Jewish greetings

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]

Le'Shana Tova Tikatevu, greeting card from Montevideo, 1932.

Shabbat

For the Sabbath, there are several greetings that Jews use to greet one another.

Phrase	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Shabbat shalom	שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם	Peaceful Sabbath	[ʃaˈbat ʃaˈlom]	Hebrew	Used any time on Shabbat, especially at the end of a Shabbat service. Used also preceding Shabbat almost like "have a good weekend."[2]
Gut Shabbes Good Shabbos	גוּט שַׁבָּת	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 וואָך שָׁבוּעַ 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	חַג שָׂמֵחַ	Happy holiday	[χaɡ 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" (חַג כָּשֵׁר וְשָׂמֵחַ) meaning wishing a happy and kosher(-for-Passover) holiday.[2]
Moed tov Moadim l'simcha	מועד טובֿ מועדים לשמחה	A good festival period A happy festival period	[ˈmo.ed tov mo.aˈdim le simˈχa]	Hebrew	Used as a greeting during the chol ha-moed (intermediate days) of the Passover and Sukkot holidays.
Gut Yontiv	גוט יום־טובֿ	Good Yom Tov	[ɡʊt ˈjɔntɪv]	Yiddish/English	Used as a greeting for the Yom Tov holidays.[2] Often spelled Gut Yontif or Gut Yontiff.
L'shanah tovah or Shana Tova	לְשָׁנָה 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" (שָׁנָה טוֹבָה), meaning "a good year", or "shanah tovah u'metukah" (שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה) meaning "a good and sweet year".[2] The phrase is short for "l'shanah tovah tikatevu ve techatemu" (לְשָׁנָה 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] In Israel, also used during Passover due to the renewal of spring, the Exodus story and the new beginning of being freed from slavery, and because it says in the bible itself, as to the month of Nissan, the month of Passover, that "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year." (Exodus 12:1-3) Nissan is in fact the seventh month, but for these reasons the greeting has wide usage in Israel near Passover.
Tzom kal	צוֹם קַל	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 sealed for good [in the Book of Life]	[]	Hebrew	Used to wish someone well for and on Yom Kippur. Tradition teaches that our fate is written on Rosh Hashanah and is sealed on Yom Kippur.[4]
Tizku Leshanim Rabot - Ne'imot veTovot	תזכו לשנים רבות - נעימות וטובות	May you merit many pleasant and good years	[tizˈku leʃaˈnim raˈbot - ne.iˈmot vetoˈvot]	Hebrew	Used in Sephardic communities to wish someone well for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

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	שָׁלוֹם	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	שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם	Peace be upon you	[ʃaˈlom ʔaleˈχem]	Hebrew	This form of greeting was traditional among the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. The appropriate response is "Aleichem Shalom" (עֲלֵיכֶם שָׁלוֹם) or "Upon you be peace." (cognate with the Arabic-language "assalamu alaikum" meaning "The peace [of ] be upon you.)"
L'hitraot	לְהִתְרָאוֹת	Goodbye, lit. "to meet"	[lehitʁaˈʔot]	Hebrew	Perhaps the most common Hebrew farewell in Israel (English "bye" is also commonly used).

Phrases

These are Hebrew phrases used in Jewish communities both inside and outside of Israel.[1]

Phrase	Hebrew script	Translation	Pronunciation	Language	Explanation
Mazal tov / Mazel tov	מַזָּל טוֹב	good luck/congratulations	[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 אֶצְלְךָ	Soon so shall it be by you	[bekaˈʁov ʔetsˈleχ] [bekaˈʁov ʔetsleˈχa]	Hebrew	Used in response to "mazal tov"[1]
B'ezrat HaShem	בְּעֶזְרָת הַשֵּׁם	With God's help	[beʔezˈʁat haˈʃem]	Hebrew	Used by religious Jews when speaking of the future and wanting God's help (similar to "God willing").[1]
Yasher koach (or ShKoiAch)[7]	יְישַׁר כֹּחַ	You should have increased strength	[jiˈʃaʁ ˈko.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 tiheyeh" (m)/brucha teeheyi (f) meaning "you shall be blessed."[1][8]
Chazak u'varuch	חֵזָק וּבָרוךְ	Be strong and blessed	[χaˈzak uvaˈʁuχ]	Hebrew	Used in Sephardi synagogues after an honour. The response is "chazak ve'ematz" ("be strong and have courage")	It is the Sephardi counterpart pair to the Ashkenaz ShKoiAch and Boruch TihYeh.
Nu?	?נו	So?	[nu]	Yiddish	A Yiddish interjection used to inquire about how everything went.[1]
Kol ha'ka'vod	כֹּל הַכָּבוֹד	All of the honour	[kol hakaˈvod]	Hebrew	Used for a job well done.[1]
L'chaim	לְחַיִּים	To life	[leχaˈjim] [ləˈχajm]	Hebrew/Yiddish	Hebrew and Yiddish equivalent of saying "cheers" when doing a toast[1]
Gesundheit	געזונטהייט	Health	[ɡəˈzʊnthajt]	Yiddish	Yiddish (and German) equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Also sometimes "tsu gezunt".[2]
Lavriut (or Livriut)	לבריאות	To Health	[livʁiˈʔut]	Hebrew	Hebrew equivalent of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes.[8]
Refuah Sheleimah	רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה	Get well soon. Lit. full recovery	[]	Hebrew	Used when someone is sick or injured.[9] Also see related daily prayer addition.

See also

• Honorifics in Judaism
• Honorifics for the dead in Judaism

References

1. Jacobs, Jill Suzanne. "Speaking of Favorite Hebrew Expressions". Dummies.com. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
2. "Expressions and Greetings". Judaism 101. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
3. "Rosh ha-Shana (Jewish New Year)". Hebrew: Virtual Ulpan. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
4. Staff, Jspace. "G'mar Chatimah Tovah from Jspace". Jspace. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
5. Jacobs, Jill Suzanne. "Hebrew For Dummies". Dummies.com. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
6. Daniels, Sariya. "B'Sha'ah Tovah". The Jewish Magazine. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
7. contraction of the two words
8. "Jewish Holiday Greetings". Patheos.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
9. "refua shlema - Jewish English Lexicon". Retrieved 26 March 2019.