«Тогда офицеры продолжат обращаться к войскам и сказать: 'Есть ли кто-нибудь испуганный и унылый, иди и вернись в свой дом'(Второзаконие 20: 8). Раввин Акива говорит: «Бояться и унывать» следует понимать буквально, что он не может стоять на боевых линиях и видеть обнаженный меч. Раввин Йосе Галилейский говорит: «Испуганный и унылый»—это тот, кто боится за преступления, которые он совершил; поэтому Тора соединила все это с ним, чтобы он мог вернуться домой за их счет. Раввин Йосе говорит: первосвященник , который женился на вдове, обычный священник , который женился на разведенной или женщина освобождается от левирата, израильтянин , который женился на mamzeret или netinah , и дочь израильтянина , который женился на мамзер или Natin—вот этот «боится и унывает»
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
ויספו השוטרים – on the words of the Kohen.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Introduction
Today’s mishnah continues explaining the speech made to the troops upon going out to battle. The final exemption is given to anyone who is “afraid and disheartened.” In our mishnah three rabbis argue what this phrase means.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
בקשרי המלחמה – that they become knotty to stand squeezed together that the enemies will not separate them.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
“Then the officers shall go on addressing the troops and say, ‘Is there anyone afraid and disheartened’” (Deuteronomy 20:8). Rabbi Akiva says: “afraid and disheartened” is to be understood literally, that he cannot stand in the battle lines and see a drawn sword. Rabbi Akiva understands the verse literally. The person is literally afraid to go out to battle. He is exempt because his fear may be contagious and cause the other troops to lose heart.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
לפיכך – the person who is fearful is the person who fears from sins that are in his hand, the Torah hung “built, and planted and betrothed” to return on their account, so that the return would be dependent upon this and he would not be embarrassed to state regarding it from the sins that are in his hand and he is fearful and returns.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: “afraid and disheartened” this is the one who is afraid because of the transgressions he has committed; therefore the Torah connected all these [other categories of those who return home] with him that he may return home on their account. Rabbi Yose the Galilean understands the exemption as being given to one who has committed transgressions. Assumedly he is afraid that since he has not led a good life, God will not be with him in battle. He notes that the Torah connected this exemption with the others so that the transgressor would not be embarrassed to not go to battle. People seeing him would not know why he is leaving battle and they would assume that he is leaving for one of the other, less embarrassing reasons.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
ר' יוסי אומר אלמנה לכהן גדול וכו' – for Rabbi Yosi HaGlili, even if he transgressed on the words of the Scribes, he returns, for according to Rabbi Yosi, until he transgresses the words of the Torah is similar to a widow marrying a High Priest.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Rabbi Yose says: a high priest who married a widow, an ordinary priest who married a divorcee or halutzah, an Israelite who married a mamzeret or netinah, and the daughter of an Israelite who married a mamzer or a natin behold this one is “afraid and disheartened.” Rabbi Yose agrees in general with the previous opinion but holds that the transgression must be one that he is continually transgressing, such as a forbidden marriage (the list in this mishnah). If a man is married to a woman forbidden to him, he is transgressing the prohibition every moment he remains married to her. It is only this type of transgression that allows him to leave battle. One who has committed sins in the past is not considered “afraid and disheartened.”
