A pronouncement: The word of GOD to Israel through Malachi.
Rashi’s Commentary
- The burden of the word of the Lord Porport in Old French, burden. A word delivered to Malachi to bear to the children of Israel.
- in the hand of Malachi It was already delivered into his hand for many days. From here, our Sages expounded in a baraitha of Mechilta that all the prophets stood on Mount Sinai and there the prophecies were delivered to them, and so [Isaiah (48:16)] says: “From the time it was, there was I, and now, the Lord God has sent me, [and His spirit].”
מַשָּׂא דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיַד מַלְאָכִי׃
רש"י
- מַשָּׂא דְבַר ה׳. פורפור״ט בְּלַעַ״ז, דָּבָר הַנִּמְסָר לְמַלְאָכִי לָשֵׂאת אוֹתוֹ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
- בְּיַד מַלְאָכִי. כְּבָר הָיָה מָסוּר בְּיָדוֹ זֶה יָמִים רַבִּים. מִכָּאן דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בִּבְרַיְתָא דִּמְכִילְתָּא, שֶׁכָּל הַנְּבִיאִים עָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינַי, וְשָׁם נִמְסְרוּ לָהֶם הַנְּבוּאוֹת. וְכֵן (ישעיהו מח:טז) אוֹמֵר: ״מֵעֵת הֱיוֹתָהּ שָׁם אָנִי, וְעַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהִים שְׁלָחַנִי״.
I have shown you love, said GOD. But you ask, “How have You shown us love?” After all—declares GOD—Esau is Jacob’s brother; yet I have accepted Jacob
Rashi’s Commentary
- And I loved Jacob And I gave him (Jer. 3:19) “a desirable land, an inheritance of the desire of hosts of nations”; a land that all the hosts of nations desire.
and have rejected Esau. I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And I hated Esau to push him off to a land because of Jacob, his brother. Now it is customary in the world that, if one has two sons, he selects a beautiful portion for the firstborn.
- and I made his mountains desolate They do not compare to the mountains of Israel.
- for the jackals of the desert A den of jackals.
וְאֶת־עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי וָאָשִׂים אֶת־הָרָיו שְׁמָמָה וְאֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ לְתַנּוֹת מִדְבָּר׃
רש"י
- וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי. לְדוֹחֲפוֹ אֶל אֶרֶץ שֵׂעִיר מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו. וּמִנְהָג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי בָּנִים, לַבְּכוֹר הוּא בּוֹרֵר לוֹ מָנָה יָפָה.
- וָאָשִׂים אֶת הָרָיו שְׁמָמָה. אֵינָן דּוֹמִין לְהָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
- לְתַנּוֹת מִדְבָּר. מְעוֹן תַּנִּים.
If Edom thinks, “Though crushed, we can build the ruins again,” thus said GOD of Hosts: They may build, but I will tear down. And so they shall be known as the region of wickedness, the people damned forever of GOD.
Rashi’s Commentary
- Should Edom say, “We were poor” And if Edom says, “At first we were poor, but from now on we will be rich from the spoils of Jerusalem.” but we will return and build the ruins Our ruins, so said the Lord, etc.
כִּי־תֹאמַר אֱדוֹם רֻשַּׁשְׁנוּ וְנָשׁוּב וְנִבְנֶה חֳרָבוֹת כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת הֵמָּה יִבְנוּ וַאֲנִי אֶהֱרוֹס וְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם גְּבוּל רִשְׁעָה וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר־זָעַם יְהֹוָה עַד־עוֹלָם׃
רש"י
- כִּי תֹאמַר אֱדוֹם רֻשַּׁשְׁנוּ. וְאִם יֹאמְרוּ מַחֲרִיבֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ: מִתְּחִלָּתֵנוּ רָשִׁים הָיִינוּ, אֲבָל מֵעַתָּה שֶׁהֶעֱשַׁרְנוּ מִבִּזַּת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם נָשׁוּב וְנִבְנֶה חֳרָבוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ – כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ וְגוֹ׳.
Your eyes shall behold it, and you shall declare, “Great is GOD beyond the borders of Israel!”
Rashi’s Commentary
- “The Lord is great beyond the border of Israel.” He will show His greatness over our border, to make known that we are His people. And Jonathan rendered: May the glory of the Lord be magnified, and He has widened the border of Israel.
A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I were a father, where would be the honor due Me? And if I were a master, where would be the reverence due Me?—said GOD of Hosts to you, O priests who scorn My name. But you ask, “How have we scorned Your name?”
Rashi’s Commentary
- A son is required to honor his father, and so a slave his master and you are called sons and slaves. Now, if I am your father, where is My honor?
- says the Lord of Hosts to you You, the priests who despise My Name.
- But you said, “How have we despised” I knew that you would say, “How have we despised?” This is the contempt [as follows:]
בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב וְעֶבֶד אֲדֹנָיו וְאִם־אָב אָנִי אַיֵּה כְבוֹדִי וְאִם־אֲדוֹנִים אָנִי אַיֵּה מוֹרָאִי אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת לָכֶם הַכֹּהֲנִים בּוֹזֵי שְׁמִי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה בָזִינוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ׃
רש"י
- בֵּן. יֵשׁ עָלָיו לְכַבֵּד אָב, וְכֵן עֶבֶד אֲדוֹנָיו. וְאַתֶּם קְרוּיִין בָּנִים וַעֲבָדִים, וְעַתָּה אִם אָב אֲנִי לָכֶם אַיֵּה כְבוֹדִי.
- אָמַר ה׳ צְבָאוֹת לָכֶם. אַתֶּם הַכֹּהֲנִים הַבּוֹזִים אֶת שְׁמִי.
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה בָזִינוּ. כְּלוֹמַר יָדַעְתִּי שֶׁתֹּאמְרוּ לִי: ״בַּמֶּה בָזִינוּ״? הֲרֵי הַבִּזָּיוֹן.
You offer defiled food on My altar. But you ask, “How have we defiled You?” By saying, “GOD’s table can be treated with scorn.”
Rashi’s Commentary
- You offer on My altar, etc., yet you say And if you say. “How have we defiled You?” How have we defiled for You the bread of Your altar? I reply to you that, in this manner you have defiled Me. By your saying, “God’s table is contemptible.” They would look with contempt on sharing equally the meal offerings and the hallowed foods, and they would say, “Since we may not share a meal offering for a meal offering, or a sacrifice for a sacrifice, it is too much bother and toil to divide each meal offering for the olive-sized piece or the bean-sized piece that is apportioned to each one.”
מַגִּישִׁים עַל־מִזְבְּחִי לֶחֶם מְגֹאָל וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה גֵאַלְנוּךָ בֶּאֱמׇרְכֶם שֻׁלְחַן יְהֹוָה נִבְזֶה הוּא׃
רש"י
- מַגִּישִׁים עַל מִזְבְּחִי וְגוֹ׳: וַאֲמַרְתֶּם. כְּלוֹמַר, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּן: ״בַּמֶּה גֵאַלְנוּךָ״? – גָּאַלְנוּ לְךָ אֶת לֶחֶם מִזְבְּחֶךָ. אֲנִי מֵשִׁיב לָכֶם, כִּי בְּזֹאת גֵּאַלְתֶּם אוֹתִי בְּאָמְרְכֶם: ״שֻׁלְחַן ה׳ נִבְזֶה הוּא״. בּוֹזִים הָיוּ לַחֲלֹק אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו בַּמְּנָחוֹת וּבַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְאוֹמֵר: מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר לָנוּ לַחֲלֹק מִנְחָה כְּנֶגֶד מִנְחָה וְזֶבַח כְּנֶגֶד זֶבַח, וְטֹרַח וְעָמָל הוּא לַחֲלֹק כָּל מִנְחָה וּמִנְחָה בִּשְׁבִיל כַּזַּיִת אוֹ כַּפּוֹל הַמַּגִּיעַ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד.
And now implore the favor of God! Will compassion be shown to us? This is what you have done—will any of you be accepted?
GOD of Hosts has said:
Rashi’s Commentary
- And now, will you pray before the Lord? And now, you priests, who commit this evil, how does it enter your mind that you can be the messengers of Israel, to supplicate God to have compassion on them? Lo, this evil has come from your hand.
- Will He favor any of you to hearken to a prayer from your mouth, and to favor those who sent you?
וְעַתָּה חַלּוּ־נָא פְנֵי־אֵל וִיחׇנֵּנוּ מִיֶּדְכֶם הָיְתָה זֹּאת הֲיִשָּׂא מִכֶּם פָּנִים אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃
רש"י
- וְעַתָּה חַלּוּ נָא פְנֵי. וְעַתָּה אַתֶּם הַכֹּהֲנִים הָעוֹשִׂים הָרַע הַזֹּאת, אֵיךְ יַעֲלֶה בִּלְבַבְכֶם לִהְיוֹת שְׁלוּחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים? הֲרֵי מִיֶּדְכֶם הָיְתָה זֹאת הָרָעָה.
- הֲיִשָּׂא. אֶת פְּנֵיכֶם לִשְׁמֹעַ תְּפִלָּה מִפִּיכֶם, וְלָחֹן אֶת שׁוֹלְחֵיכֶם?
If only you would lock My doors, and not kindle fire on My altar to no purpose! I take no pleasure in you—said GOD of Hosts—and I will accept no offering from you.
Rashi’s Commentary
- O that there were even one among you that would close the doors If only a good man would arise among you who would close the doors of My sanctuary so as not to allow this abominable sacrifice there.
- and that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain with fire offerings with which I am not placated, for I have no desire in you. And our Sages expounded in Torath Kohanim (7: 154): If a person says to his friend, “Close this door for me,” he does not demand compensation for it; [or if he says,] “Light this candle for me,” he does not request compensation for it. But you - who is there among you who closed My doors, gratis? Neither did you kindle fire on My altar gratis. Surely, things that are customarily done for compensation you did not do gratis. Therefore, I have no desire in you.
מִי גַם־בָּכֶם וְיִסְגֹּר דְּלָתַיִם וְלֹא־תָאִירוּ מִזְבְּחִי חִנָּם אֵין־לִי חֵפֶץ בָּכֶם אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וּמִנְחָה לֹא־אֶרְצֶה מִיֶּדְכֶם׃
רש"י
- מִי גַם בָּכֶם וְיִסְגֹּר דְּלָתַיִם. הַלְוַאי וְיָקוּם אִישׁ טוֹב בָּכֶם שֶׁיִּסְגֹּר דַּלְתֵי מִקְדָּשִׁי לְבִלְתִּי הָבִיא שָׁם קָרְבָּן מְתֹעֵבָה הַזֹּאת.
- וְלֹא תָאִירוּ מִזְבְּחִי חִנָּם. בָּאִישִׁים שֶׁאֵינִי מִתְרַצֶּה בָּהֶם, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין לִי חֵפֶץ בָּכֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים: אָדָם אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ: ״הָגֵף לִי אֶת הַדֶּלֶת הַזּוֹ״ – אֵין תוֹבֵעַ עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר; ״הַדְלֵק לִי אֶת הַנֵּר הַזֶּה״ – אֵין שׁוֹאֵל עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר. וְאַתֶּם – מִי בָּכֶם שֶׁסָּגַר דְּלָתַי חִנָּם? וְלֹא הֵאַרְתֶּם מִזְבְּחִי חִנָּם. קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁלֹּא עֲשִׂיתֶם חִנָּם דְּבָרִים שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לַעֲשׂוֹתָן בְּשָׂכָר. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין לִי חֵפֶץ בָּכֶם.
For from where the sun rises to where it sets, My name is honored among the nations, and everywhere incense and pure oblation are offered to My name; for My name is honored among the nations—said GOD of Hosts.
Rashi’s Commentary
- My Name is great among the nations Our Sages stated (Men. 110a): For they call Him the God of the gods. Even one who has an idol knows that He is the God Who is over all of them - and everywhere they donate in My Name. Our Sages, however, explained: These are the Torah scholars who are engaged in the laws of the Temple service everywhere, and likewise, every prayer of Israel that they pray anywhere is to Me as a pure oblation. And so did Jonathan paraphrase: And every time that you do My will, I accept your prayer, and My great Name is sanctified through you, and your prayer is like a pure offering before Me. This is the explanation of the verse: Now why do you profane My Name? Is it not great among the nations? As for Me, My love and My affection are upon you wherever you pray before Me, and even in exile, [offerings are] burnt and offered up to My Name.
- yea, a pure oblation it is to Me, for through you My Name is feared among the nations. Yet you profane Me and My Name.
כִּי מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד־מְבוֹאוֹ גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם וּבְכׇל־מָקוֹם מֻקְטָר מֻגָּשׁ לִשְׁמִי וּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה כִּי־גָדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת׃
רש"י
- גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ אֱלָהָא דֶּאֱלָהַיָּא. אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה יוֹדֵעַ (שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ) שֶׁהוּא עַל כֻּלָּם. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם מִתְנַדְּבִים לִשְׁמִי, אַף הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ: אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הָעוֹסְקִים בְּהִלְכוֹת עֲבוֹדָה בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְכֵן כָּל תְּפִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין בְּכָל מָקוֹם, הֲרֵי הֵן לִי כְּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה. וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וְכָל עִדָּן דְּאַתּוּן עָבְדִין רְעוּתִי, אֲנִי מְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתְכוֹן, וּשְׁמִי רַבָּא מִתְקַדַּשׁ עַל יְדֵיכוֹן, וּצְלוֹתְכוֹן כְּקָרְבַּן דָּכֵי קֳדָמַי״. וְכֵן פֵּרַשׁ הַמִּקְרָא: וְלָמָּה אַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִין שְׁמִי? וַהֲלֹא גָּדוֹל הוּא בַּגּוֹיִם. וַאֲנִי אַהֲבָתִי וְחִבַּתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם, שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתֶּם מִתְפַּלְּלִין לְפָנַי, וְאַף בַּגּוֹלָה, מֻקְטָר וּמֻגָּשׁ הוּא לִשְׁמִי.
- וּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה. הוּא לִי, כִּי עַל יֶדְכֶם שְׁמִי נוֹרָא בַּגּוֹיִם, וְאַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִין אוֹתִי וְאֶת שְׁמִי.
But you profane it when you say, “The table of the Sovereign is defiled and the meat, the food, can be treated with scorn.”
Rashi’s Commentary
- and its expression is “Its food is contemptible.” The expression of the altar that is fluent on your lips is always, “Its food is contemptible”; that [is all] you say about it. You have already spread this slander, and you have strongly attached this expression to My altar.
- its food its food.
וְאַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִים אוֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמׇרְכֶם שֻׁלְחַן אֲדֹנָי מְגֹאָל הוּא וְנִיבוֹ נִבְזֶה אׇכְלוֹ׃
רש"י
- וְנִיבוֹ נִבְזֶה אָכְלוֹ. נִיבוֹ שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ הַשָּׁגוּר בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם, זֶהוּ: ״תָּמִיד נִבְזֶה אָכְלוֹ״ – אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים עָלָיו. כְּלוֹמַר, כְּבָר הוֹצֵאתֶם עָלָיו דִּבָּה זוֹ, וְנִיב זֶה הֶחֱזַקְתֶּם לְמִזְבְּחִי.
- אָכְלוֹ. מַאֲכָלוֹ.
You say, “Oh, what a bother!” And so you degrade it—said GOD of Hosts—and you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; and you offer such as an oblation. Will I accept it from you?—said GOD.
Rashi’s Commentary
- And you say, “Here is a weary one” An emaciated animal, and we are poor and cannot afford the choicest for [our] vows. So did Jonathan render: This is what we have brought from our toil.
- and you cause it pain This is one of the eighteen words [in all of Scripture known as] the emendations of the scribes. וְהִפַּחְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ should have been written: אוֹתִי, and you cause Me pain. Scripture, however, euphemized, writing אוֹתוֹ it. and you cause pain and you cause pain, an expression of despair (Job 11: 20).
- it My table.
וַאֲמַרְתֶּם הִנֵּה מַתְּלָאָה וְהִפַּחְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וַהֲבֵאתֶם גָּזוּל וְאֶת־הַפִּסֵּחַ וְאֶת־הַחוֹלֶה וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה הַאֶרְצֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיֶּדְכֶם אָמַר יְהֹוָה׃ {ס}
רש"י
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּם הִנֵּה מַתְּלָאָה. בְּהֵמָה כְּחוּשָׁה, וְאָנוּ עֲנִיִּים וְאֵין יְכֹלֶת לְהַשִּׂיג לְמִבְחַר נְדָרִים. וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״הָא דְאַיְתִינָא מְלִיאוּתָנָא״.
- וְהִפַּחְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ. זוֹ אַחַת מִשְּׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה תֵּבוֹת שֶׁל תִּקּוּן סוֹפְרִים. ״הִפַּחְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ״ – ״אוֹתִי״ נִכְתַּב, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב וּכְתָבוֹ ״אוֹתוֹ״. ״וְהִפַּחְתֶּם״ וְהִדְאַבְתֶּם – לְשׁוֹן ״מַפַּח נָפֶשׁ״ (איוב יא:כ).
- אוֹתִי. וְאֶת שֻׁלְחָנִי.
A curse on the cheat who has an [unblemished] male in the flock, but vows and sacrifices a blemished animal to the Sovereign! For I am an emperor—said GOD of Hosts—and My name is revered among the nations.
Rashi’s Commentary
- he who deals craftily Plots deceitfully, with guile, before Me, saying, “I have none better than this.”
- a ram a ram fit for a burnt offering;
- and he vows and sacrifices a blemished one as in (Lev. 22:25), “their corruption is in them; a blemish is in them.”
וְאָרוּר נוֹכֵל וְיֵשׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ זָכָר וְנֹדֵר וְזֹבֵחַ מׇשְׁחָת לַאדֹנָי כִּי מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל אָנִי אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וּשְׁמִי נוֹרָא בַגּוֹיִם׃
רש"י
- נוֹכֵל. מִתְנַכֵּל בְּמִרְמָה, בְּדִבְרֵי שֶׁקֶר לְפָנַי, לֵאמֹר: ״אֵין לִי טוֹבָה מִזּוֹ״.
- וְיֵשׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ זָכָר. אַיִל הֶהָגוּן לְעוֹלָה, וְהוּא נוֹדֵר זֶבַח.
- מָשְׁחָת. בַּעַל מוּם, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כב:כה) ״מָשְׁחָתָם בָּהֶם״.