{{Kehuna and Kohanim}} The [[Aramaic]] term '''''segan''''' (סגן) or '''''segan hakohanim''''' ({{langx|he|סגן הכהנים}}) is a title used in the [[Talmud]] to refer to the [[Kohen|priest]] serving as the deputy to the [[High Priest of Israel]].
==Hebrew Bible== The form ''segan'' is Aramaic (סְגַן), appearing 5 times in the [[Hebrew Bible]] in the Aramaic sections of the [[Book of Daniel]] to refer to officers of the Babylonian government. The Hebrew form ''sagan'' (סָגָן) occurs a further 17 times in [[Nehemiah]] and elsewhere, again to refer to officials of the Babylonian rulers.
==Talmud== According to the Talmud the deputy was appointed to the position of the ''segan ha-kohanim'' with the responsibility of overseeing the actions of the work of the Temple's priests' staff, as well as a stand-in position, ready to take the role of [[High Priest (Judaism)|High Priest]] in case he will be found unfit to serve the holy work on the temple, and thus, the Segan was only second to the High Priest, as Rabbi [[Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim]] (40 – 80 CE) attests:
{{quote |text=R. Hanina the ''segan'' of the priests said: Why is a ''segan'' ever appointed ? In case the high-priest became unfit for service, the ''segan'' should enter at once to do the service.<ref>[[Talmud]], Sotah 42a</ref> }}
Many times the title commonly appears on the classical texts as ''ha-Segan'' ("the Deputy"), instead of the full title of ''Segan ha-Kohanim''', for example on the [[Mishnah]], in an [[halakha]] that deals with the work of the High Priest on [[Yom Kippur]]:
{{quote |text="...The deputy and the high priest put their hand into the urn. If the lot [‘For the Lord’] comes up in the hand of the high priest, the deputy said to him: Sir high priest, raise thy hand! And if it came up in the right hand of the deputy, the head of the [ministering] family says to him: Say your word."<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]], [[Yoma]] 39a</ref> }}
One can also note the importance given to the matter in the ritual ceremony of [[Shiva (Judaism)#Visiting a shiva home|visiting mourners]], in which the High Priest takes part in:
{{quote |text="When he passes along the row to comfort others, the Segan and the former High Priest stand on his right; while the Rosh-Beit-Av, the mourners, and all the people are on his left. And when he stands in the row to be comforted by others, the Segan is stationed on his right and the Rosh Beit Av and all the public on his left."<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]], [[Sanhedrin (Talmud)|Sanhedrin]] 19a</ref> }}
Two prominent Segans are noted in the [[Talmud]] and in [[Josephus Flavius]]' work: [[Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim]], and [[Eleazar ben Hananiah ben Hezekiah|Eleazar ben Hanania]] (son of [[Hananiah b. Hezekiah b. Garon]] who served as High Priest).
==See also== *[[High Priest (Judaism)]] *[[Hanina Segan ha-Kohanim]] *[[Eleazar ben Hanania]]
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Orthodox rabbinic roles and titles]] [[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible]] [[Category:High priests of Israel| ]] [[Category:Priesthood (Judaism)]] [[Category:Aramaic words and phrases]]