Rasta (Mandaeism)

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Mandaean men wearing rasta performing masbuta in Ahvaz, Iran
Mandaean women wearing rasta performing Rishama in Ahvaz, Iran in 2013
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A rasta (

baptismal rites,[1] religious ceremonies, and during periods of uncleanliness. It signifies the purity of the World of Light. The rasta is worn equally by the laypersons and the priests.[2] If a Mandaean dies in clothes other than a rasta, it is believed that they will not reenter the World of Light,[3] unless the rite "Ahaba ḏ-Mania" ('Giving of Garments') can be performed "for those who have died not wearing the ritual garment."[4]

A rasta also has a stitched-on pocket called the daša.[5]

Symbolism

The rasta is expected to be transmuted after death into a "garment of glory" for the soul (Qolasta prayer 76: "the Perfecter of Souls ... will come out toward you and clothe your soul in a garment of radiance"[6][7]) – this is equivalent to the perispirit.[citation needed]

A Mandaic hymn, Left Ginza 3.11, states:

"He created me and clothed me with radiance, like that which the chosen men put on.
That which the chosen men put on, the true and faithful people.
I put my head therein,
I was filled like the world.
I opened my eyes in it, my eyes became filled with light."[8]

Related clothing

Other ritual clothing pieces that typically go along with the rasta when worn by men, especially priests, are:[5]

Special prayers in the Qolasta are also recited when putting on the burzinqa and pandama.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ISBN 0-19-515385-5
  2. ISBN 0-9585705-6-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  3. ^ [1] Archived November 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ISBN 1-931956-49-9
  5. ^
    OCLC 65198443
    .
  6. ^ a b Drower, E. S. (1959). Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E.J. Brill.
  7. ^ The Gnostic Society Library, Mandaean Scriptures and Fragments: Ginza Rba, The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans
  8. ISBN 9780958034630
    .
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