mazel tov far know hebrew _ mazal _ yiddish _ mazl _ comes close meaning something like lot fortune _ tov _ means good thus hebrew _ mazal tov _ zal tov yiddish _ mazl tov _ mazltov seem originally denoted something like wish good fortune good fortune mentioned used express congratulations rather wish future mentioned others like many yiddish words _ mazl _ found way languages sustained contacts yiddish may passed yet languages ones mentioned jeff allen summary e g dutch _ de mazzel _ high german _ massel _ mas l maz l would like add high german verb _ vermasseln _ spoil ruin e g _ sie hat mir meine arbeit vermasselt _ ruined work screwed job _ vermasseln _ commonly used many think slang word traditionally borrowing yiddish language high german language assumed occurred way underground jargons _ gaunersprachen _ _ rotwelsch _ aware challenge generalization seems rather sweeping interestingly yiddish derived words low german language seem fewer number mostly high german derived due lesser degree contact yiddish reinhard ron f hahn university washington rhahn u washington edu