Definition of rabbi in English:

nounPlural rabbis

• 1A Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law.

  Example sentences

  • ‘The rabbi had taught that the only causal force in the universe is God.’
  • ‘A few years later the rabbi was studying and came across some money stuck in his book.’
  • ‘The text of the Gemara is quoting the rabbis who lived from about 200 CE to about 500 CE.’
  • ‘They do this through courses, or by individual study with a rabbi.’
  • ‘The ideal rabbi is a Torah scholar who guides the members of the Jewish community he serves.’
  • ‘He is capable of learning what he thinks is worthwhile from each of these rabbis, from each of these sects, although he studies at the yeshiva in Cotia.’
  • ‘In a Midrash, the ancient rabbis asked why Eve was created from Adam's side.’
  • ‘The Oral Torah came with the implicit threat of karet-mess with the rabbis and you will be cut off - and established a scholar caste of educated men.’
  • ‘It is regarded as a good thing by just about every Jew that there are Talmudic scholars and rabbis.’
  • ‘My husband waited for me in the anteroom while I entered the rabbi's study to speak with him privately.’
  • ‘He gave us the name of a rabbi in New York who was an acknowledged expert in these questions.’
  • ‘I have had many people in my life including rabbis and teachers who have greatly influenced me.’
  • ‘With my rabbi teaching me Torah and how to ask the big questions, it became harder and harder to travel and feel good about it.’
  • ‘So before going ahead with any procedure, consult with a rabbi well-versed in Talmud and Jewish law.’
  • ‘I felt the presence of our people, of their daily lives as merchants, teachers, rabbis, doctors, and tailors.’
  • ‘In Vilnius, Lithuania, his father's family were scholars and rabbis with huge private libraries.’
  • ‘Does it matter if one of her professors, himself a rabbi, teaches with an eye toward pastoral work?’
  • ‘The interviewee began to study with a rabbi and to consider conversion to Judaism.’

  Synonyms

  academic, intellectual, learned person, professor, man of letters, woman of letters, mind, intellect, savant, polymath, highbrow, bluestocking

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1 A person appointed as a Jewish religious leader.
     Example sentences

     • ‘When a community accepts a rabbi as their religious leader, his decisions are binding in all cases.’
     • ‘Most are too insecure to consult a rabbi or join a religious community.’
     • ‘The day after my father died, his rabbi came to talk to the family in preparation for the funeral.’
     • ‘Every now and then the loudspeakers burst into life and one of the rabbis or the religious leaders inside relays a message to those outside to tell them to keep up the fight, to keep being strong.’
     • ‘Pastors, ministers, rabbis, imans, etc influence large audiences in their weekly sermons.’
     • ‘He regularly has clerics, rabbis and priests on for spirited debate.’
     • ‘If only all priests and mullahs and rabbis exercised the same responsibility and rigour in their pronouncements.’
     • ‘Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.’
     • ‘Jewish rabbis and Islamic imams derive their authority from their mastery of a specific set of religious legal texts and the application of those texts to everyday life.’
     • ‘Perhaps his father served as a community rabbi and he naturally chose the same calling.’
     • ‘The argument is effectively advocating locking up priests, rabbis and imams for doing nothing more than professing their beliefs.’
     • ‘Our ecumenical outreach was limited, and I don't remember visits to our home by Jewish rabbis or Catholic priests.’
     • ‘Women's active presence this past week was a sign of change, as was the presence of many rabbis and leaders of other faiths.’
     • ‘Those rabbis, priests, imams, gurus and other religious leaders have had it good too long.’
     • ‘There are, the report said, rabbis and imams in Jewish and Muslim neighborhoods.’
     • ‘Mullahs, priests, rabbis - the business of religion was traditionally the males.’
     • ‘We hold dialogues and discussion groups with all faiths and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside of rabbis, ministers, preachers and priests everywhere.’
     • ‘Since the Middle Ages, rabbis served as spiritual leaders of communities.’
     • ‘A rabbi differs from clergymen in other religions in a number of ways.’
     • ‘They did not take the time to find out which pastor or rabbi was a leader in an area and which congregations people attended.’