ZA'ATAR
(Origanum syriacum)
Zaatar, a spice mixture contain herbs popular in the Mediterranean region. In zaatar contains the popular middle eastern herbs.
"The name za'atar alone most properly applies to Origanum syriacum, considered in biblical scholarship to be the hyssop (Hebrew: אזוב [eˈzov]) of the Hebrew Bible.[4] Used in Levantine cuisine, both the herb and spice mixture are popular throughout the Mediterranean region of the Middle East.
(webpage).
We identify hyssop to be origanum syriacum. Oregano, thyme, and/or marjoram are all mint family herbs used in the zaatar mix.
"Origanum syriacum; syn. Majorana syriaca (also Origanum maru, although this primarily refers to a hybrid of O. syriacum),[3] bible hyssop,[4] Biblical-hyssop,[1] Lebanese oregano[1] or Syrian oregano,[1] is an aromatic perennial herb in the mint family, Lamiaceae." (webpage)
Please don't take our word for it. Please read all the links provided to gain more insight as to why our westernized idea of Hyssop isn't correct.
Ezov אזוב is the Hebrew name of Biblical hyssop.
"In the Bible, ezov is described as a small plant found on or near walls,[2] with an aromatic odour.[3][4] Maimonides, Saadia Gaon and earlier Jewish commentators identified ezov with za'atar,[5] which may refer to various local herbs, including marjoram, oregano and thyme, which have aromatic and cleansing properties, grow wild in Israel, and can easily be bunched together to be used for sprinkling." (webpage)
Most believe Hyssop to be Hyssopus Officinalis, a purple/blue evergreen garden herb native to Southern Europe and the Middle East, to be herb spoken of throughout Scripture.
Better understanding of this herb is provided in Jeff A Benner’s Ancient Hebrew Lexicon:
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Snippets of the research article "Identification of Biblical Hyssop and Origin of the Traditional Use of Oregano-Group Herbs in the Mediterranean Region " by Alexander and Zhenia Fleisher are posted.
Their hypothesis: " Hyssop of the Bible is the carvacrol chemotype of the plant Majorana Syriac (which is the scientific name that’s synonymous to Origanum Syricacum) within the family of Lamiaceae " was proven to be correct.
Please access the file here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4255069?seq=1
Fleisher, Alexander, and Zhenia Fleisher. “Identification of Biblical Hyssop and Origin of the Traditional Use of Oregano-Group Herbs in the Mediterranean Region.” Economic Botany, vol. 42, no. 2, 1988, pp. 232–241. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4255069. Accessed 8 June 2021.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=f247
