▁the ▁Turkish ▁name ▁for ▁the ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁Jewish ▁community . ▁In ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁chief ▁ra bbi ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁emp ire , ▁such ▁as ▁Sy ria ▁or ▁Ira q , ▁though ▁the ▁H ak ham ▁B ashi ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁was ▁considered ▁overall ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Jews ▁of ▁the ▁Empire . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁H ak ham ▁is ▁Heb rew ▁for ▁" wise ▁man " ▁( or ▁" sch olar "), ▁while ▁ba ş ı ▁is ▁Turkish ▁for ▁" head ". ▁ ▁The ▁Kar ait es ▁used ▁the ▁word ▁" H ak ham " ▁for ▁a ▁ra bbi , ▁something ▁not ▁done ▁in ▁Heb rew , ▁and ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Tur ks ▁adopted ▁this ▁usage ▁for ▁this ▁name . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁institution ▁of ▁the ▁H ak ham ▁B ashi ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Sultan ▁Me h met ▁II , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁policy ▁of ▁gover ning ▁his ▁exceed ingly ▁diverse ▁subjects ▁according ▁to ▁their ▁own ▁laws ▁and ▁authorities ▁wherever ▁possible . ▁Religion ▁was ▁considered ▁as ▁prim ord ial ▁aspect ▁of ▁a ▁communities ▁' n ational ' ▁identity , ▁so ▁the ▁term ▁Eth n arch ▁has ▁been ▁applied ▁to ▁such ▁religious ▁leaders , ▁especially ▁the ▁( G reek ▁Orth odox ) ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁( i . e . ▁in ▁the ▁Sultan ' s ▁imperial ▁capital , ▁renamed ▁Ist an bul ▁in