What is the role of a Gabbai?

What is the role of a Gabbai?

A gabbai (Hebrew: גבאי‎), also known as shamash (שמש‎, sometimes spelled shamas) or parnas or warden (UK, similar to churchwarden) is a beadle or sexton, a person who assists in the running of synagogue services in some way. The role may be undertaken on a voluntary or paid basis.

What is a Gabbi?

gab·bai. (gä-bī′, gä′bī′, gə-bī′) gab·ba·im (gä-bä-ēm′, gä-bī′ĭm) or gab·bais. A person who assists in the running of a synagogue or its religious services, especially the reading of the Torah.

What do you call the person who reads the Torah?

There are always at least three olim (people called to read the Torah) unless a Kohen is present and no Levite is present, in which case the Kohen is called for the first and second reading: Initially, the Torah was read on the Sabbath or special occasions by the king, a prophet, or a kohen.

What is a hazzan in Judaism?

A hazzan (/ˈhɑːzən/; Hebrew: [χaˈzan]) or chazzan (Hebrew: חַזָּן‎ ḥazzān, plural ḥazzānim; Yiddish khazn; Ladino Hazan) is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.

What is a shammash?

shammash, also spelled shamash or shammas (Hebrew: “servant”), plural shammashim, shamashim, or shammasim, salaried sexton in a Jewish synagogue whose duties now generally include secretarial work and assistance to the cantor, or hazan, who directs the public service.

Who works at a synagogue?

Synagogue services can be led by a rabbi, a cantor or a member of the congregation. Traditional Jewish worship requires a minyan (a quorum of ten adult males) to take place. In an Orthodox synagogue the service will be conducted in ancient Hebrew, and the singing will be unaccompanied.

What is a synagogue beadle?

A beadle, sometimes spelled bedel, is an official of a church or synagogue 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.

What is a Levi in Judaism?

A Levite (or Levi) (/ˈliːvaɪt/, Hebrew: לֵוִי‎, Modern: Levi, Tiberian: Lēwî) is a Jewish male who claims patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah.

What does Gelilah mean?

rolling
: the rolling up of the scroll of the law preparatory to wrapping it in its vestments after reading from it in the synagogue.

What does the name hazzan mean?

cantor
Hazan, Chazan, Chasen, Hasson, and Khazan are all alternative spellings of Hazzan, a Hebrew word carried over into most other Jewish languages that refers to the cantor in the Jewish prayer tradition. Hazan is a Turkish and Romaniote Jewish surname, and is a variant of the Hebrew ‘Hazzan’ and means cantor.

What does it mean to be a gabbai?

What Is A Gabbai? Gabbai (pl. gabbaim) is an Aramaic word that means tax collector, but today a gabbai is someone who assists with the reading of the Torah.

What are the duties of a Gabbai in a synagogue?

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.

What kind of clothing does a gabbai wear?

A gabbai’s responsibilities might also include maintaining a Jewish cemetery . In some parts of the world, the gabbaim wear special clothing. In Anglo-Jewry, for example, gabbaim in some synagogue movements have traditionally worn top hats, and where there is a shamash, he may wear canonicals .