Pisqa’ 2111H:224; JN2:111-112. 1. “When you go out to battle” (Dt.21:10)— the verse speaks of an optional war.2For the various terms for divinely sanctioned war, see Pisqa’ot 190.4, 198.2
2
עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ – כְּנֶגֶד אוֹיְבֶיךָ.
“Upon your enemies” (Dt.21:10)— that is, against your enemies, [but not in an alliance with them].
“And HASHEM your God has delivered him into your hands” (Dt.21:10)— if you have performed all that is stated here, in the end, HASHEM your God will deliver him into your hands!
“In fine shape” (Dt.21:11)— I infer from this only that she may be taken [as a war-bride] only as long as she is a beauty. How do I know that she may be taken even if she is ugly? The Teaching states: “And you desire her” (Dt.21:11)— even though she’s not in fine shape.
(דברים כא י) כִּי תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה – בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר.
Pisqa’ 2111H:224; JN2:111-112.
1. “When you go out to battle” (Dt.21:10)—
the verse speaks of an optional war.2For the various terms for divinely sanctioned war, see Pisqa’ot 190.4, 198.2
עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ – כְּנֶגֶד אוֹיְבֶיךָ.
“Upon your enemies” (Dt.21:10)—
that is, against your enemies,
[but not in an alliance with them].
וּנְתָנוֹ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ, אִם עָשִׂיתָ כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן – סוֹף שֶׁה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתְנוֹ בְּיָדֶךָ.
“And HASHEM your God has delivered him into your hands” (Dt.21:10)—
if you have performed all that is stated here,
in the end, HASHEM your God will deliver him
into your hands!
וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיוֹ – לְרַבּוֹת כְּנַעֲנִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ.
2. “And you take him captive” (Dt.21:10)—
including any Canaanites that might be within.
(דברים כא יא) וְרָאִיתָ בַּשִּׁבְיָה – בִּשְׁעַת שִׁבְיָה.
“And you see among the captured” (Dt.21:11)—
that is, during her captivity.
אֵשֶׁת – וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ.
“A woman” (Dt.21:11)—
even though she is a married woman.
יְפַת תֹּאַר, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בִּזְמַן שֶׁהִיא נָאָה, מִנַּיִן אֲפִילּוּ הִיא כְּעוּרָה? – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְחָשַׁקְתָּ בָהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ יְפַת תֹּאַר.
“In fine shape” (Dt.21:11)—
I infer from this only that
she may be taken [as a war-bride]
only as long as she is a beauty.
How do I know that
she may be taken even if she is ugly?
The Teaching states:
“And you desire her” (Dt.21:11)—
even though she’s not in fine shape.
וְלָקַחְתָּ לְךָ לְאִשָּׁה, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר ׳הֲרֵי זוֹ לְאַבָּה׳, ׳הֲרֵי זוֹ לְאָחִי׳.
“Then you may take her as your wife” (Dt.21:11)—
lest you say:
this one’s for my father, and that one’s for my brother!