Shoftim 20:03 · unit 2

TT #279 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 20:03

The Complete Passuk

וְאָמַ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּ֨ם קְרֵבִ֥ים הַיּ֛וֹם לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אַל־יֵרַ֣ךְ לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֛וּ וְאַֽל־תַּחְפְּז֖וּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצ֥וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃

And he shall say to them: Hear, Yisrael, you are drawing near today to battle against your enemies; let your heart not be faint, do not fear, do not panic, and do not be terrified before them.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 42b.

TT lemma: אַל תִּירְאוּ וְאַל תַּחְפְּזוּ וְאַל תַּעַרְצוּ.

Sefaria — Sotah 42b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אַל תִּירְאוּ – מִפְּנֵי שִׁפְעוּת הַקּוֹלוֹת; אַל תַּחְפְּזוּ – מִפְּנֵי גִּפּוּף הַתְּרִיסִין; אַל תַּעַרְצוּ – מִפְּנֵי צַחְצוּחַ הַחֲרָבוֹת.

English: ‘Do not fear’ – because of the rush of voices; ‘do not panic’ – because of the clash of shields; ‘do not be terrified’ – because of the flash of swords.

On the daf / in context: Each expression is matched to a sensory cause of fear.

Type of Learning

Derash assigning causes to each fear (Bavli) — the Torah anticipates the concrete terrors of the battlefield.

What Is Learned

The address counters the specific sights and sounds that make soldiers’ hearts fail: noise, clash of arms, and the glitter of weapons.