היתר במות

There is a reference in the Parsha to what is referred to as היתר במות, permission to offer sacrifices on private altars. This refers to a brief period of our history when there was no Mishkan or Beit Hamikdash. There was a period of time in a place near Jericho, called Gilgal, where there was a היתר במות, until they established the Mishkan at Shilo for 369 years. After Shilo, there was a היתר במות at נוב and גבעון. This was an interim period until Shlomo’s Temple was built. Once the בית המקדש existed, there was no longer a היתר במות. When the היתר existed, it was only for נדרים and נדבות, free will offerings. This is learned from the words, כי לא באתם עד עתה אל המנוחה ואל הנחלה, for you have not yet reached the inheritance or peacefulness. The word מנוחה refers to שילה, and מנוחה refers to ירושלים.