MARRIAGE WITH SECTARIANS

thinkers thus drawn to Anan ben David and his followers would have found themselves disappointed, for Karaism was in some ways much stricter in its understanding of God ’s commands as received through Divine revelation of Torah . Also, like any politically coherent body, the Karaites would expect conformity to their own internal norms.

KARAITE THEOLOGY

Karaite scholars influenced, as scholars agree, by the highly rationalist Islamic Kalam philosophy, disagreed with Rabbanite be­lief and practice as it centered around two concepts. One was the rejection of the nonrationalistic and mystical tendencies they saw inherent in the anthropomorphisms and anthropopathisms of popular Rabbanite Midrash. Regarding themselves as the maskilim of their day, they ridiculed works like the highly anthropomorphic Shi ur Komah and the mystical Hekhalot writings. Among other rituals to which Karaism objected may be counted the chanting of Kol Nidre , as contrary to the third commandment, and the visiting of the graves of renowned sages and leaders. The Karaite Sahl ibn Mazliah wrote:

How shall I be silent while the ways of idolaters prevail among some Jews ? They dwell at graves and seek out the dead. They say:“Ya Rabbi Yose Hagelili, heal me, give me offspring.” They kindle lights on the tombs of the Tzadikkim and burn incense in front of them....[They] make vows to the dead saints and call upon them to fulfill their needs.’

The second, more crucial Karaite objection to Rabbanism, of course, is found in its opposition to the institution of the Oral Law. The founders and codifiers of Karaism held that it was the Rabbanites—not themselves as it was charged—that understood and

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