Comentario citado sobre Malaquías 2:2

YE SHALL NOT DO SO UNTO THE ETERNAL YOUR G-D — “to burn offerings to G-d at any place [you choose], but only at the place He shall choose.¹⁵Verse 5. According to this interpretation, Verse 4 before us is connected with the following Verse 5, which reads: But unto the place which the Eternal your G-d shall choose … Another interpretation: And ye shall break down their altars etc., and ye shall destroy their name¹⁶Above, Verse 3. Thus Verse 4 before us is connected with the preceding verse. — ye shall not do so unto the Eternal your G-d, this being an admonition against erasing the Name of G-d, or dismantling any stone of the altar or of the Sanctuary Court. Said Rabbi Yishmael: ‘Could it even occur to you that the Israelites would break down the altars [of G-d]? But the meaning of the verse is that you are not to imitate the deeds [of the idolators] lest your sins cause your ancestors’ Sanctuary to be destroyed.’” This is Rashi’s language. Now the words of Rabbi Yishmael are words of Agadah (homily) based on a Scriptural support [and they are not meant to be taken as the plain meaning of the verse]. However, the verse according to the opinion of our Rabbis, constitutes an admonition against erasing the Divine Name. It is so expressly stated in Tractate Makkoth:¹⁷Makkoth 22a. See “The Commandments,” Vol. II, pp. 64-65. “But there is yet the penalty for erasing the Divine Name which is whipping, and the prohibition is to be found in these words, Ye shall not do so unto the Eternal.” And the language of the Sifre is as follows:¹⁸Sifre, R’eih 61. “Whence do I know that he who dismantles one stone [of the altar] etc.? Rabbi Yishmael says: ‘Whence do I know that he who erases one letter of the Divine Name transgresses a negative commandment? Because it is written, and ye shall destroy their name¹⁶Above, Verse 3. Thus Verse 4 before us is connected with the preceding verse. — Ye shall not do so unto the Eternal your G-d.’ Rabban¹⁹The title “Rabban” (our teacher) indicates that he was the head of the Sanhedrin. Gamaliel the son of Rabbi²⁰See Vol. IV, p. 341, Note 231. says: ‘But how could it occur to you [that the Israelites would dismantle] etc.’” Thus [it is clear that] the words of Rabbi Yishmael [quoted by Rashi] were not meant to dispute [the opinion of the unnamed First Sage];²¹Ramban understood the text of Rashi as follows: The unnamed First Sage holds that the prohibition before us covers both erasing the Divine Name and dismantling His altar, whereas Rabbi Yishmael differs, holding the verse to be an admonition against imitating the deeds of the idolators which will cause the destruction of the Sanctuary. Ramban, however, holds the verse, Ye shall not do so etc., to be only an admonition against erasing G-d’s Name, and that such is also the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Yishmael’s words quoted by Rashi are a clarification, teaching that “erasing the Divine Name is equivalent to dismantling a stone of the Divine altar.” Furthermore, the text quoted by Rashi in the name of Rabbi Yishmael is attributed by the Sifre to Rabban Gamaliel, which perforce is only a homiletic statement, that sinning is tantamount to destruction of G-d’s altar. Hence the same text in Rashi must also be understood in the same light (Mizrachi). rather, they are a clarification that erasing the Divine Name is equivalent to dismantling a stone of the altar. And if so, the meaning of the verses would be: “And ye shall break down their altars etc. and ye shall destroy their name out of that place — but ye shall not do so unto the Eternal your G-d to break down His altar, nor to destroy His Name. Instead, give glory to His Name²²Malachi 2:2. and His altar, and to the place which He shall choose there to establish His altar; to [the place where] His Name dwells shall you seek, and bring your burnt-offerings before Him.”

ארור אפם, whenever we encounter the expression ארור it involves denial of some blessing or something good and welcome to the party subject to the curse. For instance, we read in Maleachi 2,2 וארותי את ברכותיהם, “I will turn their blessings into a curse.” The words ארור אפם must be understood as a type of prayer by Yaakov, who wishes that Shimon and Levi be denied at least a part of their willfulness of character, as something that has become too strong to endure. Yaakov repeated the same thought in different words to make his point more insistently. This is why he added the words ועברתם כי קשתה.

CURSED ART THOU FROM THE GROUND — more than it has already been cursed on account of its sin. In this, too, it has further sinned in that it hath opened its mouth to take thy brother’s blood. Therefore, I impose upon it an additional curse: it shall not continue to give unto thee her strength.⁴³⁰Verse 12. Thus the words of Rashi.
But this is not correct since here He did not curse the ground because of him as He did in the case of his father, rather He said that he be cursed through the ground. The explanation of the curse is that the earth shall not continue to give him its strength, and that he be a fugitive and a wanderer in it,⁴³⁰Verse 12. and He further stated, “When thou tillest the ground⁴³⁰Verse 12. with all your efforts to cultivate it properly by plowing and hoeing, and in all manner of service in the field⁴³¹Exodus 1:14. and by properly sowing it, it shall not continue to give unto thee her strength.⁴³⁰Verse 12. Instead, you will sow much and harvest little.” This then was the curse, in the same sense as in the verse: And I will curse your blessings.⁴³²Malachi 2:2. Thus He uttered the curse in connection with his occupation for he was a tiller of the ground,⁴³³Verse 2. and so He cursed his work. This then is the sense of the expression, it shall not continue to give unto thee her strength,⁴³⁰Verse 12. meaning, “It will no longer yield to you its full produce as it had done till now when you cultivated it.” And so did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it.
It is possible that He also cursed him though the ground in that it should no longer yield its strength to him of its own accord; the fig-tree and the vine would not yield their strength⁴³⁴See Joel 2:22. in his estate, and the trees of the field would not yield him their fruit.⁴³⁵See Leviticus 26:4. Then He added, “Even when you work the ground by plowing and sowing, it will not continue to give you its strength as before.” Thus there were two curses relating to his occupation, and a third one — that he be a fugitive and a wanderer in the world. This means that his heart will not be at rest, and he will lack the tranquility to remain in one place on the earth; he will wander forever for the punishment of murderers is exile.
The expression in that it hath opened its mouth to take thy brother’s blood means: “You have killed your brother and covered his blood with the earth, and I will decree upon it that it uncover its blood, and she shall no more cover her slain⁴³⁶Isaiah 26:21. for it will be punished together with all that is covered up in it, such as seed and plant.” This is the punishment for all blood-letting on the earth, even as it is written, For blood, it polluteth the land.⁴³⁷Numbers 35:33. The pollution of the land consists of a curse upon its produce, as it is written: When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty press-measures, there were but twenty.⁴³⁸Haggai 2:16.