Passover Vocabulary in Alphabetical Order
Afikomen - Greek for “Dessert” or “The coming one”. A piece of matzah that is hidden during the course of the seder, found after dinner, and eaten as dessert at the end of the seder meal. Also according to Jewish Rabbanical tradition the Afikoman symbolizes the Passover sacrifice.
Beitzah - Hebrew for “egg.” A roasted or hard-boiled egg is placed on the seder plate to symbolize the festival sacrifice that was offered at the Temple in Jerusalem
Chag Sameach - Have a happy holiday!
Charoset – Traditionally made with dates syrup and nuts in Israel. In America the Ashkenazi version is made with honey, grape juice, honey and raisins. It symbolizes the mortar of clay used by the Israelites slaves in Egypt.
Dayenu - Hebrew for “Enough for us,” also name of a song sung at the Passover seder that tells of all the miracles God performed for the Israelites.
Hallel – Hebrew for “Praise”, Psalms 136 called “The Great Hallel”. The 13th step of the Passover seder.
Haggadah – Haggadah, is Hebrew for “telling” or “recounting.” A Haggadah is a book that is used to tell the story of the Exodus at the seder. There are many versions available ranging from very traditional to nontraditional.
Kaddesh – Sanctification, a blessing recited over the cups of wine of the seder.
karpas - The third step of the Passover Seder, in which a piece of greenery such as parsley is dipped into salt water that symbolizes the tears of the Israelite slaves and then eaten.
Korech - The ninth step in the Passover seder, in which bitter herbs are eaten together with a piece of matzah.
Leshana Haba’a BeYerushalym – Hebrew for “Next Year In Jerusalem”, a traditional wish expressed in the diaspora (outside Israel ) at the conclusion of the Passover Seder.
Maggid - The fifth and most substantial step of the Passover seder, in which the story of the Exodus is recounted.
Ma Nishtana – Hebrew for “How Different?”, appears in “The Four Questions” asked via a traditional song "Why is tonight different from all other nights?"
Marror – Bitter herbs like lettuce or horseradish. The eighth step in the Passover seder which symbolizing the bitterness of life under Egyptian rule.
Matzah - Unleavened bread. According to the Bible the Israelites ate matzah right before they left Egypt in a hastecould not wait for their bread dough to rise. Today matzah is eaten during Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt.
Pesach – Hebrew for “Pass over”, celebrating God’s pass over the Israelites when God inflicted the “10 Plagues of Egypt”. Also symbolizes the Pesach sacrifice and meat the Israelites ate just before they left Egypt.
Rachatza - The sixth step of the Passover seder, in which the hands are washed for a second time, and a blessing is recited.
Seder – Hebrew for “Order”, The Passover ritual where family and friends gather on the first one or two nights of Passover to retell the story of the Exodus. The story is told in a particular order, with specific rituals.
Shulhan Orekh - The 10th step in the Passover seder, in which the meal is served.
Tzafun - The ceremony in which the Afikoman is found and eaten as dessert.
Urchatz – Hand washing ceremony in which the hands are washed but no blessing is recited.
Yahatz - The fourth step of the Passover seder in which a piece of matzah is broken in half.
Zeroa - Shank bone. The bone is placed on the seder plate and recalls the blood on the doorposts and the terror and the anticipation of the night of the plague of the first born.[i]
Resources:
1. The Messianic Passover Seder – Messianic Jewish Publishers www.messianicjewish.net
2. www.myjewishlearning.com
Afikomen - Greek for “Dessert” or “The coming one”. A piece of matzah that is hidden during the course of the seder, found after dinner, and eaten as dessert at the end of the seder meal. Also according to Jewish Rabbanical tradition the Afikoman symbolizes the Passover sacrifice.
Beitzah - Hebrew for “egg.” A roasted or hard-boiled egg is placed on the seder plate to symbolize the festival sacrifice that was offered at the Temple in Jerusalem
Chag Sameach - Have a happy holiday!
Charoset – Traditionally made with dates syrup and nuts in Israel. In America the Ashkenazi version is made with honey, grape juice, honey and raisins. It symbolizes the mortar of clay used by the Israelites slaves in Egypt.
Dayenu - Hebrew for “Enough for us,” also name of a song sung at the Passover seder that tells of all the miracles God performed for the Israelites.
Hallel – Hebrew for “Praise”, Psalms 136 called “The Great Hallel”. The 13th step of the Passover seder.
Haggadah – Haggadah, is Hebrew for “telling” or “recounting.” A Haggadah is a book that is used to tell the story of the Exodus at the seder. There are many versions available ranging from very traditional to nontraditional.
Kaddesh – Sanctification, a blessing recited over the cups of wine of the seder.
karpas - The third step of the Passover Seder, in which a piece of greenery such as parsley is dipped into salt water that symbolizes the tears of the Israelite slaves and then eaten.
Korech - The ninth step in the Passover seder, in which bitter herbs are eaten together with a piece of matzah.
Leshana Haba’a BeYerushalym – Hebrew for “Next Year In Jerusalem”, a traditional wish expressed in the diaspora (outside Israel ) at the conclusion of the Passover Seder.
Maggid - The fifth and most substantial step of the Passover seder, in which the story of the Exodus is recounted.
Ma Nishtana – Hebrew for “How Different?”, appears in “The Four Questions” asked via a traditional song "Why is tonight different from all other nights?"
Marror – Bitter herbs like lettuce or horseradish. The eighth step in the Passover seder which symbolizing the bitterness of life under Egyptian rule.
Matzah - Unleavened bread. According to the Bible the Israelites ate matzah right before they left Egypt in a hastecould not wait for their bread dough to rise. Today matzah is eaten during Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt.
Pesach – Hebrew for “Pass over”, celebrating God’s pass over the Israelites when God inflicted the “10 Plagues of Egypt”. Also symbolizes the Pesach sacrifice and meat the Israelites ate just before they left Egypt.
Rachatza - The sixth step of the Passover seder, in which the hands are washed for a second time, and a blessing is recited.
Seder – Hebrew for “Order”, The Passover ritual where family and friends gather on the first one or two nights of Passover to retell the story of the Exodus. The story is told in a particular order, with specific rituals.
Shulhan Orekh - The 10th step in the Passover seder, in which the meal is served.
Tzafun - The ceremony in which the Afikoman is found and eaten as dessert.
Urchatz – Hand washing ceremony in which the hands are washed but no blessing is recited.
Yahatz - The fourth step of the Passover seder in which a piece of matzah is broken in half.
Zeroa - Shank bone. The bone is placed on the seder plate and recalls the blood on the doorposts and the terror and the anticipation of the night of the plague of the first born.[i]
Resources:
1. The Messianic Passover Seder – Messianic Jewish Publishers www.messianicjewish.net
2. www.myjewishlearning.com