Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Ulangan 20:2

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.

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.

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.

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 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 [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 [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).