Fast of the Firstborn
- noun
:
Ayuno de los Primogénitos
- The Fast of the Firstborn is traditionally observed on the day before Passover.
Examples
-
On the Fast of the Firstborn, firstborn males traditionally fast from sunrise.
-
Many synagogues hold a special service to mark the Fast of the Firstborn.
-
Since he was a firstborn son, he participated in the Fast of the Firstborn each year.
-
The Fast of the Firstborn is observed by many Jewish families.
-
On the Fast of the Firstborn, many Jewish families gather to pray after fasting.
-
He fasted on the Fast of the Firstborn to honor his heritage and remember the exodus.
-
The Fast of the Firstborn commemorates the Israelite firstborns' salvation during the Exodus.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'fast' combined with 'of the firstborn' straightforwardly denotes a fasting observance associated with firstborn individuals, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer it is a fast involving firstborns. Cultural specifics (the exact date, ritual context and commemorative details) are not predictable from the words, but the core referent is directly derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Fast of the Firstborn comes from the Passover story: long ago the Israelite firstborn were saved while Egyptian firstborn died, so people set a day when the firstborn would fast, 'not eat', the day before Passover to remember that rescue. That's why today the phrase means a special day when firstborn males fast 'to remember' that event.
