Regarding the custom to turn over the tables on Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat right before Pesach. Speech remains in exile until Pesach. PeSaCh is Peh SaCh (a mouth speaking).141Sha'ar HaKavanot, Inyan Pesach #6; Likutey Moharan I, 49:6. On Pesach, speech emerges from exile. This is the main idea of the Exodus.
“He spoke to me”: Regarding my food and sustenance - that is the table that is derived from the category of speech. Thus, it is written, “ From all that emanates from God’s mouth will man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
When speech is not in exile, then the table is turned toward us in an aspect of Face. “He spoke to me, this is the table that is facing (lifnei) God.” Lifnei literally means “towards the face of.”142Cf. Likutey Moharan I, 67:2; Zimrat Ha'aretz, p. 105. When “He spoke to me,” then the table is in an aspect of Face or facing.
Speech remains in exile until Pesach, until the Exodus. The tables are therefore turned over on Shabbat Hagadol, showing that speech is not yet in an aspect of Face. Speech emerges from exile only on Pesach — Peh Sach, “the mouth speaking.”
הֲפִיכַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן בְּשַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל, מְרַמֵּז כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא יָצָא הַדִּבּוּר מֵהַגָּלוּת עַד פֶּסַח, שֶׁאָז יָצָא הַדִּבּוּר מֵהַגָּלוּת בְּחִינַת "פֶּה סָח" כַּיָּדוּעַ, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר בְּחִינַת יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁיָּצָא הַדִּבּוּר מֵהַגָּלוּת.
Regarding the custom to turn over the tables on Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat right before Pesach. Speech remains in exile until Pesach. PeSaCh is Peh SaCh (a mouth speaking).141Sha'ar HaKavanot, Inyan Pesach #6; Likutey Moharan I, 49:6. On Pesach, speech emerges from exile. This is the main idea of the Exodus.
וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן הוּא בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר בְּחִינַת (יְחֶזְקֵאל מא): "וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי ה'".
The table connotes speech as it is written, “He spoke to me, this is the table that is before God” (Ezekiel 41:22).
וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי' דַּיְקָא, כִּי עִקַּר הַפַּרְנָסָה וְהָאֲכִילָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שֻׁלְחָן, הוּא מִשָּׁם, מִבְּחִינַת דִּבּוּר בְּחִינַת: "כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִּי ה' יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם" (דְּבָרִים ח).
“He spoke to me”: Regarding my food and sustenance - that is the table that is derived from the category of speech. Thus, it is written, “ From all that emanates from God’s mouth will man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
וּכְשֶׁאֵין הַדִּבּוּר בַּגָּלוּת אָז הַשֻּׁלְחָן שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת דִּבּוּר בִּבְחִינַת פָּנִים בִּבְחִינַת: "וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלַי זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי ה'" דַּיְקָא בְּחִינַת פָּנִים.
When speech is not in exile, then the table is turned toward us in an aspect of Face. “He spoke to me, this is the table that is facing (lifnei) God.” Lifnei literally means “towards the face of.”142Cf. Likutey Moharan I, 67:2; Zimrat Ha'aretz, p. 105. When “He spoke to me,” then the table is in an aspect of Face or facing.
וְעַל־כֵּן בְּשַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאָז הוּא קֹדֶם יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, אֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת הֲפִיכַת הַשֻּׁלְחָן, שֶׁמְּרַמְּזִין שֶׁהַדִּבּוּר הָיָה בְּגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם עַד שֶׁזָּכִינוּ לִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בְּפֶסַח, וְאָז יָצָא הַדִּבּוּר מִן הַגָּלוּת בְּחִינַת פֶּה-סָח כַּנַּ"ל.
Speech remains in exile until Pesach, until the Exodus. The tables are therefore turned over on Shabbat Hagadol, showing that speech is not yet in an aspect of Face. Speech emerges from exile only on Pesach — Peh Sach, “the mouth speaking.”