Yasher Koach

Traditionally when someone performs a positive religious act such as giving tzedakah, receiving an Aliyah to the Torah, leads services or helps to make a minyan we bless them with the words “Yasher Koach” or the yidishized expression “She-koyach.” The full and grammatically correct phrase is “ye-yasher kochacha.” The literal translation is “may your strength be firm/straight” though it is more accurately translated as “good job” or “job well done.”

The origins of this phrase come from this week’s parsha. After witnessing the nation worshipping the golden calf, Moshe shatters the original tablets with the Ten Commandments on them. Moshe then appeases Hashem and begs Him to forgive the Jewish people. Hashem agrees and instructs Moshe: “Carve for yourself two stone Tables like the first ones, and I shall inscribe on the Tables the words that were on the first Tablets, which you shattered (Hebrew: asher shibarta).” The Talmud understands that Hashem is praising Moshe for having shattered the tablets. “Asher shibarta (which you shattered) – yasher koach for having shattered them.” Hashem wishes Moshe a yasher koach and affirms that Moshe did the proper thing by breaking the tablets.

It has been suggested that this phrase was adopted for the synagogue setting because originally the Torah was read while standing upright so the text would be visible to the congregation. This required someone to hold the Torah up. The congregation would encourage him with wishes of “yasher koach” which was really a wish that the person have strength to hold the Torah upright. Ironically, a phrase that was originally used to compliment someone for throwing down the Tablets and breaking them became a phrase used to ensure that the Torah would be held upright. Once the phrase was used in one context of synagogue ritual it was adopted as a generic congratulatory phrase for all areas of ritual performance.