This is equally true for us today. While we get to commemorate the victory of Pesach with the Seder meal, the Seder itself should be a culmination of a period of preparation anticipating a newfound freedom for us in our lives as we live them in the here and now. The development of the tradition over the years in Jewish life has led to four special Shabbats which help us prepare for Passover( and Purim as well, but that was last month!). These Shabbatot are: Shabbat Shekalim, Shabbat Zakhor, Shabbat Parah, and Shabbat HaChodesh. Though the themes and traditions vary between them all, they all share having a special maftir( or closing section) added to the Torah reading for the week on each Shabbat. These Shabbat’ s help us set our minds on getting ready for the month of Nisan exploring various themes from the Torah that remind us that our freedom also obligates us to:
( 1) Give our funds to support the community,( 2) Remember that there are those who would stand against us and our God, and( 3) To consider that Adonai provides a means for us to be redeemed from the contamination of death.
And all of these are before the month of Nisan even arrives!
Now that the month of Seder is upon us, there is one last special Shabbat – Shabbat HaGadol – the great Shabbat! This last special Shabbat ties us to the selection of the particular lamb that would have the Paschal responsibility to become the sacrifice that reminds us of our liberation.
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