This is BIG! – Metzorah
וְחִטֵּא אֶת הַבַּיִת בְּדַם הַצִּפּוֹר וּבַמַּיִם הַחַיִּים וּבַצִּפֹּר הַחַיָּה וּבְעֵץ הָאֶרֶז וּבָאֵזֹב וּבִשְׁנִי הַתּוֹלָעַת (ויקרא יד, נב).
The Tur says that whenever a chag occurs during the week, it is hinted to in the parshat hashavua preceding it. It is not hard to find the hint to Pesach in our parsha which deals with צָרַעַת. In the past few weeks, we have been discussing the connection between צָרַעַת which is the result of sins of the mouth, and Pesach, פֶּה סָח, which comes to atone for sins of the mouth.
Cleansing a home afflicted with a blemish is akin to Pesach cleaning "on steroids". The descriptions of the cleansing process in the parsha remind me of a story my mother a"h told us as kids, of how her father used to kasher their dining room table for Pesach by spreading burning, hot coals over it. That must have been a pretty resilient table, I don't think modern furniture would stand up to that.
In this shiur, I would like to focus on a different subject – Shabbat HaGadol. This week, the Shabbat preceding Pesach, we read the special haftara of Shabbat HaGadol from sefer Malachi (chap. 3). All the eidot, except for the Yemenites, read this special haftara this Shabbat (the Yemenite custom is to simply read the haftara of the parshat hashavua).
What is Shabbat HaGadol and why is it thus named?
Shabbat HaGadol is different to the other "special" haftarot of the period. With the others (Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, HaChodesh), we first read a special maftir from the Torah and after that, the special haftara. Shabbat Hagadol has no special maftir – we do not take out a second sefer Torah.
The only other special haftara that resembles it is Shabbat Shuva (we also have Shabbat Chazon and Shabbat Nachamu, but these are not of the same stature of a special haftara before a major chag). Shabbat Shuva too has no special maftir, only the haftara. Shabbat HaGadol and Shabbat Shuva share another similarity – on both of them it is customary to deliver a special drasha to the congregation (more on this later). Both on Shabbat Shuva and Shabbat HaGadol we read the haftara from the תְּרֵי עֲשַׂר, the minor prophets – Shabbat Shuva from the first הוֹשֵׁעַ and Shabbat HaGadol from the last מַלְאָכִי.
In order to understand the essence of Shabbat HaGadol, we need to explore the origin of its name.
The most common reason given why we call it Shabbat HaGadol is brought by the דעת זקנים מבעלי התוספות (שמות יב, ג) quoting a Midrash (of unknown origin), also by the Tosfot (Gemara Shabbat 87b) and in Sefer HaOrah (חלק ב, סימן סב, עמ' רא). According to these sources, it is called Shabbat HaGadol because of the miracle(s) that occurred on this Shabbat in Egypt.
On the Shabbat preceding יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, which, according to the דעת זקנים מבעלי התוספות was the tenth of Nisan, the Israelites had just undergone Brit Milah and they were physically weak and could not defend themselves. The Egyptians saw the Israelites procuring sheep, their god, with the intention of slaughtering it and planned to unleash a "pogrom" on us. However, HKB"H performed a miracle and they could not harm Am Yisrael.
Another reason, given by the Chizkuni (שמות יב, ג) and the Abudraham (אבודרהם השלם, עמ' רי) is that on this Shabbat, Am Yisrael performed their first mitzva – taking the lamb for bringing the Korban Pesach.
The צפנת פענח (דף סז, ד) says that on that Shabbat, the עֲבוֹדַת פָּרֶךְ in Egypt ceased.
The above are all certainly special occurrences and worth commemorating, but what connection is there between these events and the name Shabbat HaGadol? It would have better been named "Shabbat HaNes", or "Shabbat HaMitzva", or "Shabbat HaMenucha"?
Other Mefarshim connect the name Shabbat HaGadol to the special drasha given on that Shabbat, which is longer (bigger) than the normal weekly drasha, or alternatively, given by a more prominent (bigger) Rav.
Sometimes, it is not necessarily the length of the drasha that makes an impression, but simply the stature of the Rav. A story is told, about R' Meir Shapiro from Lublin zt"l, who travelled to the US to collect for his Yeshiva. As was his custom, he would deliver his drasha in Yiddish. One time he was giving a drasha to a very wealthy community, but not the closest to Yiddishkeit. In the audience was a young boy, who obviously spoke no Yiddish, but appeared to be listening intently. After the drasha, the Rav went up to him and asked him (in English) if he understood Yiddish, to which the boy replied "No". The Rav then asked him "You were listening very intently. Did you understand what I was saying?" The boy replied "Yes Rabbi, you were asking for money!" R' Meir replied "I think you were the only person here who really understood".
Yet another reason given for naming it Shabbat HaGadol is brought by the Maharshal (מטה משה, סימן תקמב), who says that the name of Shabbat HaGadol stems from the last passuk in the haftara –
הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם ה' הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא (מלאכי ג, כג).
It would not be the only such named haftara. Shabbat Chazon and Shabbat Nachamu are also named after words in the haftara, but it seems a very weak reason to call it Shabbat HaGadol, simply because that is the second last word in the haftara. It would be more logical to call it "Shabbat VeArva", which is the first word in the haftara –
וְעָרְבָה לַה' מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת (מלאכי ג, ד).
just as Chazon and Nachamu are named after the first word in the haftara.
I believe that, although seemingly superficial, the reason of the Maharshal is the correct one, but it embodies much greater depth.
Before we explore this further, a short perusal of the haftara is necessary.
Every time we end the Amidah, we say the above passuk וְעָרְבָה לַה' מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָיִם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת, that HKB"H will derive pleasure from the Mincha offering of Yehudah and Yerushalayim, as it once was כִּימֵי עוֹלָם and כְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת. What do these last two phrases mean?
It is a machloket in the Midrash (ויקרא רבה פרשה ז סימן ד). According to the first opinion כִּימֵי עוֹלָם refers to the days of Moshe and כְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת refers to the time of Shlomo Hamelech, when fire came down directly from Heaven (on the form of a crouching lion) and consumed the offerings on the Mizbeach. The second opinion (Rebi) says that כִּימֵי עוֹלָם refers to the days of Noach and כְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת refers to the days of Hevel. In both these periods, there was no avodah zara in the world. In the time of Noach, the rest of the world was wiped out and the world was reset with no avodah zara, Avodah zara only began in the generation of Enosh, which was after Hevel.
Our haftara begins with HKB"H saying how He yearns for those times when Am Yisrael were worthy, like before mankind began serving idols.
Unfortunately, however, mankind and Am Yisrael sinned, but HKB"H was steadfast in His promise to the Avot, that even though Am Yisrael would sin He would not wipe us out. When Am Yisrael sin, HKB"H immediately punishes us in small doses and doesn't "bottle things up". When evil nations sin, HKB"H does not immediately punish them, He "bottles up" their sins and at the end of days, He will bring retribution upon them by completely wiping them out (Malbim). Am Yisrael became confused, they observed the goyim prospering while we were suffering צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ. They lacked understanding of the above principle.
HKB"H chastises Am Yisrael saying that since the Avot, we have sinned and that He implored us to do tshuva שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם (another link to Shabbat Shuva) and we had the audacity to respond "Us? Sin? When did we sin?" HKB"H replies "You stole from Me with trumot and m'aasrot."
The Gemara (Gitin 81a) explains that this does not mean that Am Yisrael were actually violating the halacha. It is simply a comparison between the earlier generations who went out of their way to be able to perform the mitzva of truma and ma'aser, while the later generations did the opposite. The later generations were not ignorant of the halacha, they were perhaps "too well versed" in the halacha, so much so that they abused it to get out of performing the mitzva, whenever possible.
The halacha says that you are only required to separate truma and ma'aser from produce if you bring it into your home through the main entrance. However, if you bring the produce in from another place, like from the roof or the window, into your home, you are not required to separate truma and ma'aser. The later generation was not ignorant of the law, but instead of showing how they loved to perform HKB"H's mitzvas at every possible opportunity, they showed their disdain for His mitzvas, by looking for every loophole to get out of performing them.
However, they kicked themselves in the foot, because by their actions, by denying the Kohanim and Levi'im the trumot and ma'asraot, they were not deserving of the Heavenly abundance and their labors bore no fruit.
Their reluctance to relinquish the produce that they gathered and give trumot and ma'asrot reflected a lack of gratitude to HKB"H. Their mistaken thinking "Why should I part with this tenth apple from the tree, which I worked so hard to prune, fertilize, shield with nets from the birds, wrap in paper bags so that they fully ripen, etc.? I deserve this apple more than the Kohen/Levi does, it is my apple, not his" came back to bite them.
Trumot/ma'asrot are not simply gifts to the Kohanim/Levi'im, they are a sign of recognition and gratitude to HKB"H. When a person separates truma and ma'aser, he/she is not "losing out on the tenth apple", quite the opposite, the very act of recognition and gratitude that is truma and ma'aser, ensures that HKB"H heaps abundance on him/her that far outweighs one measly apple. Not only does HKB"H cause the earth to produce more abundant harvest, He also protects that harvest from locusts and other pests that threaten crops. When Am Yisrael perform HKB"H's mitzvot willingly and enthusiastically, HKB"H blesses us and we become the envy of other nations.
True servants of HKB"H though, do not perform mitzvot to get reward, they do so out of their love for HKB"H. They understand that the ikar is not this world but the next, and even so, they observe the mitzvot from love and not because they want to be rewarded in olam habah. As a true son loves his father - unconditionally.
Unconditional love for HKB"H will result in the greatest reward, when we return to this world after the Geulah and תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים and ultimately understand HKB"H's truth and why it only appears as if צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ, but in fact is the opposite.
The day of the Geulah is coming like a fiery furnace, when HKB"H uncloaks His Heavenly light, which will heal the righteous in a loving embrace and devour the evildoers like fire to straw, and no memory of evil will remain.
The nevuah of Malachi draws to an end with HKB"H entreating us to remember the Torah of Moshe His servant, that He commanded at Har Sinai, the חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים.
Behold, I (HKB"H) am sending you Eliyahu Hanavi, before this great and terrible day (the Geulah) to announce its coming. And Eliyahu will cause the entire world to do tshuva and the hearts of the sons will return to the hearts of the fathers. This is the ultimate chessed, that before HKB"H reveals Himself in the Geulah, we will have done tshuva and will not perish together with the evildoers.
When is this great day?
The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 11a) brings a machloket when the future Geulah will take place – in Tishrei (R' Eliezer) or Nisan (R' Yehoshua). Another Gemara (Sanhedrin 97b) brings the conclusion – both are right, they are each referring to the two possible timelines of Geulah בְּעִתָּהּ אֲחִישֶׁנָּה. R' Eliezer/Tishrei is referring to the eventuality that Am Yisrael all preemptively do tshuva אֲחִישֶׁנָּה. R' Yehoshua/Nisan refers to the set final date regardless of whether Am Yisrael do tshuva or not בְּעִתָּהּ.
The reason it is called Shabbat HaGadol is not because of what happened in the past, but rather because of what will happen in the future. The Maharshal's reason is "correct", but it is not simply a play on words, as the Maharshal's reason superficially appears to be, like Shabbat Chazon or Shabbat Nachamu, it is commemoration of THE BIG DAY which is yet to come, the Shabbat before the Geulah.
This is why Shabbat HaGadol and Shabbat Shuva are linked in so many respects, because they are both intricately intertwined with the two timelines of the future Geulah.
The million-dollar question is – "Is the Geulah going to happen this month, during Nisan תשפ"ד?" The answer is … "I don’t know, nobody does!"
What I do know is that we need to behave as if it will. It is one of the Rambam's 13 principles of faith –
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּתְמַהְמֵהַּ, עִם כָּל זֶה אֲחַכֶּה לּוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיָּבוֹא
We have to live every day of our lives as if Mashiach is going to come today!
We all have contingency plans. We have savings schemes in the bank "in case of …". We have emergency lights in our homes "in case of …" We like to keep the gas tank filled in our car "in case of …" We back up our media on our smartphones "in case of …"
How many of us have a contingency plan if Mashiach would suddenly appear today? What will we wear? How will we get to Yerushalayim to witness the Beit HaMikdash descending from Heaven? By car/bus/taxi? Where will we dispose of our spectacles / hearing-aids / crutches / walkers / Advil / Acamol / Bandaids / etc. that we will no longer need – because all our ailments will be miraculously cured. Where is the closest place I can get a sheep to bring Korban Pesach? etc.
Unfortunately, the answer is – very few of us have such a contingency plan. Human nature is that we make contingencies for bad things that could possibly happen, not good things, especially not the "best of the best" things.
This is a failing amongst all of us and could very well be the reason that the Geulah has not yet come, because we do not truly believe in its reality, the same way we feel the need to save money in the bank. It is a failing in emunah.
This is what Shabbat HaGadol truly is or at least should be. We all congregate to listen to the Rav doresh on Hilchot HaPesach. How to kasher keilim? What percentage of a factory matza is a kezayit? Should we dip our fingers in the cup during the Ten Plagues or tip a drop out of the cup?
How many Shabbat HaGadol drashot have you heard that include the halachot of Korban Pesach? How to roast the sheep? What amount of sheep's meat to include in the Korech? Or the laws of bringing the Omer? What quantity of barley flour? How much oil? Levonah? How to wave it around? The answer is zero! And why? Because we do not have the Beit HaMikdash today and these halachot are not immediately applicable.
There is one Rav, however, who, although he lives in a reality where the Beit HaMikdash does not exist, this does not stop him from devoting his entire Shabbat HaGadol drasha to the halachot of Pesach in the Beit HaMikdash. You know who this Rav is? His name is מָרְדְּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי. He had a surprise gatecrasher to his drasha – Haman. Haman entered the Yeshiva in the middle of the drasha – which was all about … Kemitza. Haman had never heard of Kemitza before, so he asked what it was. One of the tinokot shel beit rabban explained to him that Kemitza is a measure of barley flour.
Why was Mordechai giving his Shabbat HaGadol drasha on Kemitza? There was no Beit HaMikdash in sight. Am Yisrael were in their darkest hour on the edge of oblivion … Davka to doresh on Kemitza for the Omer? What Omer? What Beit Hamikdash? What Am Yisrael? Tomorrow is the end of the world!
Mordechai's Shabbat HaGadol drasha was the TRUE Shabbat HaGadol drasha. It was total emunah. Making contingency plans for what HKB"H promised us will be, even though the current reality does not seem to corroborate that promise.
And what was the result of that Shabbat HaGadol drasha? Less than 70 years later, Am Yisrael were actually bringing the Omer again in the Beit HaMikdash!
If we really want the Geulah, we have to start living the reality of the Geulah, as if it is going to happen today.
Then it will.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Kasher Ve'Sameach
See you on Monday night in the Beit HaMikdash.