The title rabbi, with several others from the same root, רבב,
_magnus est, vel multiplicatus est_, began first to be assumed,
according to Godwin, as a distinguishing title of honour by men of
learning, about the time of the birth of Christ. We find it anciently
given, indeed, to several magistrates and officers of state. In Esther
i, 8, it is said, the king appointed כל-רב ביתו, which we render “all
the officers of his house.” In Jeremiah xli, 1, we read of the ורּי
המלך, “the princes of the king.” In Job xxxii, 9, it is said, that the
רבים, which we render “great men, are not always wise;” a rendering
which well expresses the original meaning of the word. It was not
therefore in those days properly a title of honour, belonging to any
particular office or dignity, in church or state; but all who were of
superior rank, and condition in life were called רבים. We do not find
the prophets, or other men of learning in the Old Testament, affecting
any title beside that which denoted their office; and they were
contented to be addressed by their bare names. The first Jewish rabbi,
said to have been distinguished with any title of honour, was Simeon,
the son of Hillel, who succeeded his father as president of the
sanhedrim; and his title was that of rabban. The later rabbies tell us,
this title was conferred with a good deal of ceremony. When a person had
gone through the schools and was thought worthy of the degree of rabbi,
he was first placed in a chair somewhat raised above the company; then
were delivered to him a key and a table book: the key, as a symbol of
the power or authority now conferred upon him, to teach that knowledge
to others which he had learned himself; and this key he afterward wore
as a badge of his honour, and when he died it was buried with him: the
table book was a symbol of his diligence in his studies, and of his
endeavouring to make farther improvements in learning. The next ceremony
in the creation of a rabbi was the imposition of hands on him by the
delegates of the sanhedrim, practised in imitation of Moses’s ordaining
Joshua by this rite, to succeed him in his office, Num. xxvii, 18; Deut.
xxxiv, 9. And then they proclaimed his title.
According to Maimonides, the imposition of hands was not looked upon to
be essential; but was sometimes omitted. They did not always, saith he,
lay their hands on the head of the elder to be ordained; but called him
rabbi, and said, “Behold thou art ordained, and hast power,” &c. We find
this title given to John the Baptist, John iii, 26; and frequently to
our blessed Saviour; as by John’s disciples, by Nicodemus, and by the
people that followed, John i, 38; iii, 2; vi, 20. The reason of our
Saviour’s prohibiting his disciples to be called rabbi is expressed in
these words: “Be not ye called rabbi, for one is your master, even
Christ,” καθηγητὴς, your guide and conductor, on whose word and
instructions alone you are to depend in matters of religion and
salvation. Accordingly the inspired Apostles pretend to nothing more
than, as the ambassadors of Christ, to deliver his instructions; and,
for their own part, they expressly disclaim all dominion over the faith
and consciences of men, 2 Cor. i, 24; v, 20. The Jewish writers
distinguish between the titles rab, rabbi, rabban. As for rab and rabbi,
the only difference between them is, that rab was the title of such as
had had their education, and taken their degree, in some foreign Jewish
school; suppose at Babylon, where there was a school or academy of
considerable note; rabbi was the title of such as were educated in the
land of Judea, who were accounted more honourable than the others. But
as for rabban, it was the highest title; which, they say, was never
conferred on more than seven persons, namely, on R. Simeon, five of his
descendants, and on R. Jochanan, who was of a different family. It was
on this account, it should seem, that the blind man gave this title to
Christ, Mark x, 51; being convinced that he was possessed of divine
power, and worthy of the most honourable distinctions. And Mary
Magdalene, when she saw Christ after his resurrection, “said unto him,
Rabboni,” John xx, 16, that is, my rabban, like _my lord_ in English;
for rabbon is the same with rabban, only pronounced according to the
Syriac dialect.
There were several gradations among the Jews before the dignity of
rabbin, as among us, before the degree of doctor. The head of a school
was called _chacham_, or wise. He had the head seat in the assemblies
and in the synagogues. He reprimanded the disobedient, and could
excommunicate them; and this procured him great respect. In their
schools they sat upon raised chairs, and their scholars were seated at
their feet. Hence St. Paul is said to have studied at the feet of Rabbi
Gamaliel, Acts xxii, 3. The studies of the rabbins are employed either
on the text of the law, or the traditions, or the cabbala; these three
objects form so many different schools and different sorts of rabbins.
Those who chiefly apply to the letter of Scripture are called Caraites,
Literalists. Those who chiefly study the traditions and oral laws of the
Talmud are called Rabbanists. Those who give themselves to their secret
and mysterious divinity, letters and numbers, are called Cabbalists,
Traditionaries. The rabbins are generally very ignorant in history,
chronology, philology, antiquity, and geography. They understand the
holy language but imperfectly. They know not the true signification of a
multitude of words in the sacred text. They are prodigiously conceited
about their traditions, so that there is very little profit in reading
them; and experience shows that most who have applied themselves to
peruse their books, have been but little benefited by them, and have
entertained a perfect contempt of their understanding and their works.
The chief function of the rabbins is to preach in the synagogue, to make
public prayers there, and to interpret the law; they have the power of
binding and loosing, that is, of declaring what is forbidden, and what
allowed. When the synagogue is poor and small, there is but one rabbin,
who at the same time discharges the office of a judge and a teacher. But
when the Jews are numerous and powerful, they appoint three pastors, and
a house of judgment, where all their civil affairs are determined. Then
the rabbin applies himself to instruction only, unless it be thought
proper to call him into the council to give his advice, in which case he
takes the chief place.
_magnus est, vel multiplicatus est_, began first to be assumed,
according to Godwin, as a distinguishing title of honour by men of
learning, about the time of the birth of Christ. We find it anciently
given, indeed, to several magistrates and officers of state. In Esther
i, 8, it is said, the king appointed כל-רב ביתו, which we render “all
the officers of his house.” In Jeremiah xli, 1, we read of the ורּי
המלך, “the princes of the king.” In Job xxxii, 9, it is said, that the
רבים, which we render “great men, are not always wise;” a rendering
which well expresses the original meaning of the word. It was not
therefore in those days properly a title of honour, belonging to any
particular office or dignity, in church or state; but all who were of
superior rank, and condition in life were called רבים. We do not find
the prophets, or other men of learning in the Old Testament, affecting
any title beside that which denoted their office; and they were
contented to be addressed by their bare names. The first Jewish rabbi,
said to have been distinguished with any title of honour, was Simeon,
the son of Hillel, who succeeded his father as president of the
sanhedrim; and his title was that of rabban. The later rabbies tell us,
this title was conferred with a good deal of ceremony. When a person had
gone through the schools and was thought worthy of the degree of rabbi,
he was first placed in a chair somewhat raised above the company; then
were delivered to him a key and a table book: the key, as a symbol of
the power or authority now conferred upon him, to teach that knowledge
to others which he had learned himself; and this key he afterward wore
as a badge of his honour, and when he died it was buried with him: the
table book was a symbol of his diligence in his studies, and of his
endeavouring to make farther improvements in learning. The next ceremony
in the creation of a rabbi was the imposition of hands on him by the
delegates of the sanhedrim, practised in imitation of Moses’s ordaining
Joshua by this rite, to succeed him in his office, Num. xxvii, 18; Deut.
xxxiv, 9. And then they proclaimed his title.
According to Maimonides, the imposition of hands was not looked upon to
be essential; but was sometimes omitted. They did not always, saith he,
lay their hands on the head of the elder to be ordained; but called him
rabbi, and said, “Behold thou art ordained, and hast power,” &c. We find
this title given to John the Baptist, John iii, 26; and frequently to
our blessed Saviour; as by John’s disciples, by Nicodemus, and by the
people that followed, John i, 38; iii, 2; vi, 20. The reason of our
Saviour’s prohibiting his disciples to be called rabbi is expressed in
these words: “Be not ye called rabbi, for one is your master, even
Christ,” καθηγητὴς, your guide and conductor, on whose word and
instructions alone you are to depend in matters of religion and
salvation. Accordingly the inspired Apostles pretend to nothing more
than, as the ambassadors of Christ, to deliver his instructions; and,
for their own part, they expressly disclaim all dominion over the faith
and consciences of men, 2 Cor. i, 24; v, 20. The Jewish writers
distinguish between the titles rab, rabbi, rabban. As for rab and rabbi,
the only difference between them is, that rab was the title of such as
had had their education, and taken their degree, in some foreign Jewish
school; suppose at Babylon, where there was a school or academy of
considerable note; rabbi was the title of such as were educated in the
land of Judea, who were accounted more honourable than the others. But
as for rabban, it was the highest title; which, they say, was never
conferred on more than seven persons, namely, on R. Simeon, five of his
descendants, and on R. Jochanan, who was of a different family. It was
on this account, it should seem, that the blind man gave this title to
Christ, Mark x, 51; being convinced that he was possessed of divine
power, and worthy of the most honourable distinctions. And Mary
Magdalene, when she saw Christ after his resurrection, “said unto him,
Rabboni,” John xx, 16, that is, my rabban, like _my lord_ in English;
for rabbon is the same with rabban, only pronounced according to the
Syriac dialect.
There were several gradations among the Jews before the dignity of
rabbin, as among us, before the degree of doctor. The head of a school
was called _chacham_, or wise. He had the head seat in the assemblies
and in the synagogues. He reprimanded the disobedient, and could
excommunicate them; and this procured him great respect. In their
schools they sat upon raised chairs, and their scholars were seated at
their feet. Hence St. Paul is said to have studied at the feet of Rabbi
Gamaliel, Acts xxii, 3. The studies of the rabbins are employed either
on the text of the law, or the traditions, or the cabbala; these three
objects form so many different schools and different sorts of rabbins.
Those who chiefly apply to the letter of Scripture are called Caraites,
Literalists. Those who chiefly study the traditions and oral laws of the
Talmud are called Rabbanists. Those who give themselves to their secret
and mysterious divinity, letters and numbers, are called Cabbalists,
Traditionaries. The rabbins are generally very ignorant in history,
chronology, philology, antiquity, and geography. They understand the
holy language but imperfectly. They know not the true signification of a
multitude of words in the sacred text. They are prodigiously conceited
about their traditions, so that there is very little profit in reading
them; and experience shows that most who have applied themselves to
peruse their books, have been but little benefited by them, and have
entertained a perfect contempt of their understanding and their works.
The chief function of the rabbins is to preach in the synagogue, to make
public prayers there, and to interpret the law; they have the power of
binding and loosing, that is, of declaring what is forbidden, and what
allowed. When the synagogue is poor and small, there is but one rabbin,
who at the same time discharges the office of a judge and a teacher. But
when the Jews are numerous and powerful, they appoint three pastors, and
a house of judgment, where all their civil affairs are determined. Then
the rabbin applies himself to instruction only, unless it be thought
proper to call him into the council to give his advice, in which case he
takes the chief place.