Mazal Tov (Hebrew: ??? ????) 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 mazz?l, meaning "constellation" or "destiny." This in turn is thought to have derived from the Akkadian language manzaltu, mazzaztum, "position of a star," from izuzzu, "to stand." Adding the word tôb, meaning "good," a direct English translation would be "good fortune or destiny", or even "your constellation (or zodiac or stars) were good".

"Mazal Tov" is often said frequently and sometimes loudly at Jewish celebrations. The phrase is often used on the occasion of celebrations such as Bar or Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, or births.

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 acknowledgement that good fortune has already occurred; the sayer means, "I am pleased this good thing has happened to you".

See how educated I am?! Either that, or I just copied and pasted all the above from Wikipedia! lol