tarmida
{{Short description|Minor priest in Mandaeism}}
{{Mandaeism}}
File:Mandaean priest initiation 22.png, Iraq in 2015]]
A tarmida (singular form in {{langx|myz|ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ|lit=disciple}}, plural form in {{langx|myz|ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ}} {{transliteration|myz|tarmidia}}; {{langx|fa|ترمیدا}}; {{langx|ar|ترميذة}}) is a junior priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, 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 ({{langx|he|תַלמִיד}}).{{cite book | last=Häberl | first=Charles | url=https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10.3828/9781800856271 | title=The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire | location=Liverpool | publisher=Liverpool University Press | date=2022 | isbn=978-1-80085-627-1 | page=220}}
Ordination
File:Mandaean priest initiation 09.png being read inside a tarmida initiation hut in Baghdad, Iraq in 2008]]
Tarmida initiates or novices ({{lang|myz|ࡔࡅࡀࡋࡉࡀ}} {{transliteration|myz|šualia}}) 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. 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 ({{lang|myz|ࡔࡅࡀࡋࡉࡀ}} {{transliteration|myz|šualia}}) must go through a complex series of initiation rituals lasting 68 days. Various rituals are performed by the initiator priest ({{lang|myz|ࡓࡁࡀ}} {{transliteration|myz|rba}}), who recites from priestly esoteric texts such as The Coronation of the Great Shishlam ({{transliteration|myz|Šarh d-Traṣa d-Taga d-Šišlam Rabbā}}),Drower, E. S. 1962. [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1351010 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 ({{transliteration|myz|Diwan Malkuta ʿLaita}}),{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Scroll of Exalted Kingship: Diwan Malkuta ʿLaita|location=New Haven, Connecticut|publisher=American Oriented Society|year=1993}} The Great Supreme World ({{transliteration|myz|Alma Rišaia Rba}}),Drower, E. S. 1963. [https://archive.org/details/pairofnaoraeanco0000unse A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World]. Leiden: Brill. and the Qulasta. Ritual helpers (šganda or {{lang|myz|ࡔࡂࡀࡍࡃࡀ}} {{transliteration|myz|ašganda}}), who represent emissaries from the World of Light, also help perform the rituals, many of which are held in a specially constructed priest initiation hut (škinta) and also a nearby temporary reed hut (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, is allowed to come in contact with the novice. 180 rahmas (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 text explains.
- After the 60 days of seclusion are over, additional rituals are performed with priests, including a zidqa brikha (blessed oblation; {{langx|myz|ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡊࡀ}}) ritual meal.
- Finally, the novice baptizes his initiator again, and the 68-day ordination ceremony is complete.{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people|publisher=Oxford University Press|publication-place=New York|year=2002|isbn=0-19-515385-5|oclc=65198443}}
=Prayer sequence=
{{see also|List of Qulasta prayers}}
Below is the sequence of Qulasta prayer numbers for the tarmida initiation according to both the Coronation and Exalted Kingship. Exalted Kingship contains more detailed descriptions of the rituals, while the Coronation is shorter. During the prayers, pihta {{lang|myz|ࡐࡉࡄࡕࡀ}} (sacramental bread) and mambuha {{lang|myz|ࡌࡀࡌࡁࡅࡄࡀ}} (sacramental water) are also consumed. Ritual handclasps (kušṭa) are often exchanged between the novice and the initiator, and sometimes also with the ritual assistant (šganda). Various names of the deceased (zhara {{lang|myz|ࡆࡄࡀࡓࡀ}}) are also uttered along with the prayers.
==Initiation begins==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 323 | 323 |
| 1–103 (novice’s recital in škinta) | 1–103 |
| 324–327 (coronation prayers) | 324–327 |
| 3, 5, 19 | 3, 5, 19 |
| 79, 81 | 79, 80, 81 |
==Preparation for baptizing novice==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 1, 3, 5, 19 | 1, 3, 5, 19 |
| 32 | 32 |
| 8, 34 (incense prayers) | 8, 34 |
| 75–77 | 75–77 |
| 35 (with zharas) | 35 |
==Baptism of novice begins==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 10–13 | |
| 18 | |
| 414 | |
| 19 | |
| 1st kušṭa | |
| 82 | |
| 20–24 | |
| 2nd kušṭa | |
| 36–45 (pihta and mambuha) | |
| 3rd kušṭa | |
| 25–28 (sealing prayers) | |
| 29, 30, 83–86, 88, 90 | |
| 71–72 (1st concurrence) | |
| 4th kušṭa | |
| 18, 109 (rahmas [devotions]) | |
| 58 (with zhara) | 58 |
| 65 | 65 |
| 168–169 | 168–169 |
| 71–72 | 71–72 (2nd concurrence) |
| 36–45 (pihta and mambuha) | |
| 59–60 | 59–60 |
| 31, 8 | 31, 8 |
| 72 | 72 |
| 171 | |
| mqaimitun ["be raised up!"] (repeated 61 times) | mqaimitun ["be raised up!"] |
| 80 | 80 |
| kušṭa with šganda | 5th kušṭa |
| 63 (masiqta oil) | 63 |
| 178 | 178 |
| 1, 3, 9, 15 | |
| 344–345 | |
| 233–256 (kḏ azil24 prayers called kḏ azil bhira dakia {{lang|myz|ࡗ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀ ࡃࡀࡊࡉࡀ}} ("When the proven, pure one went"), which describe and praise the new priest, now included among his fellow uthras.) | 233–256 |
| 330–347 (drabša prayers) |
The Coronation contains 3 sets of prayers during the final part of the ritual that are not listed in Exalted Kingship.
==Novice crowned==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 1, 3, 5, 19 | 1, 3, 5, 19 |
| 35, 9 | 35, 9 |
| 15–17 | 15–17 |
| 25–28 (haṭamtas [sealing prayers]) | 25–28 |
==''[[Hamra (Mandaeism)|Hamra]]'' ceremony==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 180–199 | 180–199 |
| 305–321 (antiphons) | 305–321 |
==Cult hut (''škinta'') period begins==
| class="wikitable"
! Coronation !! Exalted Kingship | |
| 72, 31, 8, 94, 63, kḏ azil | |
| 106–108 | 106–108 |
| 1, 3, 5, 19 | 1, 3, 5, 19 |
| 8, 34 | 8 |
| 165–169 | |
| 113 (a Sunday prayer) | 113 |
| 114–117 | 114–116 |
| 77, 9, 35 | 77, 9, 35 |
| 15–17 | 15–17 |
| 25–28 | 25–28 |
| 58, 65 | 58, 65 |
| 119–122 | |
| 165–169 | 165 |
| 71–72 | 71–72 (3rd concurrence) |
| 36–45 | 36–45 |
| 59–60 | 59–60 |
| 72 | 72 |
| 171 | |
| 80 | 80 |
| kušṭa | kušṭa |
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, "[https://mandaeanpriests.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/107 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 being built
File:Mandaean priest initiation 08.png|The completed shkinta
File:Mandaean priest initiation 11.png|An initiate in the andiruna
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 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
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Tarmida initiation}}
- [http://mandaeanpriests.exeter.ac.uk/items/browse?collection=1&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle&page=2 The Worlds of Mandaean Priests]
- [https://mandaeanpriests.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/107 Initiation of a Priest (Slideshow)]
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