The Aish Kodesh delivered one Shabbat HaGadol drasha in the Warsaw Ghetto that is known to us, in 1941. He opened with the Gemara in Yoma (69b), discussing the bracha of Ezra for “Hashem, the great G-d” (Nehemiah 8:6). The Gemara asks: What makes Hashem great (in this context)? Rav Yosef taught in the name of Rav that Ezra used the four-letter Name. Rav Gidel taught that Ezra recited from Tehillim (106:48), “Blessed is Hashem the G-d of Israel from one world to the next.” The Aish Kodesh asked: What is the significance behind these different opinions?
He explains that all other names we use to describe Hashem were given by Adam or by tzaddikim of Israel. But when we call Hashem by this name which He called Himself, it makes us great and Hashem is made great by the greatness He confers upon His nation. Something is great in proportion to something else that is smaller. The more we draw attention to Hashem’s relative greatness, the greater He appears to the rest of the world. According to Rav, Hashem is magnified by the tzaddikim who call His name and make manifest His greatness in the world.
According to Rav Gidel, it isn’t the tzaddikim that demonstrate the greatness of Hashem. The recitation of the Name is typically only done in the Beit HaMikdash on Yom Kippur by the Kohen Gadol. But when Ezra said “Blessed is Hashem,” etc. and all the people responded Amen, it was the people of Israel who made Hashem’s greatness known. Hashem’s greatness is seen reflected in the common people of Israel, and it is the simplest among us who make His greatness known. Every Jewish person, no matter how simple, if he serves Hashem with dedication and purity, elevates himself and elevates Hashem in proportion. The more he makes himself great, the greater Hashem appears to be.
This is how Hashem’s greatness was revealed in Mitzrayim. Hashem tells Moshe that He is going to afflict the Mitzrim with misfortunes in order to multiply wonders, and Israel will see and recognize His greatness. But as the Aish Kodesh points out, Hashem could have easily removed Israel from the bondage of Mitzrayim and shown them wonders anywhere at any time. So why did He do this in Mitzrayim while they were still slaves? The reason is that when a person is suffering, when he is truly debased and desperate, he has the most powerful longing and desire to see Hashem come through for him. Hashem was going to rescue us and transport us to our Land to be free and at peace. But Hashem knew the most powerful display of His greatness could only be at our greatest moment of need –when he appeared to us as we turned to Him out of desperation.
On the Shabbat before Pesach, Israel risked everything to begin offering the Korban Pesach, and in doing so we made ourselves great, making G-d that much greater in proportion. This manifestation of the Divine light of redemption – in just the moment we most needed to see it – was the greatest thing Hashem could do for us. That is what makes this Shabbat great. In every generation we try to relive that experience and that awareness, to bring that light back into the world in anticipation of Pesach and our impending redemption by the hand of Hashem.
