Rab

RAB, Rabbin, Rabban, Rabbam; a Name of Dignity among the Hebrews. The Name of Rab was given to Masters and Doctors, to the Chief of a Class, and to the principal Officers of the Court of a Prince: For Example, Nebuzaradan, General of the Army of King Nebuchadnezzar, is always called Rab Tabachim,¹ Magister Laniorum, the Esth. i. 6.Master of the Butchers, Cooks, or Guards. Esther says, that Ahasuerus appointed a Rab of his Court over every Table of his Guests, to take Care that nothing should be Dan. i. 3. רב סריסיםwanting. Daniel speaks of Ashpenaz the Rab of the Eunuchs of the House of Nebuchadnezzar, and of the Rab of the Saganim,Dan. ii. 48. or Chief of the Governors or Peers. This Prophet himself was preferred to be Chief of the Interpreters of Dreams, or the Rab of Dan. v. 11.the Chartumim. It appears that this Name came originally from the Chaldees; for before the Captivity, when any mention was made of Judea, we do not find it used, but only when any mention was to be made of the Officers of the King of Babylon. thy Providence for our Support for the time to come. Theophylact and Suidas, Give us our sufficient Bread, the Nourishment we have need of. Epiousios in this Place, is oppos’d to Periousios, superfluous. Those that contend for the Reading which has Supersubstantialem,² maintain, that in this Prayer Christians do not ask of God the Nourishment of the Body, but that of the Soul, the Knowledge of the Will of God, his Word, his Grace, the holy Eucharist.

Rab or Rabban, properly signifies Master, or one that excells in any thing; Rabbi or Rabbani, is my Master. Rabbin is the Plural. Thus Rab is of greater Dignity than Rabbi, and Rabbin or Rabbim, is a Word of greater Dignity than either Rab or Rabbi.

There were several Gradations before they could arrive at the Dignity of Rabbin, as among us to arrive at the Degree of Doctor. He that was Master or Head of the School, was called Cacham, or Wise; and he had the Name of Bachur, or Elou, who aspired to the Doctorship, and for this Purpose frequented the School of the Chacham. When he was further advanced, he had the Title of Cabar of the Rab, or the Master’s Companion. Lastly, when he was further skill’d in the Knowledge of the Law and the Traditions, he was call’d only Rab, or Rabin, and Morena, our Master.

Leo of Modena says, that among the Cerem. Jud. p. 2. c. 3.Jews it was a kind of Shame, to be known to seek for the Doctorship, and this passed for a presumptuous Piece of Vanity. Thus there was no Examination for it, but when a Man was found to have studied the Oral Law more than any other Science, he was saluted by the publick Voice with the Title of Cacham, that is, Wise. At least this is the Custom among the Eastern Jews; whereas in Germany and Italy, he receives this Title from the most antient of the Rabbins, who either by Word of Mouth, or Writing, declares him Cabar of the Rab, Companion of the Master, or Rab, or Morena, Master.

The Cacham Rab, or Master Rabbin, decides all Sorts of Differences, determines what Things are allowed or forbidden, and judges in all Matters of Religion, and even in Civil Controversies. He celebrates Marriages, and declares Divorces. He preaches, if he has a Talent for it, and is Head of the Academies. He has the head Seat in the Assemblies, and in the Synagogues. He reprimands the Disobedient, and can even excommunicate them; which procures him great Respect and Authority.

In their Schools they sate upon raised Chairs, and their Scholars were at their Acts xxii. 3.Feet. Hence it is, that in the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul is said to have studied at Philo lib. quod omnis probus liber.the Feet of Rabbi Gamaliel. Philo affirms, that among the Essenians, the Children sate in the Schools at the Feet of their Masters, who explain’d the Law to them after an Allegorical Manner. Ambrosiaster, upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians, informs us, that in their Schools the Rabbins sate in their Chairs, the most advanced of their Scholars sate by them upon Benches, and the least sate upon the Ground on Mats. The Jews are us’d to say to their Children, Pirke Avoth. c. 1. §. 4.by way of Proverb, Roll yourselves in the Dust of your Masters Feet; instead of saying, Frequent their Schools diligently, and sit down at their Feet. a Our Saviour upbraids the Rabbins and Masters of Israel Matth. xxiii. 6.with their Vanity, and Eagerness to have the first Places at the Feasts, and the head Seats in the Synagogues; also with their being saluted in the Streets, and desiring to be call’d Rabbi, My Master.

The Studies of the Rabbins are employ’d, either upon the bare Text of the Law, or the Traditions, or the Cabala, which is the mysterious Doctrine contain’d in the Scripture. These three Objects of their Study form so many different Schools, and different Sorts of Rabbins. Those that chiefly apply themselves to the Letter and Text of Scripture, are call’d Caraites, which is as much as to say Literalists. Those that place their chief Study in the Traditions and Oral Laws of the Talmud, are call’d Rabbinists; as applying themselves to the Doctrine and Opinions of their old Masters, from whom they have received their Traditions by the Mediation of their Cachams. Lastly, those that give up themselves to their secret and mysterious Divinity, which consists in explaining the Scripture, according to certain Combinations of the Letters and Numbers, are call’d Cabalists; as much as to say Traditionaries, because that these Explications and Combinations are perform’d according to certain Rules, which they have receiv’d from their Masters.

Leo of Modena, p. 5. c. 1.Leo of Modena says, that the Caraites keep to the Pentateuque only, rejecting all the Explications, Paraphrases, or Constitutions of the Rabbins. This Author adds, that they are originally Sadducees, but reform’d and meliorated; and that they might not become odious to all Sorts of Religions, they have thought fit to forsake such Opinions of the Sadducees as gave most Offence, and to espouse some of the most antient of the Traditions. But for all this the Rabbinists mortally hate the Caraites, and treat them only as Mamzerims, or Bastards. They refuse all Alliance with them, nor will they so much as converse with ‘em; and though a Caraite should desire to become a Rabbinist, the other Jews would not receive him.

See our Answer to M. Fourment, Let. 2.M. Simon, in his Supplement to that Passage of Leo of Modena we have now cited, believes with F. Morin, that the Caraites did not appear among the Jews ‘till after the Publication of the Talmud, or about the eighth Century; and that the most understanding of the Jews at that Time, being desirous to withstand that Multitude of Whimsies then impos’d under the specious Name of Moses, were call’d Caraites, by the Defenders of those Traditions; as if they would insinuate, that they adher’d only to the Letter of Scripture. We have but few of the Works of the Caraites. M. Simon quotes some of the Manuscripts. It were to be wish’d that some of ‘em were printed, which would be of much more use to us than those of the Rabbinists, which every-where abound, and wherein we find a vast Number of Trifles, of vain, frivolous, and childish Explications, founded upon pretended Traditions of the Antients. The Rabbins are generally very ignorant in History, Chronology, Philology, Antiquity, and Geography. They understand the Holy Language but very imperfectly. They know not the true Signification of a Multitude of Words that are found in the sacred Text of Scripture. They are prodigiously conceited about their Traditions, so that there is very little Profit to be had by reading them; and ‘tis known by Experience, that most of those who have apply’d themselves to peruse their Books, have been but little benefited by them, and have entertain’d a perfect Contempt of their Understanding and Works.

Beside the Names of Rab, and Rabbi, or Rabboni, which the Jewish Doctors assum’d to themselves, they took also those of Maran, Lord, More, Doctor, Cacam, Sage, Marbitz Thora, Cousin to the Law, because the Law rested upon them, Dom, or Sir. ‘Twas chiefly in Spain that they took formerly this latter Title, which is still given to Persons of the first Distinction.

The chief Function of the Rabbins is to preach in the Synagogue, to make publick Prayers there, and to interpret the Law. They have the Power of binding³ and loosing, that is to say, of declaring what is forbidden, and what is allow’d. When the Synagogue is poor and small, there is but one Rabbin, who at the same time discharges the Offices of a Judge and a Doctor. But when the Jews are numerous and powerful in a Place, they appoint three Pastors there, and a House of Judgment, where all their Civil Affairs are determin’d. And then the Rabbin applies himself to Instruction only, unless it is thought proper to call him into the Council, to give his Advice there; in which Case he takes the chief Place.

They have the Authority of creating new Rabbins. They pretend, that formerly every Doctor had a Right of giving this Title to his Disciple: But that since the Time of Hillel they relinquish’d this Power, in Consideration of him, and restrain’d themselves to the asking the Leave of the Head of the Captivity, at least in the East. At present they content themselves with installing the new Rabbin in an Assembly of some Doctors. Sometimes it is sufficient for one Rabbin alone to lay on his Hands, when it is difficult for several to come together. In Germany they are created by Word only, and often at their Creation their Power is restrain’d to certain Functions, and not extended to others. For Example, to teach the Law, but not to judge; neither were they to exercise those Functions to which they were appointed, unless when their Master was absent.

The Rabbins omitted nothing to procure to themselves Credit, Authority, and Respect among the People, who yet were generally inclined to dispise them. They maintain, that their Laws and Commands were not to be transgress’d, but on the Penalty of hazarding the Lives of the Offenders. They quote the Example of Rabbi Jochanan, who made of one of his Disciples an Heap of Bones, because he would not believe what he taught him. They boast also, that a Rabbin cannot be damn’d. They bring a Proof of it in the Person of Rabbin Acher, who fell into capital Errors and Crimes, which were enough to have plunged him into Damnation. ‘Tis pretended that he derogated from the Power of the Supream Being, that he admitted of two Principles; that he had blasphemed against the Angel Metatron, that he had rode on Horseback on the Sabbath-day; that he had tore to Pieces a young Scholar, and had sent the divided Parts of his Body to thirteen Levites. But however, Rabbi Meir, the Disciple of Acher, maintain’d, that he was not damned, but only detain’d in Purgatory, which he proved by causing Smoke to come out of his Tomb on a Excerpta Gemarae apud Hott. p. 101, &c.Sabbath-day. Another Rabbin caus’d this Smoke to cease, and it was concluded from thence, that he was saved.

The Jews have several Books which were composed by their Rabbins. These Books are written in Hebrew, tho’ much different from that of the Bible. It is not so pure, and has a great Mixture of Words and Phrases taken from strange Languages. As their Writings are upon Subjects foreign to such as are treated of in the Bible, they have been obliged to borrow other Terms, proper to express what they would treat of; for Example, in Astronomy, Physick, Theology; but their Style is still in Imitation of what they find in the Scripture. Their manner of pronouncing Hebrew is different from each other. The Italians pronounce it otherwise than the Germans, and the Germans different from the Spaniards and the Levantines. The Characters they commonly use in their Writings are not so square nor so beautiful as those of the Bible: They are rounder, and more of a Runninghand. And he that reads and understands very well the Hebrew of the Bible, will neither read nor understand the Hebrew of the Rabbins. The Writing and Style of these Doctors is a particular Study.

Nine Classes of Doctors are distinguish’d among the Hebrews. a The first is that of Moses, Joshua, Eleazar, and the seventy Elders chosen by Moses, to ease himself in Exod. xviii. 21.the Goverment. The second is that of the Antients, who succeeded Joshua and Eleazar, and according to them comprehends the Judges, Senators, and the Sanhedrim. The third is that of the Prophets. The fourth is the great Synagogue composed of six score Persons, after the Return from the Captivity. The fifth is of the Tanaim, mention’d in the Mishna. The sixth of the Amoraim, or Commentators upon the Mishna. The seventh of the Giours, or eminent Doctors. The eighth of the Soboreans, or Doubters. The ninth and last of the Gaons.

We must not suffer ourselves to be prejudic’d by the pompous Titles that the Hebrews give their Doctors, nor by that pretended Antiquity that they ascribe to them. They would be very much puzzled to prove that long Succession of Rabbins they boast of, from Moses down to the present Times. Abraham Son of one call’d David, who lived at Pescaire at the Beginning of the twelfth Century,⁴ has made a Succession of Rabbins quite from Adam to Abrah. Zacuth. Inchasim.his own Time. Abraham Zaccuth a Jew, drove out of Spain with the other Jews, compos’d a Catalogue of them from the Beginning of the World as far as the⁵ Year 1500. Gedaliah also has made a Traditional Chain of ‘em down to the Year 1586, in which he lived. But there is so great a Difference in the Calculations of these Historians, they fall into such Anachronisms, they disagree so much in the Names of these Doctors, that it is easy to see they go upon no certain Principles, nor have any distinct Knowledge of what they advance.

In vain do the Rabbins boast of the Antiquity of their Schools and of their Doctors; when we search into the Bottom of these Things, we find nothing but Confusion and Uncertainty. They speak with great Emphasis of their Schools at Japhne and Tiberias, set up in Palestine after the Destruction of the Temple; and of those of Nahardea, Pundebita, and Sora, in the East. They produce Lists of Doctors who have taught therein; but all these Things are so ill put together, that nothing can be concluded from them. They have certain Books, whose Antiquity they very much brag of; the Midraschins, for Example, or Commentaries upon Scripture, which they say were compos’d by the Rabbins who liv’d in the Time of Judas the Holy; that is, in the Year of Christ 215. Yet the Gemara is quoted therein, which was compos’d a long time after the Midraschins Rabboth, or the grand Commentaries imputed to Nachmanides, who lived, they say, at the End of the third Century; and yet Mention is made there of the Endeavour of the Emperor Julian, to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem. The Sentences of the Fathers, or Pirke Aboth, published under the Name of Eleazar, who lived under Gamaliel the second, is much more modern than that Time, as may be seen from the Work itself.

We have spoken elsewhere of the Paraphrasts Onkelos, Jonathan, Joseph the Blind, and of the Gemara, of the Thalmud, and the Misna. These Articles may be consulted, and Bartolocci in his Bibliotheca Rabbinica, and Mr. Basnage’s History of the Jews, t. 7. l. 10. c. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

The most famous Rabbins that they quote to us, are Nathan, Abenezra, Abraham Hallevi, Maimonides, or Moses the Son of Maimon, Joseph and David Kimchi, and Solomon Jarchi. But all these Doctors are modern. Nathan, Head of the Academy of Rome, who has explain’d all the Terms of the Thalmud, lived at the Beginning of the twelfth Century. Abenezra died in 1174; his Explications of Scripture are literal and grammatical, and they are in great Esteem among Commentators. Abraham Hallevi was Cotemporary with Aben-ezra. Maimonides was born at Corduba in 1131. His Father Maimon pretended to be of the Race of David. ‘Tis commonly affirm’d, that Maimonides is the first of the Doctors among the Jews who left off trifling. He is sometimes call’d Moses the Egyptian, because he left Spain and went to settle in Egypt. He died at the Beginning of the thirteenth Century.

Joseph Kimchi, who lived in 1160, has compos’d some Commentaries upon Scripture, which are in Manuscript in the Library of the Vatican, and a Book against the Christian Religion. We know that he dwelt at Narbonne, but it is disputed whether he were a Spaniard or a Frenchman. He had two Sons, David and Moses Kimchi, who were both famous for their Learning.

David Kimchi, Son of Joseph Kimchi, apply’d himself much to Grammar, and his Works are very well esteem’d. The Jews alluding to his Name, which signifies a Miller, or white with Meal, say by way of Proverb, That there is no Meal without Kimchi; that is, there is no real Knowledge without Kimchi. Moses Kimchi, his Brother, has also compos’d a Work whose Title is, The Garden of Pleasure, which is in Manuscript in the Vatican Library.

Solomon Jarki was a Native of Troy in Champagne, but he had the Surname of Jarchi, or Jarki, that is, Lunatick, because he taught in the Academy of Lunel in Languedoc, where the Jews had an Academy in the twelfth Age. He chiefly apply’d himself to the Study of the Thalmud; and his Commentary upon the Gemara seem’d so full of Erudition, that he was call’d the Prince of Commentators. Concerning these Rabbins, and all the rest of ‘em, the Reader may consult the Authors before quoted, especially the Bibliotheca Rabbinica of Bartholocci.

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