Rebbetzin
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Rebbetzin (in Yiddish, or Rabbanit in Hebrew) is the title used for the wife of a rabbi, typically from the Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic movements. It should not be confused with the title of "Rebbe" which is used by Hasidic rabbinical leaders.
Sometimes, Rebbetzin is abbreviated as Reb. (usually with a period, i.e. full stop, at the end of it), but it should not be confused with the Hebrew and Yiddish "title" of Reb which may be a shortened form for Rebbe or simply a simple title of honor for any Jewish male, almost like "Sir". Rebbetzin can also be used as an informal title for Mrs. even if she is not the wife an ordained rabbi or scholar.
Though there is no formal induction into being a rabbi's wife any more than being any other wife, the rabbi's wife takes on a role in a community that may have been the source of the distinctive title. This is more so both in smaller communities, as well as less knowledgable congregations. In many ways, she is called on to be as knowledgeable as the rabbi in the realm of woman's obvservances: in this manner, for something that does not require a psak (ruling), she can be approached when a woman does not feel comfortable approaching the rabbi, or where the rabbi maybe should not be approached. For instance, the rebbetzin may often be the "mikvah lady" and help with more mundane questions regarding the laws of niddah. Part of it, certaintly, is that she always has the rabbi's ear, and that she would know if the question needs to be asked, in order to get a psak.
When a rabbi is a "pulpit rabbi," (versus a teacher or a "lay rabbi") his wife becomes something of a first lady of the community, and a rebbitzen is usually tasked with many social aspects. The rabbi, often being the spiritual and actual leader of a community, must be hospitable, must attend to shalom bayit as it applies to the politics of the congregation, and must be gracious. The rebbitzen would normally fulfill these "outreach" sort of roles, while he attended to more scholarly and substantive aspects of his position.
The term "Rabbanit" has, in very recent times, been offered as the title for women "Rabbis" in the Orthodox community. Although most in the Orthodox community do not currently recognize the legitimacy of female Rabbis, recently some more liberal elements support the concept. (dubious; discuss) Female Rabbis in the Conservative and Reform movements maintain the title of "Rabbi." However the word "Rabbi" is a masculine form, and thus Orthodox Hebrew speakers reject it in favor of a feminine one. Other feminine terms such as "Morati" were initially suggested, but "Rabbanit," first coined by Bat Sheva Marcus at the 1997 conference on Feminism and Orthodoxy in New York, is currently the preferred term.
There are rabbis who are married to other rabbis in Reform and Conservative Jewish communities, who generally go by the title "Rabbi", although the female ones are also technically rebbetzins in addition to being rabbis. Such marriages are sometimes known as "rabbinic couples".
[edit] See also
- Bais Yaakov (schools for Haredi girls)
- Jewish view of marriage
- Negiah (guidelines for physical contact)
- Niddah (menstruation laws)
- Role of women in Judaism
- Shalom bayit (peace and harmony in the relationship between husband and wife)
- Shidduch (finding a marriage partner)
- Tzeniut (modest behavior)
- Yichud (prohibitions of secluding oneself with a stranger)
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