Evanu Shalom alechem

Hebrew, being an efficient language, gets maximum value for its words.  The word שלום [shalom] is defined in a Hebrew dictionary as peace or hello.  In practice, the wary translator has to take context into account when rendering this word into English.

When greeting someone, it does mean hello, but sometimes is used in parting, when it can be translated as goodbye.  In an argument, when someone says shalom, shalom, s/he means to say that the discussion is over.

When leaving any town in Israel, there is a sign that says סע בשלום [sa beshalom], which can be translated as either Godspeed or have a safe journey, depending on the desired style.  If someone sends דישת שלום [drishat shalom], they are sending regards.  Of course, Shalom is also a name, as in Shalom Hanuch, the singer.

By the way, the title is name of a Hebrew song, meaning “we brought peace to you.”

I hope you יצאת בשלום [yatzata beshalom] from this post, meaning you got away unscathed.  So I all can say is “SHALOM”

The Long Goodbye

Partings are so difficult, in any language.  The terrible feeling of leaving a loved one is aggravated by the necessity to choose the right words.   People have a choice, in almost all languages.

The remarkable aspect of the saying good bye is that the range of choices is similar in many languages.

For example, an informal, quick departure is punctuated by a bye, salut, or пока [paka] in English, French, and Russian, respectively.  The standard going-away is goodbye, au revoir, and до свидания [da cvidaniya], which is remarkably similar to the Hebrew  להתראות  [lehitraot], i.e. till we meet again].  A brief absence is a Tata for now (TTFN), á tout á l’heure (or if you prefer, á bientôt), and до скорой встречи [do skoroi vstrechi].  A long trip begins with happy trails, bon voyage, and счастливого пути [schaslivava puti].  Finally, for those dramatic movie scenes (i.e. the end of the Titantic), we have farewell, á dieu, and прощай [proshai].

However, I won’t be so melodramatic.  As General Macarthur supposedly said, I shall return, and he did.