In the modern language, the word kagal is sometimes found. What is this word, interesting to know? It is all the more strange that this word is found only in a figurative sense. What languages did the kagal come to in modern Russian, what does it mean?
Kahal is an old Hebrew word for a gathering, a gathering of people. This spontaneous form of social organization arose after the destruction of Jewish statehood. The main function of the kagala is mediation between the state and the Jewish community.
Occurrence
Various forms of Jewish public organizations have been known since ancient times, but the Jewish kagal acquired the most complete form in Poland. It was the middle of the 16th century. It was then that an understanding of what Kagal was formed took shape. The definition of this word can be conveyed by the word "mediation." The emergence of such an autonomous organization occurred due to the isolated residence of Jews in various states and their special relations with the feudal lords.
Kagala meaning
Kagal is a community united on a national basis. The specific attitude towards Jews from other nationalities made them rally in front of a hostile society. So the Jew did not remain alone with the state machine - the kagal served as a buffer between them. This reduced the likelihood of causing physical or material damage, reduced the likelihood of persecution, etc. By the second half of the 14th century, all kagals had their own autonomy and were "states in the state."
Jewish communities did not submit to local authorities - they preferred to contact higher authorities. In almost all European countries, a special status was provided for Jews - servants of the king. The activities of these servants were regulated by special royal orders - “privileges” entering the kagal. This interaction was carried out directly, bypassing local authorities. Kagaly possessed complete autonomy in the financial, judicial, administrative, educational and religious spheres.
Kagala financial function
The most important duty of all Jews included in the kagal is the regular payment of taxes to the treasury. For this, money was collected from the entire community, after which they were regularly transferred to the state treasury. In addition, the kagal approved special funds aimed at supporting widows and orphans, educating the poor, and supporting the poorest. Part of the funds collected from special funds went to bribe and bribe officials. The elder in the kagal could raise a large sum, which went to the aid of the Jews subordinate to the kagal.
Judicial function
Full autonomy allowed the Jewish communities themselves to adjudicate and establish the guilt or innocence of the defendants. Judged the Jews in the kahalas dayan - a member of the supreme council of the kagala, who has the rights of a lay judge. By his decision, the perpetrators were punished. For petty offenses punished with a fine of several coins. Serious punishments were serious: corporal punishment, expulsion from the community, and in some places decisions were made to execute the sentenced. In the judicial duties of the organizers of the kagala there were powers to act on the part of the defense if the defendant was a Jew in public courts.
Administrative function
Kagal is an unrecognized territorial unit uniting Jews of one district. Such a union was required for the collection of state taxes on the basis of mutual responsibility. All Jews must be assigned to a specific place of residence. Their movements were controlled by the connections between different kagals. In some territories with vast and scattered Jewish settlements, it was difficult to control the flow of funds to the kagal. This was decided by the creation of smaller structural units - podkagalki, which served as kagala in a particular area and report directly to it.
Vaad
Those countries where there were especially many kagals formed a kind of superstructure over kagals - it was called vaad. From Hebrew this word was translated as “commission”.
It is reliably known that the vaad acted on the territory of Lithuania and Poland and interacted directly with the government. So, the Saeima appointed the amount that the Jews were obliged to pay during the year, and the Waads sent messengers throughout the country who found out the solvency of one or another kagal, and according to this assessment, the amount of funds made by the kagal was determined. If there were no rich communities in the area, and the existing kagal could not pay the required amount, the richer contributed for it. This distribution helped the Jews survive in a hostile environment - each of them felt the support of the community.
Educational and religious functions
The religious functions of the Jewish kagal consisted in the maintenance of religious buildings, the worship, the organization of weddings and funerals, the maintenance of ancient rituals and more. The observance of rituals and precepts was monitored by the rabbis. At the elders' discretion, the community was provided with kosher food, hospitals and shelters for orphans and the elderly were kept.
The main educational functions were: teaching children and adolescents the old rules and customs, the content of secondary and religious schools.
The internal structure of the kagala
The number of board members of the Jewish community reached 30-40 people. The elder Kagala - usually the most well-to-do and respected member of society, led the rank-and-file members of the kagala board and represented the Jewish community in high circles. The top leadership consisted of 5 or six leaders (roshas) - replaceable members, and three permanent honorary members - they were called tuva. Roshi alternately ruled the kagal, occupying the posts of foreman or treasurer (parnassus).
Kagal meetings were open - not only members of the council participated in them, but also elected representatives of the community. Such elected members did not have the right to vote, but it was from them that the council of the kagala was chosen. Those who were responsible for any community projects — for example, for charity or for the guardianship of a shelter, school or almshouse — were also elected to the council.
Jewish government sunset
The deterioration of the general economic situation affected the functionality of the kagala. Gradually, the leadership of the community locked power on itself. The financial burden was distributed unevenly - most of the taxes paid by ordinary members of the community. Prosperous residents of villages and small towns were indignant - it was on them that the “Jewish” lodged a heavy burden, and support from the kagal was no longer provided.
This could not continue for a long time, and the kagal began to disintegrate - Jews preferred to pay taxes individually, without seeing protection or patronage from the kagal.
XIX - XX century
In the XIX century, a number of reforms were undertaken in the Russian Empire aimed at the social adaptation of Jews in the state. Therefore, the functions that the kagal performed significantly changed. This innovation was regarded differently by the Jewish community, but nothing could be done - the state gradually assumed the function of kagal. So, by a decree of 1804, all Jews were obliged to be noted in city books - so control over the movements and activities of Jews passed to the city authorities. In 1827, the kagal were assigned the supply of recruits for the army, and in 1835 the kagal were formally canceled. This cancellation was largely welcomed by ordinary Jews: tax books were conducted carelessly, and the scale of corruption was so great that it caused widespread outrage in society. The law introduced clauses prohibiting the Jewish population from levying new taxes, it was also forbidden to judge them or impose sentences - judicial functions were transferred to local state authorities. Only the educational and religious functions remained behind the kagals, allowing them to conduct rituals and raise children according to their faith. They were given guardianship of shelters and hospitals for the poor.
In this form, kagaly existed until the February Revolution of 1917. After a special law, Jews were equated with other residents of the state and received the same rights and duties.
The modern meaning of the word
Currently, this concept is practically not used in its direct meaning. But in colloquial speech in a figurative sense the word "kagal" is still used. The synonyms of this word are hum, noise from the conversation of many people, din, mess, etc.