The people of most if not all nations ought not to be summarily judged why their governments and leaders and the words and actions of those leaders.
People in every place in the world yearn for what in Judaism is known as “Shalom.”
Shalom is one of the most interesting words in the Hebrew language and the Jewish faith tradition.
Hebrew words convey feelings and are used with intent. Shalom is primarily understood to mean “peace,” and is used as both a greeting and a farewell. Sort of like saying “peace be with you” as a “hello” and a “goodbye.”
But “peace” is only one small part of the meaning.
According to Strong’s Concordance, Shalom means:
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completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full.
In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid.
The only way to find or embody peace and contentment and harmony and the wholeness and well-being that is Shalom, of course, is through Yahweh (God).
To my way of thinking, this scripture–frequently used by Christians as a benediction in worship–is one of the most beautiful in the Hebrew (Old) Testament:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you Shalom.
— Numbers 6: 24-26
Shalom.
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