There are several common Jewish greetings that are used when Jews meet each other. The most well-known greeting is “Shalom” which means peace, hello or goodbye. However, Jews may use other greetings as well depending on the context and situation. In this article, we will explore the different greetings Jews use, their meanings, origins and when it’s appropriate to use them.
“Shalom” – The Most Common Greeting
The word “Shalom” is one of the most commonly used greetings in Jewish culture. It is a Hebrew word that means “peace”, but is also used to mean “hello” and “goodbye.”
When Jews greet each other, they often say “Shalom” as it encapsulates the sentiment of wishing someone peace and tranquility. According to Jewish teachings, the word shalom has a deeper meaning than just “peace” or “hello.” It implies completeness, truth, security, wellbeing, welfare and perfection.
The common response after saying “Shalom” is the same greeting repeated back – “Shalom.” So a typical Jewish greeting may go:
Person 1: “Shalom!”
Person 2: “Shalom!”
This greeting can be used at any time of the day and in diverse settings between Jews. Whether you are greeting someone in the morning, afternoon or evening, “Shalom” is always appropriate. It is the equivalent of saying “hello”, “good morning” or “good evening” in English.
Origins of “Shalom”
The word “Shalom” has its origins in the Hebrew language and the Hebrew bible. In the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew bible, the word “shalom” appears around 240 times. In the bible, shalom is used to describe the relations between people as well as between God and humanity.
One example of “shalom” being used in the Torah is:
“The Lord said to Moses, Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs…But if you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile shall swarm with frogs, which shall come up into your palace and your bedchamber and your bed, and into the houses of your courtiers and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your courtiers.'”
Exodus 8:1-4
Here the word “shalom” is used to signify the peace that would come from letting the Israelites go free from slavery.
Overall, shalom signifies a sense of completeness, welfare, peace and tranquility between people and with God. It is commonly invoked as both a greeting and blessing.
Variations of “Shalom”
There are several variations of “Shalom” used in Jewish greetings:
Shalom aleichem
“Shalom aleichem” translates to “peace be upon you.” It is a traditional Jewish greeting dating back to the Talmud.
When Jews meet, one may say “Shalom aleichem” to which the response is “Aleichem shalom,” meaning “Upon you be peace.” This follows the pattern of greeting and response seen with just saying “Shalom.”
The words “Shalom aleichem” also form the title and first words of a popular Jewish song written by Rabbi Eliezer ben Judah in the 1600s. The song is often sung by Jews to welcome the Shabbat on Friday evenings.
Shabbat shalom
On Shabbat, the Jewish sabbath which occurs on Saturdays, it is customary to wish each other “Shabbat shalom” or “Sabbath peace.” This serves as both a greeting and a way of wishing someone a peaceful, meaningful sabbath.
Chag sameach
On Jewish holidays or festivals like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover, it is common to wish each other “chag sameach.” This means “happy holiday” in Hebrew.
Wishing someone a “chag sameach” serves to greet them on the holiday while also hoping they have a joyous celebration. This greeting is used informally among Jews.
Other Common Greetings
In addition to variations on “Shalom”, there are several other common greetings used by Jews:
How are you? – Ma nishma?
After the initial “Shalom”, Jews may ask “Ma nishma?” which means “How are you?” in Hebrew. This functions the same as asking “how are you?” or “what’s new?” in English after saying hello.
The response is usually “beseder” which means “okay” or “fine.”
Good morning – boker tov
“Boker tov” means “good morning” in Hebrew. This greeting is often used by observant Jews in the morning hours. The reply is usually “boker or” meaning “morning of light.”
Good afternoon – a gutn tog
“Gutn tog” is Yiddish for “good day.” It is an informal greeting used in the afternoon by Ashkenazi Jews, those with origins in Eastern Europe.
Good evening – gutn avnt
“Gutn avnt” meaning “good evening” in Yiddish is used as an evening greeting.
Goodbye – L’hitraot
“L’hitraot” is a casual way to say “goodbye” in modern Hebrew. It means “see you later.” The response is usually the same phrase repeated back “L’hitraot.”
When Different Greetings Are Used
The variety of Jewish greetings reflect their different origins – from Hebrew, Yiddish, Aramaic – and the diverse Jewish diaspora. How do Jews decide which greeting to use? Here is when the different greetings may be used:
Shalom
“Shalom” is used in most situations as an all-purpose greeting and goodbye. Both religious and secular Jews use it, making it the most widespread Jewish greeting.
Shalom aleichem/aleichem shalom
This is used on joyous occasions like weddings, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs and holiday celebrations. Some also use it to welcome Shabbat on Friday evenings.
Shabbat shalom
Reserved for greetings on Shabbat, the Jewish sabbath on Saturdays.
Chag sameach
Used only on Jewish holidays like Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Hanukkah.
Boker tov/Gutn tog/Gutn avnt
These morning, afternoon and evening greetings are used at their appropriate times by observant Jews.
L’hitraot
A casual way to say “see you later” when saying goodbye.
Why There Are Different Greetings
The variety of Jewish greetings stems from:
Diverse origins
Jewish people come from diverse backgrounds spanning the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, Spain and Germany. Greetings like “Shalom” have Hebrew origins while terms like “Gutn tog” come from Yiddish.
Religious vs secular
Very observant Jews may use greetings from Hebrew like “Boker tov”, while secular Jews may opt for more universal terms like “Good morning.”
Joyous occasions
There are special greetings used for holidays and lifecycle events to acknowledge their significance and spread blessing.
Everyday vs Shabbat
Shabbat has its own designated greetings to honor the sanctity of the Jewish sabbath.
Morning, afternoon, evening
Jews may choose greetings based on the time of day and appropriate sentiment like wishing a “good evening.”
Similarities Between Jewish & Arabic Greetings
There are similarities between Jewish and Arabic greetings as both languages have roots in the Semitic language family.
Shalom/Salaam
The Jewish greeting “Shalom” and the Arabic greeting “Salaam” sound very similar and have related meanings of peace, security and wholeness. “Salaam” has the same use in Arabic culture as “Shalom” does in Jewish culture as a greeting of peace.
Inshallah/b’ezrat hashem
Arabic speakers say “inshallah” meaning “God willing” when talking about future events. Similarly, Jews may say “b’ezrat hashem” meaning with God’s help. Both invoke God and express hope for events to come.
Habibi/chesid
“Habibi” in Arabic and “chesid” in Hebrew both mean something similar to “beloved.” They are terms of endearment and affection used among friends and relatives.
Conclusion
While the most common Jewish greeting is “Shalom”, Jews use diverse greetings based on language of origin, religiousness, the time of day and special occasions. Hebrew greetings like “Shalom” and “Boker tov” are common, while Yiddish greetings like “Gutn tog” are also used. There are also designated greetings for Shabbat, Jewish holidays and lifecycle events. Many Jewish greetings bear similarities to Arabic greetings due to the shared Semitic roots of the languages. Ultimately there are many ways to greet one another in Jewish culture – all aiming to spread blessing, peace and goodwill.