Karaite Judaism

Karaite Judaism is a Jewish denomination characterized by reliance on the Tanakh as the sole scripture, and rejection of the Oral Law (the Mishnah and the Talmuds) as halakha (Legally Binding, i.e. required religious practice). The word "Karaite" comes from the Hebrew word קְרָאִים (Standard Hebrew Qəraʾim; Tiberian Hebrew Qərāʾîm), meaning "Readers (of Scripture)". This name was chosen by the adherents of Karaite Judaism to distinguish themselves from the adherents of Rabbinic Judaism.

Related Topics:
Jewish denomination - Tanakh - Scripture - Oral Law - Mishnah - Talmuds - Halakha - Standard Hebrew - Tiberian Hebrew - Rabbinic Judaism

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The adherents of Karaite Judaism rely on the Tanakh as the sole scripture. When interpreting scripture Karaites strive to adhere only to the p'shat (plain meaning) of the text. This is in contrast to Rabbinical Judiasm, which employs the methods of p'shat, remez (implication or clue), drash ("deep interpretation," based on changing the meaning of the words and the way they are read to another meaning) and sod ("secret," the mystical meaning of the text, drawing on the Kabbalah). There are approximately 50,000 adherents to Karaite Judaism, most of whom reside in Israel. Karaite Judaism is in a period of growth and renewal in the USA. However, exact numbers are not known, as most Karaites have not participated in any religious censuses.

Related Topics:
Judaism - Tanakh - Scripture - Kabbalah

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