Mandaean Priest

A Mandaean priest or ''Rabbi'' refers to an ordained religious leader in Mandaeism.

Overview

All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning with tarmida initiation. Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious texts hold the title ''Rabbi'' or in Arabic 'Sheikh'.

All Mandaean communities traditionally require the presence of a priest, since priests are required to officiate over all important religious rituals, including masbuta, masiqta, birth and wedding ceremonies. Priests also serve as teachers, scribes, and community leaders. Unfortunately, many Mandaean diaspora communities do not have easy access to priests.

Names

In Mandaean scriptures, priests are referred to as ''Naṣuraiia'' ( myz, ࡍࡀࡑࡅࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit= Naṣoraeans) or occasionally as ''Tarmiduta''. On the other hand, laypeople are referred to as ''Mandaiia'' ( myz, ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit=Gnostics, Knowers, Enlightened Ones). ''Naṣuraiia'' are considered to have ''naṣiruta'', or esoteric divine knowledge. (Brikha Nasoraia describes ''naṣiruta'' as the esoteric strand of Mandaeism, similar to how Sufism is related to Islam.)

Priests

There are three types of priests in Mandaeism:

*'' rišama'' ( myz, ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡌࡀ) "leader of the people"
*'' ganzibria'' ( myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ) "treasurers" (from Old Persian ''ganza-bara'' "id.," Neo-Mandaic ''ganzeḇrānā'')
*'' tarmidia'' ( myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ) "disciples" (Neo-Mandaic ''tarmidānā'')

Priests have lineages based on the succession of ''ganzibria'' priests who had initiated them. Priestly lineages, which are distinct from birth lineages, are typically recorded in the colophons of many Mandaean texts. The position is not hereditary, and any ''yalufa'' (''yalupa''), or Mandaean male who is highly knowledgeable about religious matters, is eligible to become a priest.

Traditionally, any ''ganzeḇrā'' who baptizes seven or more ''ganzeḇrānā'' may qualify for the office of ''rišama''. The current ''rišama'' of the Mandaean community in Iraq is Sattar Jabbar Hilo al-Zahrony. In Australia, the ''rišama'' of the Mandaean community is Salah Choheili.

A ''shganda'' (''šganda'') or ''ashganda'' (''ašganda'')Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. Prior to ordination, many priests have typically served as ''shganda'' as young men, although this is not a requirement.

History

The contemporary Mandaean priesthood can trace its immediate origins to the first half of the 19th century. In 1831, a cholera pandemic in Shushtar, Iran devastated the region and eliminated all of the Mandaean religious leaders there. Two of the surviving acolytes ('' šgandia''), Yahia Bihram and Ram Zihrun, reestablished the Mandaean priesthood in Suq esh-Shuyuk on the basis of their own training and the texts that were available to them.

Although Mandaean priests have been exclusively male since the 1900s, Buckley (2010) presents evidence that there had historically been Mandaean priests who were women.

Clothing

Ritual clothing and accessories worn by Mandaean priests include:

*'' Burzinqa'': turban
*''Pandama'': cloth wrapped around the mouth and lower face (similar to the Tuareg litham)
*''Margna'': wooden staff made from an olive branch
*''Naṣifa'': stole
*''Kanzala'': stole, when held under the chin
*''Skandola'': ritual iron ring with an iron chain that is used as a sacred seal. It is used to seal graves and also newborn babies on their navels.
*''Himiana'': sacred ritual belt used by priests

Mandaean priests are dressed completely in white to symbolize radiant uthras from the World of Light.

Alms

Mandaean priests regularly receive ''zidqa'' (alms) from laypeople, since priesthood is typically a full-time occupation.

Symbolism

Symbolically, a Mandaean priest represents an uthra on earth (Tibil).

Shishlam is the personification of the prototypical or archetypal Mandaean priest.

See also

*Shishlam, a literary representation of the prototypical Mandaean priest
*Kohanim, priests in Judaism
*Ašipu, a priest in ancient Mesopotamia

References

External links

The Worlds of Mandaean Priests

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