Elijah Ben Abraham and His Tract Against The Rabbanites
The tract by the Karaite apologist Elijah ben Abraham (12th century) has been referred to hitherto mostly because it is the only document which quotes the traditional (pseudo-Saadian) Rabbanite account of Anan's secession from the Mother-Synagogue, and because it includes a brief roster of earl...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
HUC
1981
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| In: |
Hebrew Union College annual
Year: 1980, Volume: 51, Pages: 63-87 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | The tract by the Karaite apologist Elijah ben Abraham (12th century) has been referred to hitherto mostly because it is the only document which quotes the traditional (pseudo-Saadian) Rabbanite account of Anan's secession from the Mother-Synagogue, and because it includes a brief roster of early Karaite scholars whose names were known to the author. The tract, however, is important also in itself as a defense of Karaism and an indictment of Rabbanism. Unlike some other early Karaite missionary preachers, Elijah wrote in a calm and reasonable tone, free from passionate accusations and intemperate language. Since he avoids any reference to alleged corrupt and oppressive practices on the part of the ruling Rabbanite hierarchy and bureaucracy, and since he does not indirectly suggest to his readers that they might profit materially by joining the Karaite ranks, it would seem that he was addressing not an underprivileged audience but rather the Rabbanite middle class, which would have been willing to listen to reasonable scholarly argument but not to demagogic oratory. The paper analyzes Elijah's tract, summarizes its contents, and endeavors as far as possible to trace citations from Rabbinic literature, identify persons and places mentioned, explain the meaning of difficult passages, and emend the printed Hebrew text where it seems to have been corrupted. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual
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