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"[2] au anapotaja walimu wa sheria kama "rabi".[3]
Neno "rabb" liko pia katika lugha ya Kiarabu (رب) kwa maana ileile ya "Bwana"[4] na pia kwa umbo la "rabi" kama "bwana wangu". Ila hapa matumizi yake ni ya kumtaja Mwenyezi Mungu. Katika sura ya kwanza ya KuraniAllah anaitwa "rab" kwa maana ya "Bwana". Maana hiyo imeingia katika Kiswahili[5] hasa katika lugha ya kidini ya Waislamu.[6]
Wajibu
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.
Masomo na elimu
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[7]. 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.
Shughuli
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 wanaumewazima Wayahudi[8] .
Katika madhehebu makubwa ya Uyahudi wa Kiorthodoksi ni wanaume pekee wanaoweza kuwa rabi. Mielekeo mingine inaruhusu pia wanawake.
↑Yohane 1:38 Yesu aligeuka, akawaona wakimfuata, akawaambia, Mnatafuta nini? Wakamwambia, Rabi, (maana yake, Mwalimu), unakaa wapi?
↑Mfano Matthayo 23 : 2 Waandishi na Mafarisayo wameketi katika kiti cha Musa; ..... 6 hupenda viti vya mbele ... 7 .. na kuitwa na watu, Rabi. 8 Bali ninyi msiitwe Rabi, maana mwalimu wenu ni mmoja, nanyi nyote ni ndugu.
↑Hans Wehr: A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic; رب rabb pl.ارباب arbab lord; master; owner, proprietor (Jal. Law); (with foll.genit.) one possessed of, endowed with, having to do with, etc.; '-:')I the Lord (= God)
↑Kamusi Kuu ya Kiswahili: "Rabi /ra:bi/ pia Rabana (dini) jina mojawapo la Mwenyezi Mungu; Mola; Subhana"
↑Aya 2 katika sura ya kwanza Al Fatiha inasema "al-ḥamdu li-llāhi rabbi l-ʿālamīna"; tafsir za Kiswahili zinatumia lugha "Mola Mlezi wa viumbe vyote" (Tafsir ya Al-Barwani) au "Mola wa walimwengu" (tafsir ya Mubarak Ahmad, Kurani Tukufu, Nairobi 1953); Ahmad anaeleza: Rabbil-'Alamiin, "Mola wa walimwengu." Neno Rabb lina maana ya Mola; Bwana; Mwenye kitu; Anayestahili kutiiwa; Anayetengeneza vilivyoharibika; Anayehifadhi na kukuza (Akrab na Lisan)
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