Rabbi

The word comes from the [[Mishnaic Hebrew]] [[Construct state|construct]] {{lang|he|רְבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rǝbbī}},{{Efn|Some also connect it to Mishnaic Hebrew {{lang|he|רֶבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rebbī}}, (Kaufmann A50 RH 2:12)/{{lang|he|רִבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rībbī}} (Parma A RH 2:12) 'my master' but this term is extremely rare in ancient texts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-03|script-title=he: רב ורבנים|url=https://hebrew-academy.org.il/2021/06/03/%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%9d/|access-date=2022-01-31|publisher=Academy of the Hebrew Language}}</ref>}} meaning 'Master [Name]'; the standard Hebrew noun is {{lang|he|רב}} {{Transliteration|he|rav}} 'master'. {{Transliteration|he|[[Rav]]}} is also used as a title for rabbis,<ref>{{cite dictionary |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/rav |title=Rav |dictionary=Dictionary.com |access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref> as are {{Transliteration|he|rabbeinu}} ('our master') and {{Transliteration|he|ha-rav}} ('the master'). A derived term is {{Transliteration|yi|[[rebbe]]}}.

The word comes from the [[Mishnaic Hebrew]] [[Construct state|construct]] {{lang|he|רְבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rǝbbī}},{{Efn|Some also connect it to Mishnaic Hebrew {{lang|he|רֶבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rebbī}}, (Kaufmann A50 RH 2:12)/{{lang|he|רִבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rībbī}} (Parma A RH 2:12) 'my master' but this term is extremely rare in ancient texts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-03|script-title=he: רב ורבנים|url=https://hebrew-academy.org.il/2021/06/03/%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%9d/|access-date=2022-01-31|publisher=Academy of the Hebrew Language}}</ref>}} meaning 'Master [Name]'; the standard Hebrew noun is {{lang|he|רב}} {{Transliteration|he|rav}} 'master'. {{Transliteration|he|[[Rav]]}} is also used as a title for rabbis,<ref>{{cite dictionary |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/rav |title=Rav |dictionary=Dictionary.com |access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref> as are {{Transliteration|he|rabbeinu}} ('our master') and {{Transliteration|he|ha-rav}} ('the master'). A derived term is {{Transliteration|yi|[[rebbe]]}}.

The Hebrew root in turn derives from the [[Semitic root]] {{Script/Hebrew|ר-ב-ב}} (R-B-B), which in [[Biblical Aramaic]] means 'great' in many senses, including 'revered', but appears primarily as a prefix in construct forms.<ref>Heinz-Josef Fabry entry ''Rab'' in ''Theological dictionary of the Old Testament'' Vol. 13 pp. 273–75 ed. G. Johannes Botterweck, [[:sv:Helmer Ringgren]], [[Heinz-Josef Fabry|Fabry]] 2004 p. 273 "RAB... is also well attested in Phoenician.9 Here too rab functions as a title; its specific meaning can be determined only by its relationship to other offices and functions.10 Aramaic in all its dialects makes copious use of this root."</ref> Although the usage {{Transliteration|he|rabim}} 'many' (as 1 Kings 18:25, {{lang|he|הָרַבִּים}}) 'the majority', 'the multitude' occurs for the assembly of the community in the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], there is no evidence to support an association of this use with the later title "rabbi".<ref>[[Heinz-Josef Fabry|Fabry]] entry ''Rab'' in ''Theological dictionary of the Old Testament'' Volume 13, p. 298 G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, Heinz-Josef Fabry – 2004 "There is no evidence to support an association, commonly cited in discussions of this usage.160 with the use of the title "Rabbi" ... Already suggested by [[Millar Burrows|M. Burrows]] and repeated by [[Jean Carmignac|Carmignac]], 584"</ref> The root is [[cognate]] to [[Arabic language|Arabic]] {{lang|ar|ربّ}} {{Transliteration|ar|rabb}},<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.definitions.net/definition/rabbi|title = What does rabbi mean?}}</ref> meaning 'lord' (generally used when talking about God, but also about temporal lords), and to the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] word {{lang|syr|ܪܒܝ}} {{Transliteration|syr|rabi}}.

The Hebrew root in turn derives from the [[Semitic root]] {{Script/Hebrew|ר-ב-ב}} (R-B-B), which in [[Biblical Aramaic]] means 'great' in many senses, including 'revered', but appears primarily as a prefix in construct forms.<ref>Heinz-Josef Fabry entry ''Rab'' in ''Theological dictionary of the Old Testament'' Vol. 13 pp. 273–75 ed. G. Johannes Botterweck, [[:sv:Helmer Ringgren]], [[Heinz-Josef Fabry|Fabry]] 2004 p. 273 "RAB... is also well attested in Phoenician.9 Here too rab functions as a title; its specific meaning can be determined only by its relationship to other offices and functions.10 Aramaic in all its dialects makes copious use of this root."</ref> Although the usage {{Transliteration|he|rabim}} 'many' (as 1 Kings 18:25, {{lang|he|הָרַבִּים}}) 'the majority', 'the multitude' occurs for the assembly of the community in the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], there's no evidence to support an association of this use with the later title "rabbi".<ref>[[Heinz-Josef Fabry|Fabry]] entry ''Rab'' in ''Theological dictionary of the Old Testament'' Volume 13, p. 298 G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, Heinz-Josef Fabry – 2004 "There is no evidence to support an association, commonly cited in discussions of this usage.160 with the use of the title "Rabbi" ... Already suggested by [[Millar Burrows|M. Burrows]] and repeated by [[Jean Carmignac|Carmignac]], 584"</ref> The root is [[cognate]] to [[Arabic language|Arabic]] {{lang|ar|ربّ}} {{Transliteration|ar|rabb}},<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.definitions.net/definition/rabbi|title = What does rabbi mean?}}</ref> meaning 'lord' (generally used when talking about God, but also about temporal lords), and to the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] word {{lang|syr|ܪܒܝ}} {{Transliteration|syr|rabi}}.

Some communities, especially [[Sephardic]] and [[Yemenite Jews]], historically pronounced the title {{lang|he|רִבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rībbī}}; this pronunciation competed with {{lang|he|רְבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rǝbbī}} and {{lang|he|רַבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rabbī}} in [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenaz]] until the modern period.<ref name=azor>''Siddur Azor Eliyahu'', p. 18 (on "Ribbi Yishmael Omer" before Pesukei deZimra). Text with acronyms expanded according to its glossary (parentheses in original, square brackets added based on the glossary): {{lang|he|רִבי ישמעאל. בחיריק—כך הוא בכל סידורים ישנים [הכוונה לסידורי אשכנז שנדפסו עד לסידור ר' שבתי סופר מפרעמישלא] (כמו שקלאוו תקמ"ח, דיהרנפורט תקמ"ח, תקנ"ב, תקס"ב, זולצבאך תקנ"ג), כך הוא בהגדה של פסח על ביאור הגר"א שהדפיס רמ"מ משקלאוו בהוראדנא בשנת תקס"ה (וכן הוא בסידורי הספרדים והתימנים). והשינוי לרַבי בפתח הוא משינויי ויעתר יצחק (ספר הגהות על סידור אשכנז וסידור תפילה מאת יצחק סאטאנוב, ברלין תקמ"ד) ובעקבותיו ניקד כן גם ר' וואלף היידנהיים (ויעב"ץ ניקד רְבי בשווא והאריך בזה בלוח ארש). בגמרא מופיע בריבי מלא (מכות ה' ב' חולין פ"ד ב' קל"ז א' שבת קט"ו א' ערובין נ"ג א') וחסר (חולין י"א ב', כ"ח א') ומשמע מכך שאמרו רִבי בחיריק, וגם מפירוש רבינו חננאל (פסחים נ"ב ב' וסוכה מ"ה א') משמע כן.}}</ref><ref name=wigram/>

Some communities, especially [[Sephardic]] and [[Yemenite Jews]], historically pronounced the title {{lang|he|רִבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rībbī}}; this pronunciation competed with {{lang|he|רְבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rǝbbī}} and {{lang|he|רַבִּי}} {{Transliteration|he|rabbī}} in [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenaz]] until the modern period.<ref name=azor>''Siddur Azor Eliyahu'', p. 18 (on "Ribbi Yishmael Omer" before Pesukei deZimra). Text with acronyms expanded according to its glossary (parentheses in original, square brackets added based on the glossary): {{lang|he|רִבי ישמעאל. בחיריק—כך הוא בכל סידורים ישנים [הכוונה לסידורי אשכנז שנדפסו עד לסידור ר' שבתי סופר מפרעמישלא] (כמו שקלאוו תקמ"ח, דיהרנפורט תקמ"ח, תקנ"ב, תקס"ב, זולצבאך תקנ"ג), כך הוא בהגדה של פסח על ביאור הגר"א שהדפיס רמ"מ משקלאוו בהוראדנא בשנת תקס"ה (וכן הוא בסידורי הספרדים והתימנים). והשינוי לרַבי בפתח הוא משינויי ויעתר יצחק (ספר הגהות על סידור אשכנז וסידור תפילה מאת יצחק סאטאנוב, ברלין תקמ"ד) ובעקבותיו ניקד כן גם ר' וואלף היידנהיים (ויעב"ץ ניקד רְבי בשווא והאריך בזה בלוח ארש). בגמרא מופיע בריבי מלא (מכות ה' ב' חולין פ"ד ב' קל"ז א' שבת קט"ו א' ערובין נ"ג א') וחסר (חולין י"א ב', כ"ח א') ומשמע מכך שאמרו רִבי בחיריק, וגם מפירוש רבינו חננאל (פסחים נ"ב ב' וסוכה מ"ה א') משמע כן.}}</ref><ref name=wigram/>