Definition of matzo

The origin of the word "matzo" dates back to ancient Hebrew times. It comes from the Hebrew word "metzah," which means "what has been crushed" or "what has been left over." During the Jewish holiday of Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt, it is customary to eat matzo instead of leavened bread. According to the biblical story, the Israelites fled from Egypt in such haste that they did not have time to allow their bread dough to rise before baking it into flatbread known as matzo. This symbolizes the importance of expediency and actions during occasions of extreme urgency. In Yiddish, the Ashkenazi Jewish dialect that originated in Central and Eastern Europe, the word for matzo is "matezah." This word evolved from the Aramaic word "mahtza," which translates to "the thing that has been crushed." In Sephardic Hebrew, which is a dialect commonly spoken by Jews of North African or Middle Eastern descent, the word for matzo is "matzah" or as sometimes written, "motsah." This is the same word used in Modern Hebrew, representing how the meaning of this term changed as the language evolved. Therefore, whether it's called matzo, matezah, or motsah, the word for this traditional food has remained consistent with its origins and provides a connection to the rich history and traditions of the Jewish faith as they share their journey from slavery to freedom.