Finding a Name in Eternity

What is in a name? Pesach and Chag Ha’Matsot are two names referring to the same Jewish holiday. The name Pesach derives from the word Pa-sach or “Skipped over,” and refers to the time when the Almighty “skipped over” the houses of the Jews in the plague of the firstborn. The name Chag Ha’Matsot refers to the “Holiday of Matsah,” and it is the mitsvah which trademarks the holiday. The meaning and aspect of the second name resembles the “eagerness” with which the Almighty redeemed the Jewish people. The Jewish nation is taken out of bondage so speedily that their bread did not have a chance to rise. The Ben Ish Hai asks: “Why is it that the Jewish People refer to the holiday as Pesach more frequently , while the Torah proceeds to call it Chag Ha’Matsot?

The secret lies in the Hagadah.“It is a mitsvah for us to retell the story of Egypt, and the more one elaborates on the story of Egypt, the more praiseworthy it is”. All of the mitsvot of the evening have an order and a time frame; Four cups of wine, eating of the Matsah before midnight, eating a kazayit of Maror etc. However on the contrary, the retelling of the Exodus is specified to be unstructured. One is encouraged to tell the story of Pesach with no boundaries and with great elaboration, (The more the merrier). The Hagadah mentions the story of Rabbi Akiva and his students that were completely immersed in the story of the Exodus, that they had remained awake the entire night; expounding on the miracles, and were only interrupted by their responsibility to recite the Shema in the morning.

The Ramban explains that the purpose of all the mitsvot is to lead us towards Emunah , belief in G-d. Every encounter, challenge, and triumph is a tool that is given to us to build a relationship with Him. The theme that runs through the entire seder night is that not only did G-d create the world, but He also keeps a watchful eye on all that happens. An example of Hashem’s protection upon the Jews is revealed through the sequence of the ten plagues. The plagues encompass all of the levels of the earth in an ascending order, from the low to the high points i.e.; the first three are water related and below , then ground level and finally the last four descended from the heavens. They started from water turning to blood, frogs, lice, – wild animals, sick animals, boils- hail, locusts, darkness and finally the Almighty Himself comes down from the heavens. The Almighty shows us that He has control over all levels of creation. The holiday of Pesach is an affirmation of that fact -G-d involved in every aspect of our lives.

The Ben Ish Hai points out that the name Pesach has another meaning “Peh –Sach” the mouth speaks. As mentioned above the focal point of the holiday and of Judaism is to appreciate and live with an awareness of the Almighty in our lives. While it is true that there are many mitsvot in the holiday of Pesach, the goal of all of them is “Peh –Sach;” to vocalize and recognize the involvement of G-d in our lives. It is for this reason that we commonly call the holiday Pesach - the holiday that we praise and appreciate His dominion.

In addition, each name that is mentioned is approaching the holiday from a different perspective. The Torah calls the holiday “Chag Ha’Matsot” in recognition of the “eagerness” that the Almighty portrayed to be united with his children. It is a name that expresses His love for His chosen nation. While we, the children call it “Pesach” to recognize the greatness of our Father in the heavens. These two names were chosen for this holiday specifically at the onset of our nation. The Almighty knew that the Jewish people were headed for a long journey. As hindsight testifies, we have transformed from royalty to ruins; advisors to the king and inquisitions. These two names resemble opposite traits. Chag Ha’Matsot – matsah is the bread of the poor, unleavened and a mixture of only flour and water. Pesach – is in commemoration of the elevated status that we have; our mouth praises the Almighty that he “Passed over” our houses and chose us as his nation. These two names are hinting to the path that the Jewish people will be taking, but above all we must maintain our steadfast belief, and be ready to follow the Almighty even into the desert.