There are many traditional reasons why the Sabbath before Passover is called Shabbat Hagadol, the Great Sabbath. I think it’s great because we’re heading into the final countdown to Pesach. Although I dread how much more cleaning we have to do before the holiday, I look forward to the Seders when my children and grandchildren will be around the table. I can’t wait.
There is an Elijah connection between Shabbat Hagadol and the Passover Seder. Elijah is mentioned in this week’s haftorah and near the end of the Seder we open up the door to invite Elisha into her home.
“Reb Shlomo (Carlebach) would teach that Eliyahu Hanavi, Elijah the prophet, delights in bringing children and parents together. As it says in the book of the prophets (which we read this Shabbat as the haftarah) "Behold I send you Elijah the prophet... He shall restore the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents." (Malaci 3:24)
“Rabbi Shlomo taught that the Seder night is all about bringing parents and children closer to one another. So at the end of the Seder, Elijah the prophet knocks on the door to say that before the Messiah comes, he needs to do the work of bringing parents and children closer to one another. We hope and pray that when Elijah visits our home he will say, ‘I am happy to see that I will not need to make another stop here before the coming of the Messiah... Because here I see that you have come so close to one another.’" A Night that Unites Haggadah Page 224-225
I hope that your
family Seder will be filled with love and harmony that when Elijah enters your
home he will see parents and children’s hearts turn towards each other and thus
we shall merit our final redemption on your account.
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