Sotah - Daf 42
- The משוח מלחמה addressing the people going to war
The eighth Perek begins by describing the words spoken to the nation by the משוח מלחמה before going to battle, which were in לשון הקודש. He told them they were heading to war "על אויביכם" – against your enemies, meaning ולא על אחיכם – and not against your brothers. לא יהודה על שמעון ולא שמעון על בנימין – This is not Yehudah against Shimon, nor Shimon against Binyomin, שאם תפלו בידם ירחמו עליכם – that if you fall into their hands they will have mercy on you, as we find in the aftermath of Pekach ben Remalyahu’s victory over Achaz, that the captives were clothed, fed, cared for, and returned home. על אויביכם אתם הולכים – Rather, you are going to war against your enemies, שאם תפלו בידם אין מרחמין עליכם – that if you fall into their hands, they will not have mercy on you. The משוח מלחמה makes four exhortations not to be afraid, and the Mishnah explains he referred to four practices their enemies would do to frighten them. He concludes with the passuk declaring that Hashem goes with them, saying: הם באין בנצחונו של בשר ודם ואתם באים בנצחונו של מקום – They come with the strength of flesh and blood, but you come with the strength of Hashem. He gives as examples the victories against the warriors Golias and Shovach.
- Golias’s challenge and mistaken language
Rebbe Yochanan darshens the name "גלית" as saying שעמד בגילוי פנים לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא – that he stood brazenly before Hashem when he said"ברו לכם איש וירד אלי" – Choose for yourselves a “man” and let him come down to me, by which he meant Hashem, who is called an "איש מלחמה". Hashem responded: הריני מפילו על יד בן איש – I hereby will fell him through a “son of man,” i.e., a young man (which is how Dovid is described). Rebbe Yochanan quoted Rebbe Meir: בשלשה מקומות לכדו פיו לאותו רשע – In three places, the mouth of that wicked one (Golias) ensnared him. Aside from sayingברו לכם איש (as described above), he also said "וירד עלי" – and he will come down to me, implying Dovid would come upon him and vanquish him. And he said "אם יוכל להלחם אתי והכני" – If he will succeed in battle against me and smite me, implying Dovid would smite him.
- The descendants of Orpah falling to Dovid, and the praising of Golias
The Gemara explains why the four warriors (Saf, Madon, Golias and Yishbi) fell before Dovid. The passuk says: ותשק ערפה לחמותה ורות דבקה בה – And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Rus cleaved to her. Rebbe Yitzchak said: אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא יבואו בני הנשוקה ויפלו ביד בני הדבוקה – Hashem said, “Let the sons of the one who was kissed (Orpah) come and fall in the hand of the sons of the one who cleaved (Rus).” Rava darshened that Orpah merited for these four warriors to descend from her in reward for the four tears she shed when parting from Naomi, as it says "ותבכינה עוד" – and they wept again, indicating it was a second weeping (with a tear falling from each eye). The passuk describes Golias’s spear as "חץ חניתו" – the shaft of his spear, but it is written as "עץ" – the wood. Rebbe Elazar explained: עדיין לא הגיענו לחצי שבחו של אותו רשע – We have not yet reached half (חצי) the praise of that wicked one (Golias). מכאן שאסור לספר בשבחן של רשעים – From here we see it is forbidden to relate the praises of the wicked. As to why any praises are described, that isלאודועי שבחיה דדוד – to inform of the praise of Dovid who was prepared to fight this great warrior.
