The reason why so little is yet known about the Ka- raites is that their writings are not generally accessible. Towards the close of the 17th century Protestant theo- logians interested themselves in their behalf, and in 1G90 Peringer (then professor of Hebrew at the university at Upsala) was sent to Poland by the king of Sweden to make inquiries into their history. In 1698 Jacob Trig- land (professor at Leyden) went thither for the same purpose, and the results of his investigations, which re- main of great value to this day, were published in the Thesmirus of Sacred Oriental Antiquities. Trigland says that he had learned enough to speak of them with as- surance. He asserts that, soon after the prophets had ceased, the Jews became divided on the subject of works and supererogation, some maintaining their necessity from tradition, whilst others, keeping close to the writ- ten law, set them aside, and that thus Karaism com- menced. He adds that, after the return from the Baby- lonian cajitivity, on the re-cstablishnient of the observ- ance of the laAv there were several practices found prop- er for that end, and these, being once introduced, were looked upon as essential, and as appointed by ]\Ioses. This was the origin of Pharisaism, while a contrary par- ty, who continued to adhere to the letter, foimded Ka- raism. AVolliiis, the great 1 lebrew l)ibliographer, depend- ing on the Mciiioirf: of ]\Iardachai ben-Nissan, a learn- ed Karaite (imblished by AVolf under the title of Xoti- tia Kumorum, Hamburg and Leipzig, 1714, 4to), refers their origin to a massacre among the Jewish doctors imder Alexander Jannanis, their king, about a hundred years before Clirist, because Simon, son of Shetach."and the (pieen's brother, making his eseape into Egypt, there forged his pretended traditions, and, on his return to Je- rusalem, published his visions, interpolating the law af-
ter his own fancy, and supporting his novelties from the notices which God, he said, had communicated by the mouth of Moses, whose depositary he was. He gained many followers, and was opposed by others, who main- tained that all which (iod had revealed to Moses was written. Hence the Jews became divided into two sects, the Karaites and Traditionists. Among the first, Juda, son of Tabbai, distinguished himself; among the latter, HQlel ((j. v.). In later history he agrees with Avhat has been said above. It remains only to be stated that Wolfius reckons not only the Sadducees, but also the Scribes, in the number of Karaites. But such a class- ification is wholly inconsistent with our present knowl- edge of the Sadducees and the Scribes. Karaism cannot be regarded as in any sense a product of Sadduceeism ; the two are the opposites both in principle and tendency, or, as Rule has it, " Sadduceeism and Karaism are just as contrary the one to the other as imbelief and faith."
Doctrines and Usages. — Although the Karaites are decidedly opposed to assigning any authority to tradi- tion, they by no means reject altogether the use of the Talmud, etc. Quite to the contrarj-, they gladly accept any light that they can get in their investigation of the O.-T. Scriptures, but it is only as exegetical aids that they are ready to accept Jewish traditionary writings. Selden, who is very express on this point, observes, ia his Uxor Ilehraica, that besides the mere text, they have also certain interpretations which they call hered- itarj-, and which they consider proper traditions. Their theology seems to differ only from that of the Rabbin- ites in being purer and free frtim superstition, as they give no credit to the explications of tlie Cabalists, chi- merical allegories, nor to any constitutions of the Tal- mud. In short, they accept only what is conformable to Scripture, and may be drawn from it by just and necessary consequences. The Karaites, in distinction from the Kabbinites, have their own Confession of Faith, which consists of ten articles. They are (as translated by Rule, p. 128) as follows:
1. That all this bodily (or material) existence, that is to say, the spheres and all that is iu them, is created.
2. That they liave a Creator, and the Creator has hia own soul (or spirit).
3. That he has no similitude, and he is one, separate from all.
4. That he sent Moses, our master (upon whom he pence !;.
5. That he sent with Moses, our master, his law, which is perfect ;
G. For the instruction of the fiiithful, the language of our law, aud the interpretation, that is to Fay, the reading (or text), and the division (or vowel pointing).
7. That the blessed God sent forth the other prophets.
S. That God (blessed he his name !) will raise the sons of men to life in the day of judgment.
0. That the hlessed God giveih to man according to his w.Tjs, and according to the fruit of his doings.
10. That the hlessed God has not reprobated the men of the captivity, but they aie under the cliastit-ements of God, aud it is every day riirht that they should obtain his salvation by the bauds of Messiah, the Son of David.
A comparison of this confession with the thirteen ar- ticles of the Kabbinites [see Judaism] makes it evident that the Karaitic confession was framed later than that of the Rabl)inites, with intent to put in bold relief the peculiar doctrines of Karaism. Prayer, tasting, and pil- grimages to Hebron (cvidtntly inspired by the Jloham- medan pilgrimage to JMccca) are points of religious prac- tice to which they pay particular attention. They are eminently moralists (revering greatly Leviticus xix and xx), very conscientious in their dealings with their fel- low-men, temperate and .simple in food ar.d dress, al- though far from being ascetics. In distinction from the Rabbinitcs, they make the heads of their jihylacter- ies round instead of square, and their prohibition of marriage among persons of affinity extends to degrees almost of infinit}-. Instead of facing their synagogues towards the east, as (hi the Kabbinites, they face them north and south, arguing that Shalmaneser brought them northward, so that in praying they nuist turn to the south in order to face Jerusalem.