A Higher Consciousness
By Rabbi David Polsky
As we know, this Shabbat is known as Shabbat Hagadol, the great Shabbat. It commemorates the Jewish people publicly taking lambs to their houses in Egypt despite the significant risk to their lives. Although this event is significant, it is puzzling that their willingness to gather the lambs should cause the Shabbat to be called Shabbat Hagadol. Even if they showed courage and God protected them, are there no other events in our history that could be called greater? The Hasidic master Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Birditchev homiletically argues that “hagadol” does not signify the event itself but rather the religious development of the Israelites reflected by their actions. Previously, they had been serving God because of His ability to reward and punish them. Their willingness to sacrifice their lives by obeying God’s command to sacrifice Egyptian deities demonstrates their greater spiritual consciousness. They are worshiping God because of His greatness and their desire to serve Him, irrespective of any reward and punishment. This greater spiritual maturity (also known as gadlut) on their part makes Shabbat Hagadol an apt title.