Shalom

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Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) is a Hebrew word meaning peace. As it does in English, it can refer to either peace between two entities (especially between man and God or possibly between two countries), or to true inner peace, calmness or safety of one individual. It is also used as a greeting to either say hello or farewell, and is found in many other expressions and names. Its equivalent cognate in Arabic is salaam and sälam in Ethiopian Semitic languages.

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[edit] Etymology

The word shalom derives from the root shin-lamedh-mem (ש.ל.ם), which has cognates in many Semitic languages, and means completeness, fulfillment, wellbeing, a concept usually encapsulated by translation in the word peace.

Hence usage of shalom in the Hebrew Bible often refers to conditions related to peace: safety, health and prosperity of individuals and nations.

[edit] In expressions

The word shalom is used in a variety of expressions and contexts in Hebrew speech and writing:

  • Shalom aleichem (שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם; literally "peace be upon you"), this expression is used to greet others and is a Hebrew equivalent of "hello". The appropriate response to such a greeting is "upon you be peace" (aleichem shalom). This is a cognate of the Arabic Assalamu alaikum.. On Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve), Jewish people, have a custom of singing a song which is called Shalom aleichem, before the Kiddush (blessing) of the Shabbat diner is recited.
  • Shalom by itself is a very common abbreviation, and is used in Modern Israeli Hebrew to both greet and farewell. In this it is similar to the Hawaiian aloha and the Indian namaste. In modern Israel among secular people, it is being widely replaced in the 21st century by "b'ye" (English) and "yallah b'ye" (a mixture of Arabic and English.) This development is greatly deplored by traditionalists and purists. Shalom is still used by Jewish people around the world, and even by many non-Jewish people.
  • Shabbat shalom (שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם) is a common greeting used on Shabbat (the Jewish sabbath). This is most prominent in areas with Mizrahi, Sephardi or Modern Israel influence. Many Ashkenazi communities in the Jewish diaspora use Yiddish Gut shabbes in preference or interchangeably.
  • Ma sh'lom'cha (מַה שְׁלוֹמְךָ; literally "what is your peace/wellbeing?") is a Hebrew equivalent of the English "how are you?". This is the form addressed to a single male. The form for addressing a single female is Ma sh'lomech? For addressing several females, Ma sh'lomchen? For a group of males or a mixed-gender group, Ma sh'lomchem?
  • Alav hashalom (עַלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם; literally "upon him is peace") is a phrase used in some Jewish communities after mentioning the name of a deceased respected individual. The Islamic equivalent is "Peace be upon him" (or just PBUH; Arabic: alayhi is-salaam), most commonly used after the mention of Muhammad.
  • Oseh shalom is the start of a passage commonly found as a concluding sentence in much Jewish liturgy (including the birkat hamazon, kaddish and personal amida prayers). The full sentence is "עוֹשֶֹה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶֹה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ,וְעַל כָּל יִשְֹרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן (Osĕ shālom bīmromāv hu ya'asĕ shālom aleynu v'al kol Yisrael v'imru amen).", which translates to English as "He who makes peace in His heights may He make peace upon us and upon all Israel; and say, Amen."
  • The word Shalom is widely used in popular Israeli songs about Peace such as In Our Garden, Ratziti Sheteda etc.

Related words in Modern Hebrew include l'shalem (לְשַׁלֵּם), "to pay" and shalem (שָׁלֵם), "complete".

[edit] Used as a name

[edit] Shalom as a name of God

Shalom is one of God's 72 names in Hebrew.

[edit] Shalom as a name for people

Shalom is also common in modern Hebrew in Israel, as a (male) given name or a surname. Note that it is related to the name Solomon (Heb. שלומה Shelomo).

Notable people named Shalom include:

(Related female names include Shulamit, Shulamith, Shlomtsion or Shlomzion and Salome.)

[edit] Shalom as a name for organizations

Shalom can be part of an organization's name.

The name of the following organizations and places refer to "peace" between Israel and its Arab neighbors:

[edit] Shalom as name for synagogues or structures

Shalom is used as part of other names, such as for synagogues, as in:

[edit] See also

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
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