionality. Intentionality is obvious! He is liable for death!? Rabbah said: This excludes [when] he intends to kill an animal and kills a person, [when he intends to kill] a Cutite and kills a Jew, [when he intends to kill] a stillbirth and kills a viable infant. Our Rabbis taught [in a baraita]: “If he came upon him suddenly” (Numbers 35:22) this excludes a [case when someone turns quickly] around a corner. “Without hatred” (Numbers 35:22) excludes the one who hates [their victim]. “He pushed him” (Numbers 35:22) [means] when he pushed his body. “Or hurled upon him” (Numbers 35:22) includes downward motion that is for a need of upward motion. “Without lying in wait (tz’diyah)” (Numbers 35:22) excludes the one who intends [to throw something] to one side (tzad) and it goes to the other side. “And if one does not lie in wait (tzadah)” (Exodus 21:13) excludes the one who intends to throw [something] two cubits and he threw [it] four cubits. “When a person comes upon his friend in a forest” (Deuteronomy 19:5) Just as in a forest it is permitted for the perpetrator and the victim to enter there [because it is public space], so too [the same rules apply in] any [place where it is] permitted for the perpetrator and the victim to enter there. R' Abahu asked R' Yohanan a question: If a person was ascending a ladder and a rung broke under him and it fell and struck someone below and killed him, is this a situation of ascent [where he would be exempt] or descent [where he would be held liable]? He said to him: You've already touched on this [in an earlier baraita]—in a case of descending for the purpose of ascent [here, we mean that the rung is going downward for the purpose of the person ascending]. He challenged him "This is the general rule: anything that is within a downward movement, [that person] is sent to exile. Anything not in a downward movement [that person who initiated the act] is not exiled." And what does this "anything not in a downward movement include?" Does it not include this case?! [where the rung is downward and you are moving up, where, according to this general rule, that person would not be culpable for the rung falling]. But according to your reasoning, [the rule that] anything that is in the way of descent includes what?! Does it not include a butcher? Here too, it also comes to include the case of the butcher— as it is taught in a baraita: a butcher who was cutting [meat]. One tanna teaches that [if he struck someone who was standing] before him, he would liable and [if the person was behind him], he would be exempt. Another tanna teaches that [if he struck someone behind him] he would be liable and if [he struck someone before him], he would be exempt. Another tanna teaches that whether the person was before him or behind him, he would liable. And another tanna teaches that whether he was before him or behind him, he would be exempt. This is not a difficulty. Here [where he would be liable for the person standing before him but exempt if he were behind him] is when the knife is descending in front of him and ascending behind him. Here [where he is he is exempt for the person standing before him but liable for the person standing behind him] is when the upward motion is in front of him but the downward motion is behind him. Here [where he is liable in both situations] is when the downward motion is both in front of him and behind him. And here [where he is exempt in all cases] is when the upward motion is both in front of him and behind him. [Now we return back to the debate between R' Abahu and R. Yohanan about the case of the fallen rung]. Let us say this same issue was the matter of a Tannaitic debate: One who is ascending a ladder and a rung falls. One tanna taught that he is liable and another taught that he is exempt. Was it not about this that they were disagreeing? One of them held that it was a case of descent [where he is liable] and one of them holds that he is ascending [where he is exempt]. ... No [that's wrong], everybody agrees that it is a case of ascent. And this is not a problem [they still have a disagreement]. Here [one is talking about the issue of] damages [where he would be obligated to pay the compensation for damages caused] and the other [is talking about the issue of] exile [from which he would be exempted]. If you want, say that both cases are talking about exile and there is [still] not a difficulty. They are disagreeing about it being rotten. Here, [where he would be obligated for exile] is when (the rung) is rotten. Here [where he would be exempt from exile] is when it is not rotten. And if you want, say that they both agree that the wood was not rotten and it is [still] not a difficulty: Here [where he would be exempt from exile] is when the rung has been fastened. Here, [where he would be liable] is when he did not fasten it. Mishnah: If the iron axe head slipped from its handle and it killed someone, Rebi says he isn't exiled, and the Sages say that he is exiled. If [a wood chip] from the tree broke off [and that wood chip killed someone], Rebi says he is exiled, and the Sages say that he isn't exiled. Gemar: It was taught: Rebi said to the Sages: Does it say, "and the iron [flies off] from ITS wood?" Does it not only say "from the wood?" And furthermore, the word "wood" is said below and the word "wood" is said above. Just as the word "wood" is said above [and refers to wood that comes] from the tree being chopped, so too the word "wood" is said below [and refers to wood that comes] from the tree being chopped. Rav Chiyah bar Ashi said in the name of Rav: Both [the Sages and Rebi] interpreted one verse. The iron breaks off from the wood [Ve'neshal]. Rebi holds that the transmission [how the written word appears in the text] is what matters, and 'Ve'Neyshal' it is written [the form of which implies that the phrase should be understood as meaning that the axe blade caused something else—i.e., a wood chip—to come loose], but the Sages hold that the pronunciation [how we actually read the word] is what matters and "nashal" we read [the form of which implies that the actual axe head flew off]. But does Rebi hold that the the transmission [how the written word appears in the text] is what matters?