Shabbat HaGadol: How Torah Study Broke the Chains of Egyptian Idolatry

After many long years in which parents were unable to teach their children because of slavery, generations passed under the crushing burden of “shortness of spirit and hard labor.” Alongside absolute Egyptian rule and pervasive idolatry, this culture gradually penetrated the Hebrew people, who were wasting away under their Egyptian masters.

Slowly but steadily, many sank into idolatry and forgot the tradition of the house of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

“Draw Away and Take for Yourselves”

As recorded in our parashah, on the eve of Pesach, Moshe commands the people: “Draw away and take for yourselves sheep for your families” (Shemot 12:21)

Our Sages interpret this command as containing a deeper call: “Draw your hands away from idolatry.” The Sages further reveal that this day was Shabbat — commemorated ever since as Shabbat HaGadol.

Can such a separation happen in a single moment? Is it truly possible to sever oneself so suddenly from a deeply ingrained culture and belief system?

Why Faith Did Not Yet Fully Take Hold

Perhaps the plagues enabled the act of leaving idolatry — but even so, full faith did not yet exist. After all, only at the Red Sea does the Torah say: “They believed in Hashem and in MosheHis servant.”

Why was their faith incomplete until then?

The explanation parallels that of Pharaoh himself — especially during the earlier plagues, when the Torah does not yet say that God hardened his heart.

Egypt: The Empire of Sorcery

One must understand that supernatural manipulation through sorcery is deeply embedded within the structure of creation, as part of the delicate balance between good and evil. The Sages describe sorcery as “denying the Heavenly court” (Chullin 7b; see Nefesh HaChaim, Gate 3, ch. 12). Egypt was the world superpower of sorcery.

The subtle distinctions between divine miracles and sorcery — those moments that led the magicians to say “This is the finger of God,” were not necessarily clear to the masses. As a result, the people did not rise up against Pharaoh despite their immense suffering. Pharaoh himself could cling to the belief that Moshe was simply wielding a more advanced form of magic.

This likely explains why some Israelites remained entrenched in denial and died during the plague of darkness, as Rashi cites from the Sages. Even those who followed Moshe were divided in their faith and still needed to be pulled away from idolatry (based on the Ha’amek Davar of the Netziv, Parashat Beshalach).

How Did Moshe Succeed at This Critical Moment?

How, then, did Moshe succeed at the moment of “draw away and take” — a command that also entailed the real danger of confrontation with the Egyptians, in decisively turning their hearts?

One of the great halachic authorities and commentators on the Shulchan Aruch, the Sema (author of Derishah u’Perishah, c. late 19th century), reveals a striking insight in his commentary on the Tur, Laws of Passover.

Moshe succeeded in drawing the people out from the depths of idolatrous impurity through the power of Torah study on Shabbat.

Shabbat and Torah: A Spiritual Force Multiplier

The combination of the sanctity of Shabbat with the sanctity of Torah — especially when Torah is taught by a great and righteous person, creates a tremendous spiritual force multiplier. Its power is so great that even deep impurity can be purified, even a hardened heart can melt, and a genuine inner transformation can occur.

Perhaps this is the deeper meaning behind Shabbat HaGadol. It commemorates that Shabbat when the great one of the generation expounded words of Torah to the public, awakening once again the multiplied power of Torah spoken on holy Shabbat. Some explain that this is precisely why it is called “the Great Shabbat.”

Thus arose the enduring custom in most Jewish communities: public Torah teaching on Shabbat and festivals — a practice instituted already by Moshe himself. This is not merely because people are free from work, but because the impact of Torah on Shabbat is exponentially greater.

This power is not limited to Shabbat HaGadol, nor only to public teaching.

Torah Study on Shabbat—Even in Private

Even for the individual, Torah study on Shabbat is an inexhaustible wellspring of light and holiness. It brings fresh insights, spiritual illumination, and the power to detach from the negative influences absorbed during the week.

In the Shabbat morning prayers we say: “Moshe rejoiced in the gift of his portion.”

The early authorities explain, as cited in the Tur (Orach Chaim 281), that when Moshe saw the crushing burden placed upon Israel in Egypt, he asked Pharaoh to grant them one day of rest each week. Pharaoh agreed, and Moshe chose the seventh day. When Israel was later commanded to observe Shabbat, Moshe rejoiced that the day he had chosen was sanctified by God — hence “Moshe rejoiced in the gift of his portion.”

This raises a question: the Patriarchs kept Shabbat, and presumably their children did as well. If so, what was new about Moshe’s choice of Shabbat, and why is it called his gift?

Shabbat as a Day of Torah

The Midrash answers that Moshe infused that day of rest with Torah study. As Rav Shach would often emphasize, the Israelites possessed scrolls of Torah traditions from their ancestors, which they studied on Shabbat.

Thus, Moshe activated this spiritual “force multiplier” already in Egypt. He taught the nation that the day of rest was not merely a social concession, but a day of true rest and faith — a “day of rest and holiness” through Torah.

While it did not fully overcome the impurity of Egypt during the years of enslavement, it left a lasting imprint. It strengthened the spiritual points through which Israel succeeded in preserving themselves in Egypt — guarding against sexual immorality and complete assimilation into Egyptian society.

A Power Entrusted to Each of Us

This immense power is placed in the hands of every one of us.

Let us take advantage of the long winter Shabbat nights to delight not only in physical rest, but also in Torah study — each person according to their nature and schedule. One stays up late, another rises early. One studies Talmud and halachah; another studies the weekly portion and its Midrash.