Chumashחומש

לא תסיג גבול. לְשׁוֹן "נָסֹגוּ אָחוֹר" (ישעיהו מ"ב), שֶׁמַּחֲזִיר סִימַן חֲלֻקַּת הַקַּרְקַע לְאָחוֹר לְתוֹךְ שְׂדֵה חֲבֵרוֹ לְמַעַן הַרְחִיב אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ; וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר "לֹא תִגְזֹל" (ויקרא י"ט), מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תַסִּיג? לִמֵּד עַל הָעוֹקֵר תְּחוּם חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁעוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין. יָכוֹל אַף בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ? תַּ"לֹ בנחלתך אשר תנחל וגו', בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין, וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם לֹא תִגְזֹל (ספרי):

לא תסיג גבול THOU SHALT NOT REMOVE [THY FELLOW-MAN’S] LANDMARK — תסיג is of the same meaning as (Isaiah 42:17) “they are turned back (נסגו אחור)”. The meaning is, that one moves the mark that shows the division of the land (i.e. the division between two adjoining fields) backwards into the field of his neighbour in order thereby to enlarge his own. — But does it not already state. (Leviticus 19:13) “Thou shalt not rob”, why, then, is it also commanded “Thou shalt not remove the landmark”? It teaches that one who obliterates his neighbour’s border line transgresses two negative commands (לא תגזול and לא תסיג). One might think that this is the case also if one does so outside the Land of Israel! Scripture, however, states, “in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit [in the land]”;— thus in the Land of Israel one who does this transgresses two negative commands, whilst outside the Land he transgresses only the command of לא תגזול (Sifrei Devarim 188:1-2).

עד אחד. זֶה בָנָה אָב – כָּל עֵד שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שְׁנַיִם אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן פֵּרֵט לְךָ בוֹ אֶחָד (סנהדרין ל'):

עד אחד ONE WITNESS [SHALL NOT RISE UP AGAINST A MAN FOR ANY INIQUITY] — This is the classic passage from which the general principle is derived that wherever the term “witness” (עד) occurs in the Torah, it means two witnesses, unless it specifically mentions in connection with it the word אחד (Sanhedrin 30a).

לכל עון ולכל חטאת. לִהְיוֹת חֲבֵרוֹ נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל עֵדוּתוֹ, לֹא עֹנֶשׁ גּוּף וְלֹא עֹנֶשׁ מָמוֹן, אֲבָל קָם הוּא לִשְׁבוּעָה; אָמַר לַחֲבֵרוֹ תֵּן לִי מָנֶה שֶׁהִלְוִיתִיךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵין לְךָ בְיָדִי כְּלוּם וְעֵד אֶחָד מְעִידוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, חַיָּב לִשָּׁבַע לוֹ (שבועות מ'):

לכל עון ולכל חטאת [ONE WITNESS SHALL NOT RISE UP AGAINST A PERSON] FOR ANY INIQUITY OR ANY SIN — i.e. that his fellow man should be punished on account of his evidence either by bodily punishment or by a monetary punishment; but he may rise up against his fellow men to compel him to take an oath. If, for instance, one says to his fellow, “Return me the maneh which I lent you”, and he replies “I have nothing of yours in my possession”, and one witness testifies that he has, he (the defendant) must take an oath to satisfy him (Shevuot 40a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 188:9).

על פי שני עדים. וְלֹא שֶׁיִּכְתְּבוּ עֵדוּתָם בְּאִגֶּרֶת וְיִשְׁלְחוּ לְבֵית דִּין, וְלֹא שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד תֻּרְגְּמָן בֵּין הָעֵדִים וּבֵין הַדַּיָּנִים (ספרי):

על פי שני עדים [AT THE MOUTH OF TWO WITNESSES ... SHALL THE MATTER BE ESTABLISHED] — at their mouth, but not that they may write their evidence down in a letter and send it to the court, nor that an interpreter stand between the witnesses and the judges (Sifrei Devarim 188:10).

לענות בו סרה. דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ, שֶׁהוּסַר הָעֵד הַזֶּה מִכָּל הָעֵדוּת הַזֹּאת. כֵּיצַד? שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם וַהֲלֹא עִמָּנוּ הֱיִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי (מכות ה'):

לענות בו סרה [IF A WITNESS FOR VIOLENCE RISE UP AGAINST A MAN] TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIM סרה — i.e. a thing which does not exist at all; this term is used because this witness is far removed (הוסר) from having anything to do with this testimony. How is this? (Give an example of such a case)?! That two other witnesses say, “But were you not with us on that day (when you say you saw the defendant committing this crime) in such and such a place (different from that where the alleged crime, according to you, has taken place)?!” (Makkot 5a).

ועמדו שני האנשים. בְּעֵדִים הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר וְלִמֵּד שֶׁאֵין עֵדוּת בְּנָשִׁים, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהָעִיד עֵדוּתָן מֵעוֹמֵד (שבועות ל'):

ועמדו שני האנשים THEN BOTH THE MEN ... SHALL STAND [BEFORE THE LORD] — Scripture here is referring to the witnesses, and teaches firstly that no evidence is valid when given by women, and teaches secondly that they (the witnesses) must submit their testimony while standing (Shevuot 30a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:1-3).

אשר להם הריב. אֵלּוּ בַעֲלֵי הַדִּין:

אשר להם הריב BETWEEN WHOM THE STRIFE IS — this refers to the contestants (Sanhedrin 19a).

לפני ה'. יִהְיֶה דּוֹמֶה לָהֶם כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמְדִין לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים פ"ב) בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט (סנהדרין ו'):

'לפני ה BEFORE THE LORD — It should seem to them as though they are standing before the Omnipresent God, for it is said, (Psalms 82:1) “He (God) judges amongst the judges” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:5; Sanhedrin 6b).

אשר יהיו בימים ההם. יִפְתָּח בְּדוֹרוֹ כִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּדוֹרוֹ, צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִנְהֹג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד:

אשר יהיו בימים ההם [AND THEY ... SHALL STAND BEFORE ... THE JUDGES] WHO SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS — The apparently redundant words “who shall be in those days” suggest: Jephthah in his generation must be regarded as was Samuel in his generation: you must treat him with respect (Rosh Hashanah 25b; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 17:9 and Deuteronomy 26:3).

ודרשו השפטים היטב. עַל פִּי הַמְזִמִּין אוֹתָם, שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים וְחוֹקְרִים אֶת הַבָּאִים לַהֲזִימָם בִּדְרִישָׁה וַחֲקִירָה:

ודרשו השפטים היטב AND THE JUDGES SHALL DILIGENTLY ENQUIRE concerning the statement of those who assert them (the first witnesses) to be “plotting witnesses”, in that they investigate and crossexamine those who assert them to be “plotting witnesses” by diligent enquiry and scrutiny.

והנה עד שקר העד. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֵד — בִּשְׁנַיִם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:

והנה עד שקר העד AND, BEHOLD, IF THE WITNESS BE A FALSE WITNESS — Wherever עד is written, [except if the numeral אחד, “one” is added (cf. Rashi on v. 15)], Scripture is speaking of two witnesses (Sanhedrin 30a).

כאשר זמם. וְלֹא כַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ הָרְגוּ אֵין נֶהֱרָגִין (מכות ה'):

כאשר זמם [THEN SHALL YE DO UNTO HIM] AS HE HAD INTENDED TO HAVE DONE [UNTO HIS BROTHER] — as he had intended to do, but not as he has done! Hence they (the Rabbis) stated that if they (the false witnesses) have already killed (i.e. if by their evidence the defendant has already been executed) they are not put to death (Makkot 5b).

לעשות לאחיו. מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לאחיו? לִמֵּד עַל זוֹמְמֵי בַת כֹּהֵן נְשׂוּאָה שֶׁאֵינָן בִּשְׂרֵפָה אֶלָּא כְּמִיתַת הַבּוֹעֵל שֶׁהִיא בְחֶנֶק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ"א) "הִיא בָאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף" – הִיא וְלֹא בוֹעֲלָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר כָּאן לאחיו, כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו, וְלֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לַאֲחוֹתוֹ, אֲבָל בְּכָל שְׁאָר מִיתוֹת הִשְׁוָה הַכָּתוּב אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ וְזוֹמְמֵי אִשָּׁה נֶהֱרָגִין כְּזוֹמְמֵי אִישׁ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהֱעִידוּהָ שֶׁהָרְגָה אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁחִלְּלָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, נֶהֱרָגִין בְּמִיתָתָהּ, שֶׁלֹּא מִעֵט כָּאן אֲחוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא בְמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְקַיֵּם בָּהֶן הֲזַמָּה כְּמִיתַת הַבּוֹעֵל (ספרי; סנהדרין צ'):

לעשות לאחיו [THEN SHALL YE DO UNTO HIM AS HE HAD INTENDED] TO HAVE DONE TO HIS BROTHER — What is the force of לאחיו? Would it not have sufficed to state כאשר זמם לעשות? But it teaches in regard to witnesses who have been proved to have “plotted” against a married daughter of a priest by an accusation of adultery, that they are not to be punished with burning (as would have been the punishment of the accused woman, if she had been found guilty), but with the death penalty to which the alleged adulterer would have been subject, which is strangulation. For it is said of such a woman, (Leviticus 21:9) “she shall be burnt to death” — ‘‘she”, but not her paramour (he is not burnt but strangled) — therefore it states here לאחיו, “unto his brother” — ‘‘[ye shall do unto him] as he had intended to have done to his brother” but not as he had intended to have done to his sister. This case, however, is an exception, but with regard to any other death penalties Scripture puts women on the same level with men, and consequently those who are proved to have “plotted” against a woman are made to suffer the same death penalty as those who are proved to have “plotted” against a man. For instance, they have testified against her that she killed a person, or that she desecrated the Sabbath, then they are made to suffer the death she would have suffered, for Scripture excludes here by the word אחיו the “plotting” witnesses from the death penalty of the sister (i.e. which the woman would have suffered) only because it is a case where the law regarding plotting witnesses can be applied to them by letting them suffer the death-penalty of the paramour (Sifrei Devarim 190:14; Sanhedrin 90a).

ישמעו ויראו. מִכָּאן שֶׁצְּרִיכִין הַכְרָזָה – אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי נֶהֱרָגִין עַל שֶׁהוּזַמּוּ בְּבֵית דִּין (סנהדרין פ"ט):

ישמעו ויראו [AND THOSE WHO REMAIN] SHALL HEAR AND FEAR — From here we derive the law that a public announcement is required: “The men named so-and-so are to be executed because they have been convicted by the court as “plotting witnesses” (Sanhedrin 89a).

עין בעין. מָמוֹן, וְכֵן שֵׁן בְּשֵׁן וְגוֹ' (ספרי; בבא קמא פ"ד):

עין בעין EYE FOR EYE — i.e. monetary compensation; similarly also “tooth for tooth” etc. (Sifrei Devarim 190:16; Bava Kamma 84a; cf. also Rashi on Exodus 21:24).

כי תצא למלחמה. סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב יְצִיאַת מִלְחָמָה לְכָאן, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁאֵין מְחֻסַּר אֵבֶר יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה (עי' ספרי); דָּבָר אַחֵר, לוֹמַר לְךָ אִם עָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, אַתָּה מֻבְטָח שֶׁאִם תֵּצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה אַתָּה נוֹצֵחַ, וְכֵן דָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קי"ט) עָשִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק בַּל תַּנִּיחֵנִי לְעוֹשְׁקָי (תנחומא):

כי תצא למלחמה WHEN THOU GOEST OUT TO WAR — Scripture places the going out to war in juxtaposition to this section here (to עין בעין וכו׳) in order to tell you that no person lacking a limb goes out to war (cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:17). Another explanation of why these two sections are put in juxtaposition to each other: it is to tell you that if you execute just judgment you may be confident that if you go to war you will be victorious. Similarly does David say, (Psalms 119:121) “I have done judgement and justice; Thou wilt not leave me to my oppressors” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shoftim 15).

על איבך. יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאוֹיְבִים, אַל תְּרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי לֹא יְרַחֲמוּ עָלֶיךָ:

על איבך AGAINST THINE ENEMIES — Let them be in thine eyes as enemies: have no pity upon them, for they will have no pity upon thee (Midrash Tanchuma, Shoftim 15).

סוס ורכב. בְּעֵינַי כֻּלָּם כְּסוּס אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים ו') וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת מִדְיָן כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות ט"ו) כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה (עי' ספרי):

סוס ורכב [WHEN THOU GOEST TO WAR ... AND SEEST] HORSES AND CHARIOTS (lit., horse and chariot) — in Mine eyes they are all as only one horse (i.e. they do not count). Similarly it states, (Judges 6:16) “[Surely “I” will be with thee,] and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man”. And similarly it states, (Exodus 15:19) “For the horse (not the horses) of Pharaoh came [into the sea]” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shoftim 16; cf. Sifrei Devarim 190:21).

עם רב ממך. בְּעֵינֶיךָ הוּא רַב, אֲבָל בְּעֵינַי אֵינוֹ רַב (שם):

עם רב ממך [WHEN THOU GOEST OUT TO WAR … AND SEEST] PEOPLE MORE THAN THOU (or, as it may be translated: PEOPLE, NUMEROUS FROM THY POINT OF VIEW) — in thine eyes they may appear to be numerous but in Mine eyes they are not numerous (Midrash Tanchuma, Shoftim 16).

כקרבכם אל המלחמה. סָמוּךְ לְצֵאתְכֶם מִן הַסְּפָר – מִגְּבוּל אַרְצְכֶם:

כקרבכם אל המלחמה [IT SHALL BE] WHEN YE COME NIGH UNTO THE BATTLE, [THAT THE PRIEST … SHALL SPEAK] — i.e. when ye are on the point of leaving the ספר — the boundary of your land (Sifrei Devarim 191).

ונגש הכהן. הַמָּשׁוּחַ לְכָךְ, וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא "מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה":

ונגש הכהן AND “THE” PRIEST SHALL STEP NIGH [AND SPEAK] “the” priest means, he who has been anointed for that purpose; it is the one who is termed in the Talmud משוח מלחמה, “the priest anointed for war” (Sotah 42a).

ודבר אל העם. בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (סוטה מ"ב):

ודבר אל העם AND HE SHALL SPEAK UNTO THE PEOPLE — in the Holy Language (Sotah 42a).

שמע ישראל. אֲפִלּוּ אֵין בָּכֶם זְכוּת אֶלָּא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּלְבַד, כְּדַאי אַתֶּם שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם:

שמע ישראל [AND HE SHALL SAY UNTO THEM] HEAR O ISRAEL — Even though you have no other merit than the fulfilment of the command of “Reading the Shema” you would deserve that He should help you (Sotah 42a).

על איביכם. אֵין אֵלּוּ אַחֵיכֶם, שֶׁאִם תִּפְּלוּ בְיָדָם אֵינָם מְרַחֲמִים עֲלֵיכֶם, אֵין זוֹ כְּמִלְחֶמֶת יְהוּדָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב' כ"ח ט"ו) "וַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּישׁוּם וַיַּנְעִילוּם וַיַּאֲכִילוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל אֲחֵיהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן", אֶלָּא עַל אוֹיְבֵיכֶם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְחַזְּקוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ב):

על איבכם [YE APPROACH THIS DAY UNTO WAR] AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES — By these apparently redundant words the priest says, as it were: Remember that these are not your brethren, and if you will fall into their hands they will have no pity on you; — it is not like the war of Judah against Israel of which it states, (II Chronicles 28:15) “And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of the palm trees, to their brethren: they returned to Samaria” — it is your enemies against whom you march, therefore show yourselves strong for the battle (Sifrei Devarim 192:2; Sotah 42a).

אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו. אַרְבַּע אַזְהָרוֹת כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים שֶׁמַּלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת עוֹשִׂים, מְגִיפִין בִּתְרִיסֵיהֶם כְּדֵי לְהַקִּישָׁן זֶה לָזֶה כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שֶׁיַּחְפְּזוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָן וְיָנוּסוּ, וְרוֹמְסִים בְּסוּסֵיהֶם וּמַצְהִילִין אוֹתָם לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שַׁעֲטַת פַּרְסוֹת סוּסֵיהֶם, וְצוֹוְחִין בְּקוֹלָם, וְתוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וּמִינֵי מַשְׁמִיעֵי קוֹל:

אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו LET NOT YOUR HEARTS FAINT; FEAR NOT, AND HURRY NOT PRECIPITATELY, NEITHER BE TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF THEM — These are four admonitions corresponding to four things which the kings of the nations do in battle: they bring their shields close together in order to strike them one against the other and thereby make a loud noise so that their opponents should flee precipitately; they trample the ground heavily with their horses — and make them neigh — in order to make a noise through the beating of their horses’ hoofs; they themselves shout aloud and blow trumpets and other noisy instruments.

אל ירך לבבכם. מִצַּהֲלַת סוּסִים:

אל ירך לבבכם LET NOT YOUR HEARTS FAINT — through the neighing of the horses,

אל תיראו. מֵהֲגָפַת הַתְּרִיסִין:

אל תיראו FEAR NOT from the noise made by the clashing of the shields,

ואל תחפזו. מִקּוֹל הַקְּרָנוֹת:

ואל תחפזו AND HURRY NOT PRECIPITATELY at the sounds of the trumpets,

ואל תערצו. מִקּוֹל הַצְּוָחָה (שם):

ואל תערצו NEITHER BE TERRIFIED by the noise of the shouting (Sifrei Devarim 192:3; Sotah 42).

כי ה' אלהיכם וגו'. הֵם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְאַתֶּם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם. פְּלִשְׁתִּים בָּאוּ בְנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל גָּלְיָת, מֶה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ? נָפַל וְנָפְלוּ עִמּוֹ:

כי ה׳ אלהיכם וגו׳ FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD [IS HE WHO GOETH WITH YOU] — They come to war relying on the conquering strength of human beings (lit., flesh and blood) but you come relying on the strength of the Omnipresent God! The Philistines once came to war relying on the strength of Goliath — what was his end? He fell and they fell with him (Sotah 42a).

ההלך עמכם. זֶה מַחֲנֵה הָאָרוֹן (סוטה מ"ב):

ההלך עמכם [FOR THE LORD THY GOD] GOETH WITH THEE — this refers to the camp of the Holy Ark (the camp that has the Holy Ark in its midst, i.e. the camp of the Levites) (Sotah 42a).

ולא חנכו. וְלֹא דָּר בּוֹ, חִנּוּךְ לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלָה:

ולא חנכו [WHAT MAN IS THERE THAT HATH BUILT A NEW HOUSE] AND HATH NOT DEDICATED IT — i.e. has not yet dwelt in it. The term חנך denotes beginning a thing (here, it means beginning to live in it; cf. Rashi on Genesis 14:14).

ואיש אחר יחנכנו. וְדָבָר שֶׁל עָגְמַת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא זֶה:

ואיש אחר יחנכנו [LEST HE DIE IN THE WAR] AND ANOTHER MAN DEDICATE IT — which is a matter that causes grief of mind.

ולא חללו. לֹא פְּדָאוֹ בַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית, שֶׁהַפֵּרוֹת טְעוּנִין לְאָכְלָן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם אוֹ לְחַלְּלָן בְּדָמִים וְלֶאֱכֹל הַדָּמִים בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם:

ולא חללו [AND WHAT MAN IS THERE THAT HATH PLANTED A VINEYARD] AND HATH YET NOT EATEN OF IT — לא חללו means, has not yet redeemed it in the fourth year of its growth, for the fruits had either to be eaten in Jerusalem or to be given a non-holy character (חולין), by exchanging them for money and the money’s worth to be consumed in Jerusalem (The phrase therefore means no more than: who hath not eaten of it).

פן ימות במלחמה. יָשׁוּב פֶּן יָמוּת, שֶׁאִם לֹא יִשְׁמַע לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן כְּדַאי הוּא שֶׁיָּמוּת (ספרי):

פן ימות במלחמה [LET HIM GO AND RETURN] LEST HE DIE IN THE WAR — The meaning is: let him return so that he not die, for if he will not hearken to the words of the priests he deserves death (Sifrei Devarim 194:5).

ויספו השטרים. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ויספו? מוֹסִיפִין זֶה עַל דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וּמַשְׁמִיעַ מִן שמע ישראל עַד להושיע אתכם, וּמִי הָאִישׁ וְשֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי כֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ, וְזֶה שׁוֹטֵר מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ (סוטה מ"ג):

ויספו השטרים AND THE BAILIFFS [SHALL SPEAK] FURTHER [UNTO THE PEOPLE] — Why does it here state: they shall speak further unto the people? The meaning is that they added this to the words of the priest, for the priest spoke and proclaimed from שמע ישראל (v. 3) to להושיע אתכם (end of 5:4), whilst the paragraphs beginning with מי האיש (v. 5) and with the second מי האיש (v. 6) and with the third מי האיש (v. 7) the priest said quietly and the officers proclaimed. This paragraph, the officers spoke and proclaimed, so that Scripture rightly introduces this last part by the word ויספו השוטרים (Sotah 43a).

הירא ורך הלבב. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלִרְאוֹת חֶרֶב שְׁלוּפָה; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר הַיָּרֵא מֵעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ, וּלְכָךְ תָּלְתָה לוֹ תוֹרָה לַחֲזֹר עַל בַּיִת וְכֶרֶם וְאִשָּׁה, לְכַסּוֹת עַל הַחוֹזְרִים בִּשְׁבִיל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי עֲבֵרָה, וְהָרוֹאֵהוּ חוֹזֵר אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא בָּנָה בַיִת אוֹ נָטַע כֶּרֶם אוֹ אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה (סוטה מ"ד):

הירא ורך הלבב [WHAT MAN IS THERE] WHO IS FEARFUL AND FAINT-HEARTED — Rabbi Akiba said, Take these words as what they literally imply; they mean that he cannot stand in the dense ranks of battle and look on a naked sword. Rabbi Jose, the Galilean, said that it means one who is afraid of the sins he has committed, and therefore Scripture gave him the opportunity of attributing his return home to his house, his vineyard, or his wife, in order to veil the motives of those who really returned because of the sins they had committed, so that people should not know they were great sinners, and whoever saw a person returning would say, “Perhaps he has built a house, or planted a vineyard or betrothed a wife” (Sotah 44a).

שרי צבאות. שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין זַקָּפִין מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם וּמִלְּאַחֲרֵיהֶם וְכַשִּׁילִין שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל בִּידֵיהֶם וְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לַחֲזֹר הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ לְקַפֵּחַ אֶת שׁוֹקָיו; זַקָּפִין – בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין בִּקְצֵה הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִזְקֹף אֶת הַנּוֹפְלִים וּלְחַזְּקָם בִּדְבָרִים, שׁוּבוּ אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא תָנוּסוּ, שֶׁתְּחִלַּת נְפִילָה נִיסָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ד):

שרי צבאות [THEY SHALL APPOINT] OFFICERS OF THE HOSTS — This means that they shall place guards (זוקפין from זקף “to stand erect”) in front of and behind them (the troops), with iron axes in their hands, and if anybody attempted to desert he (the guard) was empowered to chop off his legs. זוקפין are men who stood in the wings of the battle-line to raise (זקף) those who fall and to strengthen them by encouraging words: “Go back to the battle and do not flee, for flight is the first step to defeat” (Sifrei Devarim 198; Sotah 44).