A History of the Rabbinate

This is a general history of an institution which has become central in Judaism - the rabbinate. Simon Schwarzfuchs traces the origin and development of the rabbinate from early Judaism (Talmud to the 18th century), through the Hakham (Sefardic religious leadership) to the modern rabbinate. Talmudic literature and the New Testament refer to scholars and teachers called Rav or Rabbi, but these people had no responsibility in the religious life of the community - the rabbinate is not mentioned in the Bible. It is only towards the end of the 11th century that a community rabbinate which is not a new priesthood began to appear in the new Jewish settlements of the renascent medieval city. Since the Middle Ages the rabbi has become an ubiquitous presence in the history of the various Jewish communities, ensuring the continuity of Jewish communal life. Addressing contemporary problems (what is the role of the Rabbi in a modern, assimilated community; what relevance does the founding of the state of Israel have on the rabbinate outside Israel?) as well as historical ones, this book provides both a general history of the institution and a history of the socio-economic forces which shaped it.