June/July 2008

Shalom!

Perhaps the most familiar of all Hebrew words, “shalom” has a variety of meanings. The best known translation is, of course, “peace.” But shalom is used just as often to mean “Hello!” and also “Good-bye!”

In this country when we greet someone we often say, “How are you?!” -- not as a deep question, but as a simple acknowledgement of interest in the other person. In Israel the comparable expression is “Ma-shalom-ha” (all slurred together), literally meaning “How is your peace?!” In this country when we part ways with someone we are likely to say, “See ya!” In Israel, the parting is often a simple “Shalom!”

The final paragraphs of the Talmud tractate Brachot (“Blessings”) reflect the rabbis’ interest with shalom. They make a distinction between saying “Go to peace” and “Go with peace.” The former is said when one parts from a friend; the latter is said as a parting to someone who you will not see again. This fine point of rabbinic grammar is not always practiced, but may explain why our newsletter articles end with “L’Shalom” -- “Go to peace.”

My husband Dennis and I were still in San Francisco but had already announced our plans to move to Tucson when I received a call from Congregation Chaverim. The congregation’s rabbi was taking some time off for health reasons; would I be available to stand in for her once we arrived in Tucson? As you know, I said yes, and thus began two of the most gratifying years of my rabbinic career. Rabbi Aaron maintained her connection through her work with the B’nei Mitzvah students (and this year the Confirmation class) and I held down the fort in all other respects, working an average of fifteen hours a week for Chaverim, which allowed me also to pursue other religious and spiritual interests.

Rabbi Aaron is resuming her duties with the congregation in July, so I am now saying good-bye, but it’s the loving version that one says when parting from a friend. Tucson is now my home, and I know that in this city-that-is-a-small-town our paths will continue to cross and our friendships will not be forgotten.

The last five sentences of tractate Brachot are quotes from the Psalms, each one a blessing for peace--shalom--which the rabbis’ recognized as one of the most precious blessings to bestow and to receive. So in that spirit, I say “Shalom, Chaverim!” with this blessing from the evening liturgy:

ושמור צאתנו ובואנו לחיים ולשלום מעתה ועד עולם.
U’shmor tzai-tai-nu u’vo-ai-nu l’cha-yim u’l’sha-lom mai-a-ta v’ad o-lam:
May God guard us in our going and coming -- to life and to peace, now and always.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Helen