H2557a H2557a
Leavened bread — bread or food made with leaven, prohibited during the Feast of Unleavened Bread
The adjective-turned-noun חָמֵץ (chamets) denotes leavened bread or any food product containing leaven. Its significance is primarily ritual: during Passover and the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread, all chamets must be removed from Israelite households (Exod 12:15; 13:3, 7). The prohibition extends to offerings placed on the altar — no grain offering may be made with leaven (Lev 2:11), though leavened loaves accompany the thanksgiving peace offering (Lev 7:13). The sacrificial blood must not be offered 'with leavened bread' (Exod 23:18; 34:25). Spanish 'pan leudado/con levadura' and English 'leavened bread' convey the ritual distinction that gives this word its force.
Senses
1. leavened bread, that which is leavened — Bread or any food product prepared with leaven (שְׂאֹר), categorically forbidden during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Exodus 12:15 and 13:3, 7 mandate its complete removal from every household for seven days. The prohibition also governs sacrifice: no grain offering may contain leaven (Lev 2:11), and Passover blood must not be presented alongside chamets (Exod 23:18; 34:25). An exception exists for the thanksgiving peace offering, where leavened loaves are included (Lev 7:13). Spanish 'pan leudado' and French 'pain levé' mark the distinction. 11×
AR["خَميرٍ", "خَمِيرًا", "خَمِيرٌ", "خَمِيرٍ", "مِنَ-الخَميرِ"]·ben["খামির", "খামির।", "খামিরযুক্ত", "খামিরে", "খামিরের", "তাঁবু-থেকে"]·DE["Sauerteig", "[מחמץ]", "gesaeuertes", "gesaeuertes-Brot"]·EN["from-that-which-is-leavened", "leaven", "leavened", "leavened-bread"]·FR["levain", "levé", "levé-pain"]·heb["חמץ", "מ-חמץ"]·HI["खमीर", "खमीरी", "ख़मीर", "से-खमीर"]·ID["beragi", "dari-yang-beragi", "ragi", "roti-beragi", "yang-beragi"]·IT["[מחמץ]", "leavened-pane", "lievitato", "lievitato-pane", "lievito"]·jav["ragi", "roti-mawi-ragi", "saking-kang-magi"]·KO["누룩", "누룩-넣은", "누룩-넣은-것을", "누룩-없는", "누룩과-함께", "누룩으로", "누룩을", "누룩이", "로부터-누룩으로"]·PT["de-levedado", "levedada", "levedado", "levedado,", "levedado."]·RU["из-квасного", "квасного", "квасное", "квасном", "квасным", "квасными"]·ES["con-levadura", "de-lo-leudado", "leudada", "leudado"]·SW["chachu", "kilichotiwa-chachu", "kutoka-unga-wenye-chachu", "na-chachu", "wenye-chachu"]·TR["maya", "mayalı", "mayalı-olandan"]·urd["خمیر", "خمیر-کے", "خمیری", "خمیری-سے"]
Related Senses
H8081 1. oil (substance) (180×)H3196 1. wine (fermented grape juice) (141×)H1706 1. honey (54×)H4682 1. unleavened bread/cakes (53×)H2461 1. milk (42×)H8492 1. new wine / must (38×)H0400 1. food, nourishment (36×)G3631 1. wine (34×)H3978 1. food, nourishment (30×)H1314 1. spice / perfume / balsam (29×)H7416 1. pomegranate (fruit/ornament) (28×)H3323 1. fresh oil, olive oil (23×)H2964 1. prey, torn flesh (19×)H3899 2. food, sustenance (19×)G1033 1. food (17×)G5160 1. food (16×)H5561 1. spices, aromatic substances (16×)H0402 1. food, nourishment (14×)G2219 1. leaven (13×)H4478a 1. manna (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חָמֵץ n.m. Ex 13:3 that which is leavened—ח׳ Ex 12:15 + 10 times—forbidden at Passover Ex 12:15 (P), 13:3, 7 (JE), Dt 16:3, in all sacrifices Ex 23:18; 34:25 (both JE); cf. Am 4:5; Lv 2:11; 6:10 (P; appos.); exceptions are לֶחֶם ח׳ of peace-offering Lv 7:13 (P), and the wave-loaves (ח׳ appos.) Lv 23:17 (H).—v. RSSem 203 OTJC 2, 345.