A Hebrew Lesson on Blessed Greetings
William Akehurst, HSWC
Joshua 24:14-15
James 3:10
In Scripture, Joshua says each day we have a choice for Good or Evil, Life or Death.
In James, it teaches us that we should speak blessing and not cursing.
The best choice each day is a blessed-good-life.
Scripture also teaches that the spoken word accomplishes its purpose. In Isaiah, we are told that God’s word does not return void but accomplishes what it is to do. If we are made in the likeness of GOD’s image then our spoken words also carry that same power.
And the most powerful words spoken are to speak GOD’s Word over our own lives and into the lives of others.
We also learn in Scripture that we are to give praise and thanks to GOD and to be at peace with all mankind.
Consider our American greeting.
Hi or hello and bye or goodbye right?
Goodbye is derived from Old English, “God Be with you”, but over the decades, Americans have shortened it to “bye”.
In Israel, Jews greeted one another with the following.
Baruch Ha’Shem
Shalom
Or
Shalom Aleikhem
One would say Shalom in greeting, and the correct response would be Shalom Aleikhem.
Or Peace
Peace unto you
They speak blessing and peace at every greeting. Coming or going.
Here’s the lesson I learned in Israel which I also present to you.
With this I greet you in Hebrew.
Baruch Ha’Shem, Shalom Aleikhem.
Baruch=blessed is
Ha’Shem=THE (HIS) NAME
Shalom=PEACE
Aleikhem=to you
Baruch Ha’Shem, Shalom Aleikhem is to say:
BLESSED is HIS NAME (praise to the Creator and King of the Universe), HIS PEACE (wholeness in body mind and spirit) BE UPON YOU.
SHALOM HASHEM ALEIKHEM.
PEACE (Wholeness, peace and healing) in THE NAME OF THE LORD be upon you, In body, mind and spirit. HIS SPIRIT...THE SPIRIT OF THE RISEN CHRIST. AMEN!
Perhaps we should adapt the same Greeting in our American Language.
Shalom!
Be Blessed, and Be a Blessing.
