A ''meshulach'' (; plural: ''meshulachim''), also known as a ''shaliach'' () or SHaDaR (, acronym for ), was an emissary sent to the

Diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews after ...

to raise funds ('' ḥalukka'') for the

Jewish communities Jewish ethnic divisions refer to many distinctive communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population. Although considered a self-identifying ethnicity, there are distinct ethnic subdivisions among Jews, most of which are primarily the ...

of the

Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...

. In recent times, the term has come to mean any charity collector for a Jewish organization.

Role of the ''meshulach''

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 Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

) have appointed rabbis or panels to investigate ''meshulachim'' and issue them certificates to attest for the validity of their cause.

Notable ''meshulachim''

* 1441. Esrim ve-Arba‘ah: 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. Judah de Leon: Italy * 1600s–1606. Joseph ben Moses Miṭrani the Elder (or di Ṭrani, 1569–1639): Istanbul (second mission) * 1650. Nathan ben Reuben David Spiro: Italy and Germany * 1659.

Benjamin ha-Levi Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...

: the Levant and Italy * 1670s.

Judah Sharaf Judah or Yehuda is the name of a biblical patriarch, Judah (son of Jacob). It may also refer to: Historical ethnic, political and geographic terms * Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve Tribes of Israel; their allotment corresponds to Judah or Jud ...

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

, Italy * 1676. Joseph ben Eliezer: Italy and Germany * 1676.

Joseph Shalit Riqueti Joseph Shalit ben Eliezer Riqueti (Richetti) was a Jewish-Italian scholar born at Safed, and who lived in the second half of the 17th century at Verona, where he directed a Talmudical school. He was the author of ''Ḥokmat ha-Mishkan'' or ''Iggeret ...

: 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 * 1695. Avraham Yitzchaḳi: Italy * 1695. Shmuel ha-Kohen: Italy, etc. * 1695. Abraham ben Levi Conque: Italy, Germany, and Poland * 1700. Hayyim Asael ben Benjamin: Smyrna * 1705. Gedaliah Hayyim: Italy * 1709. Nathan Mannheim: Germany and Poland * 1709.

Jacob of Vilna Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Ja ...

: Germany and Poland (with the preceding, author of ''Me’orot Natan'') * 1710.

David Melammed David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

* 1712.

Hayyim Hazzan The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name ''Haimo''. Hebrew etymology Chayyim ( he, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Haim ...

* 1712.

Abraham Rovigo Abraham Rovigo (born ca. 1650 in Modena, died 1713 in Mantua) was a Jewish scholar, rabbi and kabbalist. Biography Rovigo studied in Venice in the ''yeshiva'' of Moses Zacuto and devoted himself to study the Kabbalah. He was one of the main sup ...

* 1718.

Hayyim Jacob ben Jacob David The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name ''Haimo''. Hebrew etymology Chayyim ( he, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Haim ...

: the Levant and Europe * 1720.

Ephraim ben Aaron Nabon Ephraim (; he, ''ʾEp̄rayīm'', in pausa: ''ʾEp̄rāyīm'') was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath. Asenath was an Ancient Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughte ...

: Italy * 1730.

David Capsoto David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

: Holland * 1730.

Moses Hagiz Moses Hagiz (1671 – c. 1750) (Hebrew: משה חגיז) was a Talmudic scholar, rabbi and writer born in Jerusalem during the time of the Old Yishuv. He was also one of the most prominent and influential Jewish leaders in 17th-century Amsterdam. Du ...

: the Levant and Europe for a period of 50 years * 1740.

Baruch Gad Baruch may refer to: People * Baruch (given name), a given name of Hebrew origin * Belle W. Baruch (1899–1964), American heiress, daughter of Bernard Baruch * Bernard Baruch (1870–1965), American financier, stock market speculator, statesm ...

: Media and Persia * 1740s–1749. Ḥayyim ben Elias Moda‘i * 1750. Baruch of Austria * 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.

Hayyim Abraham Tzebi The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name ''Haimo''. Hebrew etymology Chayyim ( he, wikt:חיים#Proper noun, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ...

: Italy * 1750. Hayyim Mordecai Tzebi: Italy, etc. * 1750. Rahmim Nissim Mizrahi: the Levant and Italy * 1759.

Moses Malki Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...

: America * 1760. Hayyim Nissim Jeroham of Vilna: Germany * 1760. Yom-Ṭob al-Ghazi: the Levant and Italy * 1760s. Ḥayyim ben Elias Moda‘i (1720–1794): Holland (wrote approbation to ''Pe’er ha-Dor'') and elsewhere in Europe * 1765. Jacob al-Yashar: Persia * 1767. Issachar Abulafia: Italy (wrote approbation to ''Yad Mal’akhi'') * 1770. Abraham Solomon Zalmon: Europe * 1772. Abraham Segre: Germany * 1773.

Raphael Chayyim Isaac Carregal Raphael Hayyim Isaac CarregalAlso spelt: Carigal, Carrigal, Karigal, Karigel, Karigol, Kargol, Kragol. (October 15, 1733, Hebron, Ottoman Empire – May 5, 1777, Barbados) was an itinerant Palestinian rabbi and preacher. He is the first rabbi ...

: West Indies and the British Colonies of North America * 1776.

Jacob Raphael Saraval Jacob Raphael ben Simhah Judah Saraval ( 1707 – 1782) was an Italian Rabbi, man of letters, and musician. Saraval was born in Venice. Saraval was one of the rabbis of Venice who supported Jacob Emden in his dispute with Jonathan Eybeschutz. He co ...

: Holland and England * 1780. Judah Samuel Ashkenazi * 1783. Abraham ha-Kohen of Lask: Germany and Poland * 1790. David Hayyim Hazzan: Italy * 1793.

Yosef Maimon Rabbi Yosef ben Moshe Mammon (Maimon) Maravi (1741 – 7 December 1822) is the spiritual leader credited with helping strengthen religious observance and introducing the Sephardic liturgy to the Bukharian Jewish community. The title Maaravi si ...

: Bukhara * 1796. Joseph Aben Samon:

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

(wrote approbation to ''Ḥayyey Abraham'') * 1800. Israel of Shklov: Lithuania and Belarus * 1804. Israel Raphael Segre * 1807.

Hayyim Baruch of Austria The name ''Haim'' can be a first name or surname originating in the Hebrew language, or deriving from the Old German name ''Haimo''. Hebrew etymology Chayyim ( he, wikt:חיים#Proper noun, חַיִּים ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ...

: Germany (wrote approbation to ''Otsar ha-Ḥayyim'') * 1810. Solomon David Hazzan: the Levant and Italy * 1830. Joseph Edels Ashkenazi: Italy * 1848.

Isaac Kovo Yitzhak Ben-Hezekiah Yosef Kovo (1770–1854) was born in the large History of the Jews of Thessaloniki, Sephardi community of Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Salonica and later settled in Ottoman-era Jerusalem. In 1848 he succeeded Chaim Abraham Gagin as ' ...

: Egypt * 1848.

Jacob Saphir Jacob Saphir ( he, יעקב הלוי ספיר; 1822–1886) was a 19th-century writer, ethnographer, researcher of Hebrew manuscripts, a traveler and emissary of the rabbis of Eastern European Jewish descent who settled in Jerusalem during his ...

: Southern countries (''first mission'') * 1850. Isaac Farhi: Italy * 1850.

Levi Nehemias Levi (; ) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's third son), and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Levi (the Levites, including the Kohanim) and the great-grandfather of Aaron, Moses and ...

: Italy * 1850. Joseph Schwarz: the United States (author of ''Ṭevu’at ha-Arets'') * 1854.

Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

(''Second mission'') * 1856. Moses Hazzan: the Levant (author of ''Naḥalah le-Yisra’el'') * 1865.

Raphael Meir Panigel Raphael Meir ben Yehuda Panigel (1804–1893) was the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire. Panigel was born in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, but his family emigrated to the Land of Israel when he was a child. In 1828 and in 1863, he was a ...

: Europe ( haham başı and author of ''Lev Marpe’'') * 1870. Moses Pardo: North Africa * 1885. Moses Riwlin: Australia * 1885.

Nathan Natkin Nathan or Natan may refer to: People *Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name *Nathan (surname) *Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible *Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David and ...

: the United States (d. 1888, in New York) * 1890. Abraham ibn Ephraim: Persia (Sephardic) * 1894.

Yosef Haim HaCohen Rabbi Yosef Haim HaCohen (, 1851 Essaouira, Mogador, Morocco – September 25, 1921 Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine) was the President (corporate title), President of the Maghrebi Jews, Ma’araviim Community in Jerusalem, as well as the rabbi, ...

: Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Caucasus Mountains * 1899.

: Bukhara. * 1903 (then serving): ** Shalom Hamadi: Yemen (Sephardic) **

Benjamin ha-Kohen Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...

: Caucasus, Russia (Sephardic) **

J. Meynhas ''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...

: India (Sephardic) ** Eliezer Zalman Grajewski: the United States ** Joshua Loeb Suessenwein: the United States (author of ''Tsir Ne’eman'', Jerusalem, 1898) ** Solomon Joseph Eliach **

: Algiers, Constantine, Algeria * 1934.

Amram Aburbeh Amram Aburbeh ( he, עמרם אבורביע, 1892– 1966), also spelled Abourabia and Aburabia, was the Chief Rabbi of the Sephardic congregation in Petah Tikva, Israel and author of ''Netivei Am'', a collection of responsa, sermons, and ...

: Morocco.

Notes

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite book, first1=Graziadio, last1=Nepi, author1-link=Graziadio Nepi, first2=Mordecai, last2=Ghirondi, author2-link=Mordecai Ghirondi, title=Toledot Gedoley Yisra’el, location=Trieste, publisher=Tipografia Marenigh, date=1853 {{cite book, first=Heimann Joseph, last=Michael, author-link=Heimann Joseph Michael, title=Or ha-Ḥayyim, location=Frankfurt, date=1891 Jewish religious occupations Jews and Judaism in Ottoman Palestine Hebrew words and phrases Jews and Judaism in Ottoman Galilee