Yeast is used symbolically in the Bible to represent influence, often negatively. Just as a little bit of yeast permeates dough and produces a noticeable result, so does influence, be it good or bad. In the Books of Moses, there are thirty-two references to not using yeast (and, in older translations, more for its counterpart, […]
Unleavened bread is made without yeast, or leaven, so that it will not rise. It is more like a cracker than bread. The Jews celebrated Passover using unleavened bread. It symbolically represents the haste in which they left Egypt after the first Passover celebration (that is, they did not have time for the bread to […]
Leaven is a food ingredient that causes dough to rise via fermentation. Yeast is a common leavening ingredient. Use of the word leaven is found mostly in the Books of Moses in the Old Testament, whereas yeast is used throughout the Bible. See the entry for yeast for more information about the symbolic meaning of […]