KARAITES, or Caraites, a Jewish sect of the Middle Ages, claiming to be distinguished by adherence to Scripture as contrasted with oral tradition, whence the name (from K"∣p, as if “readers,” scripturarii·, sometimes also N∏ρo 'J5). They have frequently been identified with the Sadducees or with the Samaritans, with neither of whom have they any historical connexion or much spiritual affinity. The schism arose at Baghdad about the middle of the 8th century, when the hereditary claims of Anan, a learned Talmudist, to the office of Resh Galutha were set aside by the Gaonim or heads of rabbinical schools at Sura and Pumbeditha because he was believed to undervalue the authority of the Talmud. An appeal by Anan to the caliph proved unsuccessful, and he appears even to have been. imprisoned for some time; but ultimately he was permitted to migrate along with his followers to Palestine, where they erected in Jerusalem a synagogue which continued to be maintained until the time of the crusades. From this centre the sect diffused itself thinly over Syria, spread into Egypt, and ultimately reached south-eastern Europe. Anan, who is said to have died in 765 a,d., was the author of a commentary on the Pentateuch and other works in Talmudic Hebrew and Arabic,—all of which unfortunately are lost; for our knowledge of the distinctive principles maintained by him we are thus left entirely dependent on the hostile indications of opponents. In general we know that he showed great bitterness against the Talmud and its upholders (the “Rabbanites ”) for their falsification of the written law by arbitrary additions and subtractions, but there is nothing to indicate that he himself had the insight or the fervour by which he could have become the pioneer of any really great ...