Origins and Translation
Its lyrics are the first verse of Psalm 133, which reads, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
.הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב = Hine mah tov
Behold how good
וּמַה נָּעִים = uMah-Nayim
and how pleasing
שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד = shevet achim gam yachad
if brothers (people) could sit together in unity
(in Hebrew, the masculine also includes the feminine when a mixed group of people are concerned)
Yachad is from the word Yachid which means absolute unity and has a higher connotation than just peace and harmony.
The question is asked in the Talmud, "How can you describe HaShem (God)" and the reply is "Yachid" (absolute unity).
It is for this reason that the word "Yachad" has a higher connotation in that it also implies unity with the Creator and not just with other people. Simply put, it implies an ascended level of universal consciousness.
Read more about this topic: Hine Ma Tov
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