High Sabbaths

Shabbat ha - Gadol (Heb. שבת הגדול "the Great Shabbat " ) refers to the Shabbat before Passover. He is already dominated by the approaching Jewish feast.

Formation

The term " Great Shabbat " comes from Rashi in the 11th century. On the origin of the expression, there are different views: on the one hand, there is a reference to the miracles related to the Exodus from Egypt. For this purpose, noted the Jewish Encyclopedia, published in 1927, that the Sabbath will called just before Passover " Shabbat hagadol " because " the 10th Nissan, where once before liberation night in Egypt, the Passover sacrifice was provided (Ex. 12, 3 ), on the should be like p (sb Sabb. 87b ). " Moreover, in the haftorah that is read on this day, namely Malachi chapter. 3, verses 4-24, the Messianic redemption mentioned. The choice of this specific Haftarah as an additional worship lecture next to the weekly Torah portion expresses the popular belief that the messianic redemption of Israel would take place as the Exodus from Egypt in the same month. On the other hand, represented in particular by Leopold Zunz, the theory, the term " high Sabbath " has been repeated by the Church Fathers and hang out with the Saturday before the Christian Easter celebration together. In some ancient rabbinical sources also are the Sabbaths before Shavuot and Sukkot " Shabbat ha - Gadol " called.

Substantive features

On Shabbat ha - Gadol Sermon on the theme already the upcoming Passover holiday. It deals with the struggle between Moses and Pharaoh for the release of the people, the dietary laws or God's covenant with Israel.

In some Jewish communities it is customary to read on the Shabbat before Passover during the Minchagottesdienstes Excerpts from the Haggadah. In traditional synagogues, the rabbi treated on that day in his Drascha only the Kaschrutvorschriften that are specific for the Passover week.