[Author: Simon Berg, Vol. 81, #1, Autumn-Winter 2026}
Karaite Judaism is a non-rabbinic alternative form of Judaism that emerged from the mid-8th Century CE in the Islamic world in Iraq. It challenged rabbinic Judaism’s beliefs in the ‘Oral Laws’ of the Torah which were to be further interpreted and expanded on for clarity and correct observation. Karaites opposed their interpretation of the laws and instead applied them literally as they appeared in the Torah.[1] The name in Hebrew for Karaites is Kara’im, meaning Readers or those who read. The name reflects the Karaite principle of strictly following the written Hebrew Bible and the laws therein.
Karaites today continue their existence in a number of countries. The majority live in Israel, where they are regarded as Jews in terms of religious identity and national obligations. They are also held highly for their knowledge of Hebrew grammar, which they perfected. This attribute will be further expanded upon in this article.
It can be noted here that in scholarly articles or books on the Karaites the term Rabbanites instead of “the rabbis” is commonly used. This term refers to the whole religious movement or system of Jews who followed rabbinic Judaism and not just individual religious scholars.
The Oral Law
Traditional belief holds that Moses received the Written Torah and the Oral Laws from God during his first ascent to Mount Sinai, which lasted for forty days. The Oral Laws are an expansive interpretation of the written laws. They in turn were conveyed to the Israelite leaders who then passed them down orally through generations and which were thus committed to memory. Later, they were written down following the destruction of the Second Temple through to the end of the 3rd Century CE. These laws were later codified in the Mishna, which extensively expanded on them. The Mishnah forms a central part of the Talmud. Karaites reject these interpretations and live their lives according to their understanding of the written commandments in the Torah. The Oral Laws were also rejected by the Sadducees during the Second Temple era and hence a well-supported theory is that Karaism is an off shoot of their beliefs.
Alternative forms of Judaism were not a rarity during those times. We know of (at least) scores of versions originating from as early as the Second Temple era. If one had to look critically at the beginnings of Christianity, one could accurately regard it as one of the many alternative Jewish sects that emerged following the first 200 years following the death of Jesus around 33 CE. Based on what we know from those times, as discovered through research into Biblical archaeology and especially the writings of the early Jewish historian Josephus (37-100 CE) we become aware of these sects within Judaism. More commonly known are the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Hasmonaeans (Maccabees), Samaritans and the Essenes Sicari/Zealots. Over the past two centuries, divisions within Judaism also further crystalized, from Orthodox to Reform movements with more extremes to the left and the right existing. Further fine-tuning is added by cultural splits such as Sephardi Jews originating from Spain, the Middle East and North Africa and those of the Ashkenazi culture from Europe and Russia and its neighboring countries.
Origins of Karaism
Legend records that Karaism arose out of the rivalry between two scholarly brothers Anan ben David and Hananiah in mid-8th Century Iraq, each having their own supporters. As a result of conniving deception Anan established a new interpretation of the Torah in order to demonstrate that his religion was different from that of his brother, who fully followed normative Judaism. In so doing, Anan backed the Sadducean interpretation from Second Temple times as opposed to the Pharisaic Judaism which developed into the current rabbinic Judaism.[2]
Anan introduced his breakaway interpretations of Torah Law and observance in his work Sepher Hamitzvot (Book of Commandments)in which these changes were recorded. Fragments of that book have survived.
Leaders of the Iraqi yeshivot (Rabbinical seminaries) referred to Anan as a heretic. The famed Rabbi Saadia Gaon (882-942), who headed the Sura Academy, was vigorously active in his challenge to Karaism, writing a number of works opposing it. Thus began the to-and-fro attacks and defenses of these ideas. The most vigorous response came from Saadia, who argued that the Oral Torah included all of Jewish law. Salmon ben Jeroham (Jerusalem mid-10th Century) counter-attacked with his composition Milchamot Adonai (Wars of the Lord) where he sought to refute Saadia’s arguments. Karaism was thus a major topic in rabbinic literature, illustrating the impact it had on Judaism per se.
Following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Jews dispersed into the diaspora, some adopting variations of non-Pharisaic (Rabbinic) Judaism. By the 8th Century these “dissidents”, under the leadership of Daniel al Qumisi, challenged and attacked the followers of Anan (collectively known as Anaites). Eventually they merged with Anan, who retroactively was given recognition as a central figure in subsequently establishing Karaism. It is thus now accepted that Anan was not the sole founder of Karaism.[3] Qumisi, as leader of the Karaites, moved to Israel to join up with other dissidents. By the 9th Century, Karaism had become an alternative form of Judaism in the Islamic Middle East, by which time there were a number of anti-Rabbinic Jewish movements. [4]
The vitriolic differences between Rabbanites and Karaites nevertheless did not result in social hatred of each other. By the late 12th Century, it came to be advocated by Nissim ben Noah, a Byzantine Karaite, that rabbinic literature be studied for the purpose of understanding the Written Torah better [5]. From the late 13th Century onwards, Karaites showed a more positive attitude towards that body of rabbinic literature. They also recognized the entire Bible, unlike the Sadducees who focused primarily on the Torah (i.e. the Five Books of Moses, orChumash). It is interesting to note that Karaites used the Prophets and Writings to further clarify and interpret the Torah.
Spread of Karaism
Egypt
From the 10th Century, Karaism was already established in Iraq, Persia, Israel and Egypt. It began to decline due to political fragmentation and ultimately the Mongol invasion in 1258. This resulted in the Muslim caliphate re- establishing itself in Egypt. In turn, the Karaite movement followed, establishing an important community there. Scholars wrote biblical commentaries and legal documents, and most importantly the famous Aleppo Codex [on this, see the author’s The Alleppo Codex – Jewish Affairs, JA, Vol. 65, #1, Pesach 2010 – Ed.]. Their contribution to their organization and the Jewish community at large was tremendous.
In the suburb of Fustat in Cairo, the city’s Jewish community was concentrated in the Zuwayla district, and it was here that the Ben Ezra synagogue, built in the 8th Century [6], was located. It became a center for both the Karaites and Rabbinic Jewish community. As was fairly common to most synagogues, it had a room set aside for the storage of old, damaged holy books that were no longer in circulation. These books and other artifacts were later buried in the cemetery nearby. This room was referred to as a Geniza. The “Cairo Geniza” as it became known held in its storage hundreds of years of documentation reflecting both the lives and activities of the Jewish and Karaite communities. Some of these documents were invaluable as they were written in the actual hand of the greatest Jewish sage, Maimonides himself.
I have previously written on the Geniza and not wishing to get carried away on this fascinating subject will continue very restrictively! In 1890 the contents of the Geniza were collected by Solomon Schechter, a reader in Talmud at Cambridge University, and taken back to that university for documentation and research. Schechter discovered two copies of what he later titled “Fragments of a Zadokite Work.” He was correct in his understanding of this work by an unknown sect. It an almost identical copy of a famous Dead Sea Scroll, now called the “Damascus Document”, which was first dated to around 100 BCE. The question thus arises as to what it was doing there. The conclusion is that the Essenes are attributed to having written this manifesto of theirs, which was identified with the Sadducean approach to the Torah as the Karaites did later! Nevertheless, it’s open to speculation as to how and why this document was amongst the Genizah‘s findings.
Even more fascinating and important was a re-written Hebrew Bible by a Karaite father and son in Egypt, who from 850 CE wrote the most accurate version of the Hebrew Bible encompassing layout and the creation of vowels for the first time. [7] This resulted in the avoidance of mispronunciations and misunderstanding of the text (Karaites were regarded as excellent grammarians). The work received validation from Maimonides himself, as he used it to write his Mishna Torah. He gave this work endorsement by stating that all future copies were to follow this format as the final template for its written structure.
Later this work was seized and ransomed by the Crusaders. On its return a century or so later, it was transferred to the city of Aleppo, Syria, for safe keeping. There it remained for the next 500 years. When the State of Israel was declared in 1948, the storage cave where the work was kept was damaged and the codex removed and scattered on the synagogue floor. Today, remains of the work known as The Aleppo Codex is partly on display in the Israel Museum. Prior to its capture, copies were made. One of these is in the Russian National Museum and is known as the Leningrad Codex. An additional (that we know of) copy was later discovered. Referred to as the Sassoon Codex, it was recently bought for $38 million and donated to the State of Israel.
Russia and Eastern Europe
Karaite migration to Russia, especially from the Crimea, began around the 13th – 14th centuries and later increased during the 18th – 19th centuries. After Russia annexed Crimea in 1783, Karaites living there became Russian subjects. In the 19th Century educated Poles migrated to Crimea due to it having developed as a center of Jewish and Torah studies. However, unlike rabbinic Jews who were confined to the Pale of Settlement (designated areas where Jews were legally allowed to live) the Karaites were not restricted by such laws. Many Karaites adopted Turkish languages and culture under the influence of Abraham Firkovich, a Karaite scholar and communal leader in the Crimea. In 1828 Firkovich moved to Berdiev, Ukraine, where he associated with Hassidic (Jewish Orthodox) scholars and learned of their interpretations. This resulted in his publication of Massarah and Meribah “Tradition and Conflict” in which he argued against the Jewish Law of the rabbis. He returned via Constantinople Turkey, where he additionally published Karaite works. Furthering his travels he spread his influence through the Caucasus, in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Galicia, Poland.[8]
Further Migration
By the middle of eleventh century Karaism had unified as a movement as they entered their golden age mid tenth century, Karaism reached Spain. [9] Their books were brought there and made known by Ibn al Taras, a Sephardic Jew who was converted to that way of thinking by a Karaite while in Jerusalem. In Spain they gained much power to the extent that the rabbis complained to King Alfonso who in turn forbade them to worship in their own synagogues. [10]
Karaites comprised as much as 10% of world Jewry at their peak and as high as 40% in some communities [11] (although lower figures have also been suggested). During the Ottoman Period (15th -19th centuries) they spread to Turkey, Crimea, and Israel. This was followed by settlement in Lithuania, Russia and in our modern era, Poland and the United States. In the Crimea and parts of Easter Europe, Karaites petitioned the Nazi authorities, arguing that they were not racially Jewish, but rather of Turkish origin. As a result, most Karaite communities were spared under Nazi occupation from extermination. Despite having exempt status from the Nazis, who enquired of the rabbis as to their Jewishness and received a firm denial as to their status, groups of Karaites were massacred in the early stages of WW2 by German soldiers invading Russia.
Established Practices and Beliefs
Below is an introduction to some of the Karaite customs and practices, some of which are comparatively and radically differ from rabbinic-Judaic practices:
These are four core Karaite positions distinguishing them from adherents of Rabbinical Judaism:
* If God had revealed an Oral Torah at Mount Sinai, indication of that would have been included in the Written Torah.
* The Oral Torah gives no sign of divine communication as its basis.
* God is never presented as commanding the specific interpretations to the rabbinic authors of this literature.
* The Oral Torah includes commandments contradicting the words of the Written Torah [12] (and the interpretations by those who compiled it).
Thus, it can be said of Karaites that they:
* Reject the rabbinic authority
* Follow the Torah more literally
* Considered the Torah alone to be binding
* Reject the Oral Law and the Talmud
* Maintain that God gave the Torah and nothing else
* Rely on the verse in Deuteronomy (4:2) which states “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it.”
* Further put stress on the verse in Deuteronomy (13:1) that states, “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to it nor take away.”
* Were encouraged to personally interpret Torah laws.
* The Torah demands that no fire shall be lit on the Sabbath. This Karaites further interpreted in the Torah, by not allowing the light from the fire lit before the Sabbath to be used during the Sabbath. This also applied to cooking. Later in some Karaite homes, electric lights switched on before the Sabbath had to be switched off when the Sabbath began, with the result that the house remained in darkness until the conclusion of the Sabbath. Some have modified these rules in current times.
* As opposed to the lunar calendar used by rabbinic Jews, Karaites based their calendar on the inspection of barley crops. When they began to show signs of ripening, then the following new moon would indicate the New Year. Some years could be prolonged or shortened according to the crops.
Other Karaite adjustments and departures include:
* Prayers consist of direct quotes and/or translations from the Bible
* Extra Jewish festivals not designated in the Bible, such as Lag B’Omer, and Hanukkah are not observed.
* In Karaism the term agunah and its practice did not apply to a Karaite wife getting divorced, as opposed to the traditional Jewish law whereby the husband had to give his permission to the rabbinical court to grant the divorce.
* The Jewish practice of separating meat from milk for consumption comes from the thrice-mentioned biblical statement “Thou shall not boil the kid in its mother’s milk.” This appears in Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21. Karaites interpret this law literally and thus would not defy it by cooking a young goat in its mother’s own milk.[13] Thus, they do not separate milk from meat in their diet and would in fact eat a cheeseburger without conscience. I was once told by a then elderly lady that in her village in Lithuania children sang a Yiddish ditty mocking the Karaites habit of mixing meat and milk, something indicative of how abhorrent this practice is to Jews.
* Karaites wear blue threads in their tzitzit in contrast to Rabbinic Judaism. Nevertheless, I have come across Orthodox Rabbinic Jews having the blue thread in the tzitzit.
* The wearing of tefillin does not feature in Karaite religious practice. The Torah instruction for the wearing of tefillin: “I shall be for you as a sign upon your hand and a remembrance between your eyes….” is seen by Karaites as having a metaphorical meaning.
* Karaites do not affix a mezuzah to their door posts, likewise viewing the relevant scriptural passages (Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20) as being metaphorical. However, they do attach a small plaque with the Ten Commandments inscribed.
* Both men and woman fully prostate themselves in prayer in the synagogue (though they are also separated by a division). The practice is based on Psalm 95:6: “Come let us bow don and knee; let us bend knee before the Lord or Maker.”
* Sexual relations were forbidden on the Sabbath, as opposed to its acceptance by the rabbis.
* Jews use the word for “Lord” as Adonai, whereas Karaites believe that term was reserved for the Temple High Priest, specifically on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). They rather use alternative names such as Hashem (The Name) [14]
* As opposed to the Sadducees, Karaites do believe in the hereafter and the world to come
* Observant Karaites and Rabbanites cannot eat, pray nor celebrate festivals together.
* Karaites do not blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah.
* Interestingly, some Karaites did not accept the rabbinic suspension of the Sabbath laws in case of possible danger to human life (pikuach nefesh). The same ruling was applied by the Essenes 2000 years ago. In recent times greater leniency is applied.
* Karaites may not have their meals prepared by a woman during her menses, a ruling not applied in rabbinic law.
* Nevertheless, many Karaite binding rules not mentioned in the Bible are clearly identical to rabbinic practices recorded in the Talmud. In spite of the non-acceptance of Rabbinical teachings, every male Karaite has a duty to study the Bible individually, without relying on the authority of rabbinic teachings. This practice is attributed to Anan ben David, who stated, “Search well in the Bible and do not rely on my opinion.”
Status of Women
Laws regarding women and their personal status is recorded in Karaite scholarly works that were covered in the early Karaite codes of law such as the Sefer Mitzvot of Anan ben David. Later, other scholars wrote on the subject. In terms of Karaite law, Rabbinate Jews were not required to convert in the case of marriage between a Karaite and a Rabbinate woman. There was nevertheless a stipulation in the marriage contract that certain animal parts, such as lobes of the liver or kidneys, were forbidden to be eaten unless prepared in a specific designated manner. [15] Maimonides himself recognized marriage between Karaites and Rabbinates. He later softened his approach by describing them as comparable to “tinok shenishba” … a child raised among non-Jews who simply does not know the rabbinic tradition.
Under Karaite law the bride held equal status with the groom and was thus a co-signatory to the marriage certificate. Earlier I mentioned the status of “aguna”, where the Karaite bill of divorce was not recognized by the rabbis. This could result in future offspring being regarded as illegitimate (mamzer). Torah Laws (Leviticus 18: 6 – 18) detailing incestuous relationships differed in that they were less restrictive than those of the rabbis. Ritual purity through immersion in a mikvah following menstruation and/or childbirth was not required, but bathing in running water (stream, shower) was acceptable. The physical separation following the above-mentioned scenarios were similar. Overall Karaite ruling pertaining to women was more “liberal” on account of the high legal and social position women held in medieval Jewish communities.
Some Cultural, Social and Religious Practices
Because most Karaite Jews were of Egyptian origin, they acquired certain Egyptian customs. Most women wore a two-piece dress, usually black. The bottom part was similar to a skirt, and the top had a piece of material covering the head and shoulders to the waist. It also included a veil to cover the face when required. This was the same kind of clothing Muslim women wore in Egypt and Turkey.
Karaites in general mingled more freely with non-Jewish Egyptians. Some of the poorer class of women even wore amulets to ward off evil spirits as did their Egyptian counterparts. During the 1920s and 1930s Rabbinate girls commonly attended social functions whereas Karaites considered this taboo. However, with time these restrictions became more relaxed.
Karaites were well known for their cleanliness. This was taken to the extreme in their preparation for Passover. Beginning after Purim and for the following 30 days a room-by-room project of cleansing would begin, ritually including the windows walls, floors and doors. In earlier times matzah was made from barley, one of the five species of grain listed in the Torah. Later wheat was traditionally used.
Karaism Today
Karaites today are predominantly found in Israel. Totaling about 30 – 40 000 and mainly of Egyptian and Iraqi origins, they are based in the cities of Ramla, Lod, Ashdod, Beersheba, Jerusalem, Bat Yam, Arad and others where there exists an active community. There are twelve active communities with fourteen synagogues. In America the number is much smaller, around 2000. The Crimea, once the center for the Karaite population, today has about 750 members. Russia has fewer with some die-hards remaining in East Europe. This was similar to what occurred to traditional Orthodox Jews and other forms of Orthodoxy who abandoned their observance and became secular. Many Karaites returning to Israel from Arab countries abandoned their practices and beliefs in order to integrate into society by becoming secular. Karaism itself has passed its “Golden Age”. No-one is expecting its imminent demise however as there are a growing number of young Karaite leaders who are committed to preserving their traditions and identity. It will most likely bring in some adaptations with the intention of retaining its followers and also to bring in new members.
In America, a Karaite replacement of the Rabbinic Jewish religious seminary (yeshiva) took place in 2005 when the Karaite Jewish University was established in California to promote learning about Karaite Judaism, its beliefs, practices, history and scriptures. It offers an academic education and certification by way of a structured study program.
Karaite Recognition in the State of Israel
Karaites are fully recognized as Jews, as are all their religious institutions and courts by the State of Israel. The Chief Rabbinate on the other hand has a variance of opinion, ranging from regarding Karaites as apikorsim (outright heretics) to varying interpretive degrees. Thus, there is no single rabbinic stance. Less complicated would be, for example, where the individual concerned has a mother of confirmed Jewish ancestry. Former (Sephardic) Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yoseph gave a historic ruling granting permission for Jewish man to marry Karaite women. [16]
What about the scenario of a non-Jew converting to Karaism in Israel? Would such a person be considered by the state as being Jewish? The simple answer is “no” as an immigrant who comes to Israel in order to be recognized a being Jewish would have to have been born of a Jewish mother. [17]
To sum up: The Karaites redefined their understanding of the Jewish canon and its reform of the Jewish religious practice. They revived the unhindered, direct and individual study of the Hebrew Bible, its standardization, including the rejection of the interpretive authority of oral tradition, as codified in the Mishna, Talmud and midrashim.
Authors note: In compiling this article, it further led me to wonder what is so-called “authentic” Judaism? Is there in fact such a thing? After all Judaism evolved and adapted. It is very common to hear secular Jews skeptically regarding Jewish law as being “man-made” or “made up” by the (contradicting) rabbis with time. The Karaites would certainly agree with this! Food for thought and controversy. Note: Not necessarily the author’s opinion.
Simon Berg, a long-standing contributor to Jewish Affairs, is sales manager for a multinational pharmaceutical company. Now living in Israel, he has written and lectured extensively on the Dead Sea Scrolls. His book Insights into the Dead Sea Scrolls – A Beginner’s Guide (2009) provides a concise, scholarly overview of the subject.
NOTES
[1] Lasker, Daniel J, Karaism: An Introduction to the Oldest Surviving Alternative Judaism (The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization), 2022, p5
[2] Ibid. p20
[3] Ibid. p29
[4] Ibid pg. 26
[5] Kaufman, Kohler, Jewish Encyclopedia p314
[6] Towil, Haim & Schneider, Bernard, Crown of Aleppo: The Mystery of the Oldest Hebrew Bible Codex, Jewish Publication Society, 2010, p168
[7] Ibid. p164
[8] Lasker, p78
[9] Rule, WH, History of the Karaite Jews, London: Longmans, Green, 1870, p151
[10] Ibid. p152
[11] Source: Karaite Customs and Traditions – Karaite Jews of America p1
[12] Lasker, Daniel J, ‘Oral Torah: Karaites versus Rabbanites’ in Encyclopedia of Bible and its Reception, Berlin: de Gruyter, 2024, vol. 22, p536
[13] Ibid.
[14] Rule, pp138-9
[15] Olszowy-Schlanger, Judith, Karaite Marriage Contracts from the Cairo Geniza: Legal Traditions and Community Life in Mediaeval Egypt and Palestine, Brill, 1997
18. Eilon, Daniel, ‘The Way of the Karaites – the Road Not Taken’ in The Blogs: The Way of the Karaites – the Road Not Taken | Daniel Eilon | The Times of Israel (Times of Israel, 15/09/2023)
