Could a practicing Jew clear this up for me...?

Question

Don't Rabbi's have to be married to become Rabbi's? If this is the case, and Jesus was considered a Rabbi, wouldn't marriage have been manditory?

This is not, just so you are aware, a Davinci Code question. This was something that came up in discussion with a friend as we are both working our way through the Bible. He had pointed this out, and I had my doubts. Thanks for all of the answers thus far.

Answer 1

Don't think of it as a requirement. Consider it a societal obligation if you will, one that has faded with time. Apparently, the temple I used to go to now has a gay rabbi. I don't think he's planning on getting married any time soon, at least not in the conventional sense.

Answer 2

I'm not a practicing Jew, but I believe, in the bible, the term Rabbi is roughly translated "teacher". I think someone could be a teacher without being married. Additionally, Jesus never claimed to be a Rabbi. He was called that by others.

Answer 3

Rabbis do not have to be married. However, marriage is highly recomended. The first commandment in the Torah says to be fruitful and multiply. Obviously, marriage helps to fulfill that. But a man can become a rabbi before or without marriage.

Answer 4

Rabbis do not have to be married but it is expected that they get married. Also Jesus was not a Rabbi. In that period ordination was rather strict and based on the unbroken transmission of Torah. He would have been a Pharisee if he was a Rabbi.

Answer 5

Marriage is not required in order for one to be a Rabbi. However, in Jesus' day, it was required in order to hold higher offices, such as High Priest; head of a Synagogue; member of the Sanhedrin; teacher in a Rabbinical school, etc.

Answer 6

no, they do not.