Meshulach

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A meshulach (Hebrew: משולח) (plural: meshulachim) or SHaDaR (שד"ר‎, acronym for SHelichei DeRabonan - an emissary of the rabbis; according to others, the acronym is SHelichah DeRachmanah - an emissary from God) is a rabbinical emissary sent to collect charity funds (Halukka). In the original meaning it was for the rescue of the Yishuv haYashan of Eretz Yisrael, the funds were distributed by the Kollelim in form of Halukka.

In recent times, the term has come to mean any charity collector for a Jewish organization. Often an individual meshulach may operate as an independent contractor for several different organizations, taking a portion of the proceeds as profit. The percentage retained by the meshulach is sometimes as high as 49%.

In response to the public perception of fraudulent meshulachim, some communities (for example, Baltimore) have appointed rabbis or panels to investigate meshulachim and issue them certificates to attest for the validity of their cause.

Originally only trustworthy meshulachim were employed. A list of the best-known meshulachim, with their dates and spheres of activity, is provided here:

  • 1441. : Europe.
  • 1587. Joseph ben Moses Miṭrani the Elder (or di Ṭrani, 1569–1639): Egypt.
  • 1598–1599. Joseph ben Moses Miṭrani the Elder (or di Ṭrani, 1569–1639): Istanbul (first mission).
  • 1600. : Italy.[1]
  • 1600s–1606. Joseph ben Moses Miṭrani the Elder (or di Ṭrani, 1569–1639): Istanbul (second mission).
  • 1650. : Italy and Germany.[2]
  • 1659. : the Levant and Italy.[3]
  • 1670s. : Livorno, Italy.
  • 1676. : Italy and Germany.
  • 1676. Joseph Shalit Riqueti: Italy and Germany (with the preceding, author of Iggeret Mesapperet).
  • 1688–1692. Ḥezekiah ben David da Silva (1656–1697): Western Europe (including Amsterdam).
  • 1690. : the Levant and Italy.[4]
  • 1695. : Italy.[5]
  • 1695. : Italy, etc.[6]
  • 1695. Abraham ben Levi Conque: Italy, Germany, and Poland.[7]
  • 1700. : Smyrna.[8]
  • 1705. : Italy.[9]
  • 1709. : Germany and Poland.
  • 1709. : Germany and Poland (with the preceding, author of Me’orot Natan).
  • 1710. .
  • 1712. .[10]
  • 1712. Abraham Rovigo.[11]
  • 1718. : the Levant and Europe.[12]
  • 1720. : Italy.[13]
  • 1730. : Holland.[14]
  • 1730. Moses Hagiz: the Levant and Europe for a period of 50 years (Azulai, Shem ha-Gedolim, i. 34).
  • 1740. : Media and Persia (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 58).
  • 1740s–1749. .
  • 1750. (ib. p. 62).
  • 1750. Hayyim Joseph David Azulai (1724–1806): the Levant and Europe (including Egypt, Amsterdam, England, and Livorno, for 56 years. His Ma‘agal Yashar contains part of his itinerary).
  • 1750. : Italy (ib. p. 115).
  • 1750. : Italy, etc. (Michael, l.c. No. 886).
  • 1750. : the Levant and Italy (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 312).
  • 1759. : America (Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society p. 18).
  • 1760. : Germany (Qiryah Ne’emanah, p. 114, together with other meshullahim).
  • 1760. : the Levant and Italy (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 167).
  • 1760s. (1720–1794): Holland (wrote approbation to Pe’er ha-Dor) and elsewhere in Europe.
  • 1765. : Persia.
  • 1767. : Italy (wrote approbation to Yad Mal’akhi).
  • 1770. : Europe (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 61).
  • 1772. : Germany (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 25).
  • 1773. Raphael Chayyim Isaac Carregal: West Indies and the British Colonies of North America.
  • 1776. Jacob Raphael Saraval: Holland and England (ib. p. 206).
  • 1780. (ib. p. 214).
  • 1783. Abraham ha-Kohen of Lask: Germany and Poland.
  • 1790. : Italy.
  • 1793. Yosef Maimon: Bukhara.
  • 1796. : Tripoli (wrote approbation to Ḥayyey Abraham).
  • 1800. Israel of Shklov: Lithuania and Belarus.
  • 1804. (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 25).
  • 1807. : Germany (wrote approbation to Otsar ha-Ḥayyim).
  • 1810. : the Levant and Italy (Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 343).
  • 1830. : Italy (ib. p. 212).
  • 1848. Isaac Kovo: Egypt.
  • 1848. Jacob Saphir: Southern countries (first mission).
  • 1850. : Italy (ib. p. 220).
  • 1850. : Italy (ib.).
  • 1850. Joseph Schwarz: the United States (author of Ṭevu’at ha-Arets).
  • 1854. Jacob Saphir: Yemen, British India, Egypt, and Australia (Second mission).
  • 1856. : the Levant (author of Naḥalah le-Yisra’el).
  • 1865. Raphael Meir Panigel: Europe (haham başı and author of Lev Marpe’).
  • 1870. Moses Pardo: North Africa.
  • 1885. : Australia.
  • 1885. : the United States (d. 1888, in New York).
  • 1890. : Persia (Sephardic).
  • 1894. Yosef Haim HaCohen: Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Caucasus Mountains.
  • 1899. Yosef Haim HaCohen: Bukhara.
  • 1903 (then serving):
    • : Yemen (Sephardic).
    • : Caucasus, Russia (Sephardic).
    • : India (Sephardic).
    • : the United States.
    • : the United States (author of Tsir Ne’eman, Jerusalem, 1898).
    • .
    • Yosef Haim HaCohen: Algiers, Constantine, Algeria.
  • 1934. Amram Aburbeh: Morocco.

References[]

  1. ^ Graziadio Nepi-Mordecai Ghirondi, Toledot Gedoley Yisra’el. p. 166.
  2. ^ ib. p. 61.
  3. ^ Michael, Or ha-Ḥayyim, No. 593.
  4. ^ Michael, l.c. No. 835.
  5. ^ Nepi-Ghirondi, l.c. p. 206.
  6. ^ ib. p. 359.
  7. ^ Michael, l.c. No. 154.
  8. ^ ib. No. 895.
  9. ^ ib. No. 664.
  10. ^ Michael, l.c. No. 871.
  11. ^ ib.
  12. ^ ib. No. 877.
  13. ^ ib. No. 518.
  14. ^ Nepi-Ghirondi. l.c. p. 76.
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