 |
| |
|
| | Parashat Yitro
IV
WHO IS MALAKHI'S AUDIENCE?
With this "methodological interlude" to help us, we can now address a fundamental problem in understanding the selected text from Malakhi, quoted in section II. It seems that the second half of the disputation (beginning with "And now, O you Kohanim..." [2:1]), is directed exclusively to the Kohanim (although there seems to be an overlap of the Kohanim and the Levi'im here) who are supposed to be the guardians and promoters of the sanctity of the Mikdash and of the altar. Nevertheless, the first half of this disputation is almost assuredly targeted at the "Yisra'elim" (i.e. non-Levi'im), who are the ones bringing the degrading offerings mentioned in 1:7-8, 13-14.
It is hard to decipher who Malakhi's audience is here - is it the Kohanim, guardians of the Mikdash? Or the Yisra'elim, who should be bringing their best and finest as offerings to the altar?
Unraveling this puzzle will help us understand the disappearance of the Sinaitic charge/promise to be a *Mamlekhet Kohanim*.
V
THE PLACEMENT OF MALAKHI WITHIN THE CANON
One further note about Malakhi. There are four books of the "literary" N'vi'im (commonly called *N'vi'im Aharonim*) - Yeshayah, Yirmiyah, Yehezqe'el and T'rei Asar. The 12 "members" of the T'rei Asar range, chronologically, from the earliest of the literary prophets (Hoshea) to the latest (Malakhi). (The one obvious unifying factor among all twelve is their diminutive size (as alluded to in the selection from Bava Batra, below). If we were to regard size as the critical factor in arranging the canon (regarding these four books), then arguably T'rei Asar would belong at the end (as it is). Hazal, however, considered another factor to be more critical - chronological integrity:
Our Rabbis taught: The order of the Prophets is, Yehoshua, Shof'tim, Sh'mu'el, M'lakhim, Yirmiyah, Yehezqe'el, Yeshayah, and the Twelve Minor Prophets (*T'rei Asar*). Let us examine this. Hoshea came first, as it is written, "G-d spake first to Hoshea." But did G-d speak first to Hoshea ? Were there not many prophets between Mosheh and Hoshea? R. Yohanan, however, has explained that [what it means is that] he was the first of the four prophets who prophesied at that period, namely, Hoshea, Yeshayah, Amos and Mikhah. Should not then Hoshea come first? Since his prophecy is written along with those of Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi, and Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi came at the end of the prophets, he is reckoned with them. But why should he not be written separately and placed first? Since his book is so small, it might be lost [if copied separately]. (Bava Batra 14b)
The conclusion of the Gemara - that *T'rei Asar* belongs at the end of the N'vi'im on account of the presence of Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi (who are identified as "the last of the prophets") is a bit puzzling. Since we must keep all twelve together (as per the concern of *Eidi d'Zutar Mirkhas* - Since his book is so small, it might be lost), we could put all twelve at the beginning of the N'vi'im, thus "predating" Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi - or we could put them at the end, thus "postdating" Hoshea, Amos, Michah and Yonah (and, arguably, Yoel and Ovadiah - see Avrabanel's fascinating approach to the sequence within T'rei Asar, found at the beginning of his commentary to Sefer Yo'el). Why did Hazal immediately assume that we prefer to "postdate" the earlier N'vi'im and ensure that Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi are in the proper position within the sequence?
In line with the Rabbinic dictum (mentioned above) that any prophecy whose message has ongoing import (*N'vu'ah sheHutz'r'khah l'Dorot*) was included in the canon, I would like to suggest that the prophecies of these last three N'vi'im have particularly significant messages for the Messianic era (note particularly chapters 7-8 of Zekharyah, along with the last six chapters of that Sefer, the very end of Haggai and the last section in Malakhi: "Behold I am sending Eliyah the prophet to you before the great and terrible day of Hashem...").
Whereas nearly every Sefer of N'vi'im has eschatological visions (or, at least, allusions), significant portions of each of Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi are devoted to that era. As such, Haggai, Zekharyah and Malakhi were not placed at the end ("dragging" Hoshea et alii with them) not solely due to the actual time of their prophecy - rather because of the target time of their prophecies (some of which we have seen fulfilled, Barukh Hashem, with our own eyes, e.g. Zekharyah 8:4-5).
Understanding that Malakhi's prophecies were intended to be read with an eschatological eye may help us clarify his curious disputation with the Kohanim.
VI
*GOY KADOSH*, *SEGULAH* & *MAMLEKHET KOHANIM*
At the beginning of the shiur, I noted that both S'gulah and Goy Kadosh show up in numerous places in the Torah, both as exhortative texts (and, perhaps, as normative dicta - see the famous dispute between Rashi and Ramban at Vayyikra 19:2) - and as teleological statements relating to the ideal station of Am Yisra'el. Space prevents elaborate annotation of the occurrences; the interested reader is directed to Devarim 7:6, 14:2 and 26:18 (*S'gulah*) and Sh'mot 22:30, Vayyikra 11:44, 19:2, D'varim 26:19, 28:9 (variations on Goy Kadosh).
Essentially, the attribute of Kedushah shows up when the nation, as a nation, behaves in exemplary and dignified fashion, particularly in areas of moral perfection. Segulah is a relative term - defining our positive uniqueness among the nations. The Gemara in Berakhot (7a) records that Mosheh Rabbenu requested not only that G-d's Shekhinah continue to rest among the people in the aftermath of the sin of the golden calf (defining us as a Goy Kadosh), but also that His Shekhinah not rest among the pagans (*S'gulah*).
As noted, however, Mamlekhet Kohanim is never repeated - in any form - after the pre-Sinaitic charge.
In order to understand this development, we have to take a step back and review the task of the children of Avraham: To be a blessing for all the families of the earth (B'resheet 12:3). In other words, we are to be the teachers of the world, those who bring G-d's word to the nations and who "represent" them to the Almighty.
In order for us to be able to fulfill this task, we need to more than "just" an extraordinary nation (*S'gulah*) which lives by a Divine code of holiness (*Goy Kadosh*); we also need to be in direct communion with haKadosh Barukh Hu. The Divine plan which was to begin at Sinai, was that the entire nation would be prophets, facing G-d Himself and experiencing a direct revelation of His Will. As pointed out in last year's two-part shiur (V'shinantam 1/17-18), it was only the people's fear of the intensity of this direct revelation which interrupted the revelation and "changed the rules" such that Mosheh would receive the rest of the revelation alone and transmit it to the people:
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Mosheh , "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let G-d speak to us, or we will die." Mosheh said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for G-d has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin." Then the people stood at a distance, while Mosheh drew near to the thick darkness where G-d was. (Sh'mot 20:15-18)
Is it any wonder than, that even though G-d approved of this reticence on the part of the B'nei Yisra'el and the subsequent alteration of the modus relevati (see D'varim 5:25), they were never again called to be a *Mamlekhet Kohanim*? By refusing to encounter the Shekhinah directly, they forfeited the opportunity to completely fulfill the Avrahamic mission - at best, the nation could elevate itself to the standard of a holy, distinct nation - but could never fully impart G-d's word upon the rest of the world.
VII
BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING...
Regarding the days of Mashiach, a time when the nations will yearn to come to Yerushalayim to learn G-d's word (Yeshayah 2), the Navi says:
But you shall be named the Kohanim of Hashem; men shall call you the Ministers of our G-d; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory. (Yeshayah 61:6)
We now understand why Malakhi, whose prophecies are not only directed at the indolent Yisra'elim and spiritless Kohanim of his time, but are aimed at the future which was the hope of that era of Shivat Tziyyon (but was never realized; see BT Berakhot 4a), deliberately blurs the distinction between Kohein and Yisra'el. If we are truly to be a Mamlekhet Kohanim, capable of inspiring and teaching all the nations of the world, then those characteristics of zeal, scrupulousness and spiritual ardor which are the Kohanic standards need to be adopted by all of Am Yisra'el.
POSTSCRIPT
[Regarding the promise of *Mamlekhet Kohanim*] Our Rabbis said: Is it possible that HaKadosh Barukh promised and changed His Mind? Rather, they explain that when the Kehunah was taken from Mosheh and granted to Aharon, haKadosh Barukh Hu ordained twelve gems in the Ephod atop Aharon's garments, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Yisra'el - so that when Aharon would serve, it would be considered as if all of Yisra'el were standing and serving with him, as it says: *Avnei Zikkaron* (gems of commemoration) - a commemoration of that Statement at Sinai: *V'Atem Tih'yu Li Mamlekhet Kohanim* - "and you will be unto Me a kingdom of Kohanim". (Midrash haBi'ur- cited in Torah Shelemah 15:70)
| |
|
| Mikra, Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom and Torah.org. The author is Educational Coordinator of the Jewish Studies Institute of the Yeshiva of Los Angeles. |
Questions or comments? Email feedback@torah.org.
Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing.
Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org. Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment