Therushuma (Classical Mandaic:ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ,romanized: rušuma,lit. 'sign'; sometimes also spelledrushma orrušma,Modern Mandaic pronunciation:[ˈroʃma]) is one of the most commonly recited prayers inMandaeism. It is a "signing" prayer recited during daily ablutions (rishama).[1] The same word can also be used to refer to the ritual signing gesture associated with the prayer.
The rushuma is numbered as Prayer 104 inE. S. Drower's version of theQulasta, which was based on manuscript 53 of theDrower Collection (abbreviated DC 53). In Drower's ordering, theAsut Malkia prayer (CP 105) follows the rushuma prayer, while theʿniana ("response") prayers come before the rushuma.[2]
Rushuma orrushma literally means "sign" or "signing" (ritual gesture). Many lines in the prayer are repeated three times as the reciter signs therushuma front of the face with his or her fingers.[2]
Below is the transliteratedMandaic text of the Rushuma prayer, based onMajid Fandi Al-Mubaraki's Qulasta (volume 2)[3] as edited byMatthew Morgenstern and Ohad Abudraham in theComprehensive Aramaic Lexicon.[4] The English translation is original.
| Mandaic transliteration | English translation |
|---|---|
|
|
Each part of the rushuma corresponds to each of the followingrishama ritual procedures.[5]
| Rushuma prayer text (Mandaic transliteration) | Rishama ritual procedure |
|---|---|
| while approaching the river |
| stoop and wash hands |
| wash the face three times, taking water in the hands |
| take water in the hand and sign from ear to ear across the forehead, from right to left |
| three times, dip two fingers in the river and cleanse the ears |
| take water into the palm, snuff it three times up into the nose |
| wash the lower part of the body |
| take water into the mouth from the palm, rinsing it out three times |
| wash the knees three times |
| wash the legs three times |
| dabble the fingers in the river, with the hands together and the palms downwards |
| dip the right foot twice and the left foot once into the river |
