לֹ֤א תַסִּיג֙ גְּב֣וּל רֵֽעֲךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּבְל֖וּ רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים בְּנַחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּנְחַ֔ל בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (ס)

You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary that the predecessors demarcated, in your inheritance that you will inherit, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to take possession of it. Do not adjust the established border between your property and that of your neighbor in order to encroach upon his territory and increase your own property.

לֹֽא־יָקוּם֩ עֵ֨ד אֶחָ֜ד בְּאִ֗ישׁ לְכָל־עָוֺן֙ וּלְכָל־חַטָּ֔את בְּכָל־חֵ֖טְא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶֽחֱטָ֑א עַל־פִּ֣י ׀ שְׁנֵ֣י עֵדִ֗ים א֛וֹ עַל־פִּ֥י שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־עֵדִ֖ים יָק֥וּם דָּבָֽר׃

One witness shall not stand against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he may sin, as it is always possible that the testimony of an individual is distorted by his subjective viewpoint. Instead, according to two witnesses, or according to three witnesses, a matter shall be established. Admittedly, the testimony of two or more witnesses does not prove a claim absolutely, and it too must be scrutinized carefully, but the presence of two people serves to move their account from a private experience to the objective realm, where their respective versions can be compared and analyzed.

כִּֽי־יָק֥וּם עֵד־חָמָ֖ס בְּאִ֑ישׁ לַעֲנ֥וֹת בּ֖וֹ סָרָֽה׃

Although the testimony of two witnesses is generally considered reliable, it is no guarantee against deception. If a corrupt, lying witness shall stand with another witness against a man to testify a fabrication against him, to accuse him falsely,

וְעָמְד֧וּ שְׁנֵֽי־הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶ֥ם הָרִ֖יב לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַשֹּׁ֣פְטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְי֖וּ בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵֽם׃

both the men, between whom there is a dispute, the two litigants, or the two witnesses, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in those days.

וְדָרְשׁ֥וּ הַשֹּׁפְטִ֖ים הֵיטֵ֑ב וְהִנֵּ֤ה עֵֽד־שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ הָעֵ֔ד שֶׁ֖קֶר עָנָ֥ה בְאָחִֽיו׃

The judges shall inquire and examine the witnesses diligently, to uncover any errors, lies, or conspiracies. And behold, as a result of their investigation they discover that the witness is a false witness; he testified falsehood against his brother. This is no innocuous lie, as had their incriminating testimony been accepted, an innocent man would have been punished, as he would be required to pay, receive corporal punishment, or even forfeit his life.

וַעֲשִׂ֣יתֶם ל֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר זָמַ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לְאָחִ֑יו וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

Consequently, you shall do to him as he had conspired to do to his brother, and you shall eliminate the evil from your midst. In this case, the witness is guilty of attempting to harm another person. This is an anomalous case in Torah law, which generally deals with actual damages, not with unsuccessful attempts to cause damage.

וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים יִשְׁמְע֣וּ וְיִרָ֑אוּ וְלֹֽא־יֹסִ֨פוּ לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת ע֗וֹד כַּדָּבָ֥ר הָרָ֛ע הַזֶּ֖ה בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃

The survivors shall hear, and fear, and shall not continue to do like this evil matter in your midst anymore. The knowledge that a false witness was severely punished for his attempt to harm another will send shockwaves through the populace. They will realize that the submission of testimony is a serious matter which must be undertaken with care, precision, and seriousness.

וְלֹ֥א תָח֖וֹס עֵינֶ֑ךָ נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֙יִן֙ שֵׁ֣ן בְּשֵׁ֔ן יָ֥ד בְּיָ֖ד רֶ֥גֶל בְּרָֽגֶל׃ (ס)

With regard to the punishment of a conspiring witness, although he did not inflict any damage in practice, nevertheless your eye shall not pity him, as he intended to cause severe harm. If his testimony was designed to take a life, then he shall pay for it with a life, as he himself shall be killed. If he testified that someone blinded an eye of another, he must pay for the damages of an eye, which he sought to impose upon the accused. Likewise, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot; the penalty for all those schemes to force someone to pay for damages is the payment of a like sum. Just as the world stands on peace, so too it stands on law, and elimination of evil from the world will enable the world to continue to exist for many years.

כִּֽי־תֵצֵ֨א לַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ וְֽרָאִ֜יתָ ס֤וּס וָרֶ֙כֶב֙ עַ֚ם רַ֣ב מִמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

When you go out to war against your enemies, and you shall see horses and chariots, in an organized camp belonging to a people more numerous than you, you shall not fear them, as the Lord your God is with you, who took you up from the land of Egypt. Since God has already performed many signs and miracles and routed your enemies, trust that He will continue to help you.

וְהָיָ֕ה כְּקָֽרָבְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְנִגַּ֥שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְדִבֶּ֥ר אֶל־הָעָֽם׃

It will be when ou advance to the war, the battlefield, the priest, an especially dignified member of the priesthood appointed specifically for the war preparations, shall approach and speak to the people. The Sages call this man the priest anointed for war.

וְאָמַ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּ֨ם קְרֵבִ֥ים הַיּ֛וֹם לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אַל־יֵרַ֣ךְ לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֧וּ וְאַֽל־תַּחְפְּז֛וּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃

He shall say to them: Hear, Israel. Listen! You are advancing today to war against your enemies; let your heart not be faint, do not fear, do not panic, and do not be broken before them,

כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּכֶ֑ם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם עִם־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֖ם לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶתְכֶֽם׃

for it is the Lord your God who goes with you to wage war for you against your enemies to save you.

וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃

After declaring that God is with the soldiers, the military officers shall seek to raise the quality of the military force by calling upon those liable to weaken it to return home. The officers shall speak to the people, saying: Who is the man who built a new house, and did not dedicate it by dwelling there? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war and another man dedicate it. A soldier who is preoccupied by the thought that he might never be privileged to live in his new home will not perform well in the battlefield.

וּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נָטַ֥ע כֶּ֙רֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א חִלְּל֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃

And who is the man who planted a vineyard and did not celebrate it? During the first three years after the planting of a vineyard, its fruit is forbidden. Only in the fourth year are the grapes consecrated to God, and they may be redeemed and enjoyed by its owner. The officers shall announce that one who did not yet have the opportunity to eat the fruit of his vineyard, let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man will celebrate it. This is an important celebration. If a man has planted a vineyard and has not yet been able to enjoy it, he might not be focused on the task at hand to fight properly.

וּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֵרַ֤שׂ אִשָּׁה֙ וְלֹ֣א לְקָחָ֔הּ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יִקָּחֶֽנָּה׃

And similarly, who is the man who betrothed a woman, and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man will marry her.

וְיָסְפ֣וּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים֮ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָם֒ וְאָמְר֗וּ מִי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֛ס אֶת־לְבַ֥ב אֶחָ֖יו כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃

The officers shall continue to speak to the people, and they shall say: Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted, and not brave enough to face war? Let him go and return to his house, that he shall not melt his brethren’s heart like his heart. Soldiers who do not wish to fight are usually the first to flee or shirk difficult challenges, and they are liable to dishearten others.

וְהָיָ֛ה כְּכַלֹּ֥ת הַשֹּׁטְרִ֖ים לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וּפָֽקְד֛וּ שָׂרֵ֥י צְבָא֖וֹת בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הָעָֽם׃ (ס)

It shall be when the officers conclude to speak to the people, and a select group of highly motivated fighters remain, and they appoint the captains of the guard at the head of the people. The army of Israel comprised mainly reservists, and even the upper echelon of command was appointed during the preparations for war.