The Haftara for Shabbat HaGadol (Melachi 3:4-24) begins with the familiar words with which we end the Shemoneh Esrei three times a day:
Then the offering of Yehuda and Yerushalayim will be pleasing to God, as in the days old and in former years.
According to Abarbanel, “the days of old” refers to the First Beit HaMikdash (Temple) and “the former years” to the time when Moshe erected the Mishkan (Tabernacle).
Metzudat David gives a reversed explanation: “the days of old” are explained as the time of Moshe and “the former years” as the era of King Solomon, the First Beit HaMikdash, when a fire descended from heaven and consumed the Korbanot (sacrifices) that were on the Altar. This showed that God willingly accepted their offerings.
Abarbanel points out that in the Third Beit HaMikdash, we will once again merit the heavenly fire which will show God’s willingness to accept our Korbanot.
Today, the Shemoneh Esrei is recited in place of us offering Korbanot since we don’t have the Beit HaMikdash, yet we pray each day that the Beit HaMikdash will be rebuilt and that we will be brought back to what it was like during the days of Moshe Rabbeinu and King Solomon. Even though not everything was ideal, during Moshe’s time they built the Golden Calf, during King Solomon’s time the world was not perfect either yet the Jewish people were not subservient to the nations of the world. May we see the Beit HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days and may we no longer be at the mercy of the nations of the world.
