On the Karaïtes
- Title
- On the Karaïtes
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 10 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 13, Folder 8
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3sn01q2g/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3sn01q2g
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx13FF8.xml
- content
-
180
On the Karaïtes
This lecture was introduced out of place in the course,
but as its contents show, circumstances occasioned it.
Brethren. Although the lecture, which I intend to purpose delivering this Sabbath does not come in the regular order of my post-biblical series, it nevertheless properly belongs to it. I trust that the circumstance which suggested it to my mind, will be a sufficient apology for having misplaced it, by giving it precedence to many others.
An item appeared lately among Russian news, which could not help having arrested our serious attention. It told the world, that "An American Jew--a circus rider--who was recently threatened with expulsion on account of his religion, had been permitted to remain, in consequence of joining a sect, the tenets of which closely approach those of Judaism." All of you may not have well understood the meaning of that foreign dispatch. And I explain its purport with feelings of deep mortification. The sect alluded to in the cable telegram is that of Ca "Karaïtes". A detailed history of the its rise and conti--nuance unto this day, would occupy too much time and be perhaps wearisome. I shall try to give those of my hearers, who are unacquainted with the subject, a tolerably clear idea of it, in as condensed a form as it is possible for me to present.
C Karaïtes, is a name assumed by certain Israelites, to signify hostility to those who believe in the Oral Law, or in the existence of traditional verbal interpretations of the Scriptures, as received in an uninterrupted unbroken chain of tradition from father to son. Thus, by way of illustration, as the mode of ascertain--ing by an examination of the lungs, whether the flesh of a slaughtered animal is fit for our use, was not explicitly told in the Pentateuch, we we necessarily rely upon ancestral traditions for that instruction. The Karaïtes profess that only what every one can learn from the wording of the five books, and nothing else must be complied with. Hence they call themselves Karaïtes from Kara, to read, that is, a people who exclusively follow Jewish rules as they read them in the plain text.
Had I the time, and you could summon the patience to hear all my arguments, I would convince you of the untenableness of their position held by our opponents. Still, not to dismiss the subject summarily and appear prejudiced, I must produce, at least, one evidence of their incon--sistency. They do not admit the necessity of examining searching into the entrails of an animal, before eating of its flesh, for the reason that Moses did not make any special men--tion of that practice; but yet, they are very careful scrupulous about the knife
for with which to slaughtering an animal intended for food, and about the man--ner of holding it during the operation, though those rules neither has Moses expressly taught, and only the traditions of the fathers had them embodied them in the Mishna. The ill-will existing which this diversity of religious opinions created between the adherents of settled traditions, and those who pretend to discard them altogether, dates from many centuries back, but not from a period so remote, as the Caraïtes themselves allege. For, according to their notions, the sessetion secession took place during the time reign of a ruler of the Asmonean dynasty, that is, over twenty centuries ago. They relate their story so: King Janneous being angry with the Pharisees for having cast doubts on the legitimacy of his birth, killed many of the Rabbis. His brother in law, Simeon Ben Shatach fled escaped to Alexandria, where Jews were in enjoyed a flourishing state. While in exile, that Rabbi invented a new law, which he styled "oral," and on his return to Palestine, forced its acceptance upon Israel. Some independent spirits however, rebelled; they would not bow to that which did not have Mosaic authority. Under the lead of Judah Ben Tabbaï, the former colleague of Ben Shatach, the Karaïtes separated and formed an chosen sect, that vowed obedience solely to the written text of the scriptures.
The simple fact that the name of Karaïtes does not appear occur in any writing either Jewish or Christian before the ninth or tenth cen--tury of the vulgar era, proves beyond doubt that the antiquity assumed is an unsustained groundless pretention.
The real origin of Kariasm, as agreed upon by most scholars, is the following: During the period time in which the Academies of Hebrew learning existed in Persia--probably about the seventh century--the Rosh Galutha, or exilarch, as the chief of the Jews in Eastern Asia was called, exercised great powers. A certain Anan, or Anen, ambitious of that high position, failed in his endeavours to obtain it. Disappointed and vexed, he gathered around hi ma few, and formed a sect, that ostensibly threw aside off ancestral traditions, which as these formed then the main object of research in said Academies. Such is the rising history of an unfortunately mutual antagonism. I sincerely regret however, that the adherents of the Oral Law, who have always constituted the largest and most influential body of Judaism Jews, did not take some steps measures to bring back the schismatics; even by making some slight concessions. Unfortunately Unhappily, from Saadjah Gaon to Ruble David Nieto, a period of seven hundred years, most the generality majority of our authors have exhibited an irreconcilable enmity antipathy against the Karaïtes.
True, the latter inflamed, rather than allay, the ir--ritation, but we , the stronger, might have displayed ge--nerosity, and by a mild measures treatment have drawn once more to the ancient fold, those who are really of the seed of Abraham.
As a partial justification for our indisposition to act to make advances, I may say, that the unfounded boasting of the Karaïtes must have been galling to our Rabbis. Thus, for example, the few books which the followers of Anan have produced, and whose style is only a close imitation of that of our Sages, teem with vainglorious descriptions of their high origin and of the characters of their leaders, not minding occasionally even to appropriate to themselves writers who did not share in the least their [?] views and preferences. This I noticed in a book explanatory of their principles and practices. For two about a century and a half ago, a learned Christian, Jacob Trigland, professor of ancient literature at Leiden, in Holland, anxious to become thoroughly acquainted with the tenets and observances of the Karaïtes, addressed a Hebrew letter to those who lived in Russian Poland, and propounded to them a series of questions. The answers were largely devoted to a disproval of the charge that Karaism and Sadducism are alike--a charge which I freely admit to be false because the Caraïtes believe in the immortality of the soul which and believe morally, while the Sadducees denied a hereafter, and were votaries of loose Grecianism.
But those very answers, carefully worded, disclose to a thoughtful reader, the unsound basis upon which Karaism stands. They exhibit the disputes which a rejection of settled traditions, created occasioned from time to time in the camp of our adversaries, and the compromises entered into adopted finally resorted to, when the Biblical text did not furnish a clear understanding of the Mosaic command--ment, in all its bearings. Indeed, sometime the want of an accepted standard of oral interpretations, as among us, gave rise to schisms in that sect, which is too small to afford having a division of religious practices. For, all told, the Caraïtes, do not number half as many Israelites as may be found in the city of New York. Very few are met outside of Gallicia, of Poland and Russia. They principally congregate in the Crimea, and I would to act unjustly if I withheld from I must award those who dwell there a meed of praise. They have lately done He--brew literature some valuable service. And it is because of that circumstance that, within the last few years, I had felt drawn with all my heart towards them. I learned in the course of my studies, that the excellent polemical work, Chizzuk Emunah, or "Faith Strengthened" as Moses Mocatto the English translator called it, issued from
the pen of Isaac of Froki, a zealous Karaïte, who aimed to save Jews from being entrapped into nets spread out by Christian missionaries. I learned also that several manuscripts on Hebrew philology and poetry, emanating from Karaïtes, were discovered in famous European libraries, and when, moreover, it became generally known moreover that Abram Firkowitz, the Karaïte--notwithstanding his noted aversion to Rabbinists--had succeeded by dint of untiring perseverance unearthed in bringing to light a new method of Hebrew vowel-points and its application, I experienced a very strong wish that we, the adherents of traditional Judaism, would m take the first initial steps towards reconciliation. I would gladly have overlooked past vexations, the foolish vaunting and the groundless accusations. I would have forgiven the wicked representations made to Peter the Great and other Czars Nicholas, by which the Karaïtes obtained cordial receptions and privileges, while those who could not falsify themselves and by denying their allegiance to the oral Law, were dismissed with an im--perial scowl, and refused deprived of all human rights. All of that and more still I would have pardoned from the re--verence I cherish for our sacred literature, and for the sake of putting an end to an unbrotherly separation. But I confess that recent events have created a revulsion of feelings. I now despise the Schismatic Karaïtes.
I look upon them as on the Samaritans of old those contemptible pretenders, who owned claimed the same immunities by reason of a with us by reason of a common origin, with us, while we prospered, but who disowned us when prosperity fled and as soon as we were exposed to suffering.
The sect which the American circus rider joined to escape proscription, has shown itself heartlessness. It has taken very good heed to let Russian the brutal authorities in Russia know their disavowal of any connection with the disciples of the Rabbis. They [inserted from page 9: And it has had insult to injury by sending to the adherents of tradition an infamous letter through the public press, a paragraph of which I must now read. "Why do the many and discordant elements of Russian society, which have apparently so few interests in common, hate you with such accord and unanimity? Is it only a hatred of faith? No; your love of money, your insatiable greed, your cupidity, your haste to become rich, your frowardness, your deception, your trickery made Jews despised." The wicked schismatics] cared nothing, if those who, like themselves, declare the Unity of God and the truths of Mosaism are robbed and slain, or sent adrift to die with from cold and hunger, or from a dread of outrages more terrible than death. No: those poltroons are too fond tightly fastened to their corruptible bodies; martyrdom for an idea is too lofty a conception for their mean souls. But "so says the Lord: they were not ashamed when they did an acted abominably, nay: they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush, therefore they shall fall among those that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down". But unto those who suffer a sun shall arise with healing on its wings, and they shall go forth and grow strong healthy and wax strong, through the help of the good and free among their brethren, and the blessing of a beneficent Providence, than neither stumbers or sleeps.
And it has had insult to injury by sending to the adherents of traditions an infamous letter through the public press, a paragraph of which I must now read. "Why do the many and discordant elements of Russian society, which have apparently so few interests in common, hate you with such accord and unanimity? Is it only a hatred of faith? No; your love of money, your insatiable greed, your cupidity, your haste to become rich, your frowardness, your deception, your trickery made Jews despised." The wicked schismatics - Identifier
- p3sn01q2g
- identifier
- SMBx13FF8
Part of On the Karaïtes
Morais, Sabato, “On the Karaïtes”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91450