Ancient and Medieval Periods The practice of sending emissaries to collect funds dates back to the time of the
Patriarchate following the
destruction of the Second Temple. Historically, the Diaspora would send the
half-shekel Temple tax to Jerusalem to fund Temple sacrifices and communal needs, but after the destruction, the Romans attempted to convert this into a direct state tax (
fiscus Judaicus). Nevertheless, the tradition of sending financial support to the Land of Israel continued, establishing a precedent for the formal role of the emissary. In the 4th century, the system was known as the
migbat ḥakhamim ("collection of scholars"). The continuation of the mission ensured the priority and influence of the leadership in the Land of Israel over Diaspora communities, notably demonstrated by the central role of the court (
Beit Din) in Jerusalem in determining the
Hebrew calendar. Although interrupted by the cessation of the Patriarchate in 429 CE, the practice was renewed after the
Arab conquest in the 7th century, when emissaries were sent by the heads of the academies (
geonim).
Early Modern Centralization (18th Century) The institution of
Sheliḥut grew significantly following the Ottoman conquest of Palestine in the sixteenth century, and missions became regular features of Jewish life to support the poor and scholars. By the mid-seventeenth century, the four holy cities—Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias (after its Jewish community was reestablished around 1740)—regularly dispatched their own emissaries, representing the settlement (
Yishuv) as a whole, a type of emissary known as ''Sheli'aḥ Kolel''. During the eighteenth century, the international fundraising network was primarily managed and overseen by Jewish communal authorities in Istanbul, known as the Pekidei Kushta (Officials of Constantinople). The Pekidei Kushta was formally established around 1726 following a financial crisis in Jerusalem, exacerbated by the underfunded immigration of a large group of Ashkenazi Jews in 1700. The Pekidei Kushta coordinated missions across defined geographical regions: "Turkey," "Europe" (
Frankiya), the
Maghrib, and
‘Arabistan (Middle East to South Asia). The organization played a critical role in dealing with Ottoman authorities and transferring funds from international centers like Livorno, Venice, and Amsterdam to the Holy Land.
Transformation and Decline The immense cost of missions and the frequent complaints led to challenges to the centralized system. In 1824, a rival organization formed in Amsterdam, the Peqidim ve-Amarqalim (Officials and Administrators), led by
Zvi Hirsch Lehren. They sought to centralize fundraising for Western Europe (Holland, Germany, France, England, and North America) directly, without the need for emissaries. The spread of modern communications (newspapers, reliable postal services, and banking transfers) and improved transportation contributed to the decline of the necessity of the old, personally delivered
Sheliḥut. Despite these changes, missions to the Arabic-speaking lands of the Middle East and North Africa continued well into the twentieth century. The tradition also continues in modern times for fundraising for various institutions. ==Role and functions of the emissary==