In Egypt, on the 10th day of the month of Nissan, only 5 days days before the march to freedom began, on that day, our people were were given their first instruction which applied only to that Shabbat, but not to future generations: “ 2)

In The Hagada Shel Pesach, we are told that we should see ourselves, not just our ancestors, to be part of the Exodus.

Perhaps we should try to see ourselves, and not just our ancestors, celebrating Shabbat Ha-Gadol as well,
3)

trying to understand the thoughts and emotions of a people getting ready for an epic journey, for an enormous change in their lives, for their loss of everything they knew in anticipation of the unknown, the risks, the potential rewards, of freedom and nationhood.
4)

They were preparing to take a chance based on faith in a future they could not yet define, and for which they only had a limited ability to prepare. 5)

On that 10th of Nissan, or the Shabbat closest to preceding Pesach, that we commemorate Shabbat ha-Gadol every year, an entire people was mentally and emotionally preparing, looking toward the future.
6)

Not just for a nice meal. Not just for getting together with friends. But for a revolution, the first of its kind in the world, the first step of which was a few days away, a revolution of freeing a nation, creating a people,
7)

teaching them to think and act as a free people, a nation of laws, of self-discipline, of humaneness and caring.

There was a lot to think about. I wonder if we could do that again. 8)

There was a tradition that began in Iberia, and in parts of Italy, maybe 2000 years ago, after Jews had scattered due to the Roman destruction of our center in Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael, and when Jews worldwide were shocked and depressed and looking for answers, 9)

it became customary to think about the future, to understand that tomorrow will be better, and when greeting one another on this Shabbat, to add the title of the day:

Shabbat haGadol Mevorach. —— a blessed Shabbat haGadol." 10)