Schnorrer

Pronunciation: SHNOR-rer
Definition: a beggar.
Example Sentence: My son. Why do you have holes in your shoes? You look like a schnorrer. (To which, I reply, that my mother is schnorrerist.)

Some Fun Thoughts:

The term schnorrer is generally regarded as derogatory (and has expanded to refer to anyone who is not quite making it, socially, financially, or appearance-wise) and has generated a full genre of Jewish legends, stories, and jokes. (Humor aside, Jewish communities have historically done the honorable work of accommodating and supporting schnorrers with dignity and respect. It is a mitzvah.)

I’d like to share with you one of my favorite schnorrer jokes:

There is a schnorrer, who every year shows up outside of a rich person’s house to beg for alms. The schnorrer and the rich man know each other very well and the rich man is often quite kind, but this year, the rich man tells the schnorrer, “I’m sorry. I had a bad year and can only give you half of what I usually do.” Without batting an eye, the schnorrer replies, “So you had a bad year. Why should I suffer?”

Or another: A schnorrer goes to an expensive medical specialist and then pleads poverty when it comes time to pay. “Then why did you come here if you knew you couldn’t pay?” the doctor demands. “For my health,” the schnorrer replies, “nothing is too expensive!”

It is important to note that in a capitalistic society, the schnorrer class grows while the wealthy class just gets richer, but that’s a rant for another day. (But replace Rich Man with—I don’t know—let’s call him Iob Bger. And the schnorrer with, I don’t know, some writer for some company, let’s call it “Bisney.” How does that joke change now?)