Parshah Tzav – Shabbat Hagadol

One of the more unique days on the Jewish calendar is this coming Shabbat, which is named Shabbat Hagadol — the Great Shabbat.

The reason for this is that when the Jewish people were in Egypt, G-d told them to take a sheep on the 10th of the month of Nissan and have it ready to bring as a sacrifice on the 14th of Nissan. That night would be the 10th plague — the smiting of the firstborn and the following morning, the Exodus from Egypt. When the Egyptian firstborns heard about the impending plague, as you can imagine, they became very frightened and headed straight to Pharaoh, demanding that he let the Jewish people go before all the firstborns were killed. Pharaoh refused, which led to civil unrest between the Egyptian firstborns, who feared for their lives, and the rest of Egypt who were on Pharaoh’s side. Desiring to keep their pride intact and not wishing to let their Jewish slaves go, they refused to heed Moses’ warnings.

More than just some inside politics among the Egyptians, this was, in fact, a great miracle for the Jewish people, for their long-time oppressors were busy fighting between themselves without using the Jewish people as a scapegoat. Even more so, they were too preoccupied with their battles to notice the Jews readying sheep to be sacrificed and eaten in preparation for their imminent redemption, despite the fact that the Egyptians considered sheep as sacred gods.

The famous passage in the Passover Haggadah, starting with the words “Vehi She’amda La’avoteinu,” declares our firm belief and trust in G-d that just as He saved us from Pharaoh and the Egyptians so long ago, so too, He continues to save us now, and always, from our enemies and oppressors that rise up against us. Throughout our history, as we know too well, our enemies tried to destroy us whenever they possibly could but that didn’t stop us from remaining true to our faith and to our mission of being lamplighters in whichever location G-d had placed us. Whether besieged by the Romans, pursued by the Crusaders or starved in the concentration camps during the Holocaust, there are countless stories about the dedication of our people to their Creator.

But just imagine, if that is how we were able to live when times were hard, what we are capable of today when we are thankfully able to practice Judaism freely and openly. Just like on that fateful Shabbat day in Egypt, when it was all taken care of for us, now, too, G-d can take care of our enemies — and anything else — without us mixing in. Which leaves us open and available to dedicate ourselves to Him; by fulfilling our purpose of spreading G-dliness, goodness and positivity in the world.

The Passover Haggadah speaks of four children who find themselves at the seder table: the wise, the wicked, etc. But the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that today there is also a fifth child, one who is not even at the seder table because they don’t know it’s Passover.

However, as Shabbat Hagadol — the Great Shabbat — teaches us, G-d takes care of our physical needs so that we can, and therefore should, busy ourselves with ensuring that the joy and spirit of Passover reach even that ‘fifth’ child, giving all of our brothers and sisters a chance to experience the “holiday of Redemption!”

If you, or someone you know, do not have a seder to attend, please contact me at chabadofscottsdale.org and we will help you find a seder.

Wishing you a happy and joyous Passover and true redemption. JN