Darshan (Judaism)

A darshan (דַּרְשָׁן) or baal darshan (בַּעַל־דַּרְשָׁן) is a Jewish scriptural interpreter. Since the Middle Ages, it has referred to a professional sermonizer more broadly. The title was given to Abtalion and Shemaiah in the 1st century BCE.

Since the 1990s, some branches of Liberal Judaism have ordained lay leaders and chaplains as darshanim. Today, the term is sometimes used for whoever delivers a sermon at a service, whether they are ordained or a layperson.