We can learn much about Hebrew's unique outpouring of family relations by noting two intriguing terms related to the exodus from Egypt. First, in Exodus 12:11 we are told to eat unleaven bread with KHiPaZon (Het-Pay-Zayin root). Similarly, in Deuteronomy 16:3 it is stated that we eat matzo because we left Egypt with KHiPaZon (both times translated "haste"). Matzoh is more than Jewish fast food, so we shouldn't settle for a one-dimensional rendering of such a key word. Perhaps you have already heard the word FAS(T) in our (H)-F-Z root. The rapidity of FAST is lost in its given etymology, which focuses only on the opposite, steadFAST meaning.

    Besides Aramaic PaZeeZ (haste), the Hebrew family also offers PaHaZ (reckless, hurried), PeSa (sudden) and PaZaZ ( leaping, jumping or dancing with all the PIZAZZ of King David when celebrating the dedicated Temple in II Samuel 6:16. PIZAZZ is more than quickness and agility, it's flair and exhuberance. Passover and the seder is all about theatre, so it's good to add some PIZAZZ to our matzo.

    There's no great leap from the HPZ terms above to KaPHatZ (jump, the Koph-Pey source of HOP), while it is a hop, skip and jump to Pey-Sin-Khet (a word that means pass over, Passover or SKIP). All this enthusiastic jumping is to show our KHaiPHetZ (desire, source of APPET[ITE]). MiTZVoaT (commandments), like MaTZoaT (unleavened breads) -- both spelled the same in Hebrew -- should be digested with appetite, as if they were as precious as gold or CaPiTal (also from KHAiPeTZ). The Pay-Zayin two-letter root for much of the above means gold, source of PHOS[PHORUS]. While the exodus was a kind of spiritual and material gold rush for the Israelite slaves, we can depart the golden and rushing themes above for other non-coincidental sound-alikes such as the (Ha)PHTZA'aH (breaking out, spreading forth) of KHoPHeSH (freedom).

    The second key exodus word that requires a KHeePooS (search) for relative terms is Ayin-Tsadi-Mem ETZeM (bone). Not a bone of the pascal sacrifice is to be broken, but why does a key verse (Exodus 12:41) place the exodus at the "bone of the day." The translators, out of necessity, finally get creative to render the verse as meaning "that selfsame day." They cite an Aleph-Tsadi-Mem word that means "itself," but the meaning of "that selfsame day" is lost in an absurd redundancy. We get closer by examining other Aleph-Tsadi-Mem terms that mean strength (OMeTS) and middle (EMTSa).

    But we get still closer to the bone of contention by going farther abroad, getting help from the ancient Chinese language. (Chinese is also from Edenic; it's just unfortunate to Western ears that several consenants were replaced by rising and falling accents.) The Chinese term zhong confirms the versatility of the Tsadi-Mem root as it means: center, middle, core, noontime, middle finger and backbone. Here we have a clear semantic connection from centrality and strength to the figurative or literal backbone. The exodus occured in the backbone of the day, high noon, when all could see this high drama. The Hebrews did not slink out at dawn or dusk like escaping slaves.

    Don't forget to break the middle matzo and to enjoy the MaTZoaT and MiTZVoaT of Passover with pizazz.

Isaac Mozeson mozeson@mail.idt.net

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