Komentarz do Powtórzonego Prawa 20:9

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).

AND CAPTAINS OF HOSTS SHALL BE APPOINTED AT THE HEAD OF THE PEOPLE. He so commanded because the Torah enjoins in accordance with the way of the world while G-d does miracles for those who fear Him secretly. There is no desire before Him to change the natural order of the world, unless there is no other way for salvation, or in order to make His Name known to His adversaries³¹⁶Isaiah 64:1. at certain times as at the splitting of the Red Sea and similar events.

ופקדו שרי צבאות, after all those who were sent home had left. If even one of the people that should have been sent home were included in the roll call by the commanders this might eventually prove demoralising if the party in question became a casualty of war. Compare Amos 9,1 הך הכפתור וירעשו הספים, “strike a knob and the very foundations will quake,” [insignificant appearing actions have far-reaching consequences. Ed.]

ופקדו שרי צבאות בראש העם, “the leaders of the people shall take command at the head of the people.” Nachmanides writes that the Torah’s instructions here run parallel to what the nations of the world are doing in similar circumstances. G’d’s intervention on behalf of the Jewish soldiers is in the nature of “hidden miracles,” the types that resulted in the collapse of Haman and the rise to power of Mordechai. [People are saved or killed by being in the right place, or the wrong place at the right time or at the wrong time, as required in order for His will to be done. Ed.] G’d does not interfere with natural law overtly unless unavoidable in order to achieve His ends without depriving man of his free will in the process.

Do not run away, for running away is the beginning of downfall. Rashi is of the opinion that whoever flees ends up having a downfall because it says (Shmuel I 31:1), “And the men of Israel fled from before the Plishtim and they fell corpses in Mount Gilboa.” And so it says in Sotah (44b).

ופקדו, “and they shall appoint, etc.” This takes place after all those that have been allowed to return home have done so. The use of the root פקד to describe making appointments is first found in the advice Joseph gave to Pharaoh in Genesis 41,34.

Whichever man. In the first chapter of Sota the Gemara states: 40 days before a child is formed a voice comes out from Heaven and states, “so-and-so will marry this child, such and such a house will belong to this child, such and such a field will belong to this child.” The Gemara lists three things which are the essentials for a person. For this reason the kohein warns specifically about these three things. As long as a person has not completed these three he may not go to battle. The Satan tries to attack at times of danger. Specifically in these three areas which were decreed the Satan challenges, in order to prevent a person reaching his potential. Alternatively, due to not yet having completed these three things a person will become depressed and put himself in danger. However, according to the opinion of Rabbi Yossi HaGalili, this is not considered a time of danger, and there is no need for a person to be afraid. However, he returns from battle in order to protect those who are returning due to sins that they have committed.