PESACH

[Dr. Goodword]

• Pesach •

Pronunciation: pe-sahk • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: Passover, a Jewish holiday beginning on the 15th of Nisan (the night of April 23 in 2005, since Jewish days begin at sundown) and traditionally continuing for eight days, commemorating the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.

Notes: The highlight of the celebration of Pesach is the Seder, a supper held on the first (or first two) day(s) of Pesach. All of the food has meaning: only unleavened matzah bread is eaten and green vegetables are dipped in a vinegar or salty water to symbolize the suffering of the Jews crossing the desert. Children recite passages and answer questions showing that they have learned the significance of Pesach that they will pass on to their children.

In Play: The Haggadah, the story of the Exodus from which everyone at the table reads, plays a central role at the Seder. The story of the Exodus is told four ways, each emphasizing a different aspect of the Exodus and its importance for the Jewish people. According to the synoptic gospels, the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Last Supper that Jesus attended was a traditional Seder. (The Book of John places it the day before the Seder, on the day when the sacrificial lamb was slaughtered.)

Word History: Today's Good Word is an English attempt at Hebrew pesah "Passover" from the verb pasah "to pass over". (What else?) Pasch "Passover, Easter" is the Aramaic variant of the same Semitic root. It is the origin of the word for Easter in most European languages: French Pâques, Spanish Pascua, Italian Pasqua, Swedish Påsk, and Russian Paskha. Those of us here at The Lexiteria and the Alpha Dictionary Site hope the homes of all our Jewish friends are filled with peace and love during this Pesach season.

[Brazilian dude]

What about Portuguese Páscoa? Why do you always neglect Portuguese? Don't you know that I take offense when you do that?

What about pronuncing Pesach like Pesahkh? That would be right up my alley, along with Chanukah, chutzpah and loch.

Brazilian dude

[astrokatastro]

In Greek the word is Pasha Πάσχα. Orthodox Christians celebrate this year the pass over from the death to Life ( την Ανάσταση του Χριστού) in 1st of May. Καλή Ανάσταση και Χριστός Ανέστη ( Kalh Anastash and Xristos Anesth) to all Christians.

[M. Henri Day]

Let us now, in remembrance of the season, break virtual red eggs (do virtual eggs possess colour ?) with each other in the Greek fashion....

Henri

[Dr. Goodword]

1. Portuguese? Done. I will try to be more attentive to the needs of Portuguese speakers in the future.

2. Pronunciation: Of course, in Hebrew the CH is pronounced KH, which shows up in the Greek and Russian words.

[Brazilian dude]

Thank you for taking my feelings into consideration, Dr. Goodword.

Brazilian dude

[astrokatastro]

Yes, but not virtual, real boiled eggs. Red because of the blood of Christ symbolizing the earth.

[M. Henri Day]

Yes, but not virtual, real boiled eggs.

I agree with you, astrokatastro, that real boiled eggs are better than virtual ones, but alas, on the net and on the Agora, virtual is about as good as it gets....

Henri