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Holy Days -
Pesach
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Written by Oizer Alport
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Zeh korban Aharon u’vanav asher yakruv l’Hashem b’yom himashach oso … v’haKohen hamashiach tachtav mibanav ya’aseh osah (6:13-15)
The Torah describes the special meal-offering to be brought by every Kohen on the occasion of his beginning to perform the Temple service. The Gemora in Horayos (12b) rules that in addition to bringing this meal-offering on the day of his anointment, the Kohen Gadol was also required to bring this sacrifice every day of his tenure. The Sfas Emes posits that the difference between the Kohen Gadol and a regular Kohen is that the Kohen Gadol is required to refresh and symbolically re-inaugurate himself on a daily basis, thereby necessitating his
daily offering of this sacrifice.
Based on this explanation, the Ohr Gedalyahu suggests that we may derive from the Kohen Gadol that part of the definition of the word “Gadol” – greatness – is renewal. With this understanding, we may now offer a new insight into the special name of this Shabbos – Shabbos HaGadol. Some commentators explains that the word “Shabbos” comes from the root “Shav,” which means to return. Shabbos is a time when everything in creation returns to its source, rendering it specifically suited for renewal.
In particular, this Shabbos corresponds to the time when our ancestors separated their sheep for the Korban Pesach and began to prepare for their imminent redemption. As the physical world parallels the spiritual, and our world begins to rejuvenate and herald the coming of spring, Shabbos HaGadol represents a unique opportunity to begin our own personal spiritual rebirth.
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