Page "Clergy" Paragraph 70

Since the time of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, the religious leaders of Judaism have often been rabbis, who are technically scholars in Jewish law empowered to act as judges in a rabbinical court.

All types of Judaism except Orthodox Judaism allow women as well as men to be ordained as rabbis and cantors.

The leadership of a Jewish congregation is, in fact, in the hands of the laity: the president of a synagogue is its actual leader and any adult Jew ( or at least any male adult Jew in Orthodox congregations ) can lead prayer services.

Rabbis are not intermediaries between God and humans: the word " rabbi " means " teacher ", and the rabbi functions as advisor to the congregation and counselor.

The rabbi is not an occupation found in the Torah ( Five books of Moses ); the first time this word is mentioned is in the Mishnah.

The modern form of the rabbi developed in the Talmudic era.

Rabbis are given authority to make interpretations of Jewish law and custom.

Traditionally, a man obtains one of three levels of Semicha ( rabbinic ordination ) after the completion of an arduous learning program in Torah, Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible ), Mishnah and Talmud, Midrash, Jewish ethics and lore, the codes of Jewish law and responsa, theology and philosophy.