NUM398 A healthy ecological balance dictates that there must remain distance between city and rural areas. Thus, the Torah [this verse] does not permit any planting or building in the one-thousand-cubit radius around the city. Rashi on this verse, based on the Talmud (Bava Batra 24b) comments that the purpose is also to protect the beauty of the city. Thus, the Torah was concerned about zoning and city beautification. The Mishnah (Bava Batra 2:7) states that even a tree had to be a distance of at least 25 cubits (37 – 50 feet) from the city, and some say fifty cubits, in order to allow proper growing of trees and prevent possible damage.