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.

 The ninth light of the candelabrum ( menorah) used on Ḥanukka is also called shammash, because its flame is used to light the other candles.
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • SHAMMASH — (Heb. שַׁמָּשׁ), salaried beadle or sexton in the community, the synagogue, rabbinical court, or a ḥevrah. A shammash performed a number of functions varying in accordance with the measure of autonomy or the nature of the religious institutions… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • shammash — sham·mash …   English syllables

  • shammash — …   Useful english dictionary

  • ḤANUKKAH LAMP — (also known as ḥanukkiyyah and Ḥanukkah menorah). The central ritual of the eight day Festival of Ḥanukkah is the kindling of a lamp that has receptacles for eight lights, one for each night. A ninth receptacle, called the servitor or shammash,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • menorah — /meuh nawr euh, nohr euh/, n. 1. a candelabrum having seven branches (as used in the Biblical tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem), or any number of branches (as used in modern synagogues). 2. a candelabrum having nine branches, for use on the… …   Universalium

  • sha|mes — «SHAH muhs», noun, plural sha|mos|im «shah MOS ihm», 1. a person who takes care of a synagogue; synagogue sexton or caretaker. 2. an extra candle used to light the candles in the menorah on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah. Also, shammes,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • COMMUNITY — antiquity middle ages character and structures functions and duties individual centers the muslim caliphate in the east …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • EISENSTADT — (Ger. also: Weniger Maertersdorf; Hung. Kismarton; Heb. א״שׁ; ציר ברזל), capital of burgenland , E. Austria. Its community was the leading one of the Seven Communities of Burgenland, and from the end of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • FOLKLORE — This entry is arranged according to the following outline: introduction …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • shammes — noun (plural shammosim) Etymology: Yiddish shames, from Late Hebrew shāmmāsh Date: 1650 1. the sexton of a synagogue 2. the candle or taper used to light the other candles in a Hanukkah menorah …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”