Hakham

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Hakham or Chacham (Hebrew חכם lit. "wise") is usually a word or title that refers to one who is a great Torah scholar. It carries the connotation of a sage or someone renowned for his wisdom and understanding.

In Muslim countries, a rabbi was often called a hakham because al-Rab in Arabic was one of the names of God and may have caused offense due to misunderstanding, and the attendant blasphemy trials and potential pogroms were feared. Thus the chief rabbi of the Ottoman Empire was called the Hakham Baši (Hakham Bashi).

The surname "Hacham" represents both Sepharadic and Ashkenazic Jews in its variations. Hacham, Hachamovich, Hachamson.

[edit] Karaites

In Karaite Judaism, spiritual leaders are called hakham to distinguish them from their Rabbinic (i.e. non-Karaite) counterparts. Since Karaite theology is based on the use of reason by individuals to determine the applications of the Hebrew Bible's laws for themselves, the role of a hakham is more "advisory" than that of a rabbi in standard Orthodox Judaism.