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Semikhah ( he, סמיכה) is the traditional
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
name for rabbinic
ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
. The original ''semikhah'' was the formal "transmission of authority" from
Moses 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 pr ...
through the generations. This form of ''semikhah'' ceased between 360 and 425 CE. Since then ''semikhah'' has continued in a less formal way. Throughout history there have been several attempts to reestablish the classical ''semikhah''. In recent times, some institutions grant ordination for the role of ''
hazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' ( he, חַזָּן , plural ; Yiddish ''khazn''; Ladino ''Hasan'') is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this ...
'' (cantor), extending the "investiture" granted there from the 1950s. Less commonly, since the 1990s, ordination is granted for the role of lay leader - sometimes titled '' darshan''. Ordination may then also be specifically termed , "rabbinical ordination", , "cantorial ordination", or , "maggidic ordination". The title of "rabbi" has "proliferated greatly over the last century". Nowadays ''Semikha'' is also granted for a limited form of ordination, focused on the application of Halakha in specific settings as opposed to underlying Talmudic knowledge. Outside of
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses o ...
, in fact, the curriculum may emphasize "the other functions of a modern rabbi such as preaching, counselling, and pastoral work".


Related terminology

The word ''semikhah'' derives from a Hebrew root סמכ (''smk'') that means to "rely on", in the sense of "lean on", or "to be authorized"; the literal meaning of ' is "leaning f the hands. ''Semikhah'' may refer to the "conferring" of the ordination, or as a noun, to the certification itself, where the plural is ''Semakhot'' (or ''Semachot''); one with ordination may then be referred to as a ''Musmach''. A precedent Biblical usage is Numbersbr>8:10
describing the preparation of the
Levite Levites (or Levi) (, he, ''Lǝvīyyīm'') are Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from the Tribe of Levi. The Tribe of Levi descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The surname ''Halevi'', which consists of the Hebrew de ...
s for service. A rabbi is also sometimes referred to as a ''Moreh Hora'ah'' (מורה הוראה) "one who teaches alakhicdecisions", while the ordination itself is called ''Heter Hora'ah'' (היתר הוראה) "permission to make Halakhic decisions", certifying that the holder has the facility to apply his "thorough knowledge of the
Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...
"Hattarat hora'ah
jewishencyclopedia.com
to the facts of a given ''halakhic'' question, and (implicitly) certifies also that the candidate is suitable to function as a community Rabbi. These terms derive from Leviticusbr>10:11
where the requirement is specified''
Sefer Mitzvot Katan Isaac ben Joseph of Corbeil (died 1280) ( he, יצחק בן יוסף מקורבי"ל) was a 13th-century French rabbi and tosafist, best known as the author of ''Sefer Mitzvot Ḳatan.'' Biography Isaac was the son-in-law of R. Yechiel of Paris, ...
'
111
sees this verse as constituting a
positive commandment The Jewish tradition that there are 613 commandments ( he, תרי״ג מצוות, taryag mitzvot) or mitzvot in the Torah (also known as the Law of Moses) is first recorded in the 3rd century AD, when Rabbi Simlai mentioned it in a sermon that is ...
. See also ''
Mishneh Torah The ''Mishneh Torah'' ( he, מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, , repetition of the Torah), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' ( he, ספר יד החזקה, , book of the strong hand, label=none), is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law ('' ...
''
''Talmud Torah'' 5:4
/ref> that ''halakhic'' decisions are to be made only by a qualified authority.


Concept

In concept, ''semikhah'' represents a "bond" ('' masorah'') dating back to the time of
Moses 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 pr ...
(Moshe) and
Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...
(Yehoshua); see above re. ''"Hora'ah"''. It is held that '' Hashem'' taught the
Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
to Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) on
Mount Sinai Mount Sinai ( he , הר סיני ''Har Sinai''; Aramaic: ܛܘܪܐ ܕܣܝܢܝ ''Ṭūrāʾ Dsyny''), traditionally known as Jabal Musa ( ar, جَبَل مُوسَىٰ, translation: Mount Moses), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It ...
in 1312 BCE and that since that time, the knowledge of Torah has been passed from generation to generation by the conferment of ''semikhah'', rabbinic ordination, or the unbroken transmission of authority dating back to that time. This unbroken chain of Torah teaching is thus said to have continued for over 3,300 years, and continues to this day. The ancient formula for ''semikhah'' was ''"Yoreh Yoreh. Yadin Yadin"''. ("May he decide? He may decide! May he judge? He may judge!"); and in the early days of rabbinical Judaism any ordained teacher could ordain his students. Classical ''semikhah'' was granted by a court of three judges, and it later required the participation of at least one who had attained this status, himself. According to
Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
the other two need not be ''semukhim''. Today, ''semikha'' is generally through an institution, a ''
yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy a ...
'' or specialized ''
kollel A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...
'', but is often granted by an individual. The testing here''Catalog''
Rabbinical College of America The Rabbinical College of America is a Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic yeshiva in Morristown, New Jersey. The Yeshiva is under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Herson. The growth of the Yeshiva college has had a significant cultural effect on the commu ...
''Semikhah Requirements''
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS ) is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University (YU). It is located along Amsterdam Avenue in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Named after Yitzchak Elchanan ...
''Catalog''
Rabbinical College Bobover
confirms one's ability to decide ("") a question in ''
halakha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
'' (Jewish law). The examination has a dual concern: firstly it confirms knowledge of the law as presented in ''
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in ...
'', the standard code of law (with more recent applications from relevant ''teshuvot'', or responsa); secondly, it also confirms an understanding of the underlying ''principles'', by testing the relevant Talmudic ''
sugya The Gemara (also transliterated Gemarah, or in Yiddish Gemo(r)re; from Aramaic , from the Semitic root ג-מ-ר ''gamar'', to finish or complete) is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah w ...
s'', together with their development in the ''
Rishonim ''Rishonim'' (; he, ; sing. he, , ''Rishon'', "the first ones") were the leading rabbis and '' poskim'' who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, , "Set Table", a ...
'' and ''
Acharonim In Jewish law and history, ''Acharonim'' (; he, אחרונים ''Aḥaronim''; sing. , ''Aḥaron''; lit. "last ones") are the leading rabbis and poskim (Jewish legal decisors) living from roughly the 16th century to the present, and more specifi ...
'', especially the ''Tur''; see .


Varieties of ordination

The Talmud lists three classes of ''semikhah'' issued: ''Yoreh Yoreh'', ''Yadin Yadin'', and ''Yatir Bechorot Yatir''; while the first two are still issued, the last is not. Additional forms of ''semikhah'' issued in modern times are discussed below. * ''Yoreh Yoreh'' (Hebrew: יורה יורה): The recipient of this ''semikhah'' demonstrated sufficient education and proper judgment to be able to render ''
halakhic ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...
'' judgments on matters of religious law as it pertains to daily life, focusing on ''
kashrut (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fr ...
'', referred to as ''"Issur v'Hetter"'', and ''
niddah Niddah (or nidah; he, נִדָּה), in traditional Judaism, describes a woman who has experienced a uterine discharge of blood (most commonly during menstruation), or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirem ...
'' (both from Shulchan Aruch
Yoreh De'ah Yoreh De'ah ( he, יורה דעה) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, ...
), and permissible or forbidden activities on
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
and Yom Tov ( Orach Chaim). The holder of this ''Semikha'', as above, is referred to also as a ''Moreh Hora'ah'' and the ordination itself is called ''Heter Hora'ah''. * ''Yadin Yadin'' (Hebrew: ידין ידין,
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
pronunciation: ''Yoden Yoden''): The recipient of this ''semikhah'' demonstrated sufficient education and proper judgment to be able to render ''halakhic'' judgments on matters of religious law as it pertains to monetary and property disputes; the basis here is the '' Choshen Mishpat'' section; this ''semikhah'' is usually required for a rabbi to act as a
Dayan (rabbinic judge) A beit din ( he, בית דין, Bet Din, house of judgment, , Ashkenazic: ''beis din'', plural: batei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel. Today, it ...
, and, typically, is granted only to those already holding ''Yoreh Yoreh''. * ''Yatir Bechorot Yatir'': The recipient of this ''semikhah'' demonstrated sufficient education and proper judgment to determine the ritual status of firstborn animals that have developed a blemish. This degree required extensive veterinary knowledge. See . Many ''Yoreh Yoreh'' programs, for example the Chief Rabbinate's and
RIETS Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS ) is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University (YU). It is located along Amsterdam Avenue in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Named after Yitzchak Elchanan ...
, include testing in '' Avelut'' (Laws of mourning; ''Yoreh Deah'') and/or
Jewish marital law Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites"" ...
('' Even Ha'ezer'' section). Traditionally – and on the other hand – ''Yoreh Yoreh'' covered ''kashrut'' only, and this is still often the case. Although apparently limited, the basis here is that, as mentioned, ''semikha'' is in fact a confirmation of the ability - and right - of the holder to ''pasken'' in general,
Moshe Isserles ). He is not to be confused with Meir Abulafia, known as "Ramah" ( he, רמ״ה, italic=no, links=no), nor with Menahem Azariah da Fano, known as "Rema MiPano" ( he, רמ״ע מפאנו, italic=no, links=no). Rabbi Moses Isserles ( he, משה ...

Yoreh De'ah 242:14
/ref> and that, as required, the rabbi can correctly apply his Talmudic and ''Halakhic'' knowledge to other areas (and where necessary refer complex cases to a ''
posek In Jewish law, a ''Posek'' ( he, פוסק , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the position of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities a ...
'', a more qualified authority; see ). A ''semikha'' focusing on the laws of ''
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
'' is sometimes granted, similarly. Often, ''niddah'' will require a separate specialized certification, as - given their intricate and sensitive nature - an element of ''shimush'', or "apprenticeship", pertains particularly to these ''halakhot''. (Note that ''shimush'' more generally, is (implicitly) required before one serves as a Rabbi.) It is not uncommon for a rabbi to hold several certificates, with each ''semikha'' covering a specific area of ''halakha''. Certification, with similar testing, is also required for one to qualify as a '' Shochet'', '' Mohel'', ''
Sofer A sofer, sopher, sofer SeTaM, or sofer ST"M ( he, סופר סת״ם, "scribe"; plural of is , ; female: ) is a Jewish scribe who can transcribe Sifrei Kodesh (holy scrolls), tefillin (phylacteries), mezuzot (ST"M, , is an abbreviation of t ...
'', or ''Menakker''; these inhere a major practical element, and thus require significant ''shimush''.


Modern ''semakhot''

As outlined, additional forms of ''semikhah'' are issued in modern times What Is a Rabbi?
Yehuda Shurpin, chabad.org
with their content departing from the above, to an extent reflecting the contemporary Rabbinic role. See for further outline. An Orthodox ''semikha'', "''Rav U'Manhig''", "(pulpit) Rabbi and (community) leader", essentially testifies that the recipient has sufficient Torah knowledge to serve in a position of leadershipSee Aruch HaShulchanbr>Yoreh Deah 242:29
where it is held that in recent times, additional to granting ''Heter Ho'ra'ah'', ''semicha'' certifies one's suitability for the role of Community Rabbi.
(as "rabbi" essentially means "teacher", not necessarily "halakhic authority"). The testing here covers ''Orach Chaim'' extensively, usually with limited emphasis on the underlying Talmudic ''sugyas''. See the related discussion re "semicha-testing programs" and "online semicha" at . Pluralistic and non-denominational movements grant an ordination titled "''Rav U-moreh/morah BeYisrael''", "Rabbi and Teacher in Israel". The curriculum here, as above, may emphasize "the other functions of a modern rabbi such as preaching, counselling, and pastoral work",Ordination (Semicha)
myjewishlearning.com
as opposed to ''Halakha''; further, often in these institutions less emphasis is placed on Talmud and Jewish law, "but rather on sociology, cultural studies, and modern Jewish philosophy".Rabbi
Steven Blane Steven Blane is an American rabbi, cantor and recording singer-songwriter. Rabbi Blane, a Universalist rabbi and cantor, conducts his teaching and pastoral work online. He is the founder and dean of the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute, an on ...
(N.D.)
"Ordination and Semicha"
jsli.net
See . In contrast to these, the
Chief Rabbinate of Israel The Chief Rabbinate of Israel ( he, הָרַבָּנוּת הָרָאשִׁית לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Ha-Rabbanut Ha-Rashit Li-Yisra'el'') is recognized by law as the supreme rabbinic authority for Judaism in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate C ...
confers the further advanced ''semikhah'' of "''Rav Ir''", " hiefRabbi of a City". This covers additional relevant topics from all sections of Shulchan Aruch - such as ''
gerut Conversion to Judaism ( he, גיור, ''giyur'') is the process by which non-Jews adopt the Jewish religion and become members of the Jewish ethnoreligious community. It thus resembles both conversion to other religions and naturalization. "T ...
'' - and, as for ''Dayanut'', has ''Yoreh Yoreh'' as a prerequisite; see .


Ordination ceremony

The ceremony where ordination is conferred is known as ''Chag HaSemikhah'', the festival of ordination. Today in most branches of Judaism, there is no laying on of hands; ordination is conferred as an academic degree with a diploma, signed by the officiating rabbis, often hand-written on parchment. In fact, receiving ordination has been a festive occasion accompanied by celebration since Talmudic times. According to the Talmud, when the rabbis ordained
Rabbi Zeira Rabbi Zeira ( he, רבי זירא), known before his semicha as Rav Zeira ( he, רב זירא) and known in the Jerusalem Talmud as Rabbi Ze'era ( he, רבי זעירא), was a Jewish Talmudist, of the third generation of amoraim, who lived in ...
, they sang a bridal song in his honor: "Even though she painted not her eyes with
antimony Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (from la, stibium) and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient ti ...
, neither darkened her cheeks with rouge, nor plaited her hair, she is still a graceful doe
f exceptional beauty F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. His ...
" the analogy and implication being: just as a bride is inherently beautiful, so for ordination, one's Torah knowledge must be immediately apparent. They also sang at the ordination of
Rabbi Ammi Rabbi Ammi, Aimi, Immi (Hebrew: רבי אמי) is the name of several Jewish Talmudists, known as amoraim, who lived in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. In the Babylonian Talmud the first form only is used; in the Jerusalem Talmud all three ...
and Rabbi Assi: "Just like these, just like these, ordain for us!"; epitomizing, as they did, the ideal candidate for oridnation. This wording - כל מן דין סמוכו לנא - as per the certificate displayed, is still often included on ''semikhah'' diplomas.


Contemporary usage

In the prevailing sense, "" generally refers to the
ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
of a rabbi within all modern
Jewish religious movements Jewish religious movements, sometimes called " denominations", include different groups within Judaism which have developed among Jews from ancient times. Today, the most prominent divisions are between traditionalist Orthodox movements (includi ...
from
Reform Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement ...
to Orthodox. This "'" signifies the transmission of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in
Jewish law ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...
, thus overlapping to some extent with the classical usage, per #Concept above; see also . In this context, ''" Rav Muvhak"'' is sometimes used to refer to a student's primary teacher. , ordination as a cantor, similarly signifies the transmission of authoritative knowledge about Jewish musical and liturgical traditions. This is granted within some denominations.


Status of current rabbis

Although presently most functioning
synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of wor ...
(i.e. "
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, acces ...
") rabbis hold ''semikhah'', this was until quite recently not always required, and in fact many
Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...
rabbis may possibly not be required to hold a "formal" ''semikhah'' even though they may occupy important rabbinical and leadership positions. The reasons being that what is prized in the communities they serve and lead is most of all a supreme mastery of the
Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...
with a vast knowledge of the commentaries of the
Rishonim ''Rishonim'' (; he, ; sing. he, , ''Rishon'', "the first ones") were the leading rabbis and '' poskim'' who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, , "Set Table", a ...
and
Acharonim In Jewish law and history, ''Acharonim'' (; he, אחרונים ''Aḥaronim''; sing. , ''Aḥaron''; lit. "last ones") are the leading rabbis and poskim (Jewish legal decisors) living from roughly the 16th century to the present, and more specifi ...
and
Responsa ''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars ...
, added to knowledge of the
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in ...
and
Halakha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
("Jewish Law"). In the UK, a communal minister who does not have ''semikhah'' has the title "Reverend" rather than "rabbi". Many
Hasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism ( Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of conte ...
rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritu ...
s and
Rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...
s of major Orthodox yeshivas are not required to "prove" to their flocks that they do or do not hold formal ''semikhah'' because their reputations as Torah-scholars and sages is unquestioned and esteemed based on the recommendations of trusted sages, and the experiences and interactions that many knowledgeable Torah-observant Jews have with them, which thus gives practical testimony based on experience that these great rabbis are indeed worthy to be called as such. For example, according to some reports Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (known as the ''Chafetz Chayim'') did not officially receive ''semikhah'' until late in life, when a formal rabbinic qualification was necessary for him to call himself "rabbi" on an immigration application. Most current ''poskim'', however, do have ''semikhah''. Just as a debate exists about who is a Jew, there is little consensus as to who is a rabbi. The Reform movement in a Responsa states that for their Temples, pulpit rabbis need to attend and complete their academic program at the Reform movement's rabbinic schools. But they further state that this does not negate other sects of Judaism from accepting the time-honored ''semikhah'' of one-on-one. Nor do they deal with the issue of rabbis who are not pulpit rabbis but teach, study, and do research. They do say that the need for three rabbis is unneeded as the two additional rabbis are just witnesses and cannot attest to the new rabbi's knowledge.


Ordination of cantors

Many cantorial institutions in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
currently grant to their students. Some have historically used the term ''
investiture Investiture (from the Latin preposition ''in'' and verb ''vestire'', "dress" from ''vestis'' "robe") is a formal installation or ceremony that a person undergoes, often related to membership in Christian religious institutes as well as Christian k ...
'' to describe the conferral of cantorial authority onto their graduates. The term ''investiture'' was originally intended to make a distinction between the ordination of rabbis and that of cantors. However, in response to the increased responsibility of the cantor in contemporary American synagogues, some institutions such as
Hebrew Union College Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
(
Reform Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement ...
) have recently begun to use the term "ordination" instead of "investiture." Other institutions that ordain cantors include
Hebrew College Hebrew College is a private college of Jewish studies in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Founded in 1921, Hebrew College is committed to Jewish scholarship in a pluralistic, trans-denominational academic environment. The president of the college ...
(pluralistic), the Academy for Jewish Religion (pluralistic), and
Aleph Aleph (or alef or alif, transliterated ʾ) is the first letter of the Semitic abjads, including Phoenician , Hebrew , Aramaic , Syriac , Arabic ʾ and North Arabian 𐪑. It also appears as South Arabian 𐩱 and Ge'ez . These lett ...
( Renewal). As of 2021, the Jewish Theological Seminary (
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
) will begin ordaining its cantors.


Modern Lay Leader Ordination

Beginning in the mid to late 1990's, the Reform, Renewal and Conservative Jewish movements have ordained lay leaders to positions such as spiritual director, darshan (chaplain), and
pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
. Lay leaders within Judaism serve both in formal spaces like synagogues, independent
minyan In Judaism, a ''minyan'' ( he, מניין \ מִנְיָן ''mīnyān'' , lit. (noun) ''count, number''; pl. ''mīnyānīm'' ) is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Ju ...
, in Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, hospitals and community centers. Several yeshivas and other academies now train and certify lay leaders, such as Darshan Yeshiva, ALEPH Pastor Program, the
Union for Reform Judaism The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms establishe ...
, and AJRCA's chaplaincy school


Classical ''semikhah''

Classical ''semikhah'' refers to a specific type of ordination that, according to traditional Jewish teaching, traces a line of authority back to
Moses 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 pr ...
, The Men of the Great Assembly, and the Great Sanhedrin. The line of classical ''semikhah'' is generally believed to have died out in the 4th or 5th century CE, but it is widely held that a line of Torah conferment remains unbroken.


Hebrew Bible

According to the
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' Moses 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 pr ...
was the greatest prophet, and the one individual who received the
Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...
from God. Traditionally Moses is also assumed to be the "first rabbi" of the
Israelites The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...
. He is still known to most Jews as ''Moshe Rabbeinu'' ("Moses our rabbi"). Moses, before his death, ordained
Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...
as his successor by resting his hands on Joshua: :And Moses spoke unto the LORD, saying: 'Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.' And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay thy hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put of thy honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hearken. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD; at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.' And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD spoke by the hand of Moses. This procedure caused the "spirit" in Moses to enter Joshua as well: :Joshua son of Nun was filled with a spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him. The Israelites therefore listened to him, doing as God had commanded Moses. Similarly, when Moses found the task of leadership too difficult, God caused the "spirit" in Moses to enter 70 additional elders (though no resting of hands is mentioned here). According to later tradition, the elders later ordained their successors in the same way. Their successors in turn ordained others. This chain of hands-on ''semikhah'' continued through the time of the
Second Temple The Second Temple (, , ), later known as Herod's Temple, was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem between and 70 CE. It replaced Solomon's Temple, which had been built at the same location in the United Kingdom of Israel before being inherited ...
, to an undetermined time.


Mishnah and Talmud

Despite the name, the classical ''semikhah'' did not actually require a literal laying on of hands; the operative part of the ceremony consisted of a court of three, at least one of whom himself had ''semikhah'', conferring the authority on the recipient. Both the givers and the recipient had to be in the Land of Israel, but they did not have to be in the same place. In the Mishnaic era it became the law that only someone who had ''semikhah'' could give religious and legal decisions. The title ''ribbi'' (or "rabbi") was reserved for those with ''semikhah''. The sages of the Babylonian Jewish community had a similar religious education, but without the ''semikhah'' ceremony they were called ''rav.'' The Talmud also relates that one can obtain the title of rabbi by those to whom he teaches or counsels. After the failed
revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
by Bar Kokhba in 132–135 CE, the Romans put down the revolt, and the emperor
Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania ...
tried to put a permanent end to the
Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin ( Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , '' synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as " rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temp ...
. According to the Talmud, Hadrian decreed that anyone who gave or accepted ''semikhah'' would be killed, any city in which the ceremony took place would be razed, and all crops within a mile of the ceremony's site would be destroyed. The line of succession was saved by Rabbi
Yehuda ben Bava Judah ben Bava was a rabbi in the 2nd century who semikha, ordained a number of rabbis at a time when the Roman government forbade this ceremony. The penalty was execution for the ordainer and the new rabbis. The rabbis ordained by Rabbi Judah ben ...
, who took five students of the recently martyred
Rabbi Akiva Akiva ben Yosef (Mishnaic Hebrew: ''ʿĂqīvāʾ ben Yōsēf''; – 28 September 135 CE), also known as Rabbi Akiva (), was a leading Jewish scholar and sage, a '' tanna'' of the latter part of the first century and the beginning of the second c ...
to a mountain pass far from any settlement or farm, and ordained all five students. When the Romans attacked them, Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava blocked the pass with his body allowing the others to escape, and became one of Judaism's ten Rabbinic Martyrs himself by being speared 300 times. The five new rabbis –
Rabbi Meir Rabbi Meir ( he, רַבִּי מֵאִיר) was a Jewish sage who lived in the time of the Mishnah. He was considered one of the greatest of the Tannaim of the fourth generation (139-163). He is the third most frequently mentioned sage in the Mis ...
, Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Eleazar ben Shammua – escaped and became the next generation of Torah leadership. The exact date that the original ''semikhah'' succession ended is not certain. Many medieval authorities believed that this occurred during the reign of Hillel II, around the year 360 CE. However,
Theodosius I Theodosius I ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also called Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. During his reign, he succeeded in a crucial war against the Goths, as well as in two ...
forbade the Sanhedrin to assemble and declared
ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
illegal. (Roman law prescribed capital punishment for any rabbi who received ordination and complete destruction of the town where the ordination occurred). It seems to have continued until at least 425, when
Theodosius II Theodosius II ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος, Theodosios; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450) was Roman emperor for most of his life, proclaimed ''augustus'' as an infant in 402 and ruling as the eastern Empire's sole emperor after the death of his ...
executed Gamaliel VI and suppressed the
Patriarchate Patriarchate ( grc, πατριαρχεῖον, ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, designating the office and jurisdiction of an ecclesiastical patriarch. According to Christian tradition three patriarchates were est ...
and Sanhedrin.


Post-Talmudic: The decline of classical ''semikhah''

The original line of succession seems to have died out in the 4th or 5th centuries. The
Geonim ''Geonim'' ( he, גאונים; ; also transliterated Gaonim, singular Gaon) were the presidents of the two great Babylonian Talmudic Academies of Sura and Pumbedita, in the Abbasid Caliphate, and were the generally accepted spiritual leaders of ...
, early medieval Jewish sages of Babylon, did not possess ''semikhah'', and did not use the title "rabbi". They were formally known as "rav" and were entrusted with authority to make legal and religious decisions. Some believe that classical ''semikhah'' may have even survived until the 12th century when semuchim from Lebanon and Syria were traveling to Israel in order to pass on semicha to their students. Others, such as Rav Yisroel of Shklov (1770–1839), believed ''semikhah'' may not have been broken at all but that it continued outside of the land of Israel. Since the end of classical ordination, other forms of ordination have developed which use much of the same terminology, but have a lesser significance in Jewish law (see Rabbi#Middle Ages).


Attempts to revive classical semikhah

Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
ruled that "if all the sages In Israel would unanimously agree to appoint and ordain judges, then these new ordinants would possess the full authority of the original ordained judges". His code of law was accepted as normative by the majority of Jewish scholars since that time, though this section was mainly viewed as theoretical, especially because he concludes that "the matter needs deciding". The Sanhedrin of Rabbi Jacob Berab purported to enact this into practical law, changing minor details. However, since the legal existence of this Sanhedrin depends on the validity of Maimonides' view, the question is circular.


Attempt by Rabbi Jacob Berab, 1538

In 1538 Rabbi Jacob Berab of
Safed Safed (known in Hebrew as Tzfat; Sephardic Hebrew & Modern Hebrew: צְפַת ''Tsfat'', Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Tzfas'', Biblical Hebrew: ''Ṣǝp̄aṯ''; ar, صفد, ''Ṣafad''), is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elev ...
,
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 Isr ...
, attempted to restore the traditional form of ''semikhah''. His goal was to unify the scattered Jewish communities through the re-establishment of the
Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin ( Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , '' synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as " rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temp ...
. At his prompting, 25 rabbis from the land of Israel convened; they ordained Jacob Berab as their "
chief rabbi Chief Rabbi ( he, רב ראשי ''Rav Rashi'') is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911, through a ...
". Berab then conferred ''semikhah'' through a laying on of hands to four rabbis, including
Joseph Karo Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, also spelled Yosef Caro, or Qaro ( he, יוסף קארו; 1488 – March 24, 1575, 13 Nisan 5335 A.M.), was the author of the last great codification of Jewish law, the '' Beit Yosef'', and its popular analogue, the ''Shu ...
, who was later to become the author of the ''
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in ...
'', widely viewed as the most important code of Jewish law from the 17th century onwards. In 1541, Karo succeeded Berab and he perpetuated the tradition by ordaining
Moshe Alshich Moshe Alshich he, משה אלשיך, also spelled Alshech, (1508–1593), known as the ''Alshich Hakadosh (the Holy)'', was a prominent rabbi, preacher, and biblical commentator in the latter part of the sixteenth century. The Alshich was born ...
,
Elisha Gallico Elisha ben Gabriel Gallico (died c. 1583 at Safed) was a talmudist in Ottoman Galilee. He was a pupil of Joseph Caro. After the death of his mentor, Gallico was nominated dean of the Safed ''yeshiva''. He is frequently mentioned in the responsa co ...
and
Jacob Berab II 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 Isla ...
. In the 1590s, Alshich ordained Hayyim Vital, and between the years 1594 and 1599,
Jacob Berab II 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 Isla ...
ordained seven more scholars:
Moses Galante Moses Galante (died 1806) was chief rabbi of Damascus during the late 18th century and early 19th century. He succeeded his father, Mordecai Galante, who was chief rabbi until his death in 1781. Moses Galante was also a noted scholar and the aut ...
, Elazar Azikri, Moses Berab (Jacob's brother),
Abraham Gabriel Abraham Gabriel (16th to 17th-century) was a Palestinian rabbi of probable Italian origin who lived at Safed. He was a disciple of the kabbalist Isaac Luria and is mentioned in Hayyim Vital's ''Book of Visions''. Gabriel was ordained by Jacob Ber ...
,
Yom Tov Tzahalon Yom Tov ben Moshe Tzahalon, ( he, יום טוב בן משה צהלון), also known as the Maharitz, ( 1559 – 1638, Safed, Eyalet of Sidon), was a student of Moses di Trani and Moshe Alshich, and published a collection of responsa. Aged twenty ...
,
Hiyya Rofe Hiyya Rofe ( 1620) was rabbi of Safed. Having studied Talmud under Solomon Sagis and Cabala under Hayyim Vital, Hiyya was ordained in accordance with the old system ("semikah") reintroduced into Palestine by Jacob Berab. In 1612 Hiyya gave his a ...
and Jacob Abulafia. Berab erred in not first obtaining the approval of the chief rabbis in
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, which led to an objection to having a Sanhedrin at that time. This was not an objection to the ''semikhah'', but to reinstituting a Sanhedrin.
Levi ibn Habib Levi ibn Habib (c. 1480 – c. 1545), also known by the acronym HaRaLBaCh, was Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem from 1525 until his death. Under King Manuel of Portugal, and when about seventeen, he was compelled to submit to baptism, but at the first o ...
, the chief rabbi in Jerusalem, wrote that when the nascent Sanhedrin took the authority of a Sanhedrin upon itself, it had to fix the calendar immediately. However, by delaying in this matter, it invalidated itself. Rabbi
David ibn abi Zimra 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 ...
(''Radvaz'') of
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
was consulted, but when Berab died in 1542 the renewed form of ''semikhah'' gradually ground to a halt.


Attempt by Rabbi Yisroel Shklover, 1830

In the 1830s, Rav Yisroel of Shklov, one of the leading disciples of the
Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( he , ר' אליהו בן שלמה זלמן ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman'') known as the Vilna Gaon (Yiddish: דער װילנער גאון ''Der Vilner Gaon'', pl, Gaon z Wilna, lt, Vilniaus Gaonas) or Elijah of ...
who had settled in Jerusalem, made another attempt to restart ''semikhah''. Rav Yisroel was interested in organizing a
Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin ( Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , '' synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as " rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temp ...
, but he accepted the ruling of
Levi ibn Habib Levi ibn Habib (c. 1480 – c. 1545), also known by the acronym HaRaLBaCh, was Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem from 1525 until his death. Under King Manuel of Portugal, and when about seventeen, he was compelled to submit to baptism, but at the first o ...
and
David ibn abi Zimra 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 ...
that we cannot create ''semikhah'' by ourselves. At the time the Turkish Empire was crumbling, and losing wars against Russia, Prussia, Austria and others. In attempt to modernize, the Turkish Empire opened itself up to more and more Western "advisors". For the first time the Arabian Peninsula and the Yemen was opened up to westerners. Scientists and Sociologists were convinced that in the Yemen lay communities that had been cut off and isolated from the western world for centuries. At the time, leading European scientific journals seriously considered that the remnants of the " Ten Tribes" would actually be found in the Yemen. Rav Yisroel of Shklov, influenced both by this rush of scientific thought and interested in utilizing a suggestion of the Radvaz of receiving ''semikhah'' from one of the " Ten Tribes", specifically Reuven and Gad. Rav Yisroel charted out where he thought the Bnei Reuven were probably located, and sent an emissary, Rav Pinchas Baruch, to locate them. Unfortunately, Rav Baruch did not succeed in locating the shevet of Reuven and he was either killed or died while attending to the medical needs of poor Yemenite villagers. An interesting point of Jewish Law arises in that Rav Yisroel raised the question how could the Tribe of Reuven have kept the ''semikhah'' alive, since they were outside the Land of Israel and the ''semikhah'' can be granted only in the Land of Israel. He answered that since this tribe had been distant from the rest of the Jewish people before this ruling had been accepted, there is no reason to assume that they accepted this ruling, and there was a chance that they were still keeping the institution of ''semikhah'' alive.


Attempt by Rabbi Aharon Mendel haCohen, 1901

Rabbi Mendel collected the approval of approximately 500 leading rabbis in favor of the renewal of ''semikhah'' according to the view of
Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
. His involvement in the founding of Agudath Israel and the intervening of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
distracted him from implementing this plan.


Attempt by Rabbi Zvi Kovsker, 1940

Rabbi
Zvi Kovsker Zvi ( he, צְבִי and , ''Tzvi'', Ṣvi, "gazelle") is a Jewish masculine given name. Notable people with this name include: * Zvi Aharoni (1921–2012), Israeli Mossad agent * Zvi Arad (1942–2018), Israeli mathematician, acting president of ...
came to the Holy Land from Soviet Russia. Seeing the condition of Jews in the years leading up to
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, he undertook an effort to contact and work with many rabbinic leaders in the Holy Land towards getting their approval for the renewal of ''semikhah'', and the reestablishment of a Sanhedrin, as an authentic government for the Jewish people (this was before the establishment of the State of Israel).


Attempt by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Maimon, 1949

In 1948, with the establishment of the modern
State of Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, the idea of restoring the traditional form of ''semikhah'' and reestablishing a new "
Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin ( Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , '' synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence ' assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as " rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temp ...
" became popular among some within the religious Zionist community. Rabbi
Yehuda Leib Maimon Yehuda Leib Maimon ( he, יהודה לייב מימון, 11 December 1875 – 10 July 1962, also known as Yehuda Leib HaCohen Maimon) was an Israeli rabbi, politician and leader of the Religious Zionist movement. He was Israel's first Minis ...
, Israel's first minister of religious affairs, promoted this idea in a series of articles in the Religious Zionist periodicals "Sinai" and "Hatzofeh," later gathered together in monograph form as "Renewing the Sanhedrin in our New State." A small number of religious Zionist rabbis of
Modern Orthodox Judaism Modern Orthodox Judaism (also Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law with the secular, modern world. Modern Orthodoxy draws on sever ...
's Rabbinical Council of America voiced support for this idea; some rabbis within
Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generati ...
entertained the idea as a potentially positive development. However, most secular Jews, most
Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...
m, and most non-Orthodox Jews did not approve of this goal. Israel's Chief Ashkenazic rabbi at the time, Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, was hesitant to support this goal, and the idea eventually died away.


Attempt in Israel in 2004

On October 13, 2004, orthodox rabbis of various streams met as a group in
Tiberias Tiberias ( ; he, טְבֶרְיָה, ; ar, طبريا, Ṭabariyyā) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 16th century one of Judaism's F ...
and declared themselves to be a re-established Sanhedrin. The basis for re-establishing ''semikhah'' had been made by Rabbi Jacob Berab's Sanhedrin, as recorded by Rabbi
Yosef Karo Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, also spelled Yosef Caro, or Qaro ( he, יוסף קארו; 1488 – March 24, 1575, 13 Nisan 5335 A.M.), was the author of the last great codification of Jewish law, the '' Beit Yosef'', and its popular analogue, the ''Shu ...
(author of
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in ...
). An election was held, as required by halakha. Seven hundred rabbis were reached either in person or by writing, and Rabbi Moshe Halberstam of the Edah Charedis was the first to "receive semikhah" after rabbis
Ovadiah Yosef Ovadia Yosef ( he, , Ovadya Yosef, ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) was an Iraqi-born Talmudic scholar, a posek, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983, and a founder and long-time spiritual leader of Israel's ultra-Ortho ...
and Yosef Shalom Eliashiv found him fit, although he was too old to actually serve as a
judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
. He then ordained Rabbi
Dov Levanoni DOV or Dov could refer to: ''דב'' or ''דוב'', a Hebrew male given name meaning "bear", from which the Yiddish name "Ber" (בער) was derived ( cognate with "bear") which was common among East European Jews. People * Dov Ber of Mezeritch (170 ...
, who ordained more rabbis. This attempt was intended to improve upon Rabbi Jacob Berab's attempt by contacting seven hundred rabbis across Israel, as opposed to Jacob Berab's election by twenty-five rabbis of
Safed Safed (known in Hebrew as Tzfat; Sephardic Hebrew & Modern Hebrew: צְפַת ''Tsfat'', Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Tzfas'', Biblical Hebrew: ''Ṣǝp̄aṯ''; ar, صفد, ''Ṣafad''), is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elev ...
. The current members mostly behave as place holders and have publicly expressed their intention to step aside when more worthy candidates join. Rabbi
Adin Steinsaltz Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz (11 July 19377 August 2020) ( he, עדין אבן-ישראל שטיינזלץ) was an Israeli Chabad Chasidic rabbi, teacher, philosopher, social critic, author, translator and publisher. His '' Steinsaltz edi ...
(the Nasi of this Sanhedrin) said, "I'd be happy if in another few years these chairs are filled by scholars who are greater than us icand we can say: `I kept the chairs warm for you.'"Nadav Shragai
Now that there's a Sanhedrin, who needs the Supreme Court?
/ref> The current attempt to re-establish the Sanhedrin is the sixth in recent history.


See also

* * List of rabbinical schools *
Master of Rabbinic Studies The Master of Rabbinic Studies (MRb) is a graduate degree granted by a Yeshiva or rabbinical school. It involves the academic study of Talmud, Jewish law, philosophy, ethics, and rabbinic literature; see . The Master of Talmudic Law is closel ...
* *
Rabbinic Judaism Rabbinic Judaism ( he, יהדות רבנית, Yahadut Rabanit), also called Rabbinism, Rabbinicism, or Judaism espoused by the Rabbanites, has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Babylonia ...
* *


Notes


Further reading

*{{cite EJ, author=Levitas, Isaac, Aaron Rothkoff, and
Pamela Nadell Pamela S. Nadell (born 1951) is an American historian, researcher, author, and lecturer focusing on Jewish history. Former President of the Association for Jewish Studies, she currently holds the Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women's and Gender hi ...
, title=Semikhah, volume=18, pages=274-279 *Julius Newman: ''Semikhah (ordination). A study of its origin, history, and function in Rabbinic literature.'' Manchester University Press. Manchester 1950.


External links


Rabbi Yaakov Beirav's attempt to re-establish a Sanhedrin in 1538130 "Documented" "Generations" of Semicha
from Mt. Sinai to the present
Rabbi Judah Leib Maimon, "Renewing the Sanhedrin in our New State"
(English translation)
Curriculum for the Semikhah Tests of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Jewish law and rituals Jewish courts and civil law Rabbis Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law