What’s So Great?

This Shabbos, as the last before Pesach, is of course Shabbos HaGadol. Shabbos HaGadol is an interesting milestone in our calendar for a number of reasons.

Chazal, quoted by the Tur in Hilchos Pesach, explain the reason for Shabbos HaGadol: Yitizas Mitzrayim took place on Thursday, and Bnei Yisroel were commanded to take the sheep for the Korban Pesach fours days prior to the Shechita, on the Tenth of Nissan, which was Shabbos. Because sheep were considered sacred in Mitzrayim, there was a risk that the Mitzriyim would react harshly to the Jew’s explanation that they were bringing sheep into their homes so that they could slaughter them in four days. Because there was no such reaction, we celebrate this Nes with Shabbos HaGadol.

This brings to the fore the first way in which Shabbos HaGadol is unique: in all other cases we celebrate occurrences on the calendar date on which they took place, not the day of the week. If the idea is to celebrate and commemorate the fact that the Mitzriyim did not attack the Jews for planning to slaughter their sacred sheep, that observance should take place on the Tenth of Nissan. Why do we celebrate on Shabbos, regardless of the calendar date? This year for example, Shabbos Hagadol is on the Eight of Nissan.

Another way that Shabbos HaGadol is unique is the way in which we mark this day: we replace the regular Haftorah of Parshas Tzav with a special Haftorah from Sefer Micha for Shabbos HaGadol, but no special Leining. During the Arba Parshios, which we just completed, there is always a separate Maftir that is Leined especially for that week in addition to a special Haftorah. In the case of Shabbos HaGadol, however, there is only a Haftorah.

Even more interesting is the fact that the Haftorah does not in any way seem to be connected to Shabbos Hagadol or Pesach. There is no mention of Pesach or the Korban Pesach, or Korbanos at all. Many Meforshim offer insights as to why we select this particular Haftorah for Shabbos HaGadol, but the fact remains that the only actual observance of Shabbos HaGadol seems to be tenuous at best.

I would like to explore the idea of Shabbos Hagadol in a way that will not only help us understand this day, but also offer an insight into the coming Yom Tov of Pesach.

The Taz explains the fact that Shabbos Hagadol is celebrated on Shabbos and not on the Tenth of Nissan with an interesting idea. He writes that after the forty years in the Midbar, Bnei Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel, with the splitting of the Yarden, on the Tenth day of Nissan. The Taz therefore says that we do not celebrate Shabbos HaGadol on the Tenth of Nissan because we don’t want people to make the mistake that the celebration is for the fact that we entered Eretz Yisroel on that day.

This is obviously something that is difficult to understand. Why would we not want to celebrate the day that the “fifth” lashon of “V’hevesi” was realized? The whole purpose of Yitzias Mitzrayim was to eventually bring Bnei Yisroel to Artzenu HaKedosha, why shouldn’t we celebrate this? And even if there is a reason not to celebrate that milestone why do we change the observance of Shabbos Hagadol “Lehotzei Milban Shel Tzidukim” so to speak? Why would we specifically want to make sure that no one thinks that we are celebrating our entry to Eretz Yisroel?

I think that perhaps the answer is that a celebration of our entry to Eretz Yisroel on the Tenth day of Nissan would run contrary to the theme of Shabbos Hagadol and in fact the entire Yom Tov of Pesach.

The Levush writes that the reason we Lein the Haftorah in Mincha on Shabbos Hagadol is because it contains the Passuk: “Hinei Anochi Sholeiach Lachem Es Eliyahu HaNavi, Lifnei Bah Yom Hashem Hagadol V’Hanorah.” Many point to the word “HaGadol” in this Passuk in explaining the connection to Shabbos HaGadol, but the Levush seems to have a different idea. He explains that the coming of Eliyahu will be similar to the Besurah of Moshe that the Geulas Mitzrayim is coming, which is connected to Shabbos HaGadol.

What is the Besurah of Moshe and how is this connected to Shabbos Hagadol and Eliyahu?

When Moshe gave the Mitzvah of Korbon Pesach over to Bnei Yisroel, after receiving it from Hashem on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, he begins by saying “Mishchu U’Kechu Lachem.” The literal translation fo the word Mishchu is “draw,” and as Rashi explains, Moshe Rabbeinu was telling them to draw the sheep from their own flocks if they had. Many of the Miforshim, among them R’ Hirsch and others, explain this word Al Pi Derech HaDrush: Mishchu Yadechem Mi HaAvodah Zarah.

This was Moshe Rabbeinu’s announcement of the Geulah. After explaining the laws of Korbon Pesach, he was Mevaser the Geulah, telling Bnei Yisroel exactly when it would occur; it was in this discussion that Bnei Yisroel finally received the news that they would be leaving Mitzrayim for good in the coming days. This announcement was proceeded with an instruction: Mishchu Yadechem Mi HaAvodah Zarah—do Teshuvah.

Bnei Yisroel had been in Mitzrayim for hundreds of years and had been enslaved and subjugated. Although we had the Zechus of being outstanding and not becoming completely assimilated into the culture of Mitzrayim, we had indeed been affected by our surroundings. The was Avodah Zarah to be found in our midst, and in order to leave Mitzrayim, in order to begin the path toward Har Sinai, the road to “Mamleches Kohanim V’Goy Kadosh,” we had to take that step of removing the Avodah Zarah from our midst.

Similarly, the Navi says “Hinei Anochi Sholeiach Lachem Es Eliyahu HaNavi, Lifnei Bah Yom Hashem.” Eliyahu HaNavi will appear prior to the arrival of Moshiach and he will be Mevaser the ultimate Geulah. When Eliyahu arrives, we will receive the news that our long Galus is about to come to an end. But why is Eliyahu’s announcement necessary? Why the advance notice? The next Passuk answers this question: “V’Heshiv Lev Avos Al banim, V’lev Banim Al Avosim.” Eliyahu’s arrival and Besurah will lead to a mass Tehuvah movement.

We have been entrenched in this Galus for far too long, and our Ruchnias has suffered. We too will need a period of Teshuva, even if only to take that first step, prior to the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkenu.

This helps us understand the connection between the Haftorah and Shabbos Hagadol, and I think that this can also help explain why Shabbos Hagadol is celebrated on Shabbos and not on the Tenth of Nissan.

R’ Shimshon Pincus, in his Sefer Shabbos Malchesa, explains that Shabbos itself has a remarkable Koach of Teshuvah. When we disconnect from the world, and refrain from any Melacha, we have the opportunity to connect with Hashem in a way that is not possible during the week. He explains this concept with a fascinating Mashal, which is based on a true story.

He writes that the head of a Mosad in America related that the organization had the opportunity to host the President of the United States, and was visited by the Presidential advance team. Among their requirements was that any pictures in the room in which the meeting was to be held had to be removed from the walls, and the curtains had to be changed from a pattern to a solid color. Their explanation was that the presence of these items in the room presented an opportunity for those participating in the meeting to be distracted from the President. Any potential distraction had to be removed, so that the attendees could be wholly focused on the President.

On Shabbos we remove the distractions; we change the curtains and take down the pictures, so to speak. We have the ability to be totally focused on Hashem, and this can be an enormous opportunity to reconnect, to do Teshuvah.

On the Tenth day of Nissan, all those years ago, Bnei Yisroel began the process that would lead them to Yitzias Mitzrayim. This not involved not only physical preparations for the Korbon Pesach, but also our spiritual preparation through Teshuvah: “Mishchu U’Kechu Lachem.” Therefore, as we celebrate this every year, it is appropriate that we do so specifically on Shabbos, a day when we can be Zoche to Teshuvah in a way the prepares us for the ultimate Geulah, which we know can arrive at any time.

This may also help us understand the words of the Taz.

Our entry to Eretz Yisrael was indeed the ultimate point of Geulas Mitzrayim: to arrive in the land that has Kedusha beyond anywhere else in the world, where we could live a life that is connected to Hashem on the highest level. If we were to celebrate this arrival, however, we may lose sight of the way we got there.

When we left Mitzrayim we were not ready to enter the land: we were not on a Madreigah that was befitting of the Kedushas HaAretz. Beyond the initial Teshuvah of Mishchu U’Kechu Lachem a short stay in the Midbar was necessary. Due to our inequities we ended up having to be in the desert for even longer, but the initial period was always going to be necessary.

On Shabbos Hagadol we remember that though we were not ready to enter Eretz Yisrael, we could begin the journey through the Teshuva and Mitzvah of Korbon Pesach. On Pesach itself, as we feel that we ourselves have left Mitzrayim, we can reflect on this reality as well: it’s not where you are that is important, but where you are headed. Celebrating our arrival in Eretz Yisrael may cause us to lose sight of this fact, as we would focus on the ends instead of the means.

Each year on Shabbos Hagadol we are reminded that even if we have long journey in front of us—and who among us doesn’t—we can use the Koach of Shabbos to begin on the path: Mishchu U’Kechu Lachem. If we take this to heart, we will soon be Zoche to the Yom Hashem Hagadol V’Hanorah.