Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Hakham
The title Hakham (Hebrew חכם lit. "wise") refers to one who is a great Torah scholar. It carries the connotation of a sage or someone renowned for his wisdom and understanding.
In Karaite Judaism, spiritual leaders are called "hakham" to distinguish them from their Rabbinic counterparts. Since Karaite theology is based on the use of reason by individuals to determine halakha for themselves, the role of a hakham is more advisory than that of a rabbi.
In Muslim countries, rabbis were often called "hakham" because "al-Rab" was one of the names of God and offense due to misunderstanding (and the attendent blasphemy trials and potential pogroms) was feared. Thus the chief rabbi of the Ottoman Empire was called the "Hakham Baši" (Hakham Bashi).
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