al-Fasi
Arabic, "man from Fez"
Aluv
Hebrew, "unfortunate, wretched"
Bachur (masc.), Bachurah (fem.)
Hebrew, "youth, young man/woman";
possibly with the intended meaning "younger, junior"
bar
Aramaic, "son [of]"
bas [*]
Hebrew, "daughter [of]"
Bavli
Hebrew, "Babylonian man"
ben
Hebrew, "son [of]"
ben Avraham Avinu
Hebrew, "son of our father Abraham" (metaphorical epithet for a convert to Judaism)
Chasan [*]
Hebrew, "bridegroom"
Chasid (masc.), Chasidah (fem.)
Hebrew, "pious"
Chaver
Hebrew, "friend, companion"
sometimes used as a title for a learned man
Chazan
Hebrew, "cantor"
Dani
indicates a man who is a direct descendent of the tribe of Dan
eshes [*]
Hebrew, "wife of"
Gabbai
in the Talmud, a tax collector; in modern Hebrew, a synagogue officer or community leader
[1]
Gadol
Hebrew, "large, great, senior"
Gaon
Hebrew, lit. "proud one, exalted one"
(6th-11th cent. Babylonia) title given to one who was head of a Torah academy
(medieval) title given to a great scholar [1]
Ger Tzedek
Hebrew, lit. "righteous stranger"; a convert to Judaism
ha-, he-
Hebrew, "the" (prefix)
ibn
Arabic, "son of"
Kadmon
Hebrew, "old-timer"
Katan
Hebrew, "small, junior"
Kohen
Hebrew, "priest"; indicates a man who is a direct descendent of Moses' brother Aaron,
the first high priest
Levi
Hebrew, "Levite"; indicates a man who is a direct descendent of the tribe of Levi
Mar
Aramaic, "master, teacher" [1]
Maras [*]
feminine of Mar
(in medieval Europe) title for any adult woman
Rashi (11th c. France) writes: "Nowadays we address people as
'Mar {man's given name}' and 'Maras {woman's given name}'." [2]
me-, mi-
Hebrew, "from" (prefix; generally used with the name of a city)
Moreinu
Hebrew, "our teacher"
Muvhak
Hebrew, "well-known"
Naar
Hebrew, "boy, young man"
Nadiv
Hebrew, "philanthropist"
Nagid
Hebrew, "leader, administrator" [1]
Parnas
Hebrew, "community leader" [1]
R., Rabban, Rabbana, Rabbenu, Rabbi, Rav
Indicates that the individual was ordained as a rabbi.
A number of different titles were given to Torah scholars during the
classical and medieval period. Sometimes they had particular significance, while
at other times different titles might be used interchangeably.
Concerning the styles found in Talmudic-era literature, it is recorded
that the title Rav was greater than Rabi, and Rabban was
greater than Rav- but that the most eminent scholars were referred to
by their names alone, without any title, when quoted in the literature. [3]
In the academies of the Geonic period (Babylonia from the 6th to 11th
century) those scholars who were fluent in Moed, Nashim, and
Nezikin, three of the Talmud's six orders, were called
Chacham, while those who were also fluent in Kodshim were called
Rav. Only those who knew all six orders by heart were eligible to be
appointed as Gaon. [4]
Reb
Yiddish; title for any adult man
Shamash
Hebrew, "caretaker [of a synagogue]"
Sofer
Hebrew, "scribe" (The scribe writes Torah scrolls and parchments
for mezuzot and tefilin.)
Tayar
In the Talmud "guide, experienced traveller"; in modern Hebrew "traveller, tourist"
[1]
Tuv Elem
Hebrew, "the best of youths"
Tzadik
Hebrew, "righteous"
Yasom [*]
Hebrew, "orphan"
Zaken (masc.), Zekenah (fem.)
Hebrew, "old, senior"
z"l
abbreviation for Hebrew 'zichrono livracha,'
"may his memory be a blessing"
[*]This is the Ashkenazic pronunciation. In the Sephardic pronunciation, the 's' would be replaced by 't.'
[1] Even-Shoshan, Avraham, Ha-Milon He-Chadash (Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer Ltd., 1985). s.vv. GaBAI, Ga'ON, MaR, NaGID, PaRNaS, TaYaR
[2] Rashi's commentary on tractate Brachot 16b
[3] Fendel, Rabbi Zechariah, Legacy of Sinai (New York: Hashkafah Publications, 1992) p. 140 (from Tosefta, Ediyos 3:4),
[4] ibid. p. 246, quoting R. Menachem ben Shlomo Meiri (Southern France, 1249-1315).
If you have any questions please feel free to email me at jstamp@netvision.net.il.