Chacham

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Chacham (also: Chakam, Hacham, Hakham ; Aramaic חכם , "sage", pl. Chachamim ) was originally the name for a sage who did not necessarily have to be of Jewish origin.

In particular, Chacham is a title for a rabbinical scholar. The development of the term with Chacham initially only referred to scholars who are not assigned the Semicha, i.e. who lack the right to make valid decisions on questions of the religious law, the Halacha . The term later expanded to include ordained scholars.

The spiritual leaders of the Pharisaic movement were also known as Chachamim , they were not only considered experts in Halacha , ( Hebrew הלכה; derived from the verbהלך halach : “to go”, “to walk”) the legal part of the tradition of the Jewish faith, but also as a preacher. In the Sanhedrin , the “High Council”, which was for a long time the highest Jewish religious and political authority and at the same time the highest court, the term Chacham was used for a “third leader” after the highest ranking Nasi (prince) and his representative Av Beth Din .

The plural Chachamim includes all Amoraeans and Tannaites , who are also called "Rabbanan" in Aramaic.

Among the Sephardi , Chacham refers to the local rabbi, with the title "Rabbi" being subject to the reservation of being awarded to extraordinary scholars. In the Ottoman Empire , the chief rabbi was called Cacham bashi .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. Hyam Maccoby : The Mythmaker. Paul and the Invention of Christianity. Transl. And ed. by Fritz Erik Hoevels , Ahriman-Verlag, Freiburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-89484-605-3 , p. 24
  2. Hyam Maccoby: Jesus and the Jewish struggle for freedom. Ahriman, Freiburg 1996, ISBN 3-89484-501-5 , p. 25