Ever wonder why I sign my emails, “l’shalom?” A long time ago I worked for a rabbi who told me to. Insistent that I did. He was emphatic. I wish I could say he gently guided me.

I had been signing them “B’shalom. B’shalom, in peace, is something we say about people who have died. As Sue pointed out in English we say, “rest in peace.” But that is not quite enough. The preposition in Hebrew, B’ can mean in, at or with. So in our liturgy we will actually sing B’shalom in several places, notably in the Shabbat liturgy. We want G-d to bless us “b’shalom”, with peace. We want the Shabbat angels to come b’shalom, in peace. Watch while you are sitting at services.

L’shalom is the hope that the world, that we ourselves will move towards peace. It is a similar usage to G-d speaking with Abraham. “Lech l’cha,” is usually translated as “Go forth” or “Go from” but really the rabbis teach us it carries with it the sense of “Go towards” They say it means, “Go towards yourself. Become yourself.”

Some days, this week for me in particular, it seems we can’t do much about peace. The world is too confusing. Too scary. What can we individuals possibly do? Why even bother?

Then I remember a good friend of mine. She is a Quaker. She has a tradition of signing every email, “Peace.” Because for her that is the ultimate goal. Because it is something she can do.

Her original idea came from a book of Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander where he said, “If you yourself is at peace, at least there is some peace in the world.” So every time she signs an email she says she brings more peace into the world. And she smiles.

And she uses another quote that as she points out has been ascribed to lots of people, “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” This quote, often attributed to Gandhi came from AJ Muste who was born in the Netherlands, grew up in Grand Rapids in the Dutch Reformed Church and then became a Congregational minister in Newtonville, working on labor relations including those in Lawrence, MA and on peacemaking. I felt like I was reading about a kindred spirit.

Depending on my mood I “hear” her signature in different ways. Sometimes I hear it in the way she intends. Sometimes I hear it and think, really—I am never going to be at peace. The world will never be peaceful, what is she talking about, why is she challenging me, what does she expect of me.

Then I remember this discussion about L’shalom/B’shalom and I understand. Peace is something we hope for. We are not there yet. Peace is a process. So, I will keep signing my emails, “L’shalom.” One day we may get there. Speedily and in our day.

L’shalom/sa’alam/peace
Margaret