Qara'im Shul - Jerusalem
Welcome to Derech HaTorah!
This site is a home for those who follow the path of the Karaites (Qara’im) and for those who wish to know more about the Karaites.
Karaites (B’nei Miqra – “Followers of the Scriptures”) are the modern-day progenitors of an ancient sect of Jews who reject an oral law and the rabbinic traditions and laws. The Karaites practice the ancient form of Judaism that is spoken about in the Tanakh. The Karaites follow the authentic Jewish religion that was taught to us by YHVH Himself through the Tanakh without any additions or subtractions.
לֹא תֹסִפוּ, עַל-הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ, מִמֶּנּוּ–לִשְׁמֹר, אֶת-מִצְוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי, מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם
You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH your God which I command you. (Devarim 4:2)
In the current era of the galut (exile) we have no prophecy for YHVH is hiding His “face” from us due to the sins of Yisrael. Only through living in accordance to the mitzvot given to us through the Tanakh are we redeemed from sin.
וְהָרָשָׁע, כִּי יָשׁוּב מִכָּל-חַטֹּאתָו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וְשָׁמַר אֶת-כָּל-חֻקוֹתַי, וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה–חָיֹה יִחְיֶה, לֹא יָמוּת
But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
כָּל-פְּשָׁעָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, לֹא יִזָּכְרוּ לוֹ: בְּצִדְקָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה, יִחְיֶה
None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness that he has done he shall live. (Yechezkiel 18:21-22)
Karaites teach that everyone has the obligation to study Tanakh and to determine for themselves the correct meaning of the mitzvot based upon their own understanding and reasoning.
זִרְעוּ לָכֶם לִצְדָקָה קִצְרוּ לְפִי-חֶסֶד, נִירוּ לָכֶם נִיר; וְעֵת, לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת-יְהוָה, עַד-יָבוֹא, וְיֹרֶה צֶדֶק לָכֶם
Sow to yourselves according to righteousness, reap according to mercy, break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek YHVH, till He come and cause righteousness to rain upon you. (Hoshea 10:12)
The ancient adage of the Karaite sages declares: “Search well in the Scriptures and do not rely on anyone’s opinion”. In this regard the Karaite sages taught: “He who relies upon any of the teachers of the Exile without personal investigation, it is as if he has engaged in idolatry.”1
Karaites place no real value in the interpretations of the majority opinion or of our forefathers’ customs, for we are taught:
לֹא-תִהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי-רַבִּים, לְרָעֹת; וְלֹא-תַעֲנֶה עַל-רִב, לִנְטֹת אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים–לְהַטֹּת
You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shall you bear witness in a cause to turn aside after a multitude to pervert justice… (Shemot 23:2)
The nevi’im (prophets) warned B’nei Yisrael against following our forefathers’ errant steps.
וְאַל-תִּהְיוּ, כַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם וְכַאֲחֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר מָעֲלוּ, בַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם; וַיִּתְּנֵם לְשַׁמָּה, כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם רֹאִים
And be not like your fathers, and like your brethren, who acted treacherously against YHVH, the God of their fathers, so that He delivered them to be an astonishment, as you see. (Divrei Hayamim Beit 30:7)
This same warning from the nevi’im applies to laws that are invented by men.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנָי, יַעַן כִּי נִגַּשׁ הָעָם הַזֶּה, בְּפִיו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו כִּבְּדוּנִי, וְלִבּוֹ רִחַק מִמֶּנִּי–וַתְּהִי יִרְאָתָם אֹתִי, מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלֻמָּדָה
And the Lord said: Forasmuch as this people draw near, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote… (Yeshyahu 29:13)
Karaism is not a “monolithic” faith in which every believer agrees on every detail of understanding of Scripture. Because the burden of interpretation rests on the individual and not a central authority it is inevitable that there will be differences of interpretation and understanding. However this diversity is a strength rather than a weakness and prevents Karaites from getting bogged down with a given interpretation despite the obviousness of its error. This diversity requires the individual Karaite to take personal responsibility for interpreting Scripture, basing his understanding on the merits and logic of a given interpretation. When this method is followed the correct interpretation will generally win out. What unites Karaites together is our common fellowship in the Hebrew Scriptures and desire to live by the pure unaltered instruction of the Creator of the universe.1
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1Gordon, Nehemiah. “What is Karaism?” karaite-korner.org. World Karaite Movement, 22 May 2008.
