Reply To: Who should be called Rabbi?

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#1822633
Gadolhadorah
Participant

Actually, in written references, just use the letter “R” which can be read as “Rabbi”, “Rav”, “Reb” , “Rebbitzen” or R’L., “Rabbanit”. Such deliberate obfuscation is a useful tool when seeking to avoid a potentially confrontational or embarrassing encounter. In live situations, where speaking directly to or about a person, than you have to be even more circumspect by finding some honorific title that doesn’t illegitimately endow the person with “status” or “legitimacy” that has not been earned or recognized. Or perhaps adopt a Trumpian approach and create a nickname for the individual or use one of the “new age” gender neutral/undecided pronouns like “they” for he/she etc. Also, you could use the persons first and last names but I wouldn’t want to be the person referencing a gadol as Mr. XYZ, versus Maran, Sar Hatorah, Chacham, Harav, Hagodol etc.