Tracing the Karaites: Followers of Anan's Controversial Path

The Karaites: The Birth of a Sect — How Did It All Start?

Anan the Karaite, founder of the Karaite sect which split from Judaism during the Geonic period, passed away at the age of 96, in the year 811, and was buried on the Mount of Olives near the grave of the prophet Zechariah. At that time, there were not enough Jewish sages in Jerusalem to prevent this disgrace. Fortunately, over the years, the location of the grave was lost, erasing his memory.

Anan's followers faced a paradox threatening the entire Karaite sect: If they claim there is no authority for traditional sages and traditions, then even Karaite scholars have no authority, and there is no need for them, and a regular Karaite doesn't have to obey them. Conversely, if sages do hold authority and it's worthwhile to study Anan's writings and those of his disciples, why should Anan's authority override that of the rabbinic leaders of the diaspora?

This dilemma led them to assert that all Karaite scholars' teachings are inherently obligatory, and obedience to them is due to the necessity of their words, not their authority. Unlike the rabbis, who merely say things...

What remained was to convince themselves that everything in Karaite texts from any era is "necessary." For this purpose, Karaite dialectic texts were written to justify why only Anan's thinking is valid. As a result, the Karaites became staunch adherents of their teachers, even more so than the rabbis, since halacha allows disagreements with sages of previous generations.

Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra occasionally mentions Karaite "interpretations," mocking them slyly. For instance, in Parashat Mishpatim, where the Torah says, "If one man's ox gores another's," referring to another man's ox, the Karaite Ben Zuta interprets it as the ox goring its own "friend." Ibn Ezra jests, "The ox has no friend other than Ben Zuta himself." In other words, oxen don't have 'friends,' perhaps Ben Zuta the Karaite is an ox's companion, hence interpreting "another's ox" as an ox being friends with an ox...

The Torah mentions ‘warp and weft,’ terms from weaving. The Torah doesn't explain what these are, but it's clear to those familiar with Hebrew that they describe weaving from right to left and top to bottom. But Anan the Karaite, not relying on tradition but his "necessity," interprets in his "Sefer Hamitzvot":

Warp - anyone drinking water is called "shotei," as it says, "That they may not be admired above all those who drink water" (a misquoted verse from Ezekiel).

Weft - any animal is "eirav," as it says, "There came a mass of flies."

What can one say?

Thus, a "tradition" evolved where Karaites passed down nonsensical statements from one generation to the next without any knowledge. They also imposed severe punishments for deviating from their "rulings." Anan wrote in "Sefer Hamitzvot" that one must circumcise specifically with scissors, not a knife. Why? Because it says, "Make flint knives," - "knives" in plural, implying two knives joined in the middle, like scissors. Not only did he establish this ridiculous interpretation as the only obligatory one, he also added: "Whoever circumcises with a knife is sentenced to death." Where did he derive this death penalty? We don't know, as he took that secret to his grave.

The Karaite Sahal ben Masliach decreed that an animal touched by a non-Jew's saliva is forbidden to eat. Why and for what reason? That's a mystery of the Torah... the Karaite version, of course.

Another "wondrous" Karaite innovation is their refusal to acknowledge the concept of "teshuva" (repentance). Someone violating one of their commandment lists is excommunicated forever, separated from their spouse, with no right to appeal or repentance.

For hundreds of years, the Karaite community continued to exist in Egypt and elsewhere, with remnants still present in Israel today.