Dehwa Rabba

Dehwa Rabba
Dehwa Rabba
Also called	NauruzRabba
Observed by	Mandaeans
Type	Religious, ethnic
Significance	First day of theMandaean calendar

Dehwa Rabba(Classical Mandaic:ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ,romanized:Dihba Rba,lit. 'Great Feast') orNauruz Rabba(Classical Mandaic:ࡍࡀࡅࡓࡅࡆ ࡓࡁࡀ,'Great New Year')^[1]^: 111is theMandaean New Year.^[2]It is the first day ofDaula(or Dowla), the first month of theMandaean calendar.^[3]

Kanshiy u-Zahly

Kanshī u-ZahliorKanshiy u-Zahly(Classical Mandaic:ࡊࡀࡍࡔࡉࡀ ࡅࡆࡀࡄࡋࡉࡀ,romanized:Kanšia u-Zahlia,lit. 'cleaning and purification'^[1]^: 113) is the day preceding Dehwa Rabba, orNew Year's Eve.It is the 30th day of Gadia, the twelfth month (i.e., the last day of the Mandaean year). On Kanshiy u-Zahly, Mandaeans do not work as it is a holy day. Mandaean priests spend the entire day performing prayers andmasbutauntil the afternoon, and also animals are slaughtered for consumption. Before the sun sets, Mandaeans prepare food for the following day of Dehwa Rabba and also performṭmasha,or ritual immersion in water that does not require the assistance of a priest.^[4]

36 hours of seclusion

At sunset, once theNorth Starappears in the sky, Mandaeans must stay inside their homes with their families for 36 hours. No one is permitted to go outside their homes during these 36 hours, since Mandaeans believe that thenaṭria(guardian spirits, including the water guardiansShilmaiandNidbai) have leftTibiland returned to theWorld of Light,leaving people on Tibil vulnerable to misfortune.^[5]^: 110As a result, Mandaeans will emerge only at noontime on the 2nd day of Daula (the day following Dehwa Rabba).^[6]

Deaths during these 36 hours are considered to be inauspicious (mbaṭṭal,Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡁࡀࡈࡀࡋ,romanized:mbaṭal^[7]), and themasiqtaof Adam needs to be performed when Mandaean deaths occur during this time.^[2]^[8]During this period of time, it is also inauspicious to kill any animals or even swat insects.^[1]

E. S. Drowerhas compared this period of isolation to the Babylonian festivalAkituand to the myth ofDumuzid's descent into the underworld and his subsequent ascent after three days.^[1]

References

^^a ^b ^c ^dNasoraia, Brikha H.S.(2021).The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought.New Delhi: Sterling.ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4.OCLC 1272858968.
^^a ^bAldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rabba. It includes everything they need to know about Mandaeism(PhD). University College London.
^Bhayro, Siam (2020-02-10)."Cosmology in Mandaean Texts".Hellenistic Astronomy.Brill. pp. 572–579.doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046.ISBN 9789004243361.S2CID 213438712.Retrieved2021-09-03.
^Gelbert, Carlos (2005).The Mandaeans and the Jews.Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books.ISBN 0-9580346-2-1.OCLC 68208613.
^Masco, Maire (2012).The Mandaeans: Gnostic astrology as an artifact of cultural transmission.Tacoma, WA: Fluke Press.ISBN 978-1-938476-00-6.OCLC 864905792.
^Gelbert 2005,p. 191-192.
^Häberl, Charles (2022).The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire.Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.
^Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

External links

Kanshia u Zahla (New Year) Baptisms(unedited clips)

[Nasoraia_2021-1] Nasoraia, Brikha H.S.(2021).The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought.New Delhi: Sterling.ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4.OCLC 1272858968.

[Aldihisi_2008-2] Aldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rabba. It includes everything they need to know about Mandaeism(PhD). University College London.

[Bhayro_2020-3] Bhayro, Siam (2020-02-10)."Cosmology in Mandaean Texts".Hellenistic Astronomy.Brill. pp. 572–579.doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046.ISBN 9789004243361.S2CID 213438712.Retrieved2021-09-03.

[Gelbert_2005-4] Gelbert, Carlos (2005).The Mandaeans and the Jews.Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books.ISBN 0-9580346-2-1.OCLC 68208613.

[Masco_2012-5] Masco, Maire (2012).The Mandaeans: Gnostic astrology as an artifact of cultural transmission.Tacoma, WA: Fluke Press.ISBN 978-1-938476-00-6.OCLC 864905792.

[FOOTNOTEGelbert2005191-192-6] Gelbert 2005,p. 191-192.

[Häberl_2022-7] Häberl, Charles (2022).The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire.Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.

[Buckley_2002-8] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

Kanshiy u-Zahly

36 hours of seclusion

See also

References

External links