בס”ד
Shabbat haGadol (before Pesach) This Shabbat is called “the great Shabbat” because a great miracle happened before the Jewish people left Egypt. An explanation of it’s meaning and relation to Bnei Noach. Based on Likutei Sichot vol. 17, p. 57
Shabbat HaGadol – The Great Shabbat Before Passover
The Shabbat before the Jewish holiday of Passover (Pesach) is known as Shabbat HaGadol – the “Great Shabbat.” This special day carries deep historical and spiritual significance, with multiple layers of meaning that span centuries of Jewish thought and tradition.
Why Is It Called ‘Great’?
One widely accepted reason relates to a longstanding communal custom. On this Shabbat, the spiritual leader of the community would deliver a public address. He would explain the intricate laws of Pesach: what must be done, what is forbidden, how to prepare the home, and more.
Since the “great person” of the community gave this important talk, the day became associated with greatness — hence, “Shabbat HaGadol.”
The Deeper Reason – A Miracle in Egypt
But there is a deeper, more profound reason. This explanation is brought in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, the Code of Jewish Law compiled by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of the Chabad Chassidic movement. It is also found in earlier sources.
During the original Exodus story, the 10th of Nissan — which, in that year, fell on a Shabbat — marked a significant event. G-d commanded the Jewish people, through Moses (Moshe Rabbeinu), to set aside a lamb or goat in preparation for the Passover offering (Korban Pesach) to be brought four days later, on the 14th of Nissan.
This act wasn’t just symbolic — it was provocative. The Egyptians revered these animals as deities. When the Egyptian firstborns saw the Jews setting aside these animals, they asked, “What are you doing?” The Jews answered, “In four days, G-d will strike Egypt with the death of the firstborn.”
By this point, the Egyptians were well aware that everything Moses had prophesied had come true. They had seen nine devastating plagues already. So when they heard that the next one would target the firstborns — themselves — panic set in.
A Civil War for Freedom
The Egyptian firstborns rushed to Pharaoh and pleaded: “Let the Jews go! Otherwise, we are going to die!” But Pharaoh refused. They turned to their parents — who also refused to intervene.
In response, the firstborns started a civil war. They fought against Pharaoh’s forces and against their own families in a desperate attempt to pressure Egypt to release the Jewish people.
This uprising — where Egyptians fought for the Jews’ freedom — was a great miracle. And it happened on that very Shabbat. That’s why we call it Shabbat HaGadol — the Great Shabbat — to commemorate this miraculous turn of events.
Why Not Commemorate It on the 10th of Nissan?
Here comes a classic question: If this miracle happened on the 10th of Nissan, and Jewish holidays are usually tied to specific dates (like Pesach on the 15th of Nissan, or Sukkot on the 15th of Tishrei), why isn’t this event commemorated on that exact calendar date, regardless of the day of the week?
The answer lies in a different historical event. On the 10th of Nissan — many years later, in the desert — Miriam, the sister of Moses, passed away. Her passing brought sadness to the Jewish people.
Because the sages did not want to associate a joyous, miraculous event with a day of mourning, they decided not to fix this remembrance to the 10th of Nissan. Instead, they established it on the Shabbat before Pesach, preserving the celebratory spirit.
Why Shabbat Specifically?
But now another question arises: If not the 10th of Nissan, why Shabbat? Why not choose any other day — say, the Sunday or Monday before Pesach?
The answer lies in the unique holiness of Shabbat.
In Jewish thought, each day of the week carries the spiritual energy of the original day of Creation. Sunday is not just “another Sunday” — it is a re-experiencing of the energy of the first day. Monday replays the divine energy of the second day, and so on.
Shabbat is especially powerful. It’s not simply the seventh day — it is a gateway to a higher dimension of time. Shabbat carries within it the spiritual light of the World to Come (Olam HaBa). It’s a weekly opportunity to step out of the mundane and focus on divine purpose, reflection, and unity.
A Taste of Redemption
This idea ties beautifully back to the miracle in Egypt. On that Shabbat, the Egyptians themselves — particularly the firstborns — recognized the truth of G-d’s plan and fought for the Jews’ liberation.
This moment wasn’t just a political shift — it was a glimpse into a future reality, where all of humanity joins together to serve G-d. As the prophet Zephaniah writes (chapter 3, verse 9), “They will all call upon the name of G-d, and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.”
That moment in Egypt mirrored the spirit of Shabbat, and the sages saw this parallel. Just as Shabbat represents peace, unity, and a higher spiritual state, so too did this miracle. That’s why the sages fixed its remembrance to Shabbat, not just the date.
The Great Shabbat, the Great G-d, and the Great Future
So we call it Shabbat HaGadol — not only for the miracle that occurred, but for the greatness it represents:
- The greatness of the miracle,
- The greatness of the spiritual awakening it reflects,
- And ultimately, the Greatness of G-d Himself — whom we await to reveal His presence in this world, with the coming of Mashiach.
May it be speedily in our days.
Talk from Rabbi Tuvia Serber
The above is a representation of the spoken text converted to written text.
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