PARASHAT Tzav

This week's Torah Gems were prepared by

Anochi Atoncha
PARASHAT Tzav
Shabbat Hagadol


"Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem. And he will cause the hearts of fathers to return to their sons and the hearts of sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction." (Malachi 3:23-24)



When we read these verses at the end of the prophetic reading on Shabbat HaGadol, our custom is to repeat the penultimate verse. According to Rashi, we do this to end the reading on a positive note. We do the same when we read the end of Isaiah (on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh), Eichah (on Tisha B'Av), and Kohelet (on Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot.)



We observe a variation of this custom at the public reading of Jonah during Mincha Yom Kippur. At the conclusion of the book we skip to the final verses of Micah, which are far more uplifting than the strange abrupt ending of Jonah.



It would seem self-evident that public readings during holidays should end on an upbeat. But on closer inspection, the reasons for re-reading the penultimate verse are not at all obvious.



Take our verse as an example. First, it is important to note that these words are the last words spoken by a prophet in the Tanakh. These final words prophesy the coming of the Messianic era. And these are the last words of prophecy that we hear before Pesach, the redemption holiday par excellence.



Perhaps the sages felt that 'utter destruction' (cherem) is not exactly the sentiment that we want to take with us to the seder. Under what circumstances does Hashem come and destroy the land, if fathers' and sons' hearts do not turn toward each other, or if Elijah does not come and cause the turnings to happen? It seems to me that if Elijah arranges the meetings, the turning of the hearts will surely follow. Therefore utter destruction is presented only as a grim alternative to utter redemption.



But what about the beginning of the verse? The prophet describes Elijah's mission primarily as a series of reunions between fathers and sons. According to Malachi, reinforcement of family bonds is the proximate cause of the coming of the Messiah. On the eve of Pesach, when families reunite at the seder table, this is a perfectly stunning message. The seeds of Messianic redemption are sown in every home where the door is opened for Elijah.