xlit châmêtz corrected to châmêts; from חָמֵץ; ferment, (figuratively) extortion; leaven, leavened (bread).
Transliteration:châmêts
Pronunciation:khaw-mates'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term חָמֵץ (*châmêts*) `{{H2557}}` primarily denotes "leaven" or "leavened bread," deriving from a root that signifies the process of fermentation, souring, or becoming acid. This core meaning captures the transformative action of leaven, causing dough to rise and become "puffed up." From this literal sense, a significant figurative meaning emerges: "extortion" or "cruel/oppressive." This metaphorical extension likely stems from the idea of something being unjustly "puffed up" or swollen through illicit gain, or perhaps the corrupting and "souring" effect of such actions on individuals or society.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of חָמֵץ (*châmêts*) `{{H2557}}` in the Hebrew Bible are predominantly found in the legal and ritualistic contexts surrounding the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (חַג הַמַּצּוֹת). The prohibition against its presence is a central feature of these observances:
* [[Exodus 12:15]]: "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven (חָמֵץ) from your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened (חָמֵץ) from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel." This command underscores the absolute necessity of purging *châmêts* to participate in the covenant community.
* [[Exodus 12:19]]: Reiterates the severe consequence for possessing or consuming *châmêts* during the designated period, emphasizing its defiling nature.
* [[Exodus 13:3]] and [[Exodus 13:7]]: Moses instructs the Israelites to remember their deliverance from Egypt by eating unleavened bread and ensuring no *châmêts* is seen within their borders. This links the absence of leaven directly to the historical event of the Exodus, where there was no time for bread to rise.
* [[Leviticus 2:11]]: Prohibits *châmêts* in grain offerings made by fire to the Lord, indicating its unsuitability for pure worship and sacrifice.
Beyond the ritual context, the figurative sense of "extortion" or "cruel" appears in:
* [[Psalm 71:4]]: "Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unrighteous and cruel (חָמֵץ) man." Here, *châmêts* describes the oppressive and harmful nature of the wicked, conveying a sense of corruption or injustice that "puffs up" the oppressor at the expense of others.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary conceptual relationships for חָמֵץ (*châmêts*) `{{H2557}}` are with terms describing its opposite and the agent of its creation:
* מַצָּה (*matstzah*) `{{H4682}}`: Unleavened bread, the direct antithesis of *châmêts*, symbolizing purity, haste, and the foundational act of deliverance. The entire Feast of Unleavened Bread is built upon the distinction between these two.
* שְׂאֹר (*s'or*) `{{H7603}}`: Leaven, specifically the active agent or fermenting substance that causes dough to rise. While *châmêts* refers to the state of being leavened or the leavened product, *s'or* is the starter.
The figurative meaning of "extortion" connects *châmêts* to broader concepts of injustice and wickedness:
* רֶשַׁע (*resha'*) `{{H7562}}`: Wickedness, unrighteousness.
* עֹשֶׁק (*'osheq*) `{{H6233}}`: Oppression, extortion, often involving illicit gain.
The pervasive nature of leaven in dough provides a powerful metaphor for the spread of corruption or sin throughout a community, a concept later echoed in the New Testament (e.g., [[Galatians 5:9]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of חָמֵץ (*châmêts*) `{{H2557}}` is multifaceted and profound:
1. **Symbol of Sin and Corruption:** In the Passover narrative, *châmêts* serves as a potent symbol of sin, impurity, and moral decay. Just as leaven permeates and puffs up the entire dough, so too can sin spread and corrupt an individual, a family, or an entire community. The rigorous command to purge *châmêts* before and during Passover is a physical act symbolizing a spiritual purification, a removal of the old and corrupting influences to prepare for a renewed relationship with God. This symbolism finds clear resonance in the New Testament's understanding of sin (e.g., [[1 Corinthians 5:6-8]]).
2. **Remembrance of Divine Deliverance:** The prohibition against *châmêts* in the Passover meal ([[Exodus 12:8]]) perpetually reminds Israel of their hasty exodus from Egypt, leaving no time for their bread to rise. It underscores God's swift, decisive, and miraculous act of deliverance, a foundational event in their covenant history. The unleavened bread thus becomes a memorial of God's saving power and the urgency of their departure from bondage.
3. **Holiness in Worship:** The exclusion of *châmêts* from many offerings ([[Leviticus 2:11]]) highlights God's demand for purity and wholeness in worship. Leaven, associated with fermentation and decay, was deemed unsuitable for offerings meant to represent an unblemished dedication to a holy God. This principle emphasizes the sanctity required in approaching the Divine.
4. **Critique of Oppression:** The figurative use of *châmêts* in [[Psalm 71:4]] extends its theological reach to ethical conduct. It connects the concept of "leavening" to the "swollen" pride and corrupting influence of the oppressor, warning against the injustice of those who gain through cruel or extortionate means. This broadens the scope of "impurity" from ritual to social and moral spheres.
### Summary
חָמֵץ (*châmêts*) `{{H2557}}` is a Hebrew term primarily denoting "leaven" or "leavened bread," derived from the concept of fermentation. Its most significant biblical usage is within the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread regulations, where its strict prohibition ([[Exodus 12:15]], [[Exodus 13:7]]) serves as a powerful symbol. Theologically, *châmêts* represents sin, impurity, and corruption that must be purged from the community, mirroring the haste of the Exodus and the call to spiritual purity. Its absence in offerings ([[Leviticus 2:11]]) underscores God's demand for holiness in worship. Less frequently, *châmêts* is used figuratively to describe "extortion" or "cruelty" ([[Psalm 71:4]]), extending its symbolic meaning to the moral decay associated with oppressive and unjust actions. The pervasive contrast with *matstzah* `{{H4682}}` (unleavened bread) solidifies *châmêts*'s role as that which must be removed for a life of covenant faithfulness and holiness.
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