Malachi 1.11, the Golden Verse
Malachi 1:11 כִּי מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד-מְבוֹאוֹ גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל-מָקוֹם מֻקְטָר מֻגָּשׁ לִשְׁמִי וּמִנְחָה טְהוֹרָה כִּי-גָדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת:
Malachi 1:11
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are presented unto My name, even pure oblations; for My name is great among the nations, saith HaShem of hosts.
About this verse, if all of you have been reading a passage about this in my blog previously, I explained that God's Name is glorified among the nations. What does God Saying is that the idolatrous offerings are accepted by God and His Name is honoured among the Nations. I then explained in length how God Actually Foreseen our fallen intellect and still accept our offerings. However there are Sages who disagree, their opinion is recorded in Rashi's commentary:
My Name is great among the nations Our Sages stated (Menachot 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.
even pure oblations it is to Me, for through you My Name is feared among the nations. Yet you profane Me and My Name.
Then why the apparent conflict? The first part tells us that some Sages agree that idolaters' offerings are accepted by the God of gods. However, some Sages disagree and opine that this passage means that God is referring to the Jews that bring offerings in a foreign land, thus glorifying God's Name. The Sages then continue on to say that since sacrifice can't be resumed, prayers are counted as sacrifice. This is consistent with Hosea 14.3 which stated that prayers are rendered as bullock sacrifice.
However, there is a paraphrase being possible; the word “nations” (Goyim in Hebrew) can mean Gentiles as well. If read in this context (which is probable, as God is rebuking Yisrael and comparing their sacrificial rite with the Gentiles') we found a whole other meaning. Even the Sages are divided over the matter as to why God Said that His Name is glorified among the Nations.
God Spoke to Malachi around 400 BCE and at that time, the Jews have just returned from exile in Babylon. Historically, the Jews are not yet dispersed in exile and have just returned. I am not sure of this, but prior to exile, are the Jews living anywhere except the Land of Yisrael. In the nations at that time, there is no Jews or Jewish Practice whatsoever and the existence of B'nai Noach are even more questionable. However, this is exceptional at Babylon, because some Jews remain there in the diaspora.
Accordingly, we can render two meaning from the above verse:
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.
For the word of God will have layer upon layers of meaning. As I have expounded:
'Is not My word like as fire? saith HaShem; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.' Yirmiyahu 23:29
The first meaning is the literal meaning we can derive from God's Word as God is comparing Yisrael's Sacrifice with the Nations'. The second meaning is applicable nowadays as God is saying that the Prayers of the Jews are offered as libations and sacrifices. There is no conflict in the word of the Sages, as Malbim, Rashi, and Ibn Ezra, also, echo the same point when expounding this verse. This is even recorded in the Talmud Bavli Menachot 110a.
As usual, this is my interpretation again. This might be complete nonsense; so sorry to cause such commotion if this is wrong. However, this view of mine is also echoed by Rabbi Ariel bar Tzadok in koshertorah.com
Shalom.
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