Tanach
Malachi 2:17-3:12 מלאכי ב׳:י״ז-ג׳:י״ב
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
הוֹגַעְתֶּם יְהֹוָה בְּדִבְרֵיכֶם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמָּה הוֹגָעְנוּ בֶּאֱמׇרְכֶם כׇּל־עֹשֵׂה רָע טוֹב ׀ בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה וּבָהֶם הוּא חָפֵץ אוֹ אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, In what have we wearied him? When you say, Everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, In what have we wearied him? When you say, Everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Rashi
הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי וּפִנָּה־דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל־הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן ׀ אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים הִנֵּה־בָא אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall clear the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in, behold, he shall come, says the Lord of hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall clear the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in, behold, he shall come, says the Lord of hosts.
Rashi
הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי. לְבָעֵר אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים.
Behold I send My angel to put the wicked away.
וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית. נוֹקֵם נְקַם בְּרִית.
and the angel of the covenant who avenges the revenge of the covenant.
וּפִנָּה דֶרֶךְ. מִן הָרְשָׁעִים.
and he will clear a way of the wicked.
הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים. אֱלֹהֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט.
the Lord Whom you seek The God of justice.
וּמִי מְכַלְכֵּל אֶת־יוֹם בּוֹאוֹ וּמִי הָעֹמֵד בְּהֵרָאוֹתוֹ כִּי־הוּא כְּאֵשׁ מְצָרֵף וּכְבֹרִית מְכַבְּסִֽים׃
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like the washers’ soap:
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like the washers’ soap:
Rashi
וּמִי מְכַלְכֵּל. וּמִי יָכִיל.
Now who can abide This is synonymous with; וּמִי יָכִיל
וּמִי הָעוֹמֵד. שֶׁיּוּכַל לַעֲמֹד.
and who will stand Will be able to stand.
וּכְבֹרִית מְכַבְּסִים. כְּבוֹרִית שֶׁל מְכַבְּסִים, שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר אֶת כָּל הַכֶּתֶם, כֵּן יַעֲבִיר כָּל הָרִשְׁעָה. בּוֹרִית – עֵשֶׂב הוּא שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר אֶת הַכֶּתֶם, בְּלַעַ״ז שנייר״א. וּלְשׁוֹן ׳בּוֹרִית׳ – יְדַבֵּר הַמְּצַחְצֵחַ וּמְטַהֵר, כְּמוֹ (תהלים עג:א) ״לְבָרֵי לֵבָב״.
and like fullers’ soap Like soap used by the fullers, which removes the entire stain. So will he remove all the wickedness. and like soap It is an herb which removes stains, erbe savonijere in Old French, probably soapwort. The word בֹּרִית signifies a thing that cleans and purifies, as in (Ps. 73:1), “to the pure of heart.”
וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף וְטִהַר אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי וְזִקַּק אֹתָם כַּזָּהָב וְכַכָּסֶף וְהָיוּ לַֽיהֹוָה מַגִּישֵׁי מִנְחָה בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.
and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.
Rashi
וְיָשַׁב מְצָרֵף. יִפְנֶה מִכָּל עֲסָקָיו לִהְיוֹת כְּצוֹרֵף הַמְּצָרֵף וּמְטַהֵר כֶּסֶף.
And he shall sit refining He will free himself from all his affairs to be like a refiner, who refines and purifies silver.
וְעָֽרְבָה לַֽיהֹוָה מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיֹּֽת׃
Then shall the offering of Yehuda and Yerushalayim be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Then shall the offering of Yehuda and Yerushalayim be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
וְקָרַבְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לַמִּשְׁפָּט וְהָיִיתִי ׀ עֵד מְמַהֵר בַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים וּבַמְנָאֲפִים וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִים לַשָּׁקֶר וּבְעֹשְׁקֵי שְׂכַר־שָׂכִיר אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם וּמַטֵּי־גֵר וְלֹא יְרֵאוּנִי אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the Lord of hosts.
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the Lord of hosts.
כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה לֹא שָׁנִיתִי וְאַתֶּם בְּנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹב לֹא כְלִיתֶֽם׃
For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you sons of Ya῾aqov are not consumed.
For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you sons of Ya῾aqov are not consumed.
Rashi
כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ לֹא שָׁנִיתִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי מַאֲרִיךְ אַפִּי, לֹא שִׁנָּה דַּעְתִּי עָלַי מִבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, לֶאֱהֹב אֶת הָרַע וְלִשְׂנֹא אֶת הַטּוֹב.
For I, the Lord, have not changed Although I keep back My anger for a long time, My mind has not changed from the way it was originally, to love evil and to hate good.
וְאַתֶּם בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּתִים אַתֶּם בְּרָעַתְכֶם וְלֹא גָבִיתִי מִן הָרְשָׁעִים בַּחַיִּים.
and you, the sons of Jacob Although you die in your evil, and I have not requited the wicked in their lifetime
לֹא כְלִיתֶם. אֵינְכֶם כָּלִים מִלְּפָנַי, וְהִנַּחְתִּי לִי הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לִגְבּוֹת מֵהֶם דִּינִי בְּגֵיהִנֹּם. וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וְאַתּוּן דְּבֵית יַעֲקֹב דְּמַאן דְּמִית בְּעָלְמָא הָדֵין דִּינֵיהּ פָּסוֹק״. כְּלוֹמַר, אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים לוֹמַר: דִּינִי בָּטֵל, שֶׁאֵין עוֹד לִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּהוּ: ״לֹא שָׁנִיתִי״ – לֹא הִכֵּיתִי אֶת מִי וְשָׁנִיתִי לוֹ. אֲבָל אֶתְכֶם, הֶעֱמַדְתִּי אַחַר פֻּרְעָנוּת הַרְבֵּה, וְחִצַּי כָּלִים, וְאַתֶּם אֵינְכֶם כָּלִים.
you have not reached the end You are not finished from before Me, for I have left over the souls to be requited in Gehinnom. And so did Jonathan render. And you of the House of Jacob, who think that whoever dies in this world, his verdict has already ended, that is to say, you think that My verdict has been nullified, that he will no longer be punished. Our Sages (Sotah 9a), however, explained it: לֹא שָׁנִיתִי - I did not strike a nation and repeat a blow to it; but as for you, I have kept you up after much punishment, and My arrows are ended, but you are not ended.
לְמִימֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם סַרְתֶּם מֵֽחֻקַּי וְלֹא שְׁמַרְתֶּם שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה נָשֽׁוּב׃
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you have said, With what shall we return?
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you have said, With what shall we return?
הֲיִקְבַּע אָדָם אֱלֹהִים כִּי אַתֶּם קֹבְעִים אֹתִי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה קְבַֽעֲנוּךָ הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַתְּרוּמָֽה׃
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, In what have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings.
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, In what have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings.
Rashi
הֲיִקְבַּע אָדָם. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ לְשׁוֹן ׳גְּזֵלָה׳, וּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא.
Will a man rob Our Sages explained this as an expression of robbery, and it is an Aramaism.
הַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַתְּרוּמָה. שֶׁאַתֶּם גּוֹזְלִים מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים וּמִן הַלְוִיִּם, הִיא גְּזֵלָתִי.
With tithes and with the terumah levy The tithes and the terumah - levy that you steal from the priests and the Levites is tantamount to robbing Me.
בַּמְּאֵרָה אַתֶּם נֵֽאָרִים וְאֹתִי אַתֶּם קֹבְעִים הַגּוֹי כֻּלּֽוֹ׃
You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, this whole nation.
You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, this whole nation.
Rashi
בַּמְּאֵרָה אַתֶּם נֵאָרִים. עַל עָוֹן זֶה, שֶׁאֲנִי שׁוֹלֵחַ קְלָלָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אוֹתִי אַתֶּם קוֹבְעִים.
You are cursed with a curse because of this iniquity, for which I send a curse into the work of your hands; but nevertheless, you rob Me.
הָבִיאוּ אֶת־כׇּל־הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂר אֶל־בֵּית הָאוֹצָר וִיהִי טֶרֶף בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחָנוּנִי נָא בָּזֹאת אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אִם־לֹא אֶפְתַּח לָכֶם אֵת אֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִי לָכֶם בְּרָכָה עַד־בְּלִי־דָֽי׃
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and put me to the test with that, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you blessing immeasurable.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and put me to the test with that, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you blessing immeasurable.
Rashi
וִיהִי טֶרֶף. יְהִי מָזוֹן מָצוּי לְשַׁמָּשַׁי.
so that there may be nourishment in My House There shall be food accessible for My servants.
וְגָעַרְתִּי לָכֶם בָּֽאֹכֵל וְלֹא־יַשְׁחִת לָכֶם אֶת־פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה וְלֹא־תְשַׁכֵּל לָכֶם הַגֶּפֶן בַּשָּׂדֶה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; nor shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; nor shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts.
Rashi
וְגָעַרְתִּי לָכֶם בָּאֹכֵל. בֶּחָסִיל וְגָזָם, הָאוֹכֵל לָכֶם אֶת תְּבוּאַת הַשָּׂדֶה וְהַגֶּפֶן.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake The finishing locusts and the shearing locusts, which devour the grain of your field and your vines.
וְאִשְּׁרוּ אֶתְכֶם כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִם כִּֽי־תִהְיוּ אַתֶּם אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ {פ}
And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Rashi
אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ. אֶרֶץ שֶׁחֶפְצִי בָּהּ.
a desirable land A land that I desire.
בֶּאֱמׇרְכֶם כָּל עֹשֵׂה רָע וְגוֹ׳. אוֹ אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט. לְפִי שֶׁאַתֶּם רוֹאִים דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים צָלֵחָה, וְצַדִּיקִים מְעֻנִּים וְנִכְשָׁלִים, אוֹמְרִים אַתֶּם בִּלְבַבְכֶם אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵּי דְרָכִים הַלָּלוּ: ״כָּל עֹשֵׂה רָע טוֹב בְּעֵינָיו״, אוֹ אֵין דִּין וְאֵין דַּיָּן לִפָּרַע. וְכֵן פִּתְרוֹן לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא: ״כָּל עֹשֵׂה רָע טוֹב בְּעֵינָיו״ – לְכָךְ הוּא מַצְלִיחַ אוֹתָם. ״אוֹ״ אִם אֵין זֹאת, ״אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט״ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִפְרָע מֵהֶם.
By your saying, “Every evildoer, etc., or Where is the God of judgment?” Since you see that the way of the wicked prospers, and the righteous are afflicted and stumble, you say to yourselves, “One of these two ways is true: Either every evildoer is good in His sight, or [else] there is no judgment or judge to requite him. And so is the interpretation of the language of the verse: Every evildoer is good in His sight; therefore, He causes them to prosper. Or, if this is not so, where is the God of judgment, for He does not requite them.