| Manda d-Hayyi | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Gnosis of Life |
| Abode | World of Light |
| Weapons | Radiance and Light; a great attire;margna (staff) of Living Water; wreath of the Living Flame; arm or of the Great Ones; mace/club; veil/net; a robe of the Great Ones |
| Offspring | Hibil Ziwa |
| Equivalents | |
| Jewish | Raziel (?) |
InMandaeism,Manda d-Hayyi orManda ḏ-Hiia (Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ,lit. 'the 'Gnosis of Life', 'Knowledge of Life', or 'Knower of the Life'',Modern Mandaic pronunciation:[ˈmendɑtˁˈhejji] (mandā-ṭ-heyyī)[1]: 11 is anuthra (angel or guardian)[2]: 8 sent by the Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi, or the Transcendent God) as a messenger toJohn the Baptist. Manda d-Hayyi is considered to be the most importantuthra, since he is the one bringingmanda (knowledge orgnosis) to Earth (Tibil).[2]
In Book 5, Chapter 4 of theRight Ginza, Manda d-Hayyi appears toJohn the Baptist as a "small boy aged three years and one day." John the Baptist baptizes the small boy, after which John is taken up to theWorld of Light (see also theCoptic Apocalypse of Paul, in which a little boy appears toPaul the Apostle, who is then taken up to heaven). Also, in Book 8 of theRight Ginza, Manda d-Hayyi warns the faithful against the dangers ofRuha.[2]
In theMandaean Book of John and Book 3 of theRight Ginza, Manda d-Hayyi makes a journey into theWorld of Darkness (underworld), where he meetsGaf and other demons and triumphs against them.[3]
Manda d-Hayyi is sometimes portrayed as harbouring a grudge againstYushamin. In the eighth chapter of the Book of John, Manda d-Hayyi opposes a petition to theKing of Light for forgiveness for Yushamin brought by Yushamin's son Nṣab Ziwa (Classical Mandaic:ࡍࡑࡀࡁ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ,lit. 'Splendid Plant'), and is rebuked by the King of Light for hating Yushamin due to Yushamin having refused him a wife from his family.[4][5]
In some Mandaean texts, he is also referred to asYuzaṭaq Manda d-Hayyi (Classical Mandaic:ࡉࡅࡆࡀࡈࡀࡒ ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ},romanized: Yuzaṭaq Manda ḏ-Hiia,Modern Mandaic pronunciation:[juˈzɑtˤɑqˈmendɑtˈhejji]).[6]E. S. Drower (1960) suggests that "male Holy Spirit" is a probable meaning forYuzaṭaq.[7]: 79 Mark J. Lofts (2010) proposes a connection withYessedekeus inSethianism.[8][9]: 39
E. S. Drower notes in an appendix to her translation of theScroll of Abatur that Manda d-Hayyi andHibil are sometimes identified with one another, although they are considered separate figures in theDiwan Abatur.[10] Manda d-Hayyi is sometimes named as Hibil's father;[11] elsewhere,Hayyi Rabbi is mentioned as Hibil's father.[12]
The ritual passages inThe Baptism of Hibil Ziwa describe Hibil as Manda d-Hayyi's son and include Manda d-Hayyi amongst those officiating in Hibil's baptism. However, the same scroll's account of Hibil's descent to the World of Darkness refers to "Hibil-Ziwa" when he is being commanded to descend, switches to referring to "Manda" or "Manda-ḏ-Hiia" while he is in the World of Darkness, and back to referring to "Hibil-Ziwa" when he is seeking to be able to ascend back to the World of Light; furthermore, Manda d-Hayyi is then summoned within the World of Light to send a letter of Kushta to his son Hibil to aid the latter's ascent. Drower notes "read "Hibil" for "Manda"" in a footnote in her translation, and inserts "(Hibil-Ziwa son of)" as a differentiated inline annotation where appropriate.[13]
According to theRight Ginza, the weapons of Manda d-Hayyi are:[14]
TheSyriac phrasemaddəᶜā dəḥayye (Classical Syriac:ܡܰܕ݁ܥܳܐ ܕ݁ܚܰܝܶܐ,lit. 'knowledge of life') is attested in thePeshitta text ofLuke 1:77, a passage from theSong of Zechariah. In the passage,Zechariah praises his sonJohn the Baptist, saying that his son will "giveknowledge of life to his [the Lord's] people." It is the only place where this phrase is mentioned in the Peshitta New Testament.[15] However, in most other Bible versions and translations, the phrase "knowledge of salvation" (Koine Greek:γνῶσιν σωτηρίας,romanized: gnōsin sōtērias) is used instead of "knowledge of life."
Below is an excerpt of Luke 1:76–77 from theLamsa Bible.[16]
And you, boy, will be called the prophet of the Highest; (watt ṭalyā nəḇīēh dəᶜelāyā teṯqəre)
for you will go before theface of the Lord, to prepare his way; (tīzal gēr qəḏām parṣūppēh dəmāryā daṯṭayyeḇ ᵓūrḥēh)
To giveknowledge of life to his people (dənettelmaddəᶜā dəḥayye ləᶜammēh)
by the forgiveness of their sins (bəšūḇqānā daḥṭāhayhon)
Manda d-Hayyi can also be compared to the angelRaziel in the Jewish tradition. Raziel is mentioned in Kabbalistic texts such asSefer Raziel HaMalakh. Both are described as intermediaries who convey divine knowledge to humans, especially Adam. InJewish mysticism, Raziel delivers the "Sefer Raziel" to Adam, containing esoteric secrets about the universe and divine mysteries, while in Mandaeism, Manda d-Hayyi instructs Adam about the mysteries of life and creation.[citation needed]
InMandaeism, after the creation of the material world,Adam Kasia (Adam Kadmon in the Mandaean tradition) asksAbatur (Ancient of Days orMetatron/Hanokh/"Yeshua"[17] in the Mandaean tradition. TheMerkabah textRe'uyot Yehezkel identifies the Ancient of Days asMetatron[18]) what he will do when he goes toTibil (Earth orMalkuth). Abatur responds that Adam will be helped by Manda d-Hayyi, who instructs humans with sacred knowledge and protects them.
In gratitude we give thanks to Manda ʼd Hayyi and to his son Hibil, who established the order of Hayyi.
My Father, Hayyi, said to me, "Why are you standing down Yawar? You are Yawar Hibil the messenger![…]"
