Mandaean scriptures This article contains a list of Mandaean texts (Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic). Well-known texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra Rabbā'') and the '' Qolastā''. Texts for Mandaean priests include ...

, Shishlam ( myz, ࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ; often transcribed Šišlam) is a figure representing the

prototypical A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

or prototypical

Mandaean Mandaeans ( ar, المندائيون ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and most important prophet. They ...

. He is also frequently referred to in Mandaean texts as Šišlam Rabba ( myz, ࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Šišlam Rba), which literally translates as the Great Šišlam.

In Mandaean scriptures

In Mandaean texts, Shishlam communicates with

uthra An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'utr ...

s from the

World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, translit=alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life (''Hayyi Rabbi ...

and partakes in rituals to re-establish ''

laufa In Mandaeism, laufa or laupa ( myz, ࡋࡀࡅࡐࡀ) is the concept of a spiritual connection forged between Tibil (Earth) and the World of Light. It has been variously translated as "communion," "spiritual union," "spiritual connection," or "vital ...

'' (spiritual connection) with the World of Light. Hence, Shishlam is essentially a literary personification or representation of the Mandaean who is participating in the ritual that the text is being used for. ''

The Wedding of the Great Šišlam ''The Wedding of the Great Šišlam'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡒࡀࡁࡉࡍ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. As a liturgical rather than esoteric text, it contains instructions and hymns for the Mandaean marriage c ...

'', a ritual text used during

wedding ceremonies, is named after Shishlam.Drower, E. S. 1950.
Šarḥ ḏ qabin ḏ šišlam rba (D. C. 38). Explanatory Commentary on the Marriage Ceremony of the great Šišlam
'. Rome: Ponteficio Istituto Biblico. (text transliterated and translated) As the priestly prototype or

archetype The concept of an archetype (; ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis. An archetype can be any of the following: # a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that ot ...

, Shishlam features prominently in several Mandaean priestly esoteric texts used during ''

tarmida A tarmida (singular form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ, lit=disciple, plural form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ ; fa, ترمیدا; ar, ترميذة) is a junior priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.Drower, E ...

'' and ''

ganzibra A ganzibra (singular form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡀ, plural form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ , literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; fa, گنزورا) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibra ...

'' initiation ceremonies. These texts include: *''

The 1012 Questions ''The Thousand and Twelve Questions'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡐ ࡕࡓࡉࡎࡀࡓ ࡔࡅࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. The ''1012 Questions'' is one of the most detailed texts on Mandaean priestly rituals. The text contains detailed com ...

'', which mentions Shishlam as the son of

Nbat In Mandaeism, Nbaṭ ( myz, ࡍࡁࡀࡈ, lit=Sprout) is an uthra (angel or guardian) who is described as the "King of Air" or the "first great Radiance." He is also called Nbaṭ Rba ("the Great Nbaṭ" or "Great Sprout") or Nbaṭ Ziwa ("the Rad ...

, or alternatively as the son of Adam S'haq Rba (literally 'Adam was bright, the Great'). ʿZlat (literally 'she wove'), described as the "Wellspring of Light," is mentioned as Shishlam's wife or female consort. In Book 2, Part 5.2 of ''The 1012 Questions'', Shishlam is also mentioned as the son of Lihdaia Rba Zadiqa (the "Unique Great Holy One"; or "Unique Great Righteous One," see ''

Right Ginza The Right Ginza is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Left Ginza. Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (2007 ...

'' 9.2). *''

The Coronation of the Great Šišlam ''The Coronation of the Great Šišlam'' (or ''The Coronation of Shishlam Rabba''; myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡕࡓࡀࡑࡀ ࡖࡕࡀࡂࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Šarḥ ḏ-Traṣa ḏ- Taga ḏ-Šišlam Rba) is a Mandaean reli ...

''Drower, E. S. 1962.
The Coronation of the Great Šišlam: Being a Description of the Rite of the Coronation of a Mandaean Priest according to the ancient Canon
'. Leiden: Brill. *''The

Scroll of Exalted Kingship The ''Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡊࡅࡕࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡉࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. Written as a large illustrated scroll, the text consists of 1,363 lines. The scroll is a commentary on ''tarmida'' ...

'' *''

Alma Rišaia Rba The '' Alma Rišaia Rba'' or ''Diwan Alma Rišaia Rabbā'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, "The Great Supreme World" or "The Great First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation cer ...

''Drower, E. S. 1963.
A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World
'. Leiden: Brill. *''

Alma Rišaia Zuṭa The '' Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, "The Smaller Supreme World" or "The Smaller First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation ceremonies. It is written ...

Feast

Shishlam is celebrated on

Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba The Feast of the Great Shishlam or Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Dihba ḏ-Šišlam Rba) or Nauruz Zūṭa ( myz, ࡍࡀࡅࡓࡅࡆ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, 'Little New Year') is a Mandaean religio ...

(" Feast of the Great Shishlam"), celebrated annually by Mandaeans on the 6th and 7th days of the 1st month.

References

{{Mandaeism footer Mandaeism Mythological archetypes Conceptions of self * Personifications in Mandaeism

In Mandaean scriptures

Feast

See also

References