Shabbat HaGadol (The Great Shabbat) has several reasons for its name. The most famous comes from a Midrash stating that on the 10th of Nissan, the Jewish People were instructed to tie a lamb to their bedposts to be slaughtered later as the Korban Pesah (Shemot 12:1-3). We commemorate the miracle that the Egyptians saw this and yet did nothing to stop it. The Egyptians heard that their god would be brought as a sacrifice in a few days and they simply accepted and moved on.
Wait, weren’t the Egyptians a little busy? Around this same time the plague of locusts and darkness had just rained down on Egypt and the threat of the most devastating of them all, the death of the Egyptian firstborns, was next. Surely they had bigger things to worry about. On top of that, compared to so many other miracles of the Exodus, this one seems almost insignificant. Why is this, according to the Midrash, the reason we call this Shabbat, Shabbat HaGadol?
Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin (Oznayim LaTorah) explains that we are naturally more moved by open, dramatic miracles than by quiet ones. In reality though, the quiet ones, the ones that can be explained away as coincidence, are actually more impressive. Our Rabbis recognized this miracle precisely because it could have been overlooked, and chose it specifically to teach us not to discount the quiet ones.
We pray for the big miracle and thank G-d when it comes. Though quiet miracles happen around us all the time. Late last year I was flying to Los Angeles amid a record breaking storm and a government shutdown. Flights around me were canceled, mine was delayed five hours, and the plane scheduled to be mine was diverted. Eventually another aircraft came and somehow we made it to LAX. Maybe it was good timing. Or maybe G-d made sure it happened, quietly, without any fanfare.
As we head into Pesah and its travel season, take note of those quiet miracles. Remember the lesson of Shabbat HaGadol. G-d is always looking out for us. Have safe travels, hag sameah and remember to thank G-d along the way.