Origin of the name “Passover” Lisa Lajes Rosen

HAPPY HOLIDAYS – LISA LAJES ROSEN!!!

“The Jews’ Passover”—facsimile of a miniature from a 15th centurymissal, ornamented with paintings of the School of Van Eyck

The verb “pasàch” (Hebrew: ???????) is first mentioned in the Torah account of the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:23), and there is some debate about its exact meaning: the commonly held assumption that it means “He passed over”, in reference to God “passing over” the houses of the Hebrews during the final of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, stems from the translation provided in the Septuagint(???????????? in Exodus 12:23, and ????????? in Exodus 12:27). Judging from other instances of the verb, and instances of parallelism, a more faithful translation may be “he hovered over, guarding.” Indeed, this is the image used by Isaiah by his use of this verb in Isaiah. 31:5: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem; He will deliver it as He protecteth it, He will rescue it as He passeth over” (???????????? ??????—???? ????? ?????? ????????, ???-????????????; ??????? ?????????, ??????? ??????????.) (Isaiah 31:5) Targum Unkoles translates pesach as “he had pity”, The English term “Passover” came into the English language through William Tyndale‘s translation of the Bible, and later appeared in the King James Version as well.

The term Pesach (Hebrew: ???????) may also refer to the lamb or kid which was designated as the Passover sacrifice (called the Korban Pesach in Hebrew). Four days before the Exodus, the Hebrews were commanded to set aside a lamb or kid (Exodus 12:3) and inspect it daily for blemishes. During the day on the 14th of Nisan, they were to slaughter the animal and use its blood to mark their lintels and door posts. Up until midnight on the 15th of Nisan, they were to consume the lamb. Each family (or group of families) gathered together to eat a meal that included the meat of the Korban Pesach while the Tenth Plague ravaged Egypt.

In subsequent years, during the existence of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem, the Korban Pesach was eaten during thePassover Seder on the 15th of Nisan. However, following the destruction of the Temple, no sacrifices may be offered or eaten. The Seder Korban Pesach, a set of scriptural and Rabbinic passages dealing with the Passover sacrifice, is customarily recited during or after theMincha (afternoon prayer) service on the 14th on Nisan.^[22] The story of the Korban Pesach is also retold at the Passover Seder,meaning order, and the symbolic food which represents it on the Seder Plate is usually a roasted lamb shankbone, chicken wing, or chicken neck.