A tarmida (singular form in , plural form in ; ; ) is a junior

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

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, ...

Ganzibra A ganzibra (singular form in , plural form in , literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; ) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibras.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxfor ...

s, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Etymology

Häberl (2022) considers the Mandaic word ''tarmida'' to be a borrowing from Hebrew ''talmid'' ().

Ordination

Tarmida initiates or

novice A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience. Religion Buddhism ...

s ( ) can come from any "pure" family. In other words, the families must be ritually pure, meaning that there are no family members who have committed grave sins. Ritually pure laymen are also known as ''hallali'' in

Mandaic Mandaic may refer to: * Mandaic language * Mandaic alphabet The Mandaic alphabet is a writing system primarily used to write the Mandaic language. It is thought to have evolved between the second and seventh century CE from either a cursive fo ...

. Typically, the novices have been trained as ritual assistants ('' šganda'' or ''ašganda'') when they were children. Initiates may or may not be married, although typically they are not yet married. In order to be ordained as a tarmida, the initiate ( ) must go through a complex series of

initiation Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformatio ...

rituals lasting 68 days. Various rituals are performed by the initiator priest ( ), who recites from priestly esoteric texts such as ''

The Coronation of the Great Shishlam ''The Coronation of the Great Šišlam'' (or ''The Coronation of Shishlam Rabba''; ) is a Mandaean religious text. The text is a detailed commentary on the initiation of the tarmida (junior priests), with detailed discussions on masbuta and ma ...

'' (),Drower, E. S. 1962.
The Coronation of the Great Šišlam: Being a Description of the Rite of the Coronation of a Mandaean Priest according to the ancient Canon
'. Leiden: Brill. the '' Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' (), '' The Great Supreme World'' (),Drower, E. S. 1963.
A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World
'. Leiden: Brill. and 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 ...

''. Ritual helpers ('' šganda'' or ), who represent emissaries from the

World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld () is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'' or Supreme God/ Monad) is the ruler of the World of Ligh ...

, also help perform the rituals, many of which are held in a specially constructed priest initiation hut (''

škinta In Mandaeism, a shkinta () or shkina (''škina'') is a celestial dwelling inhabited by uthras in the World of Light that is analogous to the shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. In Tibil (the physical earth), it refers to a reed (plant), reed or mud h ...

'') and also a nearby temporary reed hut (''

andiruna An andiruna () is a temporary reed (plant), reed hut used during Mandaean priest initiation ceremonies.Ethel Stefana Drower, Drower, E. S. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Leiden: Brill (1962 reprint). Etymology The term ''andiruna'' ...

'').

Stages

*For the first 7 of the 68 days, both the novice and the initiator stay in the ''škinta'' without sleeping. This period is concluded by the novice baptizing the initiator. *Next, the novice goes through 60 days of seclusion, maintains his ritual purity, and cooks his own food. Only the ''šganda'', who visits everyday to exchange ''

kušṭa In Mandaeism, kushta or kušṭa () can have several meanings. Its original literal meaning is "truth" in the Mandaic language, and is thus typically used to refer to the Mandaean religious concept of truth. The same word is also used to refer t ...

'', is allowed to come in contact with the novice. 180 ''

rahma Rahma most commonly refers to an Arabic name, which may refer to: *Al-Rahma mosque, on Hatherley Street, Liverpool, England *''Malak al-Rahma'', a 1946 Egyptian film directed and written by Youssef Wahbi "Rahma" is also a Hebrew name, which refer ...

s'' (devotional prayers) are recited during these 60 days, with 60 prayers each meant for the soul, spirit, and body (hence 3 sets of 60) as the ''

Coronation A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special v ...

'' text explains. *After the 60 days of seclusion are over, additional rituals are performed with priests, including a ''

zidqa brikha In Mandaeism, the zidqa brikha (or ''zidqa brika''; ) is a type of ritual meal blessed by Mandaean priests. ''Zidqa'' means oblation and can also mean alms, while ''brikha'' means blessed.Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Ir ...

'' (blessed

oblation An oblation is a solemn offering, sacrifice or presentation to God, to the Church for use in God's service, or to the faithful, such as giving alms to the poor. The word comes from the Late Latin ''oblatio'' (from ''offerre'', ''oblatum'' 'to ...

; ) ritual meal. *Finally, the novice baptizes his initiator again, and the 68-day ordination ceremony is complete.

Prayer sequence

Below is the sequence of

prayer numbers for the tarmida initiation according to both the ''

'' and '' Exalted Kingship''. ''Exalted Kingship'' contains more detailed descriptions of the rituals, while the ''Coronation'' is shorter. During the prayers, ''

pihta In Mandaeism, the pihta () is a type of sacramental bread used with rituals performed by Mandaean priests. It is a small, round, biscuit-sized flatbread that can either be salted or saltless, depending on whether the ritual use of the pihta is ...

'' (

sacramental bread Sacramental bread, also called Communion bread, Communion wafer, Sacred host, Eucharistic bread, the Lamb or simply the host (), is the bread used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist. Along with sacramental wine, it is one of two elements ...

) and '' mambuha'' (sacramental water) are also consumed. Ritual handclasps (''

'') are often exchanged between the novice and the initiator, and sometimes also with the ritual assistant (''šganda''). Various names of the deceased (''zhara'' ) are also uttered along with the prayers.

Initiation begins

Preparation for baptizing novice

Baptism of novice begins

The ''Coronation'' contains 3 sets of prayers during the final part of the ritual that are not listed in ''Exalted Kingship''.

Novice crowned

'' Hamra'' ceremony

Cult hut (''škinta'') period begins

Prayers 34 and 119–122 are included in the ''Coronation'', but not ''Exalted Kingship''.

Gallery

The gallery below contains images of a tarmida initiation held in Baghdad in 2008.Yuhana Nashmi,
Initiation of a Priest (Slideshow)
" ''The Worlds of Mandaean Priests''. Accessed February 23, 2022. File:Mandaean priest initiation 04.png, Seven priests begin the initiation by baptizing each other, and then the initiate. File:Mandaean priest initiation 06.png, A ram is sacrificed for the initiation ceremony. File:Mandaean priest initiation 07.png, A ''

shkinta In Mandaeism, a shkinta () or shkina (''škina'') is a celestial dwelling inhabited by uthras in the World of Light that is analogous to the shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. In Tibil (the physical earth), it refers to a reed or mud hut that is u ...

'' being built File:Mandaean priest initiation 08.png, The completed ''shkinta'' File:Mandaean priest initiation 11.png, An initiate in the ''

'' File:Mandaean priest initiation 12.png, An initiate receiving a sacred gold ring called ''Shom Yawar Ziwa'' File:Mandaean priest initiation 14.png, Priests praying the ''Baii Rahmi'' (the Great Prayer) File:Mandaean priest initiation 15.png, Priests reading the ''Baii Rahmi'' (the Great Prayer) File:Mandaean priest initiation 16.png, An initiate performing

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 ...

in order to start the lengthy prayer ''Baii Rahmi'' (Great Prayer), with the drabsha assembled in the background File:Mandaean priest initiation 18.png, An initiate baptizing his initiator File:Mandaean priest initiation 20.png, Celebrating the newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008 File:Mandaean priest initiation 21.png, Newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008

References

External links

The Worlds of Mandaean PriestsInitiation of a Priest (Slideshow)
{{Mandaeism footer * Mandaic words and phrases Mandaean titles Mandaean rituals Rites of passage