A learned man who has received *ordination. ‘Rabbi’ literally means ‘my master’ and the title has been used since the time of *Hillel for those who have received *semikhah. This was only granted in Israel so the learned men of Babylon were known as *Rav. Rabbis were not *priests and had no sacramental duties. In the early days they devoted themselves to interpreting and expounding the *Written and *Oral Law.
It was only in the Middle Ages that rabbis became spiritual leaders of particular communities and initially there was reluctance to accept money for teaching *Torah. The role of the medieval rabbi was to give *responsa, serve on *battei dinim and, frequently, to be rosh *yeshivah (head of the talmudic academy). Since the *Enlightenment, the traditional yeshivah training has been regarded as less than adequate for the modern rabbi and nowadays most rabbis are graduates of specific *rabbinical seminaries. The modern rabbi’s role is broadly analogous to that of a Christian minister in that he leads services, preaches sermons, educates children and counsels his congregants. In *Israel the rabbi serves on the rabbinical courts which have important jurisdiction in matters of personal status. All the *Progressive movements now allow *women to be rabbis, but this is anathema to the *Orthodox.
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