Tarmida

A tarmida reading a Mandaean manuscript codex inNasiriyah,Iraq in 2015

Atarmida(singular form inClassical Mandaic:ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ,lit. 'disciple', plural form inClassical Mandaic:ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀtarmidia;Persian:ترمیدا;Arabic:ترميذة) is a juniorpriestinMandaeism.Ganzibras,or head priests, rank above tarmidas.

Etymology

Häberl(2022) considers the Mandaic wordtarmidato be a borrowing from Hebrewtalmid(Hebrew:תַלמִיד).

Ordination

The Coronation of the Great Shishlambeing read inside a tarmida initiation hut in Baghdad, Iraq in 2008

Tarmida initiates ornovices(ࡔࡅࡀࡋࡉࡀšualia) can come from any "pure" family. In other words, the families must be ritually pure, meaning that there are no family members who have committed grave sins. Ritually pure laymen are also known ashallaliinMandaic.Typically, the novices have been trained as ritual assistants (šgandaorašganda) when they were children. Initiates may or may not be married, although typically they are not yet married.

In order to be ordained as a tarmida, the initiate (ࡔࡅࡀࡋࡉࡀšualia) must go through a complex series ofinitiationrituals lasting 68 days. Various rituals are performed by the initiator priest (ࡓࡁࡀrba), who recites from priestly esoteric texts such asThe Coronation of the Great Shishlam(Šarh d-Traṣa d-Taga d-Šišlam Rabbā),theScroll of Exalted Kingship(Diwan Malkuta ʿLaita),The Great Supreme World(Alma Rišaia Rba),and theQolasta.Ritual helpers (šgandaorࡔࡂࡀࡍࡃࡀašganda), who represent emissaries from theWorld of Light,also help perform the rituals, many of which are held in a specially constructed priest initiation hut (škinta) and also a nearby temporary reed hut (andiruna).

Stages

• For the first 7 of the 68 days, both the novice and the initiator stay in theškintawithout sleeping. This period is concluded by the novice baptizing the initiator.
• Next, the novice goes through 60 days of seclusion, maintains his ritual purity, and cooks his own food. Only thešganda,who visits everyday to exchangekušṭa,is allowed to come in contact with the novice. 180rahmas(devotional prayers) are recited during these 60 days, with 60 prayers each meant for the soul, spirit, and body (hence 3 sets of 60) as theCoronationtext explains.
• After the 60 days of seclusion are over, additional rituals are performed with priests, including azidqa brikha(blessedoblation;Classical Mandaic:ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡊࡀ) ritual meal.
• Finally, the novice baptizes his initiator again, and the 68-day ordination ceremony is complete.

Prayer sequence

See also:Qolasta § List of prayers

Below is the sequence ofQolastaprayer numbers for the tarmida initiation according to both theCoronationandExalted Kingship.Exalted Kingshipcontains more detailed descriptions of the rituals, while theCoronationis shorter. During the prayers,pihtaࡐࡉࡄࡕࡀ(sacramental bread) andmambuhaࡌࡀࡌࡁࡅࡄࡀ(sacramental water) are also consumed. Ritual handclasps (kušṭa) are often exchanged between the novice and the initiator, and sometimes also with the ritual assistant (šganda). Various names of the deceased (zharaࡆࡄࡀࡓࡀ) are also uttered along with the prayers.

Initiation begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
323	323
1–103 (novice’s recital in škinta)	1–103
324–327 (coronation prayers)	324–327
3, 5, 19	3, 5, 19
79, 81	79, 80, 81

Preparation for baptizing novice

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
32	32
8, 34 (incenseprayers)	8, 34
75–77	75–77
35 (with zharas)	35

Baptism of novice begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
	10–13
	18
	414
	19
	1stkušṭa
	82
	20–24
	2nd kušṭa
	36–45 (pihtaandmambuha)
	3rd kušṭa
	25–28 (sealing prayers)
	29, 30, 83–86, 88, 90
	71–72 (1st concurrence)
	4th kušṭa
	18, 109 (rahmas[devotions])
58 (with zhara)	58
65	65
168–169	168–169
71–72	71–72 (2nd concurrence)
	36–45 (pihtaandmambuha)
59–60	59–60
31, 8	31, 8
72	72
	171
mqaimitun [ "be raised up!" ] (repeated 61 times)	mqaimitun [ "be raised up!" ]
80	80
kušṭa with šganda	5th kušṭa
63 (masiqtaoil)	63
178	178
1, 3, 9, 15
344–345
233–256 (kḏ azil)	233–256
330–347 (drabša prayers)

TheCoronationcontains 3 sets of prayers during the final part of the ritual that are not listed inExalted Kingship.

Novice crowned

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
35, 9	35, 9
15–17	15–17
25–28 (haṭamtas [sealing prayers])	25–28

Hamraceremony

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
180–199	180–199
305–321 (antiphons)	305–321

Cult hut (škinta) period begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
	72, 31, 8, 94, 63, kḏ azil
106–108	106–108
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
8, 34	8
	165–169
113 (a Sunday prayer)	113
114–117	114–116
77, 9, 35	77, 9, 35
15–17	15–17
25–28	25–28
58, 65	58, 65
119–122
165–169	165
71–72	71–72 (3rd concurrence)
36–45	36–45
59–60	59–60
72	72
	171
80	80
kušṭa	kušṭa

Prayers 34 and 119–122 are included in theCoronation,but notExalted Kingship.

Gallery

The gallery below contains images of a tarmida initiation held in Baghdad in 2008.

• 
  Seven priests begin the initiation by baptizing each other, and then the initiate.
• 
  A ram is sacrificed for the initiation ceremony.
• 
  Ashkintabeing built
• 
  The completedshkinta
• 
  An initiate in theandiruna
• 
  An initiate receiving a sacred gold ring calledShomYawar Ziwa
• 
  Priests praying theBaii Rahmi(the Great Prayer)
• 
  Priests reading theBaii Rahmi(the Great Prayer)
• 
  An initiate performingrishama (ablution)in order to start the lengthy prayerBaii Rahmi(Great Prayer), with thedrabshaassembled in the background
• 
  An initiate baptizing his initiator
• 
  Celebrating the newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008
• 
  Newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008

External links

• The Worlds of Mandaean Priests
• Initiation of a Priest (Slideshow)