Sunday, June 3, 2007

Shalom

Shalom peace; "Hello/Goodbye"

Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) is a Hebrew word meaning well-being or hello. As it does in English, it can refer to either peace between two entities (especially between man and God or between two countries), or to the well-being, welfare or safety of an individual or a group of individuals. 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.

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, harmony, a concept usually encapsulated by translation in the word well-being.Hence usage of shalom in the Hebrew Bible often refers to conditions related to well-being: safety, health and prosperity of individuals and nations.