Mazal Tov

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Mazal Tov (Hebrew: מזל טוב‎) literally means "good fortune" in Hebrew. This phrase has been incorporated into Yiddish as "Mazel Tov," and is now used in Modern Hebrew and English as well. It is often used to mean "congratulations."

The expression comes from the Mishnaic Hebrew mazzāl, meaning "constellation" or "destiny." This in turn is thought to have derived from the Akkadian language manzaltu, mazzaztum, In Israel, "Mazal Tov" is used for all sorts of happy occasions, whether they be a new driver's license, a birthday, or the end of an IDF service. Another common use is in a sarcastic way, when someone finishes a task that they wanted to get rid of, for example, after a very hard test.

Note that although "mazal" means "luck" in Modern Hebrew, "good luck" is an incorrect translation of the true meaning of the phrase. This term is not used in the way that the expression "good luck" is used in English (typically as "I wish you good luck"). It is more often an acknowledgment that good fortune has already occurred; the sayer means, "I am pleased this good thing has happened to you." The phrase for wishing good luck is in Hebrew "B'hatzlacha" (בהצלחה), literally meaning "with success".

[edit] See also

• List of English words of Yiddish origin
• Mazel (disambiguation)
• Suyog