[Avodah] Parshas Masei - a few ha'oros

[SBA]

For those here who go through the entire parsha (actually 2 - last week)
- some questions and comments.

1) The Baal Haturim on 'Vayachnu beMidbar Sin" (33:11) writes that
originally called Midbar Sin, a Yud was added to the name (Sinai)
after the Aseres Hadibros were given there. (Similar the Chizkuni)
The Tosefes Brocho is puzzled by this as 6 pesukim later we
find "Vayachnu beMidbar Sinai" - which lechoreh shows that
these are 2 distinct locations. (He also refers to Beshalach 17:1
 "Vayovo'u...el Midbar Sin asher bein Elim uvein Sinai".)

2) Talking of the TB, on (35:32) "Velo Sikchu Kofer lonus el ir
miklotoy", Rashi and others explain that this refers to a killer beshogeg
 who may not ransom his way out of the Ir Miklot.
The TB suggests that it refers to a Meizid who may try to pay his
way out of being chayev meeseh by being allowed in to an Ir Miklot.

3) Rashi (34:8) dh "Mehor Hahor" mentions Antochia, which Artscroll calls
Antioch. Presumably this refers to such a place in Eretz Yisroel.
(Wikipedia has a couple.)

4) 36:11 "Vatihyeno...Bnos Tzelofchod livnei dodeihem lenoshim". Ayen Targum
Yonoson: 'livnei chaviveihon'.
OTOH, the Seforno writes "Kivnu laasos retzon konom...lo mipnei shehisavu
le'eileh asher nisu lohem".

5) Not being an expert on Gevulos Haaretz, I notice that some chumoshim
displaying maps explain the parsha show that Beirut and Tzidon (Sidon)
are part of Eretz Yisroel. Is this indeed so? Did Jews living there keep
 only one day YT?  And what about mitzvos hateluyos ba'aretz?

6) Someone showed me an interesting Maor Voshomesh explaining
"vayisu mikivros hataavo vayachnu bechatzeros",that only after one
has totally buried all his taavos may he go out to the 'chatzeiros
urechovos'. Otherwise he is risking being nichshal by the yetzer hora.

While the fellow who showed this to me thought that this was a lesson for
Kiruvniks, I think it is no less valid for all of us (and, BTW, not really
something  that 'hatzibur yochol laamod bo").

Comments welcome.

SBA