Tarmida

A tarmida is a junior priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.

Etymology

considers the Mandaic word tarmida to be a borrowing from Hebrew talmid.

Ordination

Tarmida initiates or novices can come from any "pure" family. In other words, the families must be ritually pure, meaning that there are no family members who have committed grave sins. Ritually pure laymen are also known as hallali in Mandaic. Typically, the novices have been trained as ritual assistants when they were children. Initiates may or may not be married, although typically they are not yet married.
In order to be ordained as a tarmida, the initiate must go through a complex series of initiation rituals lasting 68 days. Various rituals are performed by the initiator priest, who recites from priestly esoteric texts such as The Coronation of the Great Shishlam, the Scroll of Exalted Kingship, The Great Supreme World, and the Qulasta. Ritual helpers, who represent emissaries from the World of Light, also help perform the rituals, many of which are held in a specially constructed priest initiation hut and also a nearby temporary reed hut.

Stages

For the first 7 of the 68 days, both the novice and the initiator stay in the škinta without sleeping. This period is concluded by the novice baptizing the initiator.
Next, the novice goes through 60 days of seclusion, maintains his ritual purity, and cooks his own food. Only the šganda, who visits everyday to exchange kušṭa, is allowed to come in contact with the novice. 180 rahmas are recited during these 60 days, with 60 prayers each meant for the soul, spirit, and body as the Coronation text explains.
After the 60 days of seclusion are over, additional rituals are performed with priests, including a zidqa brikha ritual meal.
Finally, the novice baptizes his initiator again, and the 68-day ordination ceremony is complete.
Prayer sequence

Below is the sequence of Qulasta prayer numbers for the tarmida initiation according to both the Coronation and Exalted Kingship. Exalted Kingship contains more detailed descriptions of the rituals, while the Coronation is shorter. During the prayers, pihta ࡐࡉࡄࡕࡀ and mambuha ࡌࡀࡌࡁࡅࡄࡀ are also consumed. Ritual handclasps are often exchanged between the novice and the initiator, and sometimes also with the ritual assistant. Various names of the deceased are also uttered along with the prayers.

Initiation begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
323	323
1–103	1–103
324–327	324–327
3, 5, 19	3, 5, 19
79, 81	79, 80, 81

Preparation for baptizing novice

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
32	32
8, 34	8, 34
75–77	75–77
35	35

Baptism of novice begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
	10–13
	18
	414
	19
	1st kušṭa
	82
	20–24
	2nd kušṭa
	36–45
	3rd kušṭa
	25–28
	29, 30, 83–86, 88, 90
	71–72
	4th kušṭa
	18, 109
58	58
65	65
168–169	168–169
71–72	71–72
	36–45
59–60	59–60
31, 8	31, 8
72	72
	171
mqaimitun	mqaimitun
80	80
kušṭa with šganda	5th kušṭa
63	63
178	178
1, 3, 9, 15
344–345
233–256	233–256
330–347

The Coronation contains 3 sets of prayers during the final part of the ritual that are not listed in Exalted Kingship.

Novice crowned

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
35, 9	35, 9
15–17	15–17
25–28	25–28

''Hamra">Hamra (Mandaeism)">Hamra'' ceremony

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
180–199	180–199
305–321	305–321

Cult hut (''škinta'') period begins

Coronation	Exalted Kingship
	72, 31, 8, 94, 63, kḏ azil
106–108	106–108
1, 3, 5, 19	1, 3, 5, 19
8, 34	8
	165–169
113	113
114–117	114–116
77, 9, 35	77, 9, 35
15–17	15–17
25–28	25–28
58, 65	58, 65
119–122
165–169	165
71–72	71–72
36–45	36–45
59–60	59–60
72	72
	171
80	80
kušṭa	kušṭa

Prayers 34 and 119–122 are included in the Coronation, but not Exalted Kingship.