rabbi

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In Judaism, the chief religious leader of a synagogue or the spiritual leader (not a hereditary high priest) of a Jewish congregation; also, a scholar of Judaic law and ritual from the 1st century AD.

Rabbis do not intercede with God on behalf of the congregation and do not necessarily lead the services in a synagogue, although they conduct most of them. Nowadays rabbis are involved in the education of the congregants and their children, visit people in hospital or prison, and look after the pastoral and religious welfare of the congregation. Orthodox rabbis will be experts on Jewish law, and will be consulted to resolve queries and disputes. The most learned will serve in the bet din (rabbinical courts), where their main role will be to supervise the correct production of foods, conversions to Judaism, and divorces. In Orthodox synagogues the rabbi is always male, but Reform synagogues also have female rabbis.

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