Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism (masbuta) as ritual purification, not of initiation. They are possibly one of the earliest peoples to practice ritual baptism.[3] Mandaeans undergo baptism on Sundays (Habshaba[4]), wearing a white sacral robe (rasta). Baptism for Mandaeans consists of a triple full immersion in water, a triple signing of the forehead with water and a triple drinking of water. The priest (rabbi) then removes a ring made of myrtle (klila) worn by the baptized and places it on their forehead. This is then followed by a handshake (kušṭa - hand of truth) with the priest. The final blessing involves the priest laying his right hand on the baptized person's head.[5]: 102
Living water (fresh, natural, flowing water, called mia hayyi)[5] is a requirement for baptism, therefore can only take place in rivers. All rivers are named Yardna "Jordan River" and are believed to be nourished by the World of Light. By the riverbank, a Mandaean's forehead is anointed with sesame oil (misha) and partakes in a communion of sacramental bread (pihta) and water. Baptism for Mandaeans allows for salvation by connecting with the World of Light and for forgiveness of sins.[6][7][8]
Although masbuta rituals are typically held only in the presence of Mandaeans, a historic commemorative masbuta ceremony was held at the 13th conference of the ARAM Society (titled "The Mandaeans"), which took place during 13-15 June 1999 on the banks of the Charles River at Harvard University.[9][10]
Typesedit
There are different types of masbuta used for different purposes. Similarly, there are also several different types of masiqta (see Masiqta § Types). A few types of masbuta are:
360 baptisms: 360 consecutive baptisms are needed to cleanse a polluted priest.[1] Sets of 360 baptisms are described in texts such as The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa and Šarḥ ḏ-Maṣbuta Rabia ("The Scroll of the Great Baptism"; DC 50).
Masbuta is distinct from ṭamaša "immersion" and rišama "ablution", which are personal ritual purification rituals that do not require the presence of a priest. Ṭamaša is typically performed after bodily pollutions, such as seminal discharge, sexual activity, or after subsiding from unclean thoughts or anger at another person. This ablution is comparable to tevilah in Judaism and ghusl in Islam. Rišama is performed daily before prayers and religious ceremonies or after bowel evacuation and is comparable to wudu in Islam.[12]
Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (1989). "Why Once Is Not Enough: Mandaean Baptism (Maṣbuta) as an Example of a Repeated Ritual". History of Religions. University of Chicago Press. 29 (1): 23–34. doi:10.1086/463169. ISSN 0018-2710. JSTOR 1062837. S2CID 161224842.
Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2007). "Polemics and Exorcism in Mandaean Baptism". History of Religions. University of Chicago Press. 47 (2/3): 156–170. doi:10.1086/524208. ISSN 0018-2710. S2CID 162202078.
^ abBuckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
^Segelberg, Eric (1958). Maṣbuta: Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism. Uppsala: Almqvist and Wiksell.
^McGrath, James (23 January 2015), "The First Baptists, The Last Gnostics: The Mandaeans", YouTube-A lunchtime talk about the Mandaeans by Dr. James F. McGrath at Butler University, retrieved 3 November 2021
^Burtea, Bogdan (2008). Zihrun, das verborgene Geheimnis (in German). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. ISBN978-3-447-05644-1. OCLC 221130512.
^Gelbert, Carlos (2005). The Mandaeans and the Jews. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN0-9580346-2-1. OCLC 68208613.
^Pearson, Birger A. (14 July 2011). "Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts". Ablution, Initiation, and Baptism. De Gruyter. pp. 119–144. doi:10.1515/9783110247534.119. ISBN978-3-11-024751-0.
External linksedit
Videos and images from the Worlds of Mandaean Priests (University of Exeter)
Children's Baptism Day (River and Pool) - Sydney (January 2015)
Mandaean masbuta performed at 13 June 1999 ARAM conference
December 20, 2023
masbuta, maṣbuta, classical, mandaic, ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ, ritual, immersion, water, mandaean, religion, artwork, ganzibra, dakhil, mandi, liverpool, south, wales, australia, depicting, masbuta, contents, overview, types, parallels, gallery, also, further, reading, refere. Maṣbuta Classical Mandaic ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ is the ritual of immersion in water in the Mandaean religion 1 2 Artwork at the Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool New South Wales Australia depicting the masbuta Contents 1 Overview 2 Types 3 Parallels 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External linksOverview editMandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism masbuta as ritual purification not of initiation They are possibly one of the earliest peoples to practice ritual baptism 3 Mandaeans undergo baptism on Sundays Habshaba 4 wearing a white sacral robe rasta Baptism for Mandaeans consists of a triple full immersion in water a triple signing of the forehead with water and a triple drinking of water The priest rabbi then removes a ring made of myrtle klila worn by the baptized and places it on their forehead This is then followed by a handshake kusṭa hand of truth with the priest The final blessing involves the priest laying his right hand on the baptized person s head 5 102 Living water fresh natural flowing water called mia hayyi 5 is a requirement for baptism therefore can only take place in rivers All rivers are named Yardna Jordan River and are believed to be nourished by the World of Light By the riverbank a Mandaean s forehead is anointed with sesame oil misha and partakes in a communion of sacramental bread pihta and water Baptism for Mandaeans allows for salvation by connecting with the World of Light and for forgiveness of sins 6 7 8 Although masbuta rituals are typically held only in the presence of Mandaeans a historic commemorative masbuta ceremony was held at the 13th conference of the ARAM Society titled The Mandaeans which took place during 13 15 June 1999 on the banks of the Charles River at Harvard University 9 10 Types editThere are different types of masbuta used for different purposes Similarly there are also several different types of masiqta see Masiqta Types A few types of masbuta are 360 baptisms 360 consecutive baptisms are needed to cleanse a polluted priest 1 Sets of 360 baptisms are described in texts such as The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa and Sarḥ ḏ Maṣbuta Rabia The Scroll of the Great Baptism DC 50 Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia described in the Zihrun Raza Kasia scroll 11 Masbuta is distinct from ṭamasa immersion and risama ablution which are personal ritual purification rituals that do not require the presence of a priest Ṭamasa is typically performed after bodily pollutions such as seminal discharge sexual activity or after subsiding from unclean thoughts or anger at another person This ablution is comparable to tevilah in Judaism and ghusl in Islam Risama is performed daily before prayers and religious ceremonies or after bowel evacuation and is comparable to wudu in Islam 12 Parallels editBirger A Pearson finds many parallels between the Sethian ritual of the Five Seals and the Mandaean baptismal ritual of masbuta 13 Gallery editGallery of Mandaeans performing masbuta in the Karun River in Ahvaz Iran nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp See also editHistory of baptism Baptism in early Christianity Immersion baptism Ritual washing in Judaism Mikveh in Judaism Five Seals in Sethianism Valentinianism Baptism The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa Bihram YardnaFurther reading editBuckley Jorunn Jacobsen 1989 Why Once Is Not Enough Mandaean Baptism Maṣbuta as an Example of a Repeated Ritual History of Religions University of Chicago Press 29 1 23 34 doi 10 1086 463169 ISSN 0018 2710 JSTOR 1062837 S2CID 161224842 Buckley Jorunn Jacobsen 2007 Polemics and Exorcism in Mandaean Baptism History of Religions University of Chicago Press 47 2 3 156 170 doi 10 1086 524208 ISSN 0018 2710 S2CID 162202078 Nasoraia Brikha 2022 Masbuta The Mandaean Baptism forthcoming Belgium Brepols Publishers References edit a b Buckley Jorunn Jacobsen 2002 The Mandaeans ancient texts and modern people New York Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 515385 5 OCLC 65198443 Segelberg Eric 1958 Maṣbuta Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism Uppsala Almqvist and Wiksell McGrath James 23 January 2015 The First Baptists The Last Gnostics The Mandaeans YouTube A lunchtime talk about the Mandaeans by Dr James F McGrath at Butler University retrieved 3 November 2021 The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon cal huc edu a b Drower Ethel Stefana 1937 The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran Oxford at the Clarendon Press Mandeans US News archived from the original on 21 October 2013 Yamauchi Edwin M 2004 Gnostic Ethics and Mandaean Origins Gorgias Press p 20 ISBN 978 1 931956 85 7 History Mandean union archived from the original on 17 March 2013 Coakley J F 1999 The Thirteenth Conference of the ARAM Society The Mandaeans ARAM 11 12 1999 2000 199 208 ARAM https mandaeanpriests exeter ac uk items show 44 Masbuta full Baptism Harvard 1999 The Worlds of Mandaean Priests Burtea Bogdan 2008 Zihrun das verborgene Geheimnis in German Wiesbaden Harrassowitz ISBN 978 3 447 05644 1 OCLC 221130512 Gelbert Carlos 2005 The Mandaeans and the Jews Edensor Park NSW Living Water Books ISBN 0 9580346 2 1 OCLC 68208613 Pearson Birger A 14 July 2011 Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts Ablution Initiation and Baptism De Gruyter pp 119 144 doi 10 1515 9783110247534 119 ISBN 978 3 11 024751 0 External links editVideos and images from the Worlds of Mandaean Priests University of Exeter Children s Baptism Day River and Pool Sydney January 2015 Mandaean masbuta performed at 13 June 1999 ARAM conference Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Masbuta amp oldid 1190229605, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
