The Power of Saying “Shalom”

Our Sages taught a beautiful and profound practice: to greet others in the name of Hashem. The Mishnah in Berachot (9:5) teaches that we should greet a friend with the word shalom, even though "Shalom" is one of the names of Hashem Himself. This halachic (Jewish legal) ruling shows just how meaningful it is to greet someone and create peace between people.

In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers, 4:15), Rabbi Matya ben Charash teaches: “Be the first to greet every person.” This isn’t just about good manners, it’s a spiritual responsibility. The Talmud in Berachot (17a) tells us that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, one of the great leaders of his time, never waited for someone else to greet him first, not even a non-Jew in the marketplace. The message is clear: saying “hello” first, reaching out first, is not just polite, it’s holy.

Even Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) was held to this standard. In Shabbat (89a), we learn that when Moshe ascended to Heaven, Hashem asked him, “Is there no peace in your city?” as if to say, “Why didn’t you greet Me first?” From here, we see that offering shalom to another person is something Hashem Himself values deeply.

The Sefer Chareidim, a classic Jewish work on mitzvot (commandments), writes that greeting others warmly is actually a rabbinic mitzvah. It’s not just a nice gesture but it’s a spiritually significant act.

In the final year of his life, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, known as the Alter of Slabodka, shared a moving thought with the students of the Chevron Yeshiva just moments before the shofar was blown on Rosh Hashanah. His words were simple but powerful: “What can a person bring with him to the Heavenly Court on the Day of Judgment? What merit can tip the scales in his favor? A sincere ‘Good morning’ said to another Jew each day, with a warm smile, can make all the difference.”

Rabbi Lefkowitz, head of the younger division of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, would often repeat this teaching. He emphasized that a kind greeting, especially early in the day, lifts not only the person receiving it but also the one who gives it.

A true story from the Har Nof neighborhood in Jerusalem shows just how powerful a simple greeting can be.

An American Jew had moved to Har Nof and started attending a local synagogue during the week. On Shabbat, however, he unknowingly sat in seats that were regularly used by longtime members. Although people asked him politely to move, it happened seven times in one Shabbat and he left feeling unwelcome and hurt.

The next Shabbat, unsure of what to expect, he tried a different synagogue, one led by Rav Avraham Rubin. He stood quietly in the back, uncertain whether he would stay. After the service, Rav Rubin approached him with a big smile and warmly said, “Gut Shabbos!” (Yiddish for “Good Shabbat”). He asked about the man’s background and how he was adjusting to life in Israel.

Touched by the kindness, the man opened up and shared how lonely and rejected he had felt since moving. He had been seriously considering returning to the United States.

Shocked and moved, Rav Rubin addressed his community the next day. He urged them to think about how much harm can come from ignoring someone, even unintentionally. How could a Jew come to a new neighborhood and feel so invisible? He reminded them of the power of a smile, a kind word, a simple greeting.

Two weeks later, Rav Rubin received a phone call from the man’s father, a well-known philanthropist in America. He told the Rav that his son had been about to leave Israel, but the warmth he received in Rav Rubin’s shul gave him the strength to stay. As a gesture of gratitude, the father asked how he could help the community.

At first, Rav Rubin hesitated. But when he mentioned that their modest synagogue desperately needed a real building, the man immediately offered to donate $500,000.

That generous gift became the foundation for a beautiful new synagogue in Har Nof, a house of prayer built on one act of kindness.

This story reminds us that something as small as a warm “Shalom,” “Gut Shabbos,” or “Good morning” can carry incredible weight. A smile, a word of welcome, a little effort to make someone feel seen, these simple actions can echo far beyond the moment. They can uplift a heart, change a person’s path, and even bring blessing to an entire community.