Rabi

רַבִּי rabbi) ni cheo cha heshima kwa mtaalamu wa Torati katika dini ya Uyahudi anayehudumia kama mwalimu wa dini na kiongozi wa kiroho.

Neno lenyewe Rabi (pia Rabbi) linatoka katika lugha ya Kiebrania likimaanisha kiasili "Bwana wangu, mkuu wangu". Umbo la msingi ni "rab" (bwana, mkuu) na kuongeza "i" kunaleta maana ya "bwana wangu". "Rabi" inaeleweka sasa kama "ustadh", "profesa", "mwalimu". Maana hiyo inaonekana katika taarifa za Agano Jipya, ambamo Yesu anaitwa mara nyingi "rabi" au anapotaja walimu wa sheria kama "rabi".

Neno "rabb" liko pia katika lugha ya Kiarabu (رب) kwa maana ileile ya "Bwana" na pia kwa umbo la "rabi" kama "bwana wangu". Ila hapa matumizi yake ni ya kumtaja Mwenyezi Mungu. Katika sura ya kwanza ya Kurani Allah anaitwa "rab" kwa maana ya "Bwana". Maana hiyo imeingia katika Kiswahili hasa katika lugha ya kidini ya Waislamu.

Kazi yake kuu ni kufundisha Torati akijua vema majadiliano ya Talmudi na mafundisho mbalimbali ya sheria ya kidini ya Uyahudi. Kwa karne nyingi marabi walifanya kazi za kawaida, hawakulipwa kwa mafundisho yao. Tangu karne ya 19 imekuwa kawaida, angalau kati ya Wayahudi wa Ulaya, kwamba rabi aajiriwe na sinagogi au shule akitekeleza kazi zinazofanana na mchungaji wa Kiprotestanti kama kuhubiri, kuongoza ibada, kufundisha na kubariki sherehe za maishani.

Kwa kawaida Myahudi anaweza kuitwa rabi kama amemaliza masomo kwa muda baina ya miaka 5 hadi 8 katika chuo cha Talmudi au pia kwenye vyuo vingine vinavyofundisha habari za Torati, Talmud, falsafa na historia ya Uyahudi pamoja na sheria ya kidini ya Kiyahudi. Mara nyingi masomo hayo yanamalizika kwa mtihani na cheti, lakini kuna pia marabi waliosoma kwa muda mrefu na kukubaliwa baadaye kama kiongozi wa sinagogi au jumuiya kutokana na elimu, hekima na sifa zao hata bila vyeti.

Mara nyingi rabi atapata ajira katika sinagogi au kama mwalimu wa vyuoni. Katika mazingira ya kisasa hasa Ulaya ya Magharibi na Marekani marabi wanatekeleza shughuli nyingi zinazofanana na kazi ya mchungaji katika Kanisa la Kikristo kama vile kuongoza ibada ya sinagogi, kutoa hotuba ya Sabato, kufundisha watoto na vijana, kuwandaa wahaharusi kwa ndoa zao, kutoa ushauri kwa watu wenye maswali au matatizo na kuongoza sinagogi kwa jumla. Lakini ibada ya sinagogi si lazima kuendeshwa na marabi, lazima ni wanaume wazima Wayahudi .

Katika madhehebu makubwa ya Uyahudi wa Kiorthodoksi ni wanaume pekee wanaoweza kuwa rabi. Mielekeo mingine inaruhusu pia wanawake.

Kuhusu marabi kwa jumla

Wanawake katika Uyahudi usio Orthodoksi

• Nadell, Pamela. Women Who Would Be Rabbis: A History of Women's Ordination, 1889–1985, Beacon Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8070-3649-8.

Wanawake katika Uyahudi wa Kiorthodoksi

• Mason Delugoda
• Debra Nussbau, Cohen, Jewish tradition vs. the modern-day female, March 17, 2000, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
• Lauren Gelfond Feldinger, The Next Feminist Revolution, The Jerusalem Post, March 17, 2005
• Moshe Y'chiail Freidman, Women in the Rabbinate, Jewish Observer, 17:8, 1984, 28–29.
• Laurie Goodstein, Causing a Stir, 2 Synagogues Hire Women to Aid Rabbis, February 6, 1998, New York Times
• Jeff Helmreich, Orthodox women moving toward religious leadership, Friday June 6, 1997, Long Island Jewish World
• Marilyn Henry, Orthodox women crossing threshold into synagogue, Jerusalem Post Service, May 15, 1998
• Jonathan Mark, Women Take Giant Step In Orthodox Community: Prominent Manhattan shul hires ‘congregational intern’ for wide-ranging spiritual duties, The Jewish Week December 19, 1997
• Emanuel Rackman, (Women as Rabbis) Suggestions for Alternatives, Judaism, Vol.33, No.1, 1990, p. 66–69.
• Ben Greenberg, Women Orthodox Rabbis: Heresy or Possibility?, First Things, October 2009
• Gil Student, When Values Collide, First Things, September 2009
• Mimi Feigelson, Yeshivah Student, Feminine Gender Archived 3 Septemba 2011 at the Wayback Machine., Eretz Acheret Archived 2012-12-05 at Archive.today Magazine

• Rabbi, Jewishencyclopedia.com
• The American Rabbi - Rabbinic resource of sermons, stories, anecdotes and writings for today's rabbis.
•   "Rabbi and Rabbinism". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. – A pre-Vatican II Catholic view of the development of the Rabbinical office
• A book review by Rabbi Twersky that deals with advanced study of Torah in relation to Orthodox Jewish women