Rebbetzin (in Yiddish, or Rabbanit in Hebrew) is the title used for the wife of (usually) an Orthodox, or Haredi, and Hasidic rabbi. It should not be confused with the title of "Rebbe" which is used by Hasidic rabbinical leaders. Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ... Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 7 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Orthodox Judaism is the stream of Judaism which adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmud (The Oral Law) and later codified in the Shulkhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law). It is governed by these works and the Rabbinical commentary... Haredi or Charedi Judaism, often also called ultra-Orthodox Judaism, is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. ... Hasidic Judaism (from the Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות, meaning pious, from the Hebrew root word chesed חסד meaning loving kindness) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... Rabbi (Classical Hebrew רִבִּי ribbÄ«;; modern Ashkenazi and Israeli רַבִּי rabbÄ«) in Judaism, means teacher, or more literally great one. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root-word RaV, which in biblical Hebrew means great or distinguished, (in knowledge). In the ancient Judean schools the sages were addressed as רִבִּי (Ribbi... Rebbe (Hebrew: רבי also rebbi) is a title that may be given to a Rabbi in Orthodox Judaism, particularly within Hasidic Judaism. ...

Sometimes, Rebbetzin is abbreviated as Reb. (usually with a period, i.e. full stop, at the end of it), but it should not be confused with the Hebrew and Yiddish "title" of Reb which may be a shortened form for Rebbe or simply a simple title of honor for any Jewish male, almost like "Sir". A title is a prefix or suffix added to a persons name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. ... Rebbe (Hebrew: רבי also rebbi) is a title that may be given to a Rabbi in Orthodox Judaism, particularly within Hasidic Judaism. ... Jews (Hebrew: יהודים translit. ...

Rebbetzin can also be used as an informal title for Mrs. even if she is not the wife an ordained rabbi or scholar. Additionally, Rebbetzin can be applied to an unmarried woman (as a kind of "mock-compliment") if she is learned about Judaism, and unfortunately, it can also be misused as a degrading word when wanting to mock someone's "religiosity" or to criticize aspects of a woman's behaviour deemed to be "arrogant" or "beyond her status" in the opinion of the critic. (This is really no different than how one can mock a man with the epithet "Rabbi".) Like all words, it can be applied and mis-applied, but it does not detract from its first and primary translation and meaning, that it is the customary official title given to, and used for, the wife of a rabbi. Mrs. ... An epithet (Greek and Latin epitheton; literally meaning imposed) is a descriptive word or phrase. ...

The term "Rabbanit" has, in very recent times, been offered as the title for women "Rabbis" in the Orthodox community. Although most in the Orthodox community do not currently recognize the legitimacy of female Rabbis, recently some more liberal elements support the concept. Female Rabbis in the Conservative and Reform movements maintain the title of "Rabbi." However the word "Rabbi" is a masculine form, and thus Orthodox Hebrew speakers reject it in favor of a feminine one. Other feminine terms such as "Morati" were initially suggested, but "Rabbanit," first coined by Bat Sheva Marcus at the 1997 conference on Feminism and Orthodoxy in New York, is currently the preferred term.

See also

• Rabbi
• Role of women in Judaism