Parshas Haazinu (5779) Sukkot Edition
If you are worried that you might one day find yourself in a Hebrew or Yiddish-speaking Jewish neighborhood in the middle or at the end of a Sabbath or Jewish holiday, and you won’t know the appropriate greeting to use for the occasion, and you might make a big fool of yourself, you need worry no more because I have just what you need …
That’s right, folks! Here I present to you a user-friendly glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish Sabbath and Holiday greetings (parts excerpted from www.jewfaq.org) for you to use as a reference guide so that from now on you will know on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays exactly which greeting to use and when … and never be embarrassed again!
~ Shabbat Shalom (shah-BAHT shah-LOHM)
Hebrew. Literally, Sabbath peace or peaceful Sabbath.
~ Gut Shabbes (GUT SHAH-biss; gut rhymes with put)
Yiddish. Literally, good Sabbath. Like Shabbat Shalom, this is a general, all-purpose Shabbos greeting. [Note: In many Chassidic communities, this greeting is pronounced “Git Shabbes†instead of “Gut Shabbes†– and the same holds true for all the greetings in the glossary that begin with “Gutâ€.]
~ Shavua Tov (shah-VOO-ah TOHV)
Hebrew. Literally, good week. This greeting is traditionally used after Havdalah (the ceremony marking the conclusion of Shabbos) to wish someone a good forthcoming week.
~ Gut Voch (GUT VAKH; gut rhymes with put)
Yiddish. Same as Shavua Tov.
~ Chag Sameach (KHAG sah-MAY-akh)
Hebrew. Literally, joyous festival. This is an appropriate greeting for any Jewish Holiday, and especially for Passover, Shavuos, and Sukkos.
~ Gut Yontiff (GUT YAHN-tiff; gut rhymes with put)
Yiddish. Literally, good holiday. This greeting can be used for any Jewish holiday.
~ Gut Mo’ed (GUT MOH-aid; gut rhymes with put)
Yiddish. Literally, good festival. The holidays of Passover and Sukkos have “intermediate days†of lesser sanctity called Chol HaMo’ed, when many of the work restrictions are relaxed. On those days, the traditional greeting is “Gut
Mo’edâ€. Others say, “Ah Gutten Mo’edâ€. [Click here to learn more about Chol HaMo’ed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chol_HaMoed]
~ Shanah Tovah (shah-NAH toh-VAH)
Hebrew. Literally, a good year. A common greeting during Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe leading up to Yom Kippur. It is an abbreviation of L'shanah tovah tikaseiv v'seikhaseim (May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year).
~ Tzom Kal (tzohm KAL; kal rhymes with doll)
Hebrew. Literally, an easy fast. This is the proper way to wish someone well for Yom Kippur.
~ Ah Gut Kvittel (Ah GUT KVIT-till; gut rhymes with put)
Yiddish. Literally, a good note. [This seemingly strange greeting requires some background information.] Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of the festival of Sukkos, is known as the last of the Days of Judgment, which begin on Rosh Hashanah. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, writes that while the “note†(or “kvittel†in Yiddish) of judgment for the New Year is inscribed on Rosh Hashanah and sealed on Yom Kippur, it is not "delivered" until the end of Sukkos (i.e., Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Sukkos), which means that one actually has more time after Yom Kippur until Hoshana Rabbah to alter his verdict and decree for the new year. Consequently, from Yom Kippur until Hoshana Rabbah, many Jews have the custom to wish each other a “gut kvittelâ€, a good note and a positive verdict. [Others say this greeting in Aramaic: “pitka tava†or “piska tavaâ€.]
~ Ah Lichtige Chanukah (Ah LIKH-teh-geh KHAN-ookeh)
Yiddish. Literally, a bright Chanukah. A traditional greeting on the holiday of Chanukah.
~ Ah Freilechen Purim (Ah FRAY-leh-khen POO-rim)
Yiddish. Literally, a festive Purim. A traditional greeting on the holiday of Purim. [Others use this same greeting for Chanukah and wish each other “A Freilechen Chanukahâ€.]
~ Ah Zeesin Paysach (Ah ZEE-sin PAY-sokh)
Yiddish. Literally, a sweet Passover. [Others add: “A Zeesin un ah Kusherin Paysach†– a sweet and kosher Passover.]
CHAG SAMEACH! AH GUT KVITTEL!
http://www.torchweb.org/torah_detail.php?id=532