Nasi (title)

Nasi (נָשִׂיא) is a Hebrew title that has developed in meaning over the centuries.

In the Torah he describes the tribal princes of Israel during the desert migration ( 2 Mos 35.27 EU ). In the book of Ezekiel , the title occurs in an eschatological - messianic context, the nasi is the end-time king ( Ez 37,24-25 EU ). The document “Blessings of the instructor” (1 QSb) belonging to the Qumran literature contains a blessing about the nasi of the community, which echoes from Isa 11: 2-5 EU .

The rebel leader Simon Bar-Kochba did not describe himself as a Messiah, but carried the title of “ nasi of all Israel.” He is not only a military leader, but “Herald of the political, religious and social restitution of Israel. This also implies that Bar Kochba claims ownership of the land. ”The territory conquered in the Bar Kochba uprising was considered to be his crown land, which he leased.

After the suppression of the uprising, the nasi was recognized by the Romans as the head of the Jewish people. He ruled like a king. Under Yehuda ha-Nasi this office reached the height of its importance. Allegedly the patriarch was a descendant of Hillel and came from the house of David .

The head of state of the modern state of Israel has the title Hebrew נָשִׂיא מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל Nasi Medinat Jisraʾel 'President of the State of Israel' orנָשִׂיא הַמְדִינָה Nasi haMedina 'President of the Republic'.

literature

Peter Schäfer : History of the Jews in antiquity. The Jews of Palestine from Alexander the Great to the Arab conquest. 2nd edition Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2010. ISBN 978-3-16-150218-7 .
Peter Schäfer: The Bar Kokhba Uprising: Studies on the Second Jewish War against Rome . Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 1981. ISBN 3-16-144122-2 .
Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra : Qumran: The Dead Sea Texts and Ancient Judaism (UTB 4681). Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2016, ISBN 9783825246815 .

Individual evidence

↑ Peter Schäfer: The Bar Kokhba uprising: studies on the second Jewish war against Rome , Tübingen 1986, p. 57 f.
↑ Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra: Qumran: The texts of the Dead Sea and ancient Judaism , Tübingen 2016, p. 248 f.
^ Peter Schäfer: History of the Jews in antiquity , Tübingen 2010, p. 183. See P. Mur 24b.
↑ Peter Schäfer: History of the Jews in antiquity , Tübingen 2010, p. 199.

[1] Peter Schäfer: The Bar Kokhba uprising: studies on the second Jewish war against Rome , Tübingen 1986, p. 57 f.

[2] Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra: Qumran: The texts of the Dead Sea and ancient Judaism , Tübingen 2016, p. 248 f.

[3] Peter Schäfer: History of the Jews in antiquity , Tübingen 2010, p. 183. See P. Mur 24b.

[4] Peter Schäfer: History of the Jews in antiquity , Tübingen 2010, p. 199.