Toward the end of the “yotzros” for Shabbos Hagadol is a piyut composed by R’ Yosef Tov Elem (who lived 1,000 years ago) and which begins “Elokei haruchos l’chol bosor”. This piyut gives the whole spectrum of the laws of Pesach in a rhymed form and it begins with an alphabetical acrostic. A slow reading of this piyut can serve as an excellent introduction to one’s learning the detailed laws of Pesach.

Many shuls read a special haftarah on Shabbos Hagadol, but there is no special maftir, and so one reads from just one Sefer Torah. In contrast, in the weeks which almost precede Shabbos Hagadol, it is possible to have a situation where one reads from (at least) two Sifrei Torah on every Shabbos throughout a particular month. This occurs in Yerushalayim when 1 Adar (Adar Sheni in a leap year) occurs on Shabbos. That Shabbos will be parashas Shekalim; the following Shabbos – parashas Zachor; the following Shabbos will be Purim in Yerushalayim; the following Shabbos – parashas Poroh; and the following and last Shabbos that month will be parashas Hachodesh