Shabbos as the root of redemption

כתיב שער החצר כו' יהי' סגור ששת ימי המעשה כו'.

It is written, "The gate of the courtyard… shall be closed during the six working days," etc. (Yechezkel 46:1).

The prophet describes an inner gate that stays shut through the six weekdays and opens only on Shabbos.

וכתיב הטעם [*יחזקאל מ"ד] כי ה' אלקי ישראל בא בו.

And the reason is written [Yechezkel 44]: "for Hashem, the God of Yisrael, has entered through it."

The gate is sanctified because Hashem's presence passes through it, which is why it is reserved and not used like an ordinary entrance.

כי בשבת נתגלה הנהגה עליונה שלמעלה מן הטבע ולכן השבת מיוחד רק לבני ישראל שהם מוכנים לקבל הנהגה זו.

For on Shabbos a higher mode of conduct (hanhagah elyonah) is revealed, one that is above nature, and therefore Shabbos is designated only for Bnei Yisrael, who are prepared to receive this conduct.

Shabbos uncovers a way Hashem runs the world that transcends natural law, and only Bnei Yisrael are fitted to absorb that supernatural illumination.

וכמו שיש פתיחת זה השער בביהמ"ק.

And just as there is an opening of this gate in the Beis HaMikdash,

The gate that opens on Shabbos in the Temple has a parallel within the human soul.

כן בנפשות בני ישראל נפתח זו הנקודה שרשית מצד חלק אלוה ממעל.

so too in the souls of Bnei Yisrael this root-point is opened, by virtue of the "portion of God from above" (chelek Eloka mi-ma'al).

On Shabbos an inner point within the Jewish soul — its Divine core — is opened up, mirroring the opening of the Temple gate.

ולכן נאסר בו המלאכה לבנ"י.

That is why melachah (creative work) is forbidden to Bnei Yisrael on it.

Because Shabbos belongs to this supernatural inner opening, ordinary worldly labor is set aside.

כי אלה השערים הם בעולם שנה נפש.

For these gates exist in "olam, shanah, nefesh" — world, year, and soul.

The same gateway of holiness appears in three dimensions: in place (the Mikdash), in time (Shabbos), and in the person (the soul).

ולכן נגמר זה השבת ביציאת מצרים.

And therefore this Shabbos was brought to completion at yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt).

The full power of Shabbos was realized in the redemption from Egypt.

כי מזה השער נעשה הגאולה.

For it was through this gate that the geulah (redemption) came about.

The redemption broke through precisely this inner, supernatural gate.

ואיתא בגמרא גז"ש זכור כו' יום השבת וכתיב זכור כו' היום אשר יצאת מה להלן בעצומו של יום.

And it is brought in the Gemara as a gezeirah shavah (a textual analogy): "Remember… the day of Shabbos," and it is written, "Remember… this day on which you went out" — just as there it refers to the very substance of the day itself,

The Gemara links Shabbos and the Exodus through the shared word "Remember," and just as the Exodus took place in the heart of the day,

וקי"ל אין גזירה שוה למחצה.

and we hold that "there is no gezeirah shavah that applies only halfway,"

A textual analogy must carry over fully, in both directions, not partially.

א"כ יש ללמוד שעיקר הגאולה נעשה בשבת.

it follows that one may learn that the essence of the redemption took place on Shabbos.

The analogy therefore teaches that the core of the redemption itself unfolded on Shabbos.

והוא מה שמשכו ידיהם מע"ז בעשור לניסן שהי' בשבת ונפתח להם שער הפנימי.

This refers to their drawing their hands away from avodah zarah (idolatry) on the tenth of Nissan, which fell on Shabbos, when the inner gate was opened for them.

On that Shabbos, the tenth of Nissan, Bnei Yisrael withdrew from idolatry, and through that the inner gate of holiness opened to them.

והם השלימו את השבת.

And they thereby completed the Shabbos.

By that act of withdrawal and renewal, Bnei Yisrael brought Shabbos to its full expression.

לכן איתא כי השבת מעיד על בנ"י ובנ"י מעידין על השבת.

Therefore it is brought that Shabbos testifies about Bnei Yisrael, and Bnei Yisrael testify about Shabbos.

There is a mutual testimony: Shabbos bears witness to the holiness of Bnei Yisrael, and they bear witness to the truth of Shabbos.

ולכן נזכר בכתוב ה' אלקי ישראל בא בו.

That is why the pasuk mentions, "Hashem, the God of Yisrael, has entered through it."

The verse specifically names "the God of Yisrael," for the revelation comes about through Bnei Yisrael.

לומר שהתגלות הנהגה עליונה בעולם הי' רק בזכותן של בני ישראל שנמשכו אחר הנהגה זו.

This is to say that the revelation of the higher conduct in the world came about solely in the merit of Bnei Yisrael, who drew themselves after this conduct.

The supernatural illumination enters the world only because Bnei Yisrael align themselves with it and draw it down.

ולכן שבת שקודם פסח הוא שורש הגאולה.

Therefore the Shabbos that precedes Pesach is the root of the redemption.

Shabbos HaGadol, the Shabbos before Pesach, is the source from which the redemption flows.

ונאמר על השבת תחלה למקראי קודש.

And it is said of Shabbos that it is "first of the holy convocations" (techilah le-mikra'ei kodesh).

Shabbos stands at the head of all the appointed holy days.

ולפי שניסן ר"ה לרגלים שבכל שנה מתחדשין השלשה רגלים.

And since Nissan is the Rosh Hashanah for the festivals, in that each year the three regalim (festivals) are renewed,

Nissan inaugurates the yearly cycle of the festivals, renewing them anew each year.

ממילא השבת שמקודם כל הרגלים ג"כ מתחדש ולכן נקרא שבת הגדול כי גם הימים טובים נקראו שבתות.

it follows that the Shabbos preceding all the festivals is likewise renewed; and therefore it is called Shabbos HaGadol (the Great Shabbos), for the Yamim Tovim are also called "Shabbosos."

Since this Shabbos heads and renews the entire festival cycle, it is "great" — greater than the Yamim Tovim, which themselves bear the name Shabbos.

אבל השבת גדול מהם ושורש של כל הרגלים:

But the Shabbos is greater than they, and is the root of all the festivals.

Shabbos is the source and root from which the holiness of all the festivals derives, and so it is the "Great" Shabbos.

Summary: On Shabbos a supernatural mode of Divine conduct is revealed, opening an inner "gate" that exists in world (the Mikdash), year (Shabbos), and soul (the Divine point within a Yid). This same gate brought about the redemption from Egypt, which the Sefas Emes shows — via a gezeirah shavah — took place on Shabbos, when Bnei Yisrael withdrew from idolatry on the tenth of Nissan. Shabbos and Bnei Yisrael testify to one another, and the Shabbos before Pesach, as the renewing head of the whole festival cycle, is the root of the redemption and is therefore called Shabbos HaGadol.