The Hebrew word for "peace," shalom, is related to the Hebrew word that means whole or perfect, shalem. This suggests that there is a relationship between peace and wholeness. Judaism values peace very highly, prioritizing it over nearly everything else, as is reflected in biblical, rabbinic, liturgical, ethical, and legal texts.
Notable Sources
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A Pillar of the World
MISHNAH
On what foundations does the world rest? Pirkei Avot, a work of ancient rabbinic ethics and wisdom from the land of Israel, records Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel's answer to this question.
All Is Well! All Is Well!
TANAKH
Assurances that all is well when it is not are dangerous. The late First Temple–era prophet Jeremiah warns against such assurances as he warns that the Babylonians are coming to destroy the Temple and Jerusalem.
The Power of Speech
KABBALAH
One never knows the effects of their words and what they might call into the world. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, teaches how the righteous use their speech for peaceful purposes.
The Divine Light of Peace
JEWISH THOUGHT
The daily morning prayers include a recitation from the Babylonian Talmud in which the rabbis list a number of desirable and praiseworthy behaviors — bringing peace between people is one of them. In his commentary on the liturgy, Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Cook explains the cosmic significance of the principle of peace.
A Means to Increase Peace
TALMUD
In Hebrew, the traditional greeting "shalom" literally means "peace," and then one asks, "What is your peace?" That is, how are you? The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Berkahot articulates the importance of greeting others first to foster positive relationship dynamics, promoting peace.
Do Not Take Revenge
HALAKHAH
The Torah prohibits seeking to "right" a wrong by taking revenge. The anonymous author of the 13th-century Sefer HaChinukh, an enumeration and explanation of each biblical commandment, explains the commandment not to pursue revenge.
Speech and Peace
CHASIDUT
Can one pray — or even speak — when there is contention and not peace? Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, the early 19th-century Chasidic leader, takes up this question in his collected teachings, Likutei Moharan.
Peace in the Home
HALAKHAH
The rabbis teach that light in the home on Shabbat promotes peace in the home. The Arukh HaShulchan, a late 19th-century comprehensive halakhic digest by Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, teaches about the importance of a candle in the home on Shabbat.
The Altar of Peace
MIDRASH
The Torah prohibits the use of metal tools — tools of violence — in building the stone altar for the Tabernacle, the Israelites' portable sanctuary in the desert. The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, an ancient midrash from the land of Israel on the book of Exodus, interprets why.
Peace Versus Truth
JEWISH THOUGHT
Can truth and peace be reconciled or must they always be in tension with one another? Dr. Erica Brown reflects on this tension in her inspirational writings for the Days of Awe.
The Peace (Shelamim) Offering
COMMENTARY
The peace offering — shelamim, in Hebrew, from the same root as shalom, peace — was shared by the priests and those who brought the sacrifice. Joseph Bekhor Shor, a 12th-century French biblical commentator, explains the symbolism of this sacrifice and how it brought peace.
Terms of Peace
TANAKH
The rabbis teach that there are two kinds of war, permitted and obligatory. This verse from the book of Deuteronomy is traditionally understood as a divine commandment to offer terms for peace before a permitted war.
A Prayer for Peace
LITURGY
Peace is a divine blessing, and God is its source. The following prayer, recited daily by many, asks that God bestow divine peace on the people of Israel.
New Year blessing, with a quote from the Priestly Blessing: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious to thee; the Lord lift up his countenance to thee and give thee peace. (Numbers 6 24-26). The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley.
New Year blessing, with a quote from the Priestly Blessing: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious to thee; the Lord lift up his countenance to thee and give thee peace. (Numbers 6 24-26). The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley.
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