Not to seek their peace in a war: That we have been prevented from making peace with Ammon and Moav forever. And this matter is that God commanded us that when we besiege countries that we should request [terms of] peace with them before the war, and as I have written in the Order of Shoftim about the commandment to call out for [terms of] peace in an optional war (Sefer HaChinukh 527). And with Ammon and Moav, we have been prevented from this practice. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 23:7), “You shall not seek their peace or their welfare, etc.” And so did they say in Sifrei, “It is implied from that which is stated (Deuteronomy 20:10), ‘When you approach a city to fight against it, etc.’ Is it possible also here? Therefore [the verse] teaches us to say, ‘do not seek their peace.’”
That which I have written in the previous commandment; is from the roots of the commandment — that they were villainous to the point that they are not fitting for peace and welfare. But [rather] cruelty against them is worthy and virtuous, as we said. (See Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 6:6.)
The laws of the commandment are included in the simple meaning of the verse and in that which we brought from the language of Sifrei. And this prohibition is practiced by the males, who are the fighters of war. At the time that Israel was on its Land [and] that they were fighting with Ammon and Moav, they were [bound] by this prohibition, from making peace with them. But today, in our times, we do not have the power to fight. And also these nations have already lost their names in the jumbling of Sancheriv, as we mentioned in the previous commandment.
שֶׁלֹּא לִדְרֹשׁ שְׁלֹמָם בַּמִּלְחָמָה – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ מֵהַשְׁלִים עִם עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב עַד עוֹלָם. וְהָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה הוּא שֶׁהָאֵל צִוָּנוּ כְּשֶׁנָּצוּר עַל הַמְּדִינוֹת, שֶׁנִּשְׁאַל מֵהֶם הַשָּׁלוֹם קֹדֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּסֵדֶר שׁוֹפְטִים בְּמִצְוַת לִקְרֹא שָׁלוֹם בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת (מצוה תקכז), וּבְעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב נִמְנַעְנוּ מֵהִתְנַהֵג עִמָּהֶם כְּמִנְהָג זֶה, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כג ז) לֹא תִדְרֹשׁ שְׁלֹמָם וְטֹבָתָם וְגוֹ', וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי, מִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם כ י) כִּי תִקְרַב אֶל עִיר לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ וְגוֹ'. יָכוֹל אַף כָּאן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תִדְרֹשׁ שְׁלֹמָם.
Not to seek their peace in a war: That we have been prevented from making peace with Ammon and Moav forever. And this matter is that God commanded us that when we besiege countries that we should request [terms of] peace with them before the war, and as I have written in the Order of Shoftim about the commandment to call out for [terms of] peace in an optional war (Sefer HaChinukh 527). And with Ammon and Moav, we have been prevented from this practice. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 23:7), “You shall not seek their peace or their welfare, etc.” And so did they say in Sifrei, “It is implied from that which is stated (Deuteronomy 20:10), ‘When you approach a city to fight against it, etc.’ Is it possible also here? Therefore [the verse] teaches us to say, ‘do not seek their peace.’”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בַּמִּצְוָה הַקּוֹדֶמֶת, מִהְיוֹתָם בְּנֵי הַנְּבָלָה עַד שֶׁאֵין רְאוּיִים לְשָׁלוֹם וְטוֹבָה, אֲבָל הָאַכְזָרִיּוּת עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁבַח וּמַעֲלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ [הלכות מלכים פ"ו ה"ו].
That which I have written in the previous commandment; is from the roots of the commandment — that they were villainous to the point that they are not fitting for peace and welfare. But [rather] cruelty against them is worthy and virtuous, as we said. (See Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 6:6.)
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. כְּלוּלִים בִּפְשַׁט הַכָּתוּב וּבְמָה שֶׁהֵבֵאנוּ מִלְּשׁוֹן סִפְרֵי. וְאִסּוּר זֶה, הָיָה נוֹהֵג בִּזְכָרִים שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי מִלְחָמָה בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל אַדְמָתָן, שֶׁהָיוּ נִלְחָמִים עִם עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב, שֶׁהֵם בְּאִסּוּר זֶה מֵהַשְׁלִים עִמָּהֶם, אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה אֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לְהִלָּחֵם, וְגַם הָאֻמּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה כְּבָר אָבַד שְׁמָם בְּבִלְבּוּל סַנְחֵרִיב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ בַּמִּצְוָה הַקּוֹדֶמֶת.
The laws of the commandment are included in the simple meaning of the verse and in that which we brought from the language of Sifrei. And this prohibition is practiced by the males, who are the fighters of war. At the time that Israel was on its Land [and] that they were fighting with Ammon and Moav, they were [bound] by this prohibition, from making peace with them. But today, in our times, we do not have the power to fight. And also these nations have already lost their names in the jumbling of Sancheriv, as we mentioned in the previous commandment.