Jewish greetings

Le'Shana Tova Tikatevu, greeting card from Montevideo, 1932.
There are several Jewish and Hebrew greetings, farewells, and phrases that are used in Judaism, and in Jewish and Hebrew-speaking communities around the world. Even outside Israel, Hebrew is an important part of Jewish life.[1] Many Jews, even if they do not speak Hebrew fluently, will know several of these greetings (most are Hebrew, some are Yiddish).[1]
Shabbat
For the Sabbath, there are several greetings that Jews use to greet one another.
Phrase | Hebrew script | Translation | Pronunciation | Language | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shabbat shalom | שַ×בָּת שָ××œ×•Ö¹× | Peaceful Sabbath | [ʃaˈbat ʃaˈlom] | Hebrew | Used any time on Shabbat, especially at the end of a Shabbat service. Used also preceding Shabbat (in Israel) almost like "have a good weekend."[2] |
Gut Shabbes Good Shabbos |
גוּט שַ×בָּת Good Shabbos |
Good Sabbath | [ɡʊt ˈʃabəs] | Yiddish/English | Used any time on Shabbat, especially in general conversation or when greeting people.[2] |
Gut Voch Shavua tov |
גוט וו×ָך שָ×בוּעַ טוֹב |
Good week | [ʃaˈvu.a tov] | Yiddish/Hebrew | Used on Saturday nights (after Havdalah) and even on Sundays "shavua tov" is used to wish someone a good coming week.[2] |
Holidays
For different chagim and Yom Tov there are different expressions used.
Phrase | Hebrew script | Translation | Pronunciation | Language | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chag sameach | ×—Ö·×’ שָׂמֵחַ | Happy holiday | [χaÉ¡ saˈme.aχ] | Hebrew | Used as a greeting for the holidays, can insert holiday name in the middle; e.g. "chag Chanukah sameach".[2] Also, for Passover, "chag kasher v'same'ach" (×—Ö·×’ כָּשֵ×ר וְשָׂמֵחַ) meaning wishing a happy and kosher holiday.[2] |
Moed tov Moadim l'simcha |
מועד טובֿ ×ž×•×¢×“×™× ×œ×©×ž×—×” |
A good festival period A happy festival period |
[ˈmo.ed tov mo.aˈdim l.simˈχa] |
Hebrew | Used as a greeting during the chol ha-moed (intermediate days) of the Passover and Sukkot holidays. |
Gut Yontiv | גוט יו×־טובֿ | Good Yom Tov | [É¡ÊŠt ˈjÉ”ntɪv] | Yiddish/English | Used as a greeting for the Yom Tov holidays.[2] Often spelled Gut Yontif or Gut Yontiff. |
L'shanah tovah | לְשָ×× Ö¸×” טוֹבָה | To a good year | [leʃaˈna toˈva] | Hebrew | Used as a greeting during Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe, Also used, simply "shanah tovah" (שָ×× Ö¸×” טוֹבָה), meaning "a good year", or "shana tova u'metukah" (שָ×× Ö¸×” טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה) meaning "a good and sweet year".[2] The phrase is short for "l'shanah tovah tikatevu ve techatemu" (לְשָ×× Ö¸×” טוֹבָה תִכָּתֵבוּ וְתֵּחָתֵמוּ), meaning "may you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year".[3] A shorter version is often used: "ktiva ve chatima tova" (כְּתִיבָה וְחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה), meaning "(have a) good signature (in the Book of Life)" and literally "good inscribing and signing".[3] |
Tzom kal | ×¦×•Ö¹× ×§Ö·×œ | Easy fast | [tsom kal] | Hebrew | Used to wish someone well for Yom Kippur. The word "happy" is not used because Yom Kippur is meant to be somber holiday, not a happy one.[2] |
G'mar Chatima Tovah | גמר חתימה טובה | May you be inscribed for good [in the Book of Life] | [] | Hebrew | Used to wish someone well for Yom Kippur. Tradition teaches that our fate is written on Rosh Hashanah and is sealed on Yom Kippur.[4] |
Greetings and farewells
There are several greetings and good-byes used in Hebrew to say hello and farewell to someone.
Phrase | Hebrew script | Translation | Pronunciation | Language | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shalom | שָ××œ×•Ö¹× | Hello, goodbye, peace | [ʃaˈlom] | Hebrew | A Hebrew greeting, based on the root for "completeness". Literally meaning "peace", shalom is used for both hello and goodbye.[5] A cognate with the Arabic-language salaam. |
Shalom aleichem | שָ××œ×•Ö¹× ×¢Ö²×œÖµ×™×›Ö¶× | Peace be upon you | [ʃaˈlom Ê”aˈlejχem] | Hebrew | This form of greeting was traditional among the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. The appropriate response is "Aleichem Shalom" (×¢Ö²×œÖµ×™×›Ö¶× ×©Ö¸×לוֹ×) or "Upon you be peace." (cognate with the Arabic-language "assalamu alaikum" meaning "The peace [of Allah] be upon you.)" |
Phrases
These are Hebrew phrases used in Jewish communities both inside and outside of Israel.[1]
Word | Hebrew script | Translation | Pronunciation | Language | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mazal tov / Mazel tov | מַזָּל טוֹב | Good luck | [maˈzal tov] [ˈmazəl tɔv] |
Hebrew/Yiddish | Used to mean congratulations. Used in Hebrew (mazal tov) or Yiddish. Used on to indicate good luck has occurred, ex. birthday, bar mitzvah, a new job, or an engagement.[1] Also shouted out at Jewish weddings when the groom (or both fiances) stomps on a glass. It is also used when someone accidentally breaks a glass or a dish.[1] However, NOT normally used on news of a pregnancy, where it is replaced by "b'sha'ah tovah" ("may it happen at a good time/in the proper time").[6] |
B'karov etzlech (f.) B'karov etzlecha (m.) |
בְּקָרוֹב ×ֶצְלְךָ | Soon so shall it be by you | [bekaˈÊov Ê”etsˈleχ] [bekaˈÊov Ê”etsleˈχa] |
Hebrew | Used in response to "mazal tov"[1] |
B'ezrat HaShem | בְּעֶזְרָת הַשֵּ×× | With God's help | [beÊ”ezˈÊat haˈʃem] | Hebrew | Used by religious Jews when speaking of the future and wanting God's help (similar to "God willing").[1] |
Yishar koach | יְשַ×ר ×›Ö¹Ö¼×—Ö· | You should have strength | [jiˈʃaÊ Ëˆko.aχ] | Hebrew | Meaning "good for you", "way to go", or "more power to you". Often used in synagogue after someone has received an honour. The proper response is "baruch teheyeh" (m)/brucha teeheyi (f) meaning "you shall be blessed."[1] [7] |
Chazak u'varuch | חֵזָק וּבָרוךְ | Be strong and blessed | [χaˈzak uvaˈÊuχ] | Hebrew | Used in Sephardi synagogues after an honour. The response is "chazak ve'ematz" ("be strong and have courage") |
Nu? | ?× ×• | So? | [nu] | Yiddish | A Yiddish interjection used to inquire about how everything went.[1] |
Kol ha kavod | כֹּל הַכָּבוֹד | All of the honour | [kol hakaˈvod] | Hebrew | Used for a job well done.[1] |
L'chaim | ×œÖ°×—Ö·×™Ö´Ö¼×™× | To life | [leχaˈjim] [ləˈχajm] |
Hebrew/Yiddish | Hebrew and Yiddish equivalent of saying "cheers" when doing a toast[1] |
Gesundheit | ×’×¢×–×•× ×˜×”×™×™×˜ | Health | [ɡəˈzÊŠnthajt] | Yiddish | Yiddish (and German) equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Also sometimes "tsu gezunt".[2] |
Labriut | לברי×ות | To Health | [labÊiˈʔut] | Hebrew | Hebrew equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes.[7] |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hebrew For Dummies: "Speaking of Favorite Hebrew Expressions"
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jew Faq: "Judaism 101: Expressions and Greetings"
- 1 2 High Holidays 1: Rosh Ha-Shana, Hebrew: Virtual Ulpan
- ↑ "G'mar Chatimah Tovah from Jspace". Jspace. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
- ↑ Hebrew For Dummies: "Greeting and Saying Good-bye in Hebrew"
- ↑ "In the proper time"
- 1 2 Jewish Holiday Greeting Chart on Patheos
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