Mazel tov

"Mazel tov" or "mazal tov" (Hebrew/Yiddish: מזל טוב, Hebrew: mazal tov; Yiddish: mazel tov; lit. "good luck") is a Jewish phrase used to express congratulations for a happy and significant occasion or event.

The expression comes from the Mishnaic Hebrew mazzāl, meaning "constellation" or "destiny".

The Mishnaic word derives from Biblical Hebrew mazalot (2 Kings 23:5).

While the words mazal (or mazel in Yiddish; "luck" or "fortune") and tov ("good") are Hebrew in origin, the phrase is of Yiddish origin, and was later incorporated into Modern Hebrew.

Although the Yiddish pronunciation of mazel has the stress on the first syllable, the modern Hebrew word "mazal" has the stress on the last syllable, as is standard in modern Hebrew.

The phrase "mazel tov" is recorded as entering into American English from Yiddish in 1862.

Similarly the Yiddish שלימזל, transliterated as shlimazl ("misfortune"), also made its way into US English (as shlemozzle, schlimazel) in the 20th century (e.g. via Laverne & Shirley).

The same words were also lent to German, as Massel ("luck"), and also as the verb ("to ruin, screw up") and ("misfortune, disaster").

In Polish, the word ślamazara, also derived from Yiddish shlimazl, denotes a person who is slow, sluggish, or lifeless.

In Hungarian the informal mázli means luck, and slamasztika means an unpleasant, distressful situation.

The words mazzel ("luck"),tof/toffe ("nice, great") and the verb mazzelen ("to have luck") have entered Dutch.

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