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Shalom (Hebrew:שָׁלוֹםšālōm) is aHebrew word meaningpeace and can be used idiomatically to meanhello.[1][2]
As it does inEnglish,[citation needed] it can refer to eitherpeace between two entities (especially between a person and God or between two countries), or to the well-being, welfare or safety of an individual or a group of individuals. The word shalom is also found in many other expressions and names. Its equivalentcognate inArabic issalaam,sliem inMaltese,Shlama inNeo-Aramaic dialects, andsälam inEthiopian Semitic languages from the Proto-SemiticrootŠ-L-M.
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In Hebrew, words are built on "roots", generally of threeconsonants. When the root consonants appear with variousvowels and additional letters, a variety of words, often with some relation in meaning, can be formed from a single root. Thus from the rootsh-l-m come the wordsshalom ("peace, well-being"),hishtalem ("it was worth it"),shulam ("was paid for"),meshulam ("paid for in advance"),mushlam ("perfect"), andshalem ("whole").
Biblically,shalom is seen in reference to the well-being of others (Genesis 43:27, Exodus 4:18), to treaties (I Kings 5:12), and in prayer for the wellbeing of cities or nations (Psalm 122:6, Jeremiah 29:7).
The meaning of completeness, central to the termshalom, can also be confirmed in related terms found in other Semitic languages. The Assyrian termsalamu means to be complete, unharmed, paid/atoned.Sulmu, another Assyrian term, means welfare. A closer relation to the idea ofshalom as a concept and action is seen in the Arabic rootsalaam, meaning, among other things, to be safe, secure and forgiven.
The word "shalom" can be used for all parts of speech; as a noun, adjective, verb, adverb, and interjection. It categorizes all shaloms. The wordshalom is used in a variety of expressions and contexts in Hebrew speech and writing:
InJudaism,shalom is one of the underlying principles of theTorah: "Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are shalom".[3] The Talmud explains, "The entire Torah is for the sake of the ways of shalom".[4]Maimonides comments in hisMishneh Torah: "Great is peace, as the whole Torah was given in order to promote peace in the world, as it is stated, 'Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace'".[5]
In the bookNot the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, Christian authorCornelius Plantinga described the biblical concept of shalom:
The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.[6]
TheTalmud says, "the name of God is 'Peace'", therefore, one is not permitted to greet another with the word 'shalom' in places such as a bathroom.[7]
Biblical references lead some Christians to teach that "Shalom" is one of the sacred names of God.[8][9][10][11]
Shalom is also aHebrew name, found commonly inIsrael as both agiven andfamily name. While traditionally masculine, it is occasionally androgynous, such as in the case of modelShalom Harlow.
Shalom can be part of anorganization's name, including the titles of the following establishmentspromoting Israeli-Arab peace:
Shalom is used inJewish religious contexts, such as the names ofsynagogues and parks, including:
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