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.
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Of the Utmost ImportanceMIDRASH
Of the Utmost Importance
MIDRASH
How important is peace? According to the ancient rabbis whose teachings are recorded in the fifth-century midrashic collection on the book of Leviticus from the land of Israel, it is of the utmost importance.
A Pillar of the WorldMISHNAH
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
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.
A Vessel That Holds the Most Blessing MUSAR
A Vessel That Holds the Most Blessing
MUSAR
What vessel holds the most blessing, or what is the precondition for bounteous blessing? Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover, in his 17th-century ethical work Kav HaYashar, answers this question.
They Shall Never Again Know WarTANAKH
They Shall Never Again Know War
TANAKH
What might peace look like? The First Temple–era prophet Isaiah offers a vision of a peaceful messianic future.
Aaron, Pursuer of PeaceTALMUD
Aaron, Pursuer of Peace
TALMUD
In the rabbinic tradition, Aaron, the brother of Moses, is known as a pursuer of peace. Avot DeRabbi Natan, a talmudic-era companion volume to Pirkei Avot, presents some of the practices for which he was recognized.
The Power of Speech KABBALAH
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 PeaceJEWISH THOUGHT
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
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
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
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
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 PeaceMIDRASH
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.
The Ways of Peace TALMUD
The Ways of Peace
TALMUD
The pursuit of peace — the effort to establish positive relations — can be a powerful motivator of human behavior. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Gittin lists a number of dos and don'ts toward the establishment of good relations with one's gentile neighbors.
Peace Versus Truth JEWISH THOUGHT
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 (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 PeaceTANAKH
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
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.