Mandaeism Mandaeism (Mandaic language, Classical Mandaic: ),https://qadaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nhura-dictionary-mandaic-english-mandaic.pdf sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnosticism, Gnostic, Monotheism, ...

, rishama (rišama) () is a daily ablution ritual. Unlike the

masbuta Maṣbuta (; pronounced ''maṣwottā'' in Neo-Mandaic) is the ritual of immersion in water in the Mandaean religion. Overview Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism (''masbuta'') as ritual purification, not of initia ...

, it does not require the assistance of a priest. ''Rishama'' (signing) is performed before prayers and involves washing the face and limbs while reciting specific prayers such as the

rushma The rushuma (; sometimes also spelled rushma or rušma) is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism. It is a "signing" prayer recited during daily ablutions (rishama). The same word can also be used to refer to the ritual signing gest ...

. It is performed daily, before sunrise, with hair covered and after evacuation of bowels, or before religious ceremonies.

Tamasha Tamasha () is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India."Tamasha", in James R. Brandon and Martin Banham (eds), ''The Cambr ...

(ṭamaša) is another type of ablution performed by Mandaeans in which the entire body is fully immersed three times in water. Although the term for the Mandaean daily minor ablution is also spelled the same in written

Classical Mandaic Mandaic, or more specifically Classical Mandaic, is the liturgical language of Mandaeism and a South Eastern Aramaic variety in use by the Mandaean community, traditionally based in southern parts of Iraq and southwest Iran, for their religiou ...

(''rišama''), the word for 'minor ablution' is pronounced in

Modern Mandaic Neo-Mandaic, also known as Modern Mandaic, sometimes called the "''ratna''" ( "jargon"), is the modern reflex of the Mandaic language, the liturgical language of the Mandaean religious community of Iraq and Iran. Although severely endangered, ...

as , while ' head priest' is pronounced .

Procedures

Rishama ritual steps or procedures may vary according to the location or priest's instructions. Below is a list of rishama procedures by Shadan Choheili of the

Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi (officially registered as Mandi Genzvra Dakhil) is a Mandaean temple ( mandi) in downtown Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. It is named after Rishama Dakhil Aidan, who was the head priest of the Mandaean community i ...

Liverpool, New South Wales Liverpool is a suburb of South Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, south-west of the Sydney CBD. It is the administrative seat of the City of Liverpool and is in the Cumberland Plain. History Indigenous Before Bri ...

, Australia.Choheili, Shadan.
Rishama and Barakha Rituals
'. Liverpool, NSW:

. #Squat or kneel in front of the

yardna In Mandaeism, a yardna () or yardena ([]; ) is a body of flowing fresh water (or in ; pronounced ''meyya heyyi'') that is suitable for ritual use as baptismal water. The masbuta and other Mandaean rituals such as the tamasha (ablution), tamasha ...

. #Purify (''

tamasha Tamasha () is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India."Tamasha", in James R. Brandon and Martin Banham (eds), ''The Cambr ...

'') hands in water. #Purify face three times. #Dip right hand in the water and draw a line ("''rišam''") 3 times from right to left across the forehead. #Dip index fingers in water and point to ears three times. #Take water using the right-hand palm and inhale the water's scent three times. #Slightly dip the left hand in the water and splash the water using the right hand towards the left hand. #Using the right-hand palm, fill and wash the mouth, and spit towards the left three times. #Dip fingers in water and point towards the knees three times. #Dip your fingers in water and point towards your feet three times. #Dip your fingers in water, recite a prayer, and use your fingers to dip, then splash water forward three times. #Stand up and dip toes in the water (right foot first, then left foot afterwards). Specific Mandaic prayers are said during each step of the rishama.

Parallels

The ablution is comparable to

wudu ''Wuduʾ'' ( ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification, or ablution. The steps of wudu are washing the hands, rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face, then the forearms, then wiping the head, ...

in Islam. John D. Turner and other scholars have noted that in

Sethianism The Sethians (Greek language, Greek: Σηθιανοί) were one of the main currents of Gnosticism during the 2nd and 3rd century AD, along with Valentinianism and Basilideans, Basilideanism. According to John D. Turner, it originated in the 2n ...

, rituals reminiscent of Mandaean ablutions (i.e., the rishama and tamasha) are mentioned in

Nag Hammadi texts The Nag Hammadi library (also known as the Chenoboskion Manuscripts and the Gnostic Gospels) is a collection of early Christian and Gnostic texts discovered near the Upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945. Thirteen leather-bound papyrus cod ...

such as the '' Trimorphic Protennoia'', since they involve triple immersion in water, signing, and other similar features.

References

External links

The Worlds of Mandaean Priests
(University of Exeter)
Rishama (Ablution)

Sydney 2014 Masbuta 01: Rishama (Ablution)Brakha and Rishama instructional video

Afternoon brakha and ablution in Amarah, Iraq
{{Mandaeism footer Mandaic words and phrases Mandaean rituals Ritual purification Water and religion

Procedures

Parallels

See also

References

External links