Der zum Kampf Gesalbte sprach zu der Zeit, als er mit dem Volk spricht, in der heiligen Sprache, wie gesagt wird: „Und wenn Sie sich dem Kampf nähern, wird sich der Priester nähern“ (5. Mose 20:). 2)—Dies bezieht sich auf den Priester, der für den Kampf gesalbt wurde. "Und sprich mit den Menschen" (ebd.) - in der heiligen Sprache. "Er wird zu ihnen sagen: Höre, Israel, du bist im Begriff, dich dem Kampf mit deinem Feind anzuschließen" (5. Mose 20: 3).— "Mit deinem Feind", aber nicht gegen deinen Bruder, nicht Juda gegen Shimon oder Shimon gegen Benjamin, damit sie dir gnädig werden, wenn du in ihre Hand fällst, wie gesagt wird: "Dann machten sich die oben genannten Männer daran, die Gefangenen zu nehmen in der Hand und mit Beute bekleideten sie alle Nackten unter sich—Sie bekleideten sie und beschlagen sie und gaben ihnen zu essen und zu trinken und salbten sie und versorgten alle, die versagten, mit Eseln und brachten sie nach Jericho, der Stadt der Palmen, zurück zu ihren Verwandten. Dann kehrten sie nach Samaria zurück “(II Chronik 28:15). Eher gegen deine Feinde marschierst du, damit sie dir nicht gnädig sind, wenn du in ihre Hand fällst. „Lass deinen Mut nicht nachlassen, fürchte dich nicht und zittere nicht und fürchte dich nicht vor ihnen“ (5. Mose 20: 3). „Lass deinen Mut nicht nachlassen“ - beim Wiehern der Pferde und beim Schärfen der Schwerter; "Fürchte dich nicht" - beim Aufprall der Schilde und dem Trampeln der Soldatenschuhe; "Nicht zittern" - beim Klang von Trompeten; "Oder fürchte dich vor ihnen" - beim Klang von Schlachtrufen. "Denn es ist der Herr, dein Gott, der mit dir geht" - sie kommen [verlassen] sich auf die Macht von Fleisch und Blut, aber du kommst [verlassen] auf die Macht des Allgegenwärtigen. Die Philister stützten sich auf die Macht Goliaths (1. Samuel 17: 4), aber was geschah am Ende mit ihm? Am Ende fiel er durch das Schwert und sie fielen mit ihm. Die Ammoniter stützten sich auf die Macht Shobachs (II Samuel 10: 16-18), aber was geschah am Ende mit ihm? Am Ende fiel er durch das Schwert und sie fielen mit ihm. Aber bei dir ist es nicht so: "Denn es ist der Herr, dein Gott, der mit dir geht."—dies bezieht sich auf das Lager der Arche.
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
משוח מלחמה. ודבר אל העם בלשון הקדש – it is stated here (Deuteronomy 20:2): “[Before you join battle, the priest shall come forward] and address the troops.” And it is stated elsewhere (Exodus 19:19): “As Moses spoke, [God answered him in thunder].” Just as elsewhere is in the Holy Tongue (i.e., Hebrew), even here too is in the Holy Tongue.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Introduction
When Israel goes out to battle, the people are charged by a priest, who according to the rabbis must be anointed with oil. This charge is described in Deuteronomy 20. This entire chapter is an explication of how this was done. Our mishnah is a midrash on verses 2-4.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
When the anointed for battle addresses the people he speaks in the holy tongue, as it is said, “And it shall be, when you draw near the battle, that the priest shall approach” (Deuteronomy 20:2) this refers to the anointed for battle. “And speak to the people” ( – in the holy tongue. The Torah states only that a priest shall come forward, without describing which or what type of priest. The rabbis add that this priest must be a priest who has been specially anointed with oil for this purpose before they go out to battle. The address must be given in Hebrew. According to the Talmud this is derived from an analogy between the word “speak” here and “speak” in Exodus 19:19.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
הגפת תריסין – striking of those defending each other to cause the hearing of a voice and to threaten.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
“He shall say to them, “Hear, O Israel, you are about to join battle with your enemy” (vs. 3) “with your enemy” but not against your brother, not Judah against Shimon nor Shimon against Benjamin, that if you fall into their hand they shall have mercy on you, as it is said, “Then the men named above proceeded to take the captives in hand, and with booty they clothed all the naked among them they clothed them and shod them and gave them to eat and drink and anointed them and provide donkeys for all who were failing and brought them to Jericho, the city of palms, back to their kinsmen. Then they returned to Samaria” (II Chronicles 28:15). Rather against your enemies do you march, so that if you fall into their hand they will have no mercy on you. The anointed priest reminds the people that they are going out to fight against their enemies. If they were going to fight their own people, a not uncommon event in Biblical times and an event that continued to occur as long as Israel had political sovereignty, then at least they could expect mercy if taken captive. This mercy is demonstrated by the mercy shown by Israelite (the northern kingdom) soldiers to Judean soldiers as described in II Chronicles. Now they are going out to fight their (foreign) enemies, and if they are taken captive they can expect to be treated ruthlessly. Therefore, they should fight all the more fiercely so that they will not be taken captive.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
הקלגסין – sticks whose heads are curved and they beat them on stones and they fly off on their enemies.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
“Let not your courage falter, fear not, and do not tremble or be in dread of them” (Deuteronomy 20: “Let not your courage falter”-- at the neighing of the horses and the brandishing of swords; “Fear not” --at the crash of shields and the tramp of the soldiers shoes; “Do not tremble” -- at the sound of trumpets; “Or be in dread of them” -- at the sound of battle cries. This section contains a midrash which relates each part of the charge to a fear of another aspect of war. As is typical, the rabbis understand each type of fear to be related to something different.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
שובך – the officer of the army Hadarezer in [Second] Samuel [10:16].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
“For it is the Lord your God that goes with you”--they come [relying] upon the might of flesh and blood, but you come [relying] upon the might of the Omnipresent. The Philistines came [relying] upon the power of Goliath (I Samuel 17:4 ff.), but what happened to him in the end? In the end he fell by the sword and they fell with him. The Ammonites came [relying] upon the power of Shobach (II Samuel 10:16-18), but what happened to him in the end? In the end he fell by the sword and they fell with him. But with you it is otherwise, “For it is the Lord your God is that goes with you” this refers to the camp of the ark. In the final part of his speech the priest points out that God is going out to battle with Israel. The mishnah uses this to contrast Israel with their enemies. Israel’s enemies come out brandishing their physical power, exemplified by Goliah and Shobah. Both of these great warriors were struck down by David whose power was not based on his physical strength but on the fact that God was with him. This reminds us of Zechariah 4:6, “No by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, said the Lord of Hosts.” As a final note, the mishnah relates that the ark was brought out to war with Israel as a tangent symbol of the fact that God is fighting with them.
