Who May Serve?

When you take the field against your enemies, and see horses and chariots—forces larger than yours—have no fear of them, for the LORD your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, is with you.

When you join battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people.

He shall say to them, “Hear, O Israel! You are about to join battle with your enemy. Let not your courage falter. Do not be in fear, or in panic, or in dread of them.

For it is the LORD your God who marches with you to do battle for you against your enemy, to bring you victory.”

Then the officers shall address the people, saying: “Is there anyone who has built a new house but has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another dedicate it.

Is there anyone who has planted a vineyard but has never harvested it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another harvest it.

Is there anyone who has betrothed a wife, but who has not yet married her? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another marry her.”

The officers shall go on to say, “Is there anyone afraid and disheartened? Let him go back to his house, lest he melt the hearts of his comrades like his own.”

The priest shall come forward. He who has been anointed for that; he is the one who is called mashuah milhama “the anointed for war”.

Moses sent a thousand from each tribe to the army, and Pinhas, son of Eleazar the priest, for the army, with the sacred vessels and the trumpets for sounding the blasts in his hand.

Pinhas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw. He rose up from among the congregation and took a spear in his hand.

What did he see?

Rav said, "He saw the deed and he remembered the halakha".

"The officers shall continue 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 Yosei HaGelili says: “afraid and disheartened” - this is someone who is afraid of his transgressions; therefore the Torah connected all these others with him so that he may return home on their account.

Rabbi Yosei says: “afraid and disheartened” - this is 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.

What difference is there between Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Yosei HaGelili?

The difference between them is with a rabbinic transgression.

In accordance with whom is it taught, "If someone spoke between the tefilla (of the arm) and the tefillla (of the head) there is sin on his hands and he returns from the ranks of war?

In accordance with whose opinion? In accordance with Rabbi Yosei HaGelili.

What do these words speak about? About a milchemet hareshut (a voluntary war), but in a milchemet mitzvah (a war that is commanded) all go out, even a bridegroom from his chamber and a bride from her canopy.

Rabbi Yehudah said, "What do these words speak about? About a milchemet mitzvah (a war that is commanded), but in a milchemet hovah (an obligatory war) all go out, even a bridegroom from his chamber and a bride from her canopy."

The halakha is not like Rabbi Yehudah.

A king should, initially, only make war as a milchemet mitzvah.

What is a milchemet mitzvah? The war against the seven nations, the war against Amalek, and assistance to Israel from an enemy which comes upon them.

Anyyone who can save and fails to do so transgresses "Do not stand by your neighbour's blood" (Leviticus 19:16).
Similarly if someone sees his friend drowning at sea or being attacked by robbers or a wild animal, and he can save him himself or can hire others to save him but does not . . .

and in all these similar situations he transgresses "Do not stand by your neighbour's blood".

Rabbi Issi was captured in Safsufa.

Rabbi Yohanan said, may the dead be wrapped in his shroud.

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish (Resh Lakish) said, even if I should kill or be killed, I shall go and save him by force.

He went and appeased them; they handed him over to him.