What is the meaning of "me'Asher ha'Michmesas"?
Radak: The border went from Asher's border to Michmesas (a place near Shechem). Malbim - Asher was north of Menasheh, except for a strip coming from Beis Choron, which was of Efrayim, and north of Menasheh.
Bi'ur ha'Gra: The northern border of Menasheh, from west to east, was [the southern] border of Asher, until Michmesas.
Where was Shechem?
Bi'ur ha'Gra: It was an Ir Miklat; it was in the east of Eretz Yisrael. 1
The Arei Miklat were chosen to minimize the distance a murderer might need to go to get to an Ir Miklat (Makos 10a). The Gemara asked why murderers near the south and north borders needed to travel further, and answered (there were many murderers in Shechem). If Shechem was in the east, it could have asked why murderers in the west needed to travel further. Perhaps it did not, for clearly the same answer applies. (PF)
