Shabbos Hagadol
Annulling One’s Pride:
Why is this Shabbos called “Shabbos Hagadol”?
The Chidushei Harim zy”a answers that the word “Shabbos” can mean to remove, as in Vayikroh 26:6: “V’hishbeisi chaya ra’ah min ha’aretz.” (And I will remove the wild animals from the land.) This Shabbos annuls and removes a person’s pride and haughtiness. It uplifts a person until he feels how lowly he is in relation to Hashem. Thus, it is “the great Shabbos”, as it teaches us that Hashem is the only power and man is nothing in comparison to Him.
Coming of Age:
The Avudraham explains that when a boy reaches the age of 13, he becomes obligated to keep the mitzvos and is now called a “gadol”. So too, on this Shabbos, Klal Yisroel was given their first mitzvah, which was to take a sheep for a Korban Pesach. (They were commanded to take it on the 10th of the month, which, in that year, fell on Shabbos.) Therefore, it is called “Shabbos Hagadol” because every Jew became a “gadol” and became obligated to perform mitzvos on that day.
The Influence of Shabbos Hagadol:
The Yesod Ha’avodah of Slonim zy”a explains with a moshol of a powerful king who made a fancy seudah for all of his friends. After the feast, there was a lot of leftover food, which the king told his servants to distribute to the residents of his kingdom. However, even after this distribution, there still remained some leftovers. The king then said to give it to the prisoners in jail. The prisoners were taken out of their cells and seated in a nice place for their meal, as it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to eat a king’s food in their cells.
The nimshol is that Hashem has to so much compassion that He is kind even to sinners and those who committed crimes, as is stated (Tehillim 21:11): “And He forgives our sins because He is great.” The Meforshim explain that Hashem’s kindness is so great that He provides even for the undeserving.
He this explains that this Shabbos is called “Shabbos Hagadol” because Hashem’s kindness is aroused and He provides even for the lowest of men, as it would inappropriate for His great abundance to go to waste.
Hashem’s Shabbos:
Sefer Yashrish Yaakov explains that on this Shabbos, we are already prepared for Pesach. We have already given matzohs to the poor and we have joyfully learned the halachos and all of the dinim. This is a cause of great joy and pleasure to Hashem, to the extent that this Shabbos could be called “Hashem’s Shabbos.” Thus, the “Gadol” of “Shabbos Hagadol” is Hashem. Since He is full of joy on this Shabbos, it is called “the Shabbos the Great One.”
The Head of All Shabbosim:
The Ohev Yisroel zy”a says that the mekor of all Shabbosim of the year are Shabbos Hagadol and Shabbos Teshuvah, which he called “the heads of all Shabbosim.”
Atoning Like Yom Kippur:
The Chidushei Harim zy”a equates the holiness of Shabbos Hagadol to the holiness of Yom Kippur. He notes that Yom Kippur is on the 10th of the month, and the sheep for the Korban Pesach in Mitzrayim was taken on the 10th of the month (Shemos 12:3). Furthermore, just like the day of Yom Kippur itself atones for sins, so too Shabbos Hagadol purifies and sanctifies Jewish souls from their sins.
