Badchen

A badchen or badkhn (a Hebrew word meaning jester has been Yiddishized as badchen) is a Jewish comedian with scholarly overtones, who was called on to entertain guests at weddings among the Ashkenazim of Eastern Europe. Today they are found in all countries with Chassidic populations, including the United States. Contemporary badchen perform their shtick at weddings.

The badchen was considered a standard part of the wedding party, as de rigueur as the officiating rabbi. Depending on period, region, and sensibilities of a community, a wedding may alternately have had a letz (lit. a clown, here a jongleur or musician) or a marshalik (a master of ceremonies). A particularly elaborate or exuberant traditional wedding might also involve all three.[1]

The badchen is expected to generate energy for a party before and after the ceremony, and also to bring guests along in the transition to a more serious tone immediately before the ceremony.[1] To this end, his comedy is not of a slapstick variety but verbal with many intricate Talmudic references and in-jokes.

At the Council of Vilna on July 3, 1661, rabbis of Poland and Ukraine concluded that God had been punishing their communities by the disastrous pogroms committed by the Cossacks. They issued a decree widely banning traditional merry-making, such as at Purim, and set limitations on wedding celebrations, public drinking, fire dances, masquerades, and Jewish comic entertainers. Because the badchen was known to have a different style of sarcastic, abusive humor, such figures were exempted from the decree.[2]

Some famous badchonim include Chaim Menachem (Mendel) Mermelstein (born March 2, 1920 in Munkacz, died November 7, 1985 in New York), considered the father of modern-day badchonus. Current performers include Yankel Miller and Yoel Lebowits. On the Jewish holiday of Purim, many young men undertake to be badchonim during Purim spiels.

The 19th-century Broder singers began as badchonim, but soon started to perform outside the context of weddings. They are usually considered by historians as the forerunners of Yiddish theater.