English translation — שה"ג

A.

It is known the question¹

that one asks regarding Shabbat HaGadol

(which was established in memory of the miracle that happened before the Exodus from Egypt — the tenth day of Nisan,

which then fell on the Sabbath day — and in the fixation of this year²

(5746))

Why did they establish the remembrance

(of that day)

on the day of the week — Shabbat,

and not on the day of the month

(the tenth of Nisan)

"as all the festivals are established"³?

And furthermore: the name of Shabbat HaGadol

was indeed connected with the taking of the lamb for the Passover offering,

which the taking was determined by the command of G-d on that day of the month,

as explained

: "On the tenth of this month they shall take for themselves etc." — then the fixing of the day of remembrance of the miracle certainly should have been bound to the day of the month — more than it is regarding the fixing of all the festivals?

The Alter Rebbe in his Shulchan Aruch

brings the answer

(from Magen Avraham)

"Because on the tenth of Nisan Miriam died and they established a fast on it when it falls on a weekday."

But since all matters of Torah are with utmost precision,

it is logical to say,

that that which they fixed the remembrance of the miracle on the day of the week

(and changed from the "way that all festivals were fixed")

— is

(not only⁸

from a side matter⁹,

but also)

because the miracle of that day has

(in inwardness)

more connection to the days of the week than to the days of the month.

in the matter of Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat that we do not blow

(in the country)

because of the decree of Rabbah — that the inner reason that "we do not blow" is

(not only because of the decree of Rabbah itself — which is a side matter — but)

because on Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat one essentially does not need to come

(so much)

to the shofar blowing].

B.

To understand the connection of the miracle of Shabbat HaGadol to the determination of the days of the week,

it depends,

of course,

on the reason

(inner)

that "all the festivals" are determined specifically according to the days of the month.

The difference between the days of the week and the days of the month is: the days of the week — the seven days of Genesis

(creation)

— are connected with the creation itself,

"Six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."¹²

Because even though on the seventh day it is "Shabbat and He rested",

but the rest itself is a part of the work of creation.

And as our Sages, of blessed memory, [said]<sup>13</sup>

that after the six days of creation "the world was lacking rest",

and "Shabbat came, rest came" — that the "rest" of Shabbat completed

(the existence of)

the world].

But the matter of "month" is a "later" addition and elevation in the creation,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, [said]<sup>14</sup>

"When the Holy One, blessed be He, chose His world, He established in it new moons" — the matter of "new moons" is not connected with the state of the world from the aspect of creation itself,

but with "the Holy One, blessed be He, chose His world",

and this indicates<sup>15</sup>

an additional elevation that was added "in His world"<sup>16</sup>.

The aforementioned difference between the matters of week and month is also connected<sup>17</sup>

with the difference between the definitions of "week" and "month" — the days of the week are connected with the course of the sun

(seven times — and there was evening and there was morning),

and the days of the month — with the course of the moon<sup>18</sup>

In the light and course of the sun there are no changes,

which is similar to the natural conduct

(that is from the side of creation),

which is in a manner of "they shall not cease"<sup>19</sup>

— in perpetuity,

without a change;

Moshall"b the light of the moon,

is renewed each month

(what that is the language chodesh — from the language chiddush²⁰)

— is this a hint to an addition and renewal in the creation,

what in generality is this the matter of conduct miraculous above nature.

And this is the explanation in that which "all the festivals" are determined according to the days of the month,

because their matter of moed and yom tov is — a revelation special²¹

of G-dliness above nature

(the world).

And therefore is this related to the days of the month²²

(language chiddush).

3.

Based on this, one will also understand why the miracle of Shabbat HaGadol is connected specifically with the days of the week.

The content of the miracle of Shabbat HaGadol is,

as the Alter Rebbe explains in his Shulchan Aruch²³

"When Yisrael took their Passover [offerings] on that Shabbat, the firstborn of Egypt gathered by Yisrael and asked them: Why are you doing this? They said to them: It is a Passover sacrifice to Hashem, that He will kill the firstborn of Egypt. Their firstborn went to their fathers and to Pharaoh to ask them to send Yisrael out, but they did not want [to], and the firstborn made war with them and killed many of them. And this is what is said²⁴

Who smote Egypt through their firstborn."

What in this is,

at first glance,

not a matter that is not according to nature: that the firstborn of Egypt believed in the words of the Jews "He will kill

(God)

the firstborn of Egypt",

is no wonder — they had just seen how were fulfilled the

(warnings about the)

previous 9 plagues²⁵

it is a wonder why Pharaoh did not listen to them²⁶

and this was only because "And hardened²⁷

God the heart of Pharaoh"]

And consequently,

since

(their fathers)

"did not want" is also that "the firstborns made war with them and killed many of them" was a natural result²⁵

— since their lives were in danger,

they therefore made a war with the Egyptians etc.

(revealed),

a rescue and salvation from the exile; also after the miracle of "To Him who smote Egypt with their firstborn" they could not go out from the exile].

But what was accomplished here through the miracle?

— Not a matter of changing nature,

but that nature itself²⁸

should change itself: instead of that the nature of Egypt is to oppose holiness,

the "firstborn of Egypt"

(which also shows the strength²⁹

(of nature)

of Egypt)

— in a natural way nullified Egypt,

"To Him who smote Egypt with their firstborn".

And therefore the miracle is connected specifically with the days of the week — because its essence is

(not an addition and innovation as above nature of the world,

but)

to change nature itself³⁰?

And therefore the name is connected specifically with the fixed patterns of the days of the week³¹?

D.

Although in the name of Shabbat HaGadol there was no matter of a supernatural event — nevertheless,

specifically the name is called "a great miracle"³²

(and for this reason the Shabbat is called "Shabbat HaGadol"³³)

Because a blatant manner of "great" — without limit from the Above — expresses itself specifically in acting upon nature itself<sup>34</sup>,

until to overturn that in the nature of the world

(as the world conducts itself according to the boundaries of nature)

there should be evident "for His kindness is everlasting"<sup>35</sup>.

And as the statement of our Sages of blessed memory<sup>36</sup>

on the verse<sup>37</sup>

"Great is the Lord and highly praised in the city of our God" — "When is He great? When He is in the city of our God": "Havayah" — was, is, and will be as one<sup>38</sup>

— is a manner of miraculous conduct above nature; "our God" — the name Elokim which is numerically equivalent to nature<sup>39</sup>

— is the root of natural conduct.

So "when is He great" — when is Havayah great — "when He is in the city of our God":

In the miraculous conduct that effects change and nullification of nature, one does not see

(so much)

how "Havayah" is "great"; specifically when Havayah enclothes Itself in the name Elokim and changes the conduct of nature itself,

that there should be evident the "forever His kindness" — in this is expressed a prominent manner of "great" and without limit⁴⁰.

And this is the accomplishment of "Shabbat HaGadol": a "miracle" plain is not a matter of "great" prominently; when does the "miracle" become "great",

when "to the smiter of Egypt through their firstborn",

changed the conduct of nature itself.

(From the talk of Shabbat HaGadol 5743)