Parashat Tzav – Shabbat HaGadol, 5785, 2025: "Behold I am Sending You Eliyahu"

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
This week’s haftorah contains two well-known pasukim that conclude Sefer Malachi. Herein, Malachi prophesizes the arrival of Eliyahu the prophet who foreshadows the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkanu:

Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord, v’hashiv lave avot al banim—that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, v’lave banim al avotom--and the heart of the children back through their fathers… (Sefer Malachi 3:23-24, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The phrases “v’hashiv lave avot al banim” and “v’lave banim al avotom” require explanation, as they seemingly hide more than they reveal. Mishnah Eduyot 8:7 suggests the following interpretation:

[Eliyahu the prophet…is coming for solely one purpose:] la’asot shalom ba’olam — to bring peace to the world. As the text states: “that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers.” (Translation and brackets my own)
 
The Rambam (1135-1204) elucidates this statement in a similar manner in a well-known passage in his Mishneh Torah:

… a prophet will arise to inspire Israel to be upright and prepare their minds [to serve the Almighty], as the text states: “Behold, I am sending you Elijah.” He will not come to declare the pure, impure, or to declare the impure, pure. He will not dispute the lineage of those presumed to be of proper pedigree, nor will he validate the pedigree of those whose lineage is presumed blemished. Rather, la’sum shalom ba’olam—he will establish peace in the world as the text continues: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, [and the heart of the children back through their fathers.”] (Hilchot Melachim 12:2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, brackets my own)
 
 
In his work of Mishnah analysis, Tifferet Yisrael, Rav Yisrael Lifschitz zatzal (1782-1860) examines the explicit point of focus of our pasukim, namely, fathers and sons, and determines that v’hashiv lave should be interpreted as engendering peace “between man and his fellow man.” In contrast, Rav Yom Tov Lipmann Heller zatzal (1579-1654) in his commentary on the Mishnah, Tosafot Yom Tov, interprets la’asot shalom ba’olam more broadly: “In reality, la’asot shalom ba’olam means to make peace between the Jewish people and the other nations of the world…”
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In my estimation, Eliyahu’s task can be understood in a holistic sense, namely, to bring peace to all humankind. This interpretation is in consonance with the Rambam’s text, “la’sum shalom ba’olam—he will establish peace in the world,” an expression that suggests nothing less than universal peace. This idea was given powerful voice by Yeshayahu in one of his most celebrated prophetic visions: “…and they [the nations of the entire world] shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 2:4)
 
As we say in Birkat Hamazon, “May the Merciful One send us Eliyahu the prophet—may he be remembered for good—and may he bring us good tidings, salvation, and comfort.” May we witness true and everlasting peace, soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher v'Sameach
 
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