The word שָׁלום Shalom, as well as the word Alleluiais, probably, the best known word in Biblical Hebrew! Shalom is usually translated as the word “peace”, but this translation alone may be misleading. What happens when we look deeper into the Biblical Hebrew itself and peel back a few layers of translation? Once again, we can begin to see something we could not see before.
It is intriguing that the word Shalom (Root:ש.ל.מ SH–L–M) is connected with such verbs as לְהַשְׁלִים “leHaShlim”, which means “to fulfill that which is lacking” and לְשַׁלֵּם “leShalem” which means “to make a payment”.
Therefore, when we read in the Scriptures, “Peace be with you!” (שָׁלום עֲלֵיכֶם Shalom Aleichem) knowing that the word שָׁלום Shalom is connected not only with peace, but also with fulfillment of something lacking or a paid bill on our behalf, it helps us to grasp Biblical teachings and context that much better than we could before.
In the light of this I want to personally invite you to learn to read the Bible in its original language! You can do it from the comfort of your own home and you can begin in just in few short weeks! One of my colleagues will touch base with you soon to talk about fees, dates, schedule, particular teachers, etc. To get details about our Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek courses, please, click HERE.
© Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg. All rights reserved.
