申命記 20:3 註釋：Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Rabbeinu Bahya & Chizkuni

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).

fear not in your thoughts.

שמע ישראל, אתם קרבים היום למלחמה, “Hear o Israel! Today you are approaching battle.” The priest implies that the intoning of the Keriyat Shema will be a major factor in securing victory as this paragraph deals with the Oneness, Uniqueness, and Unity of Hashem. אל תיראו, “do not be afraid,” in your heart. ואל תחפזו, “and do not panic.” This is an expression describing an accelerated heartbeat due to fear. The word appears as meaning speed in Samuel I 23,26 נחפזת ללכת, “you were in too much of hurry to go.” ואל תערצו, “and do not become broken,” i.e. physically.

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).