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.

הגפת תריסין – striking of those defending each other to cause the hearing of a voice and to threaten.

הקלגסין – sticks whose heads are curved and they beat them on stones and they fly off on their enemies.

שובך – the officer of the army Hadarezer in [Second] Samuel [10:16].

אחד הבונה ואחד הלוקח – a house built which for him was new.

ואחד הנוטע חמשה אילני מאכל – and in this, it is a vineyard, two against two, and one goes out with a tail, and even from five types they combine.

אילני סרק – such as cedar and sycamore that don’t produce fruit.

והמחזיר את גרושתו – and he betrothed her, he does not return to her for she is not new to him and in Scripture it is written (Deuteronomy 24:5): “[When a man has taken] a new bride, [he shall not go out with the army or be assigned to it for any purpose].”

אלמנה – and a High Priest betrothed her, he does not return [to her – a widow],as it is written (Deuteronomy 20:7): “[Is there anyone who has paid the bride-price for a wife,] but has not yet married er? [Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another marry her],” but it was possible. To state, and he did not take her? What is “to take her?” that she is appropriate for him to take her [as a wife].

על מכונו – tore it down and built it like the first measure, he does not return [to live in it], for it is not new and it is worse than someone who purchases it or who inherits it.

הבונה בית לבנים בשרון – it is a place whose name is Sharon, and its land is not nice for bricks and it is not something enduring for they had to renew it twice every seven years.

ואלו שאין זזין ממקומן – for those above go until the border. And there, we hear the words of the Kohen and they return from the battlefield into the midst of the land of Israel. But they do not return to their homes but rather engage in providing water and food to those who go to war and these do not move from their places and even to go to the border line and to return at the direction of the Kohen.

הבונה בית וחנכו – and do not live in it for a year yet, and similarly, one who plants a vineyard and redeem it, and the fourth year has not yet passed upon it.

נקי יהיה לביתו – for his house.

יהיה – an amplification which the Biblical verse adds to you which is something other that should be like this.

ויספו השוטרים – on the words of the Kohen.

בקשרי המלחמה – that they become knotty to stand squeezed together that the enemies will not separate them.

לפיכך – the person who is fearful is the person who fears from sins that are in his hand, the Torah hung “built, and planted and betrothed” to return on their account, so that the return would be dependent upon this and he would not be embarrassed to state regarding it from the sins that are in his hand and he is fearful and returns.

ר' יוסי אומר אלמנה לכהן גדול וכו' – for Rabbi Yosi HaGlili, even if he transgressed on the words of the Scribes, he returns, for according to Rabbi Yosi, until he transgresses the words of the Torah is similar to a widow marrying a High Priest.

ובעקבו של עם – at the rear of the people who guard that the last ones who are behind them should not flee.

זקפים – warriors appointed to this, for if one of the fighters falls, he will restore him and raise him up.

ואחרים מאחוריהם וכשילין של ברזל – to guard that they will not flee.

כשילים – iron hatchets–spades.

לקפח את שוקיו – to sever his foreleg.

שתחלת ניסה נפילה – it is transposed language for the beginning of falling (i.e., in slaughter) is the rout (see Talmud Sotah 44b).

בד"א – that they return from the battlefield and there are those who do not move from their places in an optional war.

אבל מלחמת מצוה הכל יוצאים – a war of the Land of Israel, and the war against Amalek. Everyone admits that it is obligatory, and everyone goes out in it [to fight]. But the wars of the House of David to extend and widen the brder of Israel and to assess taxes from peoples such as the war of Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzobah (Syria), everyone agrees that it is option. But the First Tanna–Teacher and Rabbi Yehudah did not disagree other than with a war that Israel fights with its enemies in order that they not grow stronger over them and trouble hem. The first Tanna–teacher calls that an optional war, and holds that a person is not permitted to make himself idle from the commandment in order to fight in a war like this, but Rabbi Yehuda holds that this also is a commanded war, for after it is to save Israel from the hand of their enemies, and one who engages in a commandment is exempt from another commandment. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.