05 Apr SHABBOS HAGADOL

The Tur (430) writes, “The Shabbos before Pesach is Shabbos HaGadol because a nes gadol, a great miracle, happened†on†that†dayƆ˛On†this†final†Shabbos in Mitzrayim], everyone took a sheep for the korban Pesach and tied it to their bedposts. The Mitzrim asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ The Yidden replied that Hashem commanded them to slaughter the sheep as a korban Pesach. The Egyptians were distressed that the Yidden planned to slaughter their G-ds, but they didn’t have permission to say anything. Therefore, in remembrance of this great miracle, this Shabbos is called Shabbos HaGadol.”

Tosfos (Shabbos 87:) states that there†is†more†to†this†storyƆThe†firstborns of Mitzrayim asked the Yidden why they tied the sheep to the bedposts. The Yidden replied that they are for a korban Pesach to celebrate†the†deaths†of†firstborn†Egyptians. Because on the night of Pesach¨†Hashem†will†smite†all†firstborn†EgyptiansƆThe†firstborn†Egyptians rushed to their parents and Pharaoh and demanded that they free the Jewish nation to spare their lives. Pharaoh and their parents didn’t heed their shouts.

At†that†point¨†the†firstborns†declared war on Mitzrayim. As it states (Tehillim 136:10), To smite the Egyptians†by†their†firstbornsÆ”†Many†Egyptians died in that war. This is the miracle that we celebrate on Shabbos HaGadol.1 Whichever translation of Shabbos HaGadol you prefer, Shabbos HaGadol is a day to praise Hashem for the miracles He performed for us.

Therefore, this week we will discuss the important avodah of praising Hashem. We will study how to praise Hashem, and the great salvations that come from it. We should praise Hashem for the miracles of yetzias Mitzrayim and the myriad of miracles that He performs every day.

Focus on the Good

To†praise†Hashem¨†you†first†have†to†recognize all the goodness you enjoy in life. If you do not focus on the good, you will think you have no reason to praise Hashem.Therefore, instead of thinking about how much you lack, consider all the good you possess. With this in mind, you will be able to praise Hashem. Of course, this is easier said than done because people tend to take all the good they enjoy in life for granted. They think that it couldn’t be otherwise and don’t feel compelled to thank and praise Hashem for all the good He bestows upon them. There was a gadol in Yerushalayim who wanted to help parents recognize the goodness in their lives, so when someone came and told him, “I get a mazal tov! My wife just had a baby,” he would respond, “That’s wonderful newsƆHow†many†fingers†does†the†baby have?”

“Ten.”

“Ten? Baruch Hashem! Mazal tov! Mazal tov! You should have much nachas!”

He†would†mention†the†ten†fingers†to†remind the parent that he should thank Hashem for that, as well. Once, a baby was just born, and the parents watched in horror as the doctor painstakingly examined each of†the†newborn†child’s†fingersÆ

“Doctor, is something wrong?” they asked.

“Everything†is†fine¨”†the†doctor†replied.

“It is just that as a doctor, I must check the child’s health and report it in writing. Part of my job is to count and make sure that the child has all ten†fingersƆSo†I†was†looking†at†the†fingers†and†counting†themÆ”

Yes, we must be thankful for that too, and for the billions of other miracles Hashem does for us each day. Reb Shlomo Brevda zt’l was walking down the stairway from his second≠floor†apartment†and†slippedƆHe†could have fallen all the way to the street below, but with

Hashem’s help, he grabbed onto the handrail. He considered this a miracle and was sure that he would never be the same person anymore. His†Torah¨†his†tefillah¨†and†everything he does would be different. But soon enough, he forgot about the salvation and went back to serving Hashem as he had before. He went to the Chazon Ish zt’l to ask him why this occurred. The Chazon Ish replied, “Do you think miracles happen only to you? Everyone experiences miracles. That’s why we say in [You praise We, ‘[םוי†לכבש†ךיסינ†לע†ונמע†Modim for the miracles You perform for us each and every day.’ But there is a yetzer hara that is appointed†specifically†to†cause†people†to forget.

That’s what happened to you. You forgot the miracle. A person’s avodah is to remember the good chasadim that Hakadosh Baruch Hu does with him, all the time.” I heard about an eighty-seven-year-old man who was hospitalized and was placed on a respirator. Two weeks later, when he recovered, the hospital personnel told him, “Your condition became critical, and we were in an emergency, so we put you on a respirator. But now that you are well enough to be off the machine, you will need to pay for it. It will be ten thousand dollars…”

The old man began to cry. “O.K., we’ll give you a deduction.” He cried some more. “You know what, we’ll charge you half because we see that it is so hard for you to pay for it.”

He replied, “I wasn’t crying over the cost. I was crying because when I heard that to breathe for two weeks the cost is ten thousand dollars, I realized how thankful I should be to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Who enables me to breathe all the time. And Hashem gives it to me for free and without any pain. How thankful I should be to Hashem!”

This story reminds us of the following Gemara (Bava Metzia 86.): On a sweltering day, Reb Shimon ben Chalafta sat on the top of a mountain and asked his daughter to wave a fan for him. He told her that he would pay her with a package of besamim. And then the wind blew, and Reb Shimon ben Chalafta was relieved. He said, “How many packages of besamim do I owe to the Creator of these winds!”

The Toras Chaim (Bava Kama 16.) writes, “Hashem does kindness with every person every day and every moment. Mankind does not recognize the miracles that happen to them.

They perceive the world and all that occurs in it as a result of nature. They don’t appreciate that their every step, movement, and breath are from Hashem Yisbarach. It would be proper for a person to praise Hashem every moment, as Chazal say המשנה†≠†ללהת†י”ה†לכ†,we should praise Hashem for each breath. But it is impossible to do so. Therefore, Anshei Kneses HaGedolah instituted to recite Modim three times each day. When we say this prayer of gratitude, we should praise Hashem for everything. When we say ךל†,we thank Hashem for each המישנ†,each breath. Chazal instituted that one should bow during Modim, in the manner that people bow to one another when they express their gratitude. Chazal say that if one doesn’t bow during Modim, his spine will become a snake in his grave. This is because he didn’t bow by Modim to praise Hashem for His kindness, which means he doesn’t believe in

Hashem’s kindness. The Midrash says that the snake (who came to entice Chavah) stood upright (הפוקז†המוק†.(It didn’t bow in gratitude to Hashem. When one doesn’t bow by Modim, he resembles the snake, who didn’t recognize Hashem’s kindness.”