Final answer:
Shabbat Hagadol is the 'Great Sabbath' before Passover, remembered during the Seder with a haggadah like the opulent Golden Haggadah, which showcases its owners' wealth with gold-leaf illustrations, despite the second commandment's usual prohibition of images.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase Shabbat Hagadol refers to the "Great Sabbath," the Shabbat immediately before Passover. This special Shabbat commemorates the final Sabbath before the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, a formative event retold during the Passover Seder with the aid of a haggadah. The Golden Haggadah, one of the most luxurious medieval Haggadot, is a prime example, known for its opulent gold-leaf illuminated miniatures, signifying the wealth of the owning family near Barcelona in the early fourteenth century. Despite Judaism's second commandment, which prohibits 'graven images,' the educational nature of haggadot exempts them from this rule. The fine condition of the Golden Haggadah suggests it may have been used more for ceremonial purposes rather than regular use, to display the family's prosperity during the Passover celebration.