The Depth of Shabbos Hagadol2 min read

This Shabbos is known as “Shabbos HaGadol”, the “Great Shabbos”. Several reasons have been offered for this special title, which appears in the Zohar HaKadosh, throughout the ages. The following are a few ideas from the tzaddikim to keep in mind this exalted Shabbos.

1. A basic explanation for this term is found in Tosafos (Shabbos 87b) who explains that on the Shabbos before the Jewish nation left Egypt, 10 Nissan, each Jewish family brought a lamb into their homes to be used for the Korban Pesach on the 14th, the following Thursday. When the Egyptians asked what they were doing, the Jews explained that Hashem was going to kill all of the firstborn in a plague unless they were freed. Egypt’s firstborn appealed to Pharaoh to free the Jews so they would be spared from the plague. When he refused, the firstborns revolted, attacking their own parents. It is to mark the great miracle of Egypt’s civil war that erupted as a result of klal Yisrael’s mitzvah observance on the Shabbos before the very first Pesach that we refer to this Shabbos as “Shabbos HaGadol”.

2. The Sefas Emes (Shabbos Hagadol 5637) offers another reason for this special title. This tzaddik explains that Shabbos embodies two theological messages. The first message, which appears in the first expression of the Aseres HaDibros (Shemos 20:8-11), is “Zecher l’maaseh bereishis”, a testament that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. The second message, which appears in the second rendering of the Aseres HaDibros (Devarim 5:15), is “Zecher l’yetziyas mitzrayim”, a testament that Hashem redeemed the Jewish nation from Egypt and gave them the Torah. Until the redemption, Shabbos had only alluded to the first message, the creation of the world. However, when the Jewish nation took the lambs they would be using for the Korban Pesach on the Shabbos before their grand exodus, the second message of Shabbos was added on, making Shabbos conceptually greater, “yoter gadol”. Therefore, this Shabbos is called “Shabbos HaGadol”, as it marks the additional implication the seventh day came to embody on the Shabbos before Pesach.

3. The Jewish definition of greatness runs contrary to the general population’s perception of the term. Instead of glorifying one who lives a life of self-obsession, always seeking to improve his or her financial portfolio, beauty, physical strength, or material lifestyle, we define greatness as one who looks beyond himself, who always seeks to assist others even at the risk of personal sacrifice. In most Jewish homes, by the time the Shabbos before Pesach rolls around, the house has already been cleaned scrupulously and rid of even the tiniest speck of chametz. In order to avoid necessitating another cleaning, many eat the Shabbos meals in their kitchen so the challah won’t leave crumbs on the dining room floor, table, and chairs. In this way, the Shabbos before Pesach sacrifices its own celebration for the interests of the upcoming chag, the true mark of greatness. This is a third reason we refer to this Shabbos as “Shabbos HaGadol”, the “Great Shabbos”.

4. Finally, the Meor Einayim (Tzav, “Shabbos she’lifnei”) explains that Pesach is the source for all the heavenly kindness our nation will experience in the coming year. Because the events in a given week are encapsulated within the preceding Shabbos, the Shabbos before Pesach is referred to as “Shabbos HaGadol”, a reference to the awesome measure of kindness (the word “gadol” implies the trait of “chessed” – “L’cha Hashem hagedulah v’hagevurah”) which it contains.