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A ''gabbai'' (), sometimes spelled ''gabay'', also known as ''shamash'' (, sometimes transcribed ''shamas'') or warden ( UK, similar to churchwarden), is a
The Long Arm of Halacha: Jewish Law and the Madoff Scandal
. ''Forward''. 23 January 2009. p. 11. A gabbai's responsibilities might also include maintaining a
A ''gabbai'' (), sometimes spelled ''gabay'', also known as ''shamash'' (, sometimes transcribed ''shamas'') or warden ( UK, similar to churchwarden), is a beadle
A beadle, sometimes spelled bedel, is an official who may usher, keep order, make reports, and assist in religious functions; or a minor official who carries out various civil, educational or ceremonial duties on the manor.
The term has pre- ...
or sexton, a person who assists in the running of synagogue
A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
services in some way. The role may be undertaken on a voluntary or paid basis. A ''shamash'' (literally 'servant') or ''gabbai'' can also mean an assistant to a rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
(particularly the secretary or personal assistant to a Hasidic rebbe).
In '' ma'amad'', the Council of Elders (or "the board of directors") of the communities of Sephardi Jews, the position of ''gabbai'' was that of the treasurer
A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization.
Government
The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...
.
Etymology
The word ''gabbai'' is Hebrew and, in Talmudic times, meant "collector of taxes or charity" or "treasurer". The term ''shamash'' is sometimes used for the ''gabbai'', the caretaker or "man of all work" in a synagogue.Duties
While the specific set of duties vary from synagogue to synagogue, a gabbai's responsibilities will typically include ensuring that the religious services run smoothly. The ''gabbai'' may be responsible for calling congregants up to the Torah. In some synagogues, the ''gabbai'' stands next to the Torah reader, holding a version of the text withvowels
A vowel is a speech sound pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract, forming the nucleus of a syllable. Vowels are one of the two principal classes of speech sounds, the other being the consonant. Vowels vary in quality, in loudness a ...
and trope markings (which are not present in the actual Torah scroll
A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema
An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue
file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Interior, Tora Cases.jpg">Torah cases at Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, India ...
), following along in order to correct the reader if the reader makes an error. In other synagogues, these responsibilities are instead that of a ''sgan'' ().
A gabbai might manage some of the financial affairs of the institution, such as collection of contributions and keeping financial records. The administrator of charitable funds might be called the ''gabbai tzedakah''.Saiman, Chaim.The Long Arm of Halacha: Jewish Law and the Madoff Scandal
. ''Forward''. 23 January 2009. p. 11. A gabbai's responsibilities might also include maintaining a
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery ( ''beit almin'' or ''beit kvarot'') is a cemetery where Jews are buried in keeping with Halakha, Jewish tradition. Cemeteries are referred to in several different ways in Hebrew, including ''beit kevarot'' (house of s ...
.
Dress
In some parts of the world, the ''gabbaim'' wear special clothing. In Anglo-Jewry, for example, ''gabbaim'' in some synagogue movements have traditionally worntop hats
A top hat (also called a high hat, or, informally, a topper) is a tall, flat-crowned hat traditionally associated with formal wear in Western dress codes, meaning white tie, morning dress, or frock coat. Traditionally made of black silk or som ...
, and where there is a ''shamash'', he may wear canonicals.
In popular culture
An example from literature is "Moshe the Beadle", a character in ''Night
Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of ...
'' by Elie Wiesel
Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel (September 30, 1928 – July 2, 2016) was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates#1980, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored Elie Wiesel bibliogra ...
.
References
{{reflist, 30emFurther reading
* ''Yad LaTorah: Laws and Customs of the Torah Service - A Guide for Gabba'im and Torah Readers'' by Kenneth Goldrich, published by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly. Jewish religious occupations In Sephardic traditions, a gabbai would collect money from the rich and distribute it to the poor as part of the services of the synagogue. Religious leadership roles Titles Aramaic words and phrases Aramaic words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings