Haftarah of Toldot

Malachi 1:1 - 2:7

Malachi is the very last book of the Prophets in the Tanach. He was active during the beginning of the Second Temple, an era that was plagued with political, economic, and religious problems. As we shall see, their attitude to the newly rebuilt Temple was far from respectful.

(Note the highlighted words - they point out the themes that are the basis for the connection to the Parsha, beyond the reference to Esav and Yaakov.)

Malachi begins by describing the difference between the destinies of Yaakov (the nation of Israel) and Esav (the nation of Edom).

(א) מַשָּׂא דְבַר ה’ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל

בְּיַד מַלְאָכִי:

1) A prophecy from Hashem to Israel,

given to Malachi.

(ב) אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר ה’

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמָּה אֲהַבְתָּנוּ

הֲלוֹא אָח עֵשָׂו לְיַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה’

וָאֹהַב אֶת יַעֲקֹב:

2) I love you, says Hashem.

And you say, “How have you loved us?”

Isn’t Esav a brother of Yaakov? says Hashem.

Yet I love Yaakov.

(ג) וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי

וָאָשִׂים אֶת הָרָיו שְׁמָמָה

וְאֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְתַנּוֹת מִדְבָּר:

3) But Esav I hate;

I have given over his mountains to wasteland,

and his inheritance to desert jackals.

(ד) כִּי תֹאמַר אֱדוֹם רֻשַּׁשְׁנוּ

וְנָשׁוּב וְנִבְנֶה חֳרָבוֹת

כֹּה אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

הֵמָּה יִבְנוּ וַאֲנִי אֶהֱרוֹס

וְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם גְּבוּל רִשְׁעָה

וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר זָעַם ה’ עַד עוֹלָם:

4) If Edom says, “We experienced a downturn,

but we’ll recover and rebuild the ruins.”

So says Hashem Tz’va-ot:

They will build, and I will destroy.

They’ll call them the domain of evil,

The nation of Hashem’s eternal wrath.

(ה) וְעֵינֵיכֶם תִּרְאֶינָה

וְאַתֶּם תֹּאמְרוּ יִגְדַּל ה’

מֵעַל לִגְבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל:

5) Your eyes will see,

and you will say, “Hashem shall be mighty

beyond the domain of Israel!”

Hashem is upset with the people for bringing their most pathetic animals as sacrifices at the newly built Temple, treating Hashem with less respect than they would the Persian governor. Nations all over the world also worship Hashem, and they do it properly; they don't use sacrifices to cull their flock of the weak and sick.

(ו) בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב וְעֶבֶד אֲדֹנָיו

וְאִם אָב אָנִי אַיֵּה כְבוֹדִי

וְאִם אֲדוֹנִים אָנִי אַיֵּה מוֹרָאִי

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת לָכֶם

הַכֹּהֲנִים בּוֹזֵי שְׁמִי

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה בָזִינוּ אֶת שְׁמֶךָ:

6) A son honors his father, a servant his master.

If I am a father, where is My honor?

If I am a master, where is My awe?

says Hashem Tzva-ot to you,

the Cohanim, who treat My name with contempt.

And you say, “How have we treated Your name with contempt?”

(ז) מַגִּישִׁים עַל מִזְבְּחִי לֶחֶם מְגֹאָל

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמֶּה גֵאַלְנוּךָ

בֶּאֱמָרְכֶם שֻׁלְחַן ה’ נִבְזֶה הוּא:

7) By bringing to My altar repugnant food.

And you say, “How have we repulsed you?”

By saying, “Hashem’s table is contemptible.”

(ח) וְכִי תַגִּשׁוּן עִוֵּר לִזְבֹּחַ אֵין רָע

וְכִי תַגִּישׁוּ פִּסֵּחַ וְחֹלֶה אֵין רָע

הַקְרִיבֵהוּ נָא לְפֶחָתֶךָ

הֲיִרְצְךָ אוֹ הֲיִשָּׂא פָנֶיךָ

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת:

8) When you offer a blind animal, that’s not wrong?

When you offer the lame and sick, that’s not wrong?

Present that to your governor –

Will he be impressed with you, or show you favor?

says Hashem Tzva-ot.

(ט) וְעַתָּה חַלּוּ נָא פְנֵי אֵל וִיחָנֵּנוּ

מִיֶּדְכֶם הָיְתָה זֹּאת

הֲיִשָּׂא מִכֶּם פָּנִים

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת:

9) Now you’d like to plead before G-d, for grace.

You made this happen;

should He show you favor?

says Hashem Tzva-ot.

(י) מִי גַם בָּכֶם וְיִסְגֹּר דְּלָתַיִם

וְלֹא תָאִירוּ מִזְבְּחִי חִנָּם

אֵין לִי חֵפֶץ בָּכֶם אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

וּמִנְחָה לֹא אֶרְצֶה מִיֶּדְכֶם:

10) Who among you would close the doors,

and not light My altar for naught!

I have no desire for you, says Hashem Tzva-ot,

I will not accept offerings from your hands.

(יא) כִּי מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד מְבוֹאוֹ

גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם

וּבְכָל מָקוֹם מֻקְטָר מֻגָּשׁ לִשְׁמִי

וּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה

כִּי גָדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת:

11) From the rising of the sun to its setting,

My name is great among the nations.

And everywhere, sacrifices are brought to My name,

and pure offerings,

for My name is great among the nations,

says Hashem Tzva-ot.

(יב) וְאַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִים אוֹתוֹ

בֶּאֱמָרְכֶם שֻׁלְחַן אֲדֹנָי מְגֹאָל הוּא

וְנִיבוֹ נִבְזֶה אָכְלוֹ:

12) But you desecrate it,

by saying, “The Lord’s table is repugnant”,

it’s an expression, “Eating from it is contemptible.”

(יג) וַאֲמַרְתֶּם הִנֵּה מַתְּלָאָה

וְהִפַּחְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

וַהֲבֵאתֶם גָּזוּל וְאֶת הַפִּסֵּחַ וְאֶת הַחוֹלֶה

וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת הַמִּנְחָה

הַאֶרְצֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיֶּדְכֶם אָמַר ה’: ס

13) And you say, “What a burden!”

and you have sniffed at it,

says Hashem Tzva-ot.

And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;

you bring it as the offering.

Should I accept it from you? says Hashem.

Sacrifices are meant to bring blessing and prosperity to the world, but if you treat them like a trash can, you will receive accordingly. If the Cohanim, who are appointed as the guardians of the Temple, fail at their task, their blessings will also turn to curses.

(יד) וְאָרוּר נוֹכֵל

וְיֵשׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ זָכָר

וְנֹדֵר וְזֹבֵחַ מָשְׁחָת לַאדֹנָי

כִּי מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל אָנִי אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

וּשְׁמִי נוֹרָא בַגּוֹיִם:

14) Cursed is the hypocrite,

who’s got a male in his flock,

while he pledges and brings the feeblest to the Lord.

For I am a great king, says Hashem Tzva-ot,

and My name is feared among the nations.

(א) וְעַתָּה אֲלֵיכֶם הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת הַכֹּהֲנִים:

1) Now, Cohanim, this commandment is for you:

(ב) אִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ

וְאִם לֹא תָשִׂימוּ עַל לֵב

לָתֵת כָּבוֹד לִשְׁמִי אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת

וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי בָכֶם אֶת הַמְּאֵרָה

וְאָרוֹתִי אֶת בִּרְכוֹתֵיכֶם

וְגַם אָרוֹתִיהָ

כִּי אֵינְכֶם שָׂמִים עַל לֵב:

2) If you don’t listen,

and if you don’t take it to heart,

to give honor to My name, says Hashem Tzva-ot.

I will send the curse among you,

and I will curse your blessings,

Indeed, I curse them,

because you don’t take it to heart.

(ג) הִנְנִי גֹעֵר לָכֶם אֶת הַזֶּרַע

וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם

פֶּרֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶם

וְנָשָׂא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָיו:

3) Now I will maim your seed,

and spray dung on your faces –

the dung of your holiday sacrifices –

and it will carry you that way.

Levi was chosen to fulfill a mission - to be a role model of dedication to Hashem. A Cohen, the chosen among the Tribe of Levi, has even higher objectives: the ideal Cohen must exemplify the traits of truth, peace, integrity, and knowledge. His mission is to be an "angel", a representative of Hashem in this world.

(ד) וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי שִׁלַּחְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם

אֵת הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת

לִהְיוֹת בְּרִיתִי אֶת לֵוִי

אָמַר ה’ צְבָא-וֹת:

4) Then you will know that I sent to you

this commandment;

to continue My covenant with Levi,

says Hashem Tzva-ot.

(ה) בְּרִיתִי הָיְתָה אִתּוֹ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם

וָאֶתְּנֵם לוֹ מוֹרָא וַיִּירָאֵנִי

וּמִפְּנֵי שְׁמִי נִחַת הוּא:

5) My covenant was with him, for life and peace,

I gave him awe, and he feared Me,

and from My name, he trembled.

(ו) תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ

וְעַוְלָה לֹא נִמְצָא בִשְׂפָתָיו

בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר הָלַךְ אִתִּי

וְרַבִּים הֵשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן:

6) The Torah of truth was in his mouth,

corruption was never on his lips,

in peace and integrity he walked with me,

many did he turn back from sin.

(ז) כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת

וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ

כִּי מַלְאַךְ ה’ צְבָא-וֹת הוּא:

7) For the lips of the Cohen should safeguard knowledge,

and they should seek Torah from his mouth,

for he is the Messenger of Hashem Tzva-ot.

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