## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 191

###### Sifrei Devarim 191:1
[Sifrei Devarim 191:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/191:1)

(דברים כ ב) **וְהָיָה כְּקָרָבְכֶם אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה**, יָכוֹל זֶה יוֹם הַקְרִיבָם בּוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים כ ג) ״וְאָמַר אֲלֵיהֶם שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתֶּם קְרֵבִים הַיּוֹם לַמִּלְחָמָה״ הֲרֵי יוֹם הַקְרִיבָם בּוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה אָמוּר! וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר **וְהָיָה כְּקָרָבְכֶם אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה**? כֵּיוָן שֶׁמַּגִּיעִים לַסְּפָר – כֹּהֵן מַתְנֶה עִמָּהֶם כָּל הַתְּנָאִים הָאֵלּוּ וְאוֹמֵר אֲלֵיהֶם ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 191**²⁹³
1. “When you draw *close* to battle” (Dt. 20:2).
Is it possible to say that
[the Priest offers his words]
on the very day they join battle?
When Scripture states:
**“Then the Priest shall approach and say: Listen, Israel!**
**This day you are joining the battle” (Dt. 20:3)—**
**it certainly suggests that**
**[the Priest charges the troops]**
**on the very day they join battle.**
**So, what does the Teaching mean by**
**“When you draw *close* to battle” (Dt. 20:2)?**
**When they reach the perimeter**
**[of enemy territory, but before reaching the front lines,]**
**the Priest expounds for them**
**all these exemptions,**
**saying to them: “Listen Israel!” (Dt. 20:2).**²⁹⁴

footnotes:
²⁹³ H:212; JN2: 78.
²⁹⁴ Cf. T. Sotah 7:18.