Rabbi

The rabbis (Hebrew רבי, Rabbi according to the usual pronunciation, Ribbī or Rebbi according to the Eastern pronunciation Sépharade and Yemeni, Rebbe according to the pronunciation Yiddish; plur. רבנים Rabbanim ) is, in the Judaïsme, of the “Masters,” or more literally of “large (in the study of the Torah)”. The word indeed derives from the Hebrew רַב, Rav , meaning “large” in Hebrew biblical.

Reserved at the time of the Second Temple with the “disciples of Wise the” called to exert a public office, the title of rabbi was delivered thereafter with any scholar considered to be ready to teach the Law with the laymen and to be used as judge in a court sitting according to the Jewish law, during a ceremony of particular ordination, the Semikha .
Les functions of the rabbis widened considerably, and they became one of the central figures of the Jewish life, playing the part of religious authority, advising, including in the marital businesses, etc.
En France, Napoleon, émancipant the Jews, gave to the rabbis the function of minister of religion, and founded Consitoire, where the rabbis were subjected to the authority of the Large-Rabbi of France.

The women being traditionally held with the variation of the studies, there was no women ordered rabbis before, and all were it in not-orthodoxe currents of the current of the Judaism, although there was, to the case of Asenath Barzani, a Kurdish érudite on which one conferred informellement the title of '' Tanna' it '', equivalent de facto with a rabbinical title.

Etymology of the term

Rav comes from the Semitic root R-B-B, related with the Arab rabb (ربّ), which means “lord,” and is generally applied to God, from where prohibition for the ground Jews of Islam to call their rabbis Rav , and the substitution of Hakham in this term.

The modern pronunciation of the word, by which the rabbi French is inspired and the Anglo-Saxon rabbi ( rabbaï decides) comes from a recent innovation) in the prayer books Ashkénaze S, although this vocalization was found in older sources.

History

Before the rabbis

The rabbis only became figures of authority rather tardily. The title does not appear in the Hebraic Bible, although the Jewish tradition will allot a posteriori to Moïse the title of Rabbenou, but in the Mishna, a work completed with.

The system of government, as well at the time of unified monarchy, as in the kingdoms of Israel and of Juda, is based on

  • the temporal authority held by a king, is chosen among the Enfants of Israel, is assisted by a court and is advised or reprimand by a Prophète S,
  • the legal authority of courts and later of the Sanhédrin, directed by Shoftim ,
  • the ritual authority of the '' cohanim '', Lévite S devoted to the worship of God in the sanctuaries, of which the Temple of Jerusalem.
On the other hand, the Semikha , laying on of hands of the Master on his successor in order to transfer to him his functions, and consequently part-mistress of the ritual of rabbinical ordination, appears as of the Livre of Deutéronome, where Moïse in person indicates Josué like its successor.

Destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem, end of monarchy, as well judéenne as Jew, the decline of the prophetic and sacerdotal institutions, causes, according to the rabbinical historiography déplacemement of the spiritual center towards the Hommes of the Large Parliament which, if they still do not have the title of rabban or ribbi , constitute the leaven of it, since these Wise, anonymities for the majority, institute the gun of the Hebraic Bible, and them bases of the rabbinical Judaïsme.

The Zougot, “pairs” made up of the Nassi (president) of the Sanhédrin and its vice-president, AV Beth DIN , which make them continuation, do not carry yet the title of rabbi, but of “Old” ( Zaqen ). It should be noted that the members of Sanhédrin, called shoftim or dayanim , must have received to them Semikha to sit in this assembly, and to have a pointed knowledge of the Torah and its interpretations. Semicha (" ordination" derived in year uninterrupted line off transmission from Moses) yet they were more frequently referred to ace judges ( dayanim ) akin to the Shoftim gold " Judges" ace in the Book off Judges, rather than rabbis.

All off the above personalities would cuts been expected and assumed to Be steeped in the wisdom off the Torah and the commandments, which would cuts made them - in modern language - “rabbis”. This is illustrated by important year two thousand year old teaching in Ethics off the Fathers ( Pirkei Avot ) off the Mishnah which quote King David by saying:

He who learns from his fellowman has individual chapter, has individual Halakha, has individual pours, has individual Torah statement, but even has individual letter, must treat him with honor. For so we find with David King off Israel, who learned nothing from Ahitophel except two things, yet called him his teacher (in Hebrew: rabbo   meaning `his rabbi'), his guide, his intimate, ace it is said: “You are has man off my measure, my guide, my intimate” (Psalms 55:14). One derived edge from this the following: Yew David King off Israel who learned nothing from Ahitophel except for two things, called him his teacher (i.e. rabbo -- his " rabbi"), his guide, his intimate, one who learns from his fellowman have individual chapter, have individual halakha, has individual pour, have individual statement, gold even has individual letter , how much more must He treat him with honor. And honor is due only for Torah, ace it is said: “The wise shall inherit honor” (Proverbs 3:35), “and the perfect shall inherit good” (Proverbs 28:10). And only Torah is truly good, ace it is said: “I cuts given you has good teaching, C not forsake My Torah” (Psalms 128:2). ( Ethics off the Fathers 6:3)

Wise aces rabbis

The rabbi is not year occupation found in the Torah (i.e the Pentateuch) ace such; the first time this Word is mentioned is in the Mishnah (most commonly thought to Be codified around 200 C.E, that coding often attributed to Rabbi Judah Hanasi). The BASIC form off the rabbi developed in the Pharisaic and Talmud ic will era.

The more ancient generations had No such titles aces Rabban , Ribbi , but Rab , for either the Babylonian wise gold the wise in Israel. Obvious This is from the fact that Hillel I, who cam from Babylon, did not cuts the title Rabban prefixed to his name. Off the prophets, also, who were very eminent, it is simply said, " Haggai the prophet " etc, " Ezra did not like up from Babylon" etc, the title Rabban not being used. Indeed, this title is not puts with earlier than the time off the patriarchate.

This title was first used for Rabban Gamaliel the elder, Rabban Simeon his its, and Rabban Johanan Ben Zakkai, all off whom were patriarchs gold presidents off the Sanhedrin. The title Ribbi too, cam into vogue among those who received the laying one off hands At this period, ace, for authority, Ribbi Zadok, Ribbi Eliezer Ben Jacob, and others, and dates from the time off the disciples off Rabban Johanan Ben Zakkai downward. Now the order off thesis titles is ace follows: Ribbi is greater than Rab ; Rabban again, is greater than Ribbi ; while the simple name is greater than Rabban . Besides the presidents off the Sanhedrin No one is called Rabban .

The title " Ribbi" was limits by the off wise ancient Israel, who were ordained by the Sanhedrin in accordance with the custom handed down by the elders. They were titled penal Ribbi and received authority to judge boxes. wise Rab was the title off the Babylonian S who taught in the Babylonian academies.

After the suppression off the Patriarchate and Sanhedrin by Theodosius II in 425, there was No more judicious formal ordination in the strict. With recognized scholar could Be called Rab gold Hacham , like the Babylonian wise. The transmission off learning from master to disciple remained off tremendous importance, goal there was No formal rabbinic qualification ace such.

Maimonides rules that every congregation is obliged to supplement has off preacher and scholar to admonish the community and teach Torah, and the social institution He describes is the germ the modern congregational rabbinate. In the fifteenth century in Exchange Europe, the custom grew up off licensing scholars with has diploma entitling them to Be called Mori (my teacher). At the time this was objected to ace hukkat ha-goy (imitating the ways off the Gentiles), ace it was felt to resembles the conferring off doctorates in Christian universities. However the system spread, and it is this diploma that is referred to ace semicha (ordination) present At the day. -->

In the beginning, in fact the scribes interpret the Torah. Their role becomes dominating starting from the return of the Exil of Babylon (towards -500). Masters out of liturgical matter but also in the resolution of the conflicts in the community, they take the title of Rabbi . They are not priests and their authority rests only on the respect which their science inspires. After the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70, Cohanim and Lévites lose the authority related to the service of the worship to the profit of the rabbis who will be however remunerated only starting from the Middle Ages.

Denomination

The term Rabbi (delivery Ribbi or Rebbi ) appeared only at the time of the Mishna to designate the scholars occupying an official function (member of the Sanhédrin, for example), if one excludes obviously Moïse. The honorary term previously used was HaZaken (the Old one), under which one still indicates Hillel and Shammaï. It is the youngest disciple of Hillel, Yohanan Ben Zakkaï, which is the first indicated under the denomination of Rabban. Rabban will be also the title of all the presidents of Sanhédrin, like Rabban Gamliel.
With the exile, ordination being able to be done only in Ground of Israel, will appear the title of Rav , which is actually that of the current rabbis (and not rabbi).

It is still necessary to mention turning Yiddish of Rebbi, the Rebbe , which still indicates many rabbis resulting from hassidic dynasties . It is probably by phonetic contamination that the term Rabbi (to pronounce Rabbaï ) returned to designate the rabbis in the United States.
the term Rav gave in Yiddish the Reb , title given to almost any adult implied in the study of the texts, generally the Talmud, in opposition to the Karaïte S which gratifiaient title of Hakham the people some little érudites in Torah.

Definition?

The term is not exactly synonymous with teacher, More , without what the formulas " Rabbi ouMori" (my Rav and professor) or Maran (acronym of Morenou HaRav, " Our professor, Rav") would be redundant. However, the rabbis often act as links in the example and moral authority but transmission chain of the knowledge, also. Rare are the tribulations of the Jewish people where they do not intervene.

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Rabbi on the Jewish Encyclopedia
  • Rabbinates and rabbis by the Chief rabbi max Warschawki
  • the Great Rabbinate of Haut-Rhin by Jacky Dreyfus
  • Meeting of the Great rabbinate of Jerusalem and the catholic Commission on the religious relationships to the Judaism

To see too

  • See the biography of Rabbanim

  • History of French rabbinate (XVI {{E}} - XX {{E}} century)
  • the Bible “of French Rabbinate”

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