Notes on Yisrael and Mitzraim from JFREJ
A little commentary..
The word Yisrael (Israel)
When found in the liturgy (religious text) does not refer to the modern nation/state of Israel, rather it derives from the blessing given to Ya'akov (Jacob) by a stranger with whom he wrestles all night. When the stranger is finally pinned, Ya'akov asks him for a blessing. The stranger says," Your name will no longer be Ya'akov but Yisrael for you have wrestled with G-d and triumphed." Therefore when we say "Yisrael" in prayer we are referring to being G-d-wrestlers, not Israelis. (1)
The word Mitzrayim
Throughout the Haggadah, we have chosen the term 'Mitzrayim', instead of 'Egypt'. Mitzrayim comes from the root Tzar, meaning narrow or constricted. It can refer to the geography of the Nile valley, but also to a metaphorical state of confinement. The Passover story is also the story of the birth of the Jewish people, and 'mitzrayim' is the narrow passage we moved through. Leaving 'mitzrayim' also means freeing ourselves from narrow-mindedness and oppression. And in this time of intense anti-Arab racism, we are intentionally differentiating between the "bad guys" in this story and any contemporary Arab places or people.
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