Shalom Chaverim!
The Shabbat before Passover – this Shabbat – is known as Shabbat HaGadol, “The Great Sabbath.” Among the reasons for this designation is that our redemption from slavery in Egypt began on this day: For the first time, we had to take some action to shape our destiny rather than merely watch events unfold. We selected the lambs whose blood we placed on the doorposts on the night we hunkered down at home so the plague would “pass over” our houses.
Another explanation refers to ‘quantity’ perhaps more than to ‘quality’: Rabbis would give lengthy sermons on this Shabbat offering insight into the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of Passover customs.
So…for this ‘great’ shabbat let me share my article about Passover appearing in the Jewish Journal.
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Rabbi Michael Schwartz