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This website, KaraiteInsights.com, is managed by Hakham Melech Rahmiel ben Ya'aqov of Jerusalem, Israel. Melech was named a Hakham by the World Alliance of Qara'im in 2011, and sits on the Mo'etzeth Hakhamim (Council of Sages) of the Alliance. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science (1990) from Yale University and an M.S. in Marine Biology (2022) from the University of the Algarve in Faro, Portugal. Melech grew up in a Conservative Jewish family in the suburbs of New York, and originally made aliyah (emigrated) to Israel in June, 1993. In the late 1990s he published the newspaper Your Jerusalem. While studying for close to a decade in Rabbinical yeshivas, Hakham Melech became increasingly cognizant of the doctrinal and practical flaws in Pharisaic (Rabbinical) Judaism, and drew closer to the ideas expressed by Karaism. In 2001, he was put in contact with the Karaite community in Jerusalem, and soon after, made the decision to officially identify himself as a Karaite. Since then, Hakham Melech has been active in studying, writing about and teaching the Tanach in Israel and around the world.

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There are many ways to define Karaism, and, ironically, many of the ways Karaism is usually defined by others are incorrect. For instance, Karaism does not teach that one should interpret the Torah literally.

Karaism is an originalist approach towards Torah. The word "originalist" implies a close and precise reading of a text, in this case the Torah, without wide-ranging and creative interpretations. Originalists stick close to the original (not necessarily the literal!) meaning of a text, which can be literal, poetic, metaphorical or allegorical, depending on the context.

A second effective definition is that Karaism does not consider any text aside from the 24 books of the Tanach to have divine or canonical status. This is as opposed to the Rabbinical movement, which considers later writings such as the Mishnah, Talmud and Midrash to be canonical, and even to have divine or semi-divine status (ruach ha-kodesh).

The idea of Karaism can be summed up as follows, "As a Karaite, I do not reject everything written in the Rabbinical (or any other) writings, but I do not accept everything. Instead, I filter each idea based on its own merit." As the famous thousand-year-old Karaite motto says, "Search well in the scriptures and do not rely on my opinion."

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Karaites are universally united in their rejection of the hegemony of the Rabbinical movement over the people of Israel. Karaites consider the Rabbis to be neither the rightful nor the appropriate rulers over the religious and political life of the nation, and consider their form of Judaism to be a gross distortion of true Torah.

Most Karaites believe that the Pharisees (the progenitors of the Rabbis) usurped power over the nation from the Levites and Cohanim (who were represented primarily by the Hasmonean dynasty and the Sadducee movement) during the Second Temple period, in the absence of prophets and a strong king from the Davidic line who might have prevented such a maneuver.

It is well known that the latter half of the Second Temple period was marred by an ongoing — and often vicious — battle between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, which the Pharisees won in the end. Most Karaites claim, therefore, that it was the "wrong" side that won, and that the reason that Pharasaical (later, Rabbinical) Judaism has become normative is because "history is written by the victors".

Karaites generally attribute the victory of the Pharisees over the Sadducees to three main factors: (a) the Pharisees developed a populist form of Torah (the so-called "Oral Law") which won over the hearts of the people, even though many of its innovations were a departure from the Torah; (b) the Pharisees gave the "Oral Law" further credence among the people by falsely claiming that it hearkened back to Moshe, and; (c) the Pharisees enlisted the political and, ultimately, military aid of the Romans, finally inviting the Romans in to take control of the land of Israel, with the understanding that they would support the Pharisees in return. The Romans did so in 63 BCE, when Pompey captured Jerusalem, ushering in the period of Roman control over Israel.

Karaites reject the idea that the Rabbis have any unique scriptural authority to rule over the people of Israel, as the Rabbis claim they do based on Deuteronomy 17:8-13, "If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke ..."

Karaites do not see these verses as referring to the Rabbis (or any other specific group) at all, but understand them as a commandment to set up a hierarchical court system in Israel, whereby if the local courts ("in your gates") are unable to adjudicate a case, then the case is to be brought to the "Supreme Court" of the land located at the Holy Temple ("the place where Yehowah your Elohim has chosen"), and the decision of this court is final, not to be deviated from "to the right or to the left".

Karaites reject the Rabbinical so-called "Oral Law" and especially the idea that it hails back to the times of Moshe, or even to First Temple times. Karaites believe, rather, that the vast majority of the Rabbinical "Oral Law" was in fact developed during the Second Temple period, first in Babylon, where it was heavily influenced by the pagan Babylonian and Persian cultures (such as Zoroastrianism), and then in the land of Israel, where it was heavily influenced by Hellenist Greek, and later Roman, culture, despite the many statements of the Rabbis against these cultures.

Finally, most Karaites reject the idea that Rabbinical Judaism has kept and protected the people of Israel during the exile. On the contrary, claim the Karaites, Rabbinical Judaism has been one of the primary causes of Israel's long and bitter exile, since it drew the people of Israel away from true Torah and towards the distorted interpretations of the Babylonian- and Greek-influenced "Oral Law". Most Karaites believe that Rabbinical Judaism will end together with the exile, and that rejection of the Rabbis and a return to true Torah is a prerequisite for the redemption of Israel.

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No. Karaites believe in the straightforward (p'shath) interpretation of the Torah. Sometimes, the straightforward interpretation can be literal and sometimes it can be figurative. For instance, the straightforward interpretation of the phrase "he has two left feet" is equivalent to its figurative interpretation "he cannot dance well" and not to its literal interpretation.

Thus, Karaites do not wear tefillin (phylacteries) because they understand the straightforward interpretation of the verse "it shall be for you as a sign upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes" [Deuteronomy 6:8, 11:18] as figurative, meaning that the Torah should always be as if bound to our bodies, i.e. a constant close companion. By contrast, the Rabbis interpret this verse literally by taking this and other verses from the Torah, enclosing them in black leather boxes and binding them to their bodies.

Understanding that ancient Hebrew is an exceedingly rich language, full of idiom, poetry and metaphor is a key to unlocking the meaning of the Tanach and determining whether a phrase is meant to be taken literally or figuratively.

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No. However the two movements share similar understandings of the Torah, both having preferred straightforward interpretation of the text.

While the Sadducees were one of the main religious and political movements in Judea (the Land of Israel) during the Second Temple Period, the origins of the Karaite movement, by contrast, are from Jewish communities living in Muslim lands during the eighth and ninth centuries CE, often in protest of the arrival of Rabbinical Judaism, which neither they nor their forefathers had ever heard of before.

While the power of the Sadducees waned over the course of the Second Temple Period, disappearing completely soon after the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 CE, the Karaite movement reached its height during the 10th and 11th centuries CE (known as the "Golden Age of Karaism"). Thus, the Sadducee movement ceased to exist almost 700 years before the Karaite movement was born.

Although the two movements never directly overlapped, Karaites tend to view themselves as a philosophical continuation of the Sadducees.

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No. The origins of the Samaritans are described in Second Kings 17 as being the result of a transfer of populations by Shalmaneser V, the King of Assyria who, along with his father Tiglath-Pileser III, conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and exiled the 10 "lost" tribes. After the defeat of Israel, Shalmaneser transferred the original Israelite inhabitants of Samaria to the eastern provinces of his empire and, in their place, populated Samaria with inhabitants from Babylon and other cities.

Today, the Samaritans, who number a little under one thousand, are situated primarily on Mount Gerizim near Shechem in the Samaria region of Israel. They believe that Mount Gerizim, rather than Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, is the place where "Yahweh chose to place his name" [Deuteronomy 12:5] and it is therefore the center of their worship, which includes animal sacrifices. Once a year the Samaritans sacrifice the Paschal (Passover) lamb on Mount Gerizim.

While the Samaritans, like the Karaites, employ a mostly straightforward interpretation of the Torah, they differ from the Karaites in that they do not accept most of the books of the Tanach and also have a slightly different version of the written Torah. For instance, in addition to the usual ten commandments, their version of the written Torah contains an eleventh commandment which states that a stone altar must be built on Mount Gerizim to offer sacrifices.

In general, Karaites do not claim any connection, whether actual or as kindred spirits, to the Samaritans, and consider them to be of non-Israelite origin.

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Yes. When you walk into a Karaite synagogue, you might notice that it looks more like a mosque than like a Rabbinical synagogue. Instead of rows of chairs, there are tapestried carpets on the floor. Of course, unlike a mosque, Karaite synagogues are dedicated to the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

The primary reason for the carpets is so that the Karaite worshippers may bow down before Elohim (God). Bowing down to Elohim is mentioned myriad times throughout the Tanach as a symbol of submission and loyalty. For instance, Psalms 95:6 says, "Come let us prostrate ourselves, bow down and bend our knees before Yahweh our maker."

At prescribed times during the prayer service, worshipers will leave their default seated position and assume a kneeling position with their heads touching the ground in the direction of the site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. When that portion of the service is over, they return to the seated position.

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No. Despite the rumor spread for centuries by the Rabbis that Karaites wear tefillin directly between their eyes, in fact, Karaites do not wear tefillin at all, and never have.

The source of the rumor is the same as that of another age-old false rumor, that Karaites hang tzitzith (fringed garments) on the wall, so that they can stare at them in order to fullfill, in a literal sense, the commandmend to look at them [Numbers 15:39].

The source of most of these false rumors is the way Karaites traditionally interpret Exodus 35:3, as a complete prohibition against allowing any fires to be lit or even to remain burning during the Shabbath. While this literal interpretation has been questioned over the years by certain prominent Karaites, such as Sima Babovich, most Karaites have traditionally adhered to it and still do to this day. (This website does not.) It is from here that the opponents of the Karaites began to claim that Karaites interpret the scriptures literally, when in fact, it is the Rabbanites that tend to do so far more often, such as in their interpretation of Deuteronomy 6:8 as meaning that physical boxes should be affixed to the arm and head (tefillin).

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No. Karaites consider traditional Christianity (any form of Christianity which holds that Jesus / Yehoshua has divine or semi-divine status) to be outright idol worship, in that it raises one of Elohim's creations to the level of creator, either in part or in full. Incidentally, this is precisely the view that Islam holds towards Christianity.

In addition, almost all Karaites completely reject Jesus / Yehoshua as a prophet and as a messiah that will return to reign over Israel. In this regard, Karaism differs from Islam, in that Islam holds Jesus / Yehoshua to be a prophet and, among certain Muslim sects, a future king over Israel.

There is a small minority of Karaites who, while rejecting the idea that Jesus / Yehoshua was or will be Messiah over Israel, consider the historical figure to be a teacher of rigtheousness, i.e. a man who fought for and preached truth, and who struggled against the corruption and injustices of his day, as evidenced, for instance, by his famous tirades against the Pharisees. However, the Karaites who hold this belief reject any implication whatsoever that Jesus / Yehoshua was anything more than a man, and dismiss the claims of his virgin birth, his resurrection three days after his death and his prophet-like healing powers. (This is the view that this website takes.)

Most traditional Karaites, however, are in line with the standard Jewish view that Jesus was a heretic.

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No. One of the defining features of the Karaite movement, from its earliest days, has been that Karaites reject the fixed ("Hebrew") calendar instituted by Hillel II in 358 CE, which is an almost exact replica of late Babylonian and Greek calendars, and which is frequently off by as many as two days in its declaration of the new moon. That means that, around half the time, when the standard Rabbinical calendar declares that it is Rosh Hodesh (the beginning of the month), if you walk outside and search the night sky, you will notice that the crescent new moon is nowhere to be seen, and only becomes visible the following evening, or sometimes, two evenings later.

This presents a great problem for the people of Israel: the Biblical holidays, all of which are timed from the visible new moon, are not being celebrated on the correct days. In short, the nation of Israel is out of sync with the natural cycles of the moon and sun which the Torah says, explicitly, are the basis for setting the appointed times (yearly Biblical holidays) of Yahweh. (See Genesis 1:14.)

For an excellent article on this topic, see The Jewish Calendar is Slowly Drifting Off Track in Your Jerusalem.

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Karaites follow a calendar based on observation. Each month, on the days that the new moon is expected to be visible, Karaites around Israel go outside and scan the western horizon just after sunset, searching for the crescent new moon. If two or more reliable witnesses observe the new moon, word goes out to Karaites (and other interested parties) around the world, and Rosh Hodesh (the beginning of the new month) is declared.

Futhermore, in the springtime, Karaites scour the land of Israel looking for Aviv (almost ripe) barley. (See Exodus 9:31 and compare with Exodus 13:4.) If Aviv barley is found, then the New Year is declared at the following (observed) new moon. Note that Karaites completely reject the Rabbinical idea of the New Year occuring in the fall, on the invented holiday of "Rosh HaShannah" (which is known only as Yom Teruah in the Torah.) The Torah clearly states that the New Year for the people of Israel occurs in the springtime. (See Exodus 12:2.)

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No. Most Karaites take a straightforward approach towards the verses which are interpreted by the Rabbis as calling for a separation between meat and milk, i.e. Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21.

Karaites interpret these verses to mean that no mammal should be cooked in its own mother's milk, either because of the moral terpitude of the act in that it demonstrates great disrespect for the sacred institution of motherhood, or because cooking an animal in its mother's milk was a common fertility ritual among idol worshiping sects of the ancient Near East.

Therefore, many Karaites will eat meat and milk together (for instance, a cheeseburger using kosher meat and kosher cheese), although some will refrain due to the influence of the Rabbinical movement.

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Before we answer this question, it is important to point out that the name of the holiday in the Torah is actually not "Passover" or "Pesah" at all. Rather, it is "Hag HaMazoth", the "Festival of Unleavened Bread". (See, for instance, Leviticus 23:6.) The name "Pesah" ("Passover") refers only to the lamb sacrifice that is brought on the evening preceding the beginning of the holiday. Therefore, it is a mistake — ubiquitous among Rabbinical Jews — to call the holiday "Hag Pesah" or "Passover".

On the first night of Hag HaMazoth, which commences when the sun sinks below the horizon marking the beginning of the 15th day of the first (Biblical) month, Karaite families gather together to recount the story of the exodus from Egypt, as all Israel is commanded to do in Exodus 13:8.

Karaites do not use the standard Rabbinical hagaddah to recount the story. Rather, they use special Karaite hagaddoth, the focus of which is actual passages from the exodus story in the Torah. In addition to these passages, Karaite hagaddoth contain additional passages from the Tanach, such as Psalms, as well as some later Karaite songs and poetry. You may click the link to purchase the latest version of the Karaite Insights Haggadah for Hag HaMazoth in the Tradition of Karaism.

In general, Karaites are very critical of the standard Rabbinical hagaddah, which they claim focuses far too little on the actual story of the exodus and far too much on Rabbinical anecdotes, traditions and midrashic (homiletical) interpretations.

During Hag HaMazoth, Karaites do not eat hametz (leaven), although they define hametz variously. Certain Karaites hold that hametz includes anything at all that has undergone a fermentation process. This includes — besides bread — wine, yogurt, cheese and vinegar, for example.

Other Karaites interpret hametz to mean only "leavened bread". Karaites who hold by this interpretation will not eat bread, but will eat other fermented products, such as those mentioned above. (This is the view held by this website.)

In either case, Karaites will not consume products that contain se'or (concentrated leavening agents) such as yeast, baking powder or baking soda, since this is prohibited in Exodus 13:7 and other places. Therefore, certain products that are permitted by the Rabbis are strictly forbidden by the Karaites, such as "Kosher for Passover" cakes containing potato starch and baking powder.

Karaites eat kitniyoth during Hag HaMazoth, including cooked rice and other grains, and legumes such as beans.

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This page will be updated in the near future with more questions and answers. If you would like to submit a question to be added to the FAQ, you may e-mail it to KaraiteInsights@gmail.com.