Rishama Explained

A rishama (rišama; riš-ama), rishamma, or rishema (ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡌࡀ|lit='head/leader of the people'; rišammā;^[1] Arabic: ريشما; Persian: ریشا اد اما) is a religious patriarch in Mandaeism.^[2] It is the highest rank out of all the Mandaean clergical ranks.^[3] The next ranks are the ganzibra and tarmida priests (see Mandaean priest).

In Iraq, the current rishama is Sattar Jabbar Hilo.^{[4] [5] [6]} In Australia, Rishamas are Brikha Nasoraia and Salah Choheili^{[7] [8]}

Etymology

The Mandaic term rišama is derived from the words riš 'head' and ama 'people'. Although the term for the Mandaean daily minor ablution is also spelled the same in written Classical Mandaic (rišama), the word for 'minor ablution' is pronounced in Modern Mandaic as rešāmā, while 'head priest' is pronounced rišammā.^[1]

Notable rishama or patriarchs

Pre-20th century

• Zazai d-Gawazta bar Hawa, patriarch datable to around the year 270 CE and earliest known copyist of Alma Rišaia Zuṭa, Qulasta, The Thousand and Twelve Questions, The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa, Scroll of Exalted Kingship, and The Wedding of the Great Šišlam. The Ginza Rabba, however, predates Zazai's time.^{[9] [10]}
• Anush bar Danqa, the leader of the Mandaeans, who appeared before Muslim authorities at the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Persia
• Yahya Bihram, who revived the entire Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s
• Ram Zihrun, who revived the Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s together with his younger cousin Yahya Bihram

20th century

• Dakhil Aidan, patriarch from 1917 to 1964 in Iraq
• Abdullah bar Negm (d. 2009; son of Negm bar Zahroon), patriarch in Baghdad who later emigrated to the United Kingdom
• Jabbar Choheili (d. 2014), rishama in Iran

21st century

• Sattar Jabbar Hilow, the current Mandaean patriarch in Iraq
• Salah Choheili, an Iranian-Australian rishama^[11]
• Brikha Nasoraia, an Iraqi-Australian rishama

See also

• Chief Rabbi
• Kohanim
• Nasoraeans
• Samaritan High Priest
• Archbishop

External links

• The Worlds of Mandaean Priests

Notes and References

1. Book: Häberl, Charles . The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire . Liverpool . Liverpool University Press . 2022 . 978-1-80085-627-1 . 219.
2. Web site: His Holiness Sattar Jabbar Hilo – Global Imams Council. Global Imams Council. 2021-09-21.
3. Book: Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book . Al-Saadi . Qais Mughashghash . Al-Saadi . Hamed Mughashghash . 2012 . Drabsha.
4. Web site: Leader of the world's Mandaeans asks for help. Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker e.V. (GfbV). 2021-09-21.
5. Web site: برئاسة الريش امة ستار جبار حلو، كجةجي يلتقي وفد من طائفة الصابئة المندائيين. cese.iq. 2014. 2021-09-21.
6. Web site: الريشما ستار جبار حلو رئيس ديانة الصابئة المندائيين. Mandaean Library مكتبة موسوعة العيون المعرفية. ar. 2021-09-21.
7. Web site: 25 March 2019. Harmony Day - Liverpool signs declaration on cultural and religious harmony. Liverpool City Champion. 5 November 2021. 5 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211105211537/https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/5971890/harmony-day-liverpool-signs-declaration-on-cultural-and-religious-harmony/. dead.
8. Amirteimour . Iman . 2017 . The Iranian Children of Adam: A study on the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean community . M.A. . University of Oslo.
9. Book: Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. Oxford University Press. New York. 2002. 0-19-515385-5. 65198443.
10. Web site: Gündüz. Şinasi. The problems of the nature and date of Mandaean sources. 21 November 2021.
11. Web site: Rishamma Salah Choheili: July 2016, Chapter 1 . The Worlds of Mandaean Priests . 2016-07-01 . 2021-11-09.