The Shabbos Hagadol Miracle Farbrengen

By Mayer Preger

There were countless amazing miracles that led to the Jewish nation’s redemption from Egypt. The festival of Pesach (Passover) was established to commemorate all of those events.

There is one event that was so meaningful and unique that our sages designated that it have its own special day of celebration. That day is the Shabbos preceding Pesach, known as Shabbos Hagadol (the Great Shabbos). What was this great, unique event?

G-D told the Jewish nation that each household should take a sheep and bring it into their homes, then in four days time, they should sacrifice it and have a festive meal to celebrate their pending exodus, which occurred the following day.

Sheep were idolized by the Egyptians and considered to be a god. When they heard that the Jews were preparing a grand feast and that their god was the main course, it created a tremendous uproar throughout Egypt. What transpired next is the miracle.

Logic would dictate that the Egyptians would then arm themselves in order to avenge their dignity and their god and start a war with the Jews, a war in which they definitely had the upper hand. They were very well prepared for war. They had been the oppressive power for hundreds of years. The Jews, on the other hand, were unarmed and broken after hundreds of years in slavery.

But miraculously what happened instead was the masses of these strongest and noblest Egyptians came running to Pharaoh demanding that he let the Jewish nation out immediately but Pharaoh refused. This caused a civil war and many Egyptians died in that battle, greatly weakening them.

Looking at this episode, we don’t really see that this great miracle led to a faster exodus. It was more of an internal affair between the Egyptians but the results had no direct effect on the Jewish nation. So why do we celebrate it? More importantly, why do we celebrate it separately from all the other miracles and plagues that directly led to the exodus?

The Pesach sacrifice was the first Mitzvah that G-D gave to the Jews. G-D wanted the Jews to realize how powerful and meaningful the Mitzvahs that he will be giving them are and what can be accomplished by doing them.

Even after all the plagues, punishments and absolute devastation to the Egyptians, they still remained stubborn and did not let the Jews out. After all these terrible plagues, Egyptian morale still did not change. Something higher needed to happen for the Egyptians to reevaluate and realize that they were truly cruel and only then would they let the Jews free.

When the Jews started to prepare their FIRST Mitzvah that G-D had requested of them, it IMMEDIATELY stirred the consciousness of the Egyptian populous to the extent that they even went to war to help free the Jews.

The Jews saw how transformative a Mitzvah is. By doing what G-D asks, everything changes, challenges dispel and a beautiful future arises.

It was for this colossal message that this special day was designated.

In 1975, during a Shabbos Hagdol Farbrengen, the Rebbe explained this very passionately, adding that this is the meaning of the passage we say in the Shabbos prayers “למכה מצרים בבכוריהם” (“Who struck Egypt through its firstborn”). The Rebbe then added that the Arizal revealed that the verse in the Megillah: “והימים האלה נזכרים ונעשים בכל דור ודור” (“and these days be remembered/commemorated and celebrated in every generation”) means that – ANY future time that Jews recount and celebrate past historical miracles, that itself WILL bring about that miracle to replay during their present time in some form.

Everyone at the Farbrengen was very moved by the Rebbe’s words.

A few days later, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was holding court for his family and friends when his nephew came up to his throne and assassinated him. It was during this time in history that King Faisal was the archenemy of Israel, he took a lead role in planning and financing the war against Israel. He was also in the midst of planning dire attacks on the Jewish nation.

After the news broke in America of King Faisal’s assassination, Rabbi Leibel Groner, one of the Rebbe’s secretaries, was very excited to share the good news with the Rebbe. The Rebbe then asked, “What are they saying about the assassination”? Rabbi Groner answered that they say that the assassin was mentally impaired (which was later disproven).

The Rebbe then clarified his question, “What are CHASSIDIM saying”? To which Rabbi Groner happily responded that the Chassidim are saying that the great miracle happened due to what the Rebbe imparted at the Shabbos Farbrengen specifically the message of the Arizal.

The Rebbe was elated to hear that. He wanted the Jews to realize the power that they possess. If they adhere and celebrate our heritage correctly, true miracles will transpire.

The miracle of Shabbos Hagadol and its message is even more impactful this year being that the 10th day of Nissan falls out on Shabbos just as it did over 3,000 years ago when the Jews left Egypt. It is a most opportune time to make miracles happen.

The Torah states that it was in the merit of Emunah – belief alone that the Jews merited their redemption. When Moshe came and told the Jews that the time of their redemption arrived, it took some time but they truly did believe. They overlooked all their years of suffering and still believed Moshe’s message, it was in this merit that they were redeemed.

The Rebbe’s last and most promising directive to us was, “the time of redemption has arrived” he then added that it will be “through acts of goodness and kindness that we will merit the coming of Moshiach”.

Let us all live with this message and together relive the miracles this Peasach and merit to see the redemption immediately.