MASS/ מצה

MA(T)S-(AH)____________________[M-(T)S]

ROOTS: Old French masse is from Latin massa (a lump or mass).

The earliest term is Greek maza (barley cake). [Barley is: 麥 mai 436 R9,

子 zi 870R-7]

A barley cake is poor man's bread, and "poor man's bread" is

another name for מצה / MA(T)ZA (MATZOH) – the

unleavened bread eaten by the Hebrew slaves in Egypt.

The AHD calls Greek maza a kneaded lump. Just as MASSAGE is from

Portuguese amassar (to knead) and Greek massein (to knead), [摩 461R17

mo is to rub] so מצה / MEE(T)SA to wring and squeeze out. [Cantonese

slang words: ‘mee(t)’ is to pinch as in to pinch a kid’s chubby cheek

and ‘tsai’ 搓 is knead dough] מצ / MA(T)S is to churn or beat.

BRANCHES: MASS generally means "a large quantity." The Mass of

Boston, Mass. has a similar meaning, as massa means "big" in the

Algonquin language of the AMSSACHUSETT Indians.

Official cognates of MASS include AMASS and MAZAEDIUM. MASSIVE

is the adjective form. MASSIF is the central MASS of a mountain ridge.

Reversing to צמ / TS-M, צמצם / TSIMTSAM is to confine [佔 zhan 820R-12

is to seize. 戰 爭 zhan zheng means war, 戰 zhan 821L3, 爭 zheng 836L-13]

and צמק / TSAM(AK) [ 縮 suo 621R9] is to shrink. Other Hebrew MS terms

of mass or bulk include משא / MASA (burden) and עמם / OMES (load,

burden). IE root en-es (burden) carries ONUS, ONEROUS and EXONERATE.

The Greek massein (to knead), and thus the Hebrew terms above,

link up with MACERATION. An alternative etymon for MACERATE

(to soften by soaking in liquid) would be משרה / MESRA (a liquid

term in Numbers 6:3). The word is translated "maceratio" in the Latin

concordance. Given מצוי METSOOY (squeezing, wringing out) in a

food context, consider connections to MASSETER, MASTIC,

MASTICATE, MOUTH and MOUSTACHE as well as MASTERBATE,

MASTODON and MASTOIDECTOMY.

The above Hebrew "squeeze" term may relate to NASTIC - from

Greek nastos (pressed close). The opposite of מיץMETS (juice

Extract source of MOIST) is צמא / TSAMA (thirsty, dry). The reverse

of מצה / MATZA (unleavened bread which must not get wet)

is חמץ / HAMATS (leavened grain) - see "ZYME."

[yeast is שאר, HAMATS (leavened or soured bread). Sour is 酸 suan 618L5]