Midrash sa Malakias 3:4: Devarim Rabbah, Eikhah Rabbah, Vayikra Rabbah & Shir HaShirim Rabbah

Another matter, “when the Lord your God will expand [your border]” – is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He will expand the Land of Israel? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This scroll, no one knows how long it is or how wide it is. When it is unfurled, it becomes clear what its [true size] is. So, the Land of Israel, the great majority of it is mountains and hills. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Rather, the land into which you are crossing to take possession of it is a land of mountains and valleys, from the rain of the heavens it drinks water. A land that the Lord your God seeks; always the eyes of the Lord your God are upon it, from the beginning of the year until year’s end” (Deuteronomy 11:11–12). When the Holy One blessed be He will flatten it – from where is it derived [that He will do so]? As it is stated: “Every valley will be raised and every mountain and hill will be lowered; the crooked will become straight and the ridges a valley” (Isaiah 40:4) – at that time it will become clear what its [true size] is.
Another matter, “when [the Lord your God] will expand [your border]” – the Rabbis say: It is speaking of Jerusalem. If only I could see the tranquility of Jerusalem when the Holy One blessed be He will expand it! Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a province….²²The midrash appears to be referencing a known midrashic exposition, but there is no extant midrash that would seem to fit into the midrash here. “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years” (Malachi 3:4).²³The midrash cites a number of verses that describe a future period of blessing, in order to conclude this section on a positive note. “Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. He will return the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with utter destruction” (Malachi 3:23–24). “Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me, and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to His Sanctuary; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he is coming, said the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:1). “Therefore, so said the Lord: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My House will be built in it, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, and a line will be extended over Jerusalem. Again proclaim, saying: So said the Lord of hosts: My cities will again expand with prosperity, and the Lord will comfort Zion again, and will choose Jerusalem again” (Zechariah 1:16–17). “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; cheer, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king will come to you; he is righteous and saved; he is humble, and riding upon a donkey, on the foal of a female donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).
“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.” The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon You to return us.’ He said to them: ‘It is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return to Me and I will return to you, said the Lord” (Malachi 3:7).’ It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return us, God of our salvation” (Psalms 85:5).’ That is why it is stated: “Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.”
“Renew our days as of old [kekedem].” Like Adam the first man, just as it says: “He banished the man; He stationed…east [mikedem] of the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:24).²⁸Adam repented after being banished from Eden, and his repentance was accepted (Rabbi David Luria). Alternatively, “renew our days as of old.” Just as it says: “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years” (Malachi 3:4). “As in the days of old,” this is Moses, as it is written: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11). “And as in former years,” like the years of Solomon. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: “As in the days [kimei] of old,” as in the days of Noah, as it is stated: “For, like the waters of [ki mei] Noah, this is for Me” (Isaiah 54:9). “And as in former years,” like the years of Abel, when there was not yet idolatry in the world.

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Ḥanan, both of them in the name of Rabbi Azarya of Kefar Ḥitaya, said: This is analogous to a king who had two chefs. One of them cooked him a cooked dish, he came, ate it, and it was tasty for him. The second prepared a cooked dish, and he ate it, and it was tasty for him, but we do not know which of them was tastier for him. However, from the fact that he [later] commands the second and says to him: ‘Prepare for me [another] cooked dish like that one,’ we know that the second is tastier for him. So too, Noah sacrificed an offering, and it was pleasant for the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord smelled the pleasant aroma” (Genesis 8:21). Israel sacrificed and it was pleasant for the Holy One blessed be He, but we do not know which of them¹⁹Noah’s sacrifice or Israel’s sacrifice. was more pleasant. However, from what He commands Israel and says to them: “My pleasing aroma, you shall observe, to sacrifice to Me” (Numbers 28:2), we know that Israel’s is more pleasant.²⁰He commanded Israel to keep sacrificing offerings, and did not command Noah to do so. That is what is written: “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in previous years” (Malachi 3:4). “As in the days of old,” as in the days of Moses; “and as in previous years,” as in the years of Solomon. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: “As in the days of old,” as in the days of Noah, “and as in previous years,” as in the days of Abel, as there was no idol worship in his days.
Rabbi Avin said two [statements]. Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who was reclining upon his divan. They brought him the first cooked food and it was tasty for him. He began wiping [mamḥeh] the bowl clean. So too, “I will offer burnt offerings of fattened animals [meḥim]” (Psalms 66:15); it is as though He is wiping the bowl clean. Rabbi Avin said another, Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who was walking in the wilderness. He arrived at the first lodge, ate there, and drank there. He arrived at the second lodge, ate there, drank there, and stayed the night there. So too, regarding the repetition of [the term] burnt offering: “This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering…on the altar all night until the morning” (Leviticus 6:2). From here [it may be derived that] the burnt offering in its entirety is completely [burned] in the fires.²¹The fact that the verse repeats the term burnt offering in commanding Israel about the laws of the burnt offering implies that God loves Israel’s burnt offerings, like the first analogy in which the king wiped his bowl. Additionally, the verse states that it is burned upon the altar all night, similar to the second analogy in which the king decided to stay the night at the second lodge, because he liked it better (Midrash HaMevoar).