מַשָּׂ֥א דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּיַ֖ד מַלְאָכִֽי׃
여호와께서 말라기로 이스라엘에게 말씀하신 경고라
Midrash Tanchuma
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord thy God” (Exod. 20:1). R. Isaac said: All the prophets received the inspirations for their future prophesies at Mount Sinai. How do we know this to be so? It is written: But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day (Deut. 29:14). That standeth here with us this day refers to those who were already born, and with him that is not here alludes to those who were to be born in the future. Hence they are not with us this day. “Not standing here with us this day” is not written in this verse, but rather Is not here with us this day. This alludes to the souls who were to be created in the future, since standing here could not be said of them. They were included in the general statement. And that is why the verse states: The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi (Mal. 1:1). It does not say “of Malachi,” but merely by Malachi, indicating that the prophecy had been transmitted to him previously at Sinai. Similarly Isaiah said: Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord hath sent me, and His spirit (Isa. 48:16). Isaiah is saying here that at the time the Torah was given I received the prophecy. Hence it says: from the time that it (the Torah) was, there am I; and now the Lord God hath sent me, and His spirit, but until now He did not give me permission to prophesy.
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter: “God spoke all these matters, saying” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What the prophets are destined to prophesy in each and every generation, they received at Mount Sinai, as Moses says to Israel: “Rather, with him who is here with us standing today [before the Lord our God], and with him who is not here with us today” (Deuteronomy 29:14). It is not written here, “standing with us today,” but rather, “with us today.” These are the souls [of people] who are destined to be created, which lack substance, in whose regard standing is not stated. Even though they were not there at that moment, each and every one received his due.
Likewise it says: “The prophecy of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi” (Malachi 1:1). It is not stated, “in the days of Malachi,” but rather, “through Malachi,” as the prophecy was with him since Mount Sinai, but he had not been given permission to prophesy until that time. Likewise, Isaiah said: “From the time that it was, I was there” (Isaiah 48:16). Isaiah said: From the day that the Torah was given at Sinai, I was there and I received this prophecy; however, “now the Lord God has sent me with His spirit” (Isaiah 48:16). Until then, permission had not been given to him to prophesy.
Not only did all the prophets receive their prophecy from Sinai, but all the Sages who arise in each and every generation, each and every one received their [wisdom] from Sinai. Likewise it says: “These words the Lord spoke to your entire assembly (Deuteronomy 5:19).
“A great voice that did not cease” (Deuteronomy 5:19) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One voice that was divided into seven voices, and they were divided into seventy languages. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: From it, all the prophets who prophesied stood. The Rabbis say: It had no echo.11The term yasaf in the phrase “that did not cease [yasaf]” can be understood as related to the word continue [hosif] such that the verse would mean “that did not continue.” It would seem that the Rabbis interpret the verse in this manner (Maharzu). However, some commentaries dispute this assertion (see, e.g., Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: What is: “The voice of the Lord is with might” (Psalms 29:4)? Is it possible to say so? Is it not so, that even an angel, there is no creature that can withstand its voice, as it is stated: “His body was like beryl…and the sound of his speech, like the noise of a multitude” (Daniel 10:6)? The Holy One blessed be He in whose regard it is written: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 23:24), does He need to speak mightily? Rather, “the voice of the Lord is with might [bakoaḥ],” with the might appropriate for each of the voices. In the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, this verse supports him, as it is stated: “My Lord gives the word, and the heralds are great armies” (Psalms 68:12).12The implication is that God’s voice is split into many voices, referred to as members of the great armies.
Likewise it says: “The prophecy of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi” (Malachi 1:1). It is not stated, “in the days of Malachi,” but rather, “through Malachi,” as the prophecy was with him since Mount Sinai, but he had not been given permission to prophesy until that time. Likewise, Isaiah said: “From the time that it was, I was there” (Isaiah 48:16). Isaiah said: From the day that the Torah was given at Sinai, I was there and I received this prophecy; however, “now the Lord God has sent me with His spirit” (Isaiah 48:16). Until then, permission had not been given to him to prophesy.
Not only did all the prophets receive their prophecy from Sinai, but all the Sages who arise in each and every generation, each and every one received their [wisdom] from Sinai. Likewise it says: “These words the Lord spoke to your entire assembly (Deuteronomy 5:19).
“A great voice that did not cease” (Deuteronomy 5:19) – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One voice that was divided into seven voices, and they were divided into seventy languages. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: From it, all the prophets who prophesied stood. The Rabbis say: It had no echo.11The term yasaf in the phrase “that did not cease [yasaf]” can be understood as related to the word continue [hosif] such that the verse would mean “that did not continue.” It would seem that the Rabbis interpret the verse in this manner (Maharzu). However, some commentaries dispute this assertion (see, e.g., Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: What is: “The voice of the Lord is with might” (Psalms 29:4)? Is it possible to say so? Is it not so, that even an angel, there is no creature that can withstand its voice, as it is stated: “His body was like beryl…and the sound of his speech, like the noise of a multitude” (Daniel 10:6)? The Holy One blessed be He in whose regard it is written: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 23:24), does He need to speak mightily? Rather, “the voice of the Lord is with might [bakoaḥ],” with the might appropriate for each of the voices. In the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, this verse supports him, as it is stated: “My Lord gives the word, and the heralds are great armies” (Psalms 68:12).12The implication is that God’s voice is split into many voices, referred to as members of the great armies.
Bereshit Rabbah
“The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying” – it13Prophecy. is referred to by ten expressions: a prophecy, a vision,14See Psalms 89:20. preaching,15See Ezekiel 21:2. speaking,16See II Samuel 23:2. saying,17See Exodus 4:22. a command,18See Genesis 2:16. a burden,19See Malachi 1:1. a parable,20See Isaiah 14:4. a metaphor,21See Proverbs 1:6. an enigma.22See Numbers 12:8. Which is the harshest of them all? Rabbi Eliezer said: Vision, as it is stated: “A harsh vision was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Speaking, as it is stated: “The man, lord of the land, spoke harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). The Rabbis said: Burden, as is its plain sense: “Like an onerous burden, they are too heavy for me” (Psalms 38:5). Abram’s potency [of prophecy] was great, as God spoke to him with both speaking [dibur] and vision, as it is stated: “The word [devar] of the Lord came to Abram in a vision.”