The rushuma (; sometimes also spelled rushma or rušma) is one of the most commonly recited prayers in
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, ...
. It is a "signing" prayer recited during daily ablutions (
rishama
A rishama (''rišama''; ''riš-ama''), rishamma, or rishema (; ; ; ) is a religious patriarch in Mandaeism. It is the highest rank out of all the Mandaean clergical ranks. The next ranks are the ''ganzibra'' and ''tarmida'' priests (see Mandaean ...
).
The same word can also be used to refer to the ritual signing gesture associated with the prayer.
The rushuma is numbered as Prayer 104 in
E. S. Drower's version of the
Qulasta
The Qulasta, also spelled Qolastā in older sources (; ), is a compilation of Mandaean prayers. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection".
The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms ('' maṣbuta'') and other sa ...
, which was based on manuscript 53 of the
Drower Collection
This article contains a list of Mandaic manuscripts, which are almost entirely Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic.
Well-known Mandaean texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra Rabbā''), the ''Mandaean B ...
(abbreviated DC 53). In Drower's ordering, the ''
Asut Malkia
The ''Asut Malkia'' ("Salutation of Kings") is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism. In the prayer, the reciter wishes health and victory (''asuta u-zakuta'' ) upon dozens of heavenly and ancestral figures. According to E. S. Dro ...
'' prayer (''CP'' 105) follows the rushuma prayer, while the ''
ʿniana'' ("response") prayers come before the rushuma.
Signing
''Rushuma'' or ''rushma'' literally means "sign" or "signing" (ritual gesture). Many lines in the prayer are repeated three times as the reciter signs the ''rushuma'' front of the face with his or her fingers.
Mandaic text and translation
Below is the transliterated
Mandaic text of the Rushuma prayer, based on
Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki
Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki () is an Iraqi-Australian writer and researcher based in the Sydney metropolitan area. He is known for his publications of Mandaic texts, including the Ginza Rba and Qulasta.
Biography
Al-Mubaraki is a Mandaean who wa ...
's Qulasta (volume 2)
as edited by
Matthew Morgenstern
Matthew Morgenstern, also known as Moshe Morgenstern (; born 1968 in London, United Kingdom), is an Israeli linguist and religious studies scholar known for his work on Eastern Aramaic languages, especially Mandaic. He is currently Full Professor ...
and Ohad Abudraham in the ''
Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon
The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon (CAL) is an online database containing a searchable dictionary and text corpora of Aramaic dialects. CAL includes more than 3 million lexically parsed words.
The project was started in the 1980s and is currently ...
''.
The English translation is original.
See also
*
Brakha
Daily prayer in Mandaeism, called brakha in Mandaic (cognate with Hebrew ''berakhah'' and Arabic ''barakah'') or occasionally ''birukta'' (''birukhta''), consists of set prayers that are recited three times per day. Mandaeans stand facing nort ...
(daily prayer in Mandaeism)
*
Rahma (Mandaeism)
In Mandaeism, a rahma (; plural form: ''rahmia'' ) is a daily devotional prayer that is recited during a specific time of the day or specific day of the week. There is a total of approximately 60 rahma prayers, which together make up the '' Eniani ...
*
Shumhata
The Shumhata () is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism.Choheili, Shadan. Rishama and Barakha Rituals'. Liverpool, NSW: Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi.
The Shumhata is numbered as Prayer 173 in E. S. Drower's version of the Qulasta, whic ...
*
Qulasta
The Qulasta, also spelled Qolastā in older sources (; ), is a compilation of Mandaean prayers. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection".
The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms ('' maṣbuta'') and other sa ...
*
List of Qulasta prayers
The list below contains the 414 Mandaean prayers in E. S. Drower's 1959 ''Canonical Prayerbook'' (also known as the Qulasta), along with their ritual uses. Many of the prayers are identical or nearly identical duplicates of other prayers in the ...
*
Rishama (ablution)
In Mandaeism, rishama (rišama) () is a daily ritual purification, ablution ritual. Unlike the masbuta, it does not require the assistance of a priest. ''Rishama'' (signing) is performed before prayers and involves washing the face and limbs wh ...
*
Tamasha (ablution)
In Mandaeism, tamasha or ṭamaša () is an ablution ritual that does not require the assistance of a priest. Tamasha is performed by triple immersion in river (''yardna'') water. It is performed by women after menstruation or childbirth, men an ...
*
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, ...
;Signing
*
Sign of the cross
Making the sign of the cross (), also known as blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is both a prayer and a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. It is a very significant prayer because Christians are acknowledging ...
*
Kushta
*
Mudra
A mudra (; , , "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; ) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
As well as being spiritual ges ...
References
{{Mandaeism footer
Mandaic words and phrases
Mandaean prayer
Hand gestures
Mandaean rituals
Qulasta