The ideal qualifications for ordination included an understanding of the law, general knowledge, integrity, wisdom, humility, maturity, and an ability to lead and make decisions (Ex 18:21 ff; M. San 1,4; 17a; 88b; M. Avot 5.22; Nid 24b; Sab 92a). The age of the ordinee was left to the discretion of the teacher (M. Hag 1.4). If the ordinee failed to perform, ordination could be withdrawn (San 30b).
Not every qualified candidate wished to be ordained. The recipient was expected to serve on courts and to teach. Some scholars who wished to concentrate on the theoretical life of scholarship or felt unworthy refused ordination (San 14a, J. Bik 3).
(Walter Jacob: Private Ordination. CCAR Journal, Winter 1997)

The concept of ordination accompanied the rise of rabbinic Judaism. Jewish leadership needed legitimate ties with the past in order to have claim to authority. This was accomplished by seeing ordination with roots in the days of Moses, who conferred it upon Joshua (Num. 27:18; Deut. 34:9). The uninterrupted chain of tradition was described in Pirqe Avot. Ordination was given either by three people (according to the Mishnaic tradition of San 1.3 as interpreted by the Talmud San 13a ff) or by a single teacher (M. San 1.2; 13b ff). The first ordinee with the title of Rabban was Gamaliel the Elder. Ordination provided the right to participate in a Bet Din. Its decisions were not limited to ritual matters, but included every aspect of life, and included major changes in the halakhah . The power to ordain was in the hands of a few individuals in each generation, and given to a small number whom they believed to be qualified (San 13b ff). This resulted in a cohesive body that made the ultimate decisions for Jewish life.
(Walter Jacob: Private Ordination. CCAR Journal, Winter 1997)

You may search the combined HUC-JIR library catalog for other works on ordination, manuals for rabbis, and books on the work (or office) of Rabbis
Subject: Rabbis Ordination
Subject: Rabbis Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Subject: Rabbis Office

For biographies of Rabbis search under
Subject: Rabbis Biography or Rabbis <place name> Biography
or
Subject: Rabbis Genealogy or Rabbis <place name> Biography

Rabbis have been a favorite subject of popular culture, fine art, and scholarly pursuits.

They have appeared in novels …

Rabbis in literature

political cartoons …

art …

Rabbis in art

and as the subject of biographies and studies.

Some websites with articles about Rabbis or the rabbinate:

http://www.usisrael.org/jsource/Judaism/Ordination.html
http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/sichos-in-english/34/23.htm
http://www.joi.org/library/research/rabbis.shtml
http://data.ccarnet.org/journal/197.html
http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos062.pdf

If you have any further questions about finding information on this, or any other topic, ask your local HUC-JIR librarian or email us using the form on the homepage.

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