The Meaning of Shalom Used as a Greeting, Also Learn Its Significance!

Kapanlagi.com - The greeting "shalom" may no longer be unfamiliar to Indonesians. This greeting is quite often heard in formal and casual events. But, do you know the meaning of shalom in its usage?

Not much different from various other popular greetings, the meaning of shalom is related to worship (church) and everyday conversation. Not just a greeting, this word also has a deep meaning containing hopes for peace or the absence of worries in life.

Now, for those of you who are curious about a further explanation of the meaning of shalom, please read the following information. There is also an explanation about the usage of shalom and its significance that you can learn.

1. The Meaning of Shalom

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Greeting someone is an activity that is closely associated with daily life. In addition to being a greeting, greetings are also synonymous with religious activities. For example, Assalamualaikum as a greeting for Muslims and Shalom as a greeting commonly heard from Christians. So, what is the actual meaning of shalom?

Just like other greetings, the essence of the meaning of shalom is to convey good things, such as peaceful greetings, and so on. Shalom comes from Hebrew, which means peace, nothing is missing, health, and completeness. In addition, the meaning of shalom also refers to the well-being between two entities (especially between humans and God or between two countries), or for the health, well-being, or safety of individuals or a group of individuals.

2. The Use of Shalom and Its Meaning

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After understanding the meaning of shalom as explained above, you may also be curious about its use and deep meaning. You may hear the use of the word shalom in Christian churches. Shalom can be used as a response to greetings like hello or goodbye. In addition, there are several other meanings of shalom in its use. Here is some information about it that you can read.

1. "Shalom aleichem", similar to Assalamu alaikum in Arabic. The appropriate response is "aleichem shalom".

2. "Shabbat shalom" is one of the greetings commonly used on the Sabbath day. This word is mostly used in areas inhabited by Mizrahi Jews, Sephardic Jews, or modern Israeli residents. Many Ashkenazi Jewish communities outside of Judaism use Gut shabbes in Yiddish.

3. "Ma sh'lom'cha" is a greeting in Hebrew that is similar to the Indonesian phrase "Apa kabar?". This word is commonly used by men. The pronunciation for women is "Ma sh'lomech?" or "Ma sh'lomchen?". While for men who have feminine characteristics, the pronunciation is "Ma sh'lomchem?".

4. "Alav hashalom" is one of the expressions used by many people in the Jewish community, especially Ashkenazi Jews. This greeting is spoken after mentioning a respected person who has passed away.

5. "Oseh shalom" is part of an expression that is often found in the closing verses of Jewish liturgy (including birkat hamazon, kaddish, and personal amidah prayers). The most commonly used verse is "Ose shalom bimromav hu ya'ase shalom aleynu v'al kol Yisrael v'imru amen", which when translated into Indonesian means "God who creates peace in His greatness and God makes peace among us and all the people of Israel, Amen."

6. The word Shalom is widely used in popular Israeli songs such as "In Our Garden", "Ratziti Sheteda", and "Shalom Chaverim".

7. US President Bill Clinton closed his epilogue for Yitzhak Rabin with "Shalom, chaver" (Goodbye, my friend).

8. The word 'Lom (sometimes Sh'lom) is used (especially by young Jews) as an abbreviation for the word "Shalom" in colloquial language.

9. Other words related to modern Hebrew include "l'shalem" which means "to pay" and "shalem" which means "finished".

3. Verses About Shalom in the Bible

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To better understand the meaning of shalom, which means peace and well-being, please read some quotes from the Bible below,

1. "I create praise. Peace, peace to those far and near," says the LORD, "and I will heal them!" (Isaiah 57:19)

2. "They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14)

3. "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:11)

4. "May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness." (Psalm 72:3)

5. "Because they lead my people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash." (Ezekiel 13:10)

KLovers, that's the explanation of the meaning of shalom along with its various uses. This information may help satisfy your curiosity about this popular greeting.

(kpl/ans)