Ordained religious leader in Mandaeism
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. In Iran, they are also occasionally referred to as Mullah.
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. Many Mandaean diaspora communities do not have easy access to priests. Due to the shortage of priests in the Mandaean diaspora, "halala" () or learned Mandaean laymen who are ritually clean (both individually and in terms of family background) can sometimes assume minor roles typically assumed by ordained priests. Such laymen taking on limited priestly roles are called "paisaq" (). Ritually clean laymen who are literate in Mandaic and can read Mandaean scriptures are known as "yalufa" ().
Names.
In Mandaean scriptures, priests are referred to as "Naṣuraiia" () or occasionally as "Tarmiduta". On the other hand, laypeople are referred to as "Mandaiia" (). "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:
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 Hilow al-Zahrony. In Australia, the "rišama" of the Mandaean community is Salah Choheili.
A "shganda" ("šganda") or "ashganda" ("ašganda") 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.
Zazai of Gawazta, who was active during the 270s AD during the reign of Sasanian Emperor Bahram I, is widely considered to be one of the first Mandaean priests. During the Muslim conquests of the 630s, the Mandaean priest Anush bar Danqa, led a delegation before the Muslim authorities to have the Mandaeans recognized as a People of the Book.
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, including Bibia Mudalal (the wife of Ram Zihrun during the 19th century) and Shlama beth Qidra (Šlama, daughter of Qidra, from the 3rd century AD).
Clothing.
Ritual clothing and accessories worn by Mandaean priests include:
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.
Statistics.
As of 2016, Rishama Salah Choheili estimated a total number of 43–44 Mandaean priests in the world, including tarmidas, ganzibras, and rishamas.
There are a few Mandaean priests in Sweden, including Ganzibra Salwan Alkhamas of Södertälje and Tarmida Qais Edan of Malmö. Buckley (2023) reported that in 2015, there were 8 Mandaean priests in Sweden.
In 2016, Salah Choheili also estimated a total number of 16 shgandas in the world who could potentially become tarmidas, 4 of whom were in Australia.
Rishama Abdullah Ganzibra Najam (d. 2009) was one of the few high-ranking Mandaean priests in the Netherlands.
References.
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