in the ecclesiastical history of the Jews, a religious sect among that people, whereof there are still some subsisting in Poland, Russia, Constantinople, Cairo, and other places of the Levant, whose distinguishing tenet and practice it is, to adhere closely to the words and letter of the Scripture, exclusive of allegories, traditions, and the like.

Leo of Modena, a rabbin of Venice, observes, that of all the heresies among that people, before the destruction of the temple, there is none now left but that of the Caraim, a name derived from Micra, which signifies the pure text of the Bible, because of their keeping to the Pentateuch, observing it to the letter, and rejecting all interpretations, paraphrases, and constitutions of the rabbins. Aben Ezra, and some other rabbins, treat the Caraites as Sadducees; but Leo de Juda calls them, more accurately, Sadducees reformed; because they believe the immortality of the soul, paradise, hell, resurrection, &c., which the ancient Sadducees denied. He adds, however, that they were doubtless originally real Sadducees, and sprung from among them.

M. Simon, with more probability, supposes them to have risen hence; that the more knowing among the Jews opposing the dreams and reveries of the rabbins, and using the pure texts of Scripture to refute their groundless traditions, had the name of Caraim given them; which signifies as much as the barbarous Latin Scripturarii; i.e., people attached to the text of Scripture. The other Jews gave them the odious name Sadducees, from their agreement with those sectaries on the head of traditions. Scaliger, Vossius, and Spanheim, Caraites, rank the Caraïtes among the Sabaeans, Magi, Manichees, and Mahommedans, but by mistake: Wolfgang, Fabricius, &c. say the Sadducees and Essenes were called Caraïtes, in opposition to the Pharisees; others take them for the doctors of the law so often mentioned in the Gospel: but these are all conjectures, Josephus and Philo make no mention of them; which shows them to be more modern than either of those authors. In all probability, this sect was not formed till after the collection of the second part of the Talmud, or the Gemara; perhaps not till after the compiling of the Mishnah in the third century. The Caraïtes themselves pretend to be the remains of the ten tribes led captive by Shalmaneser. Wolfius, from the Memoirs of Mardacheus, a Caraïte, refers their origin to a massacre among the Jewish doctors under Alexander Janneaus, their king, about 100 years before Christ: because Simon, son of Schetach, and the queen's brother, making his escape into Egypt, there forged his pretended traditions; and, at his return to Jerusalem, published his visions; interpolating the law after his own fancy, and supporting his novelties on the notices which God, he said, had communicated by the mouth of Moses, whose deposition he was: he gained many followers; and was opposed by others, who maintained, that all which God had revealed to Moses was written. Hence the Jews became divided into two sects, the Caraïtes and Traditionists: among the first, Juda, son of Tabbaï, distinguished himself; among the latter, Hillel. Wolfius reckons not only the Sadducees, but also the Scribes, in the number of Caraïtes. But the addrets of the Pharisees prevailed against them all; and the number of Caraïtes decreased: Anan, indeed, in the eighth century, retrieved their credit a little; and Rabbi Schalom in the ninth. They succeeded pretty well till the fourteenth; but since that time they have been declining.

The Caraïtes are but little known; their works coming only into very few hands, even among the greatest Hebraists. Buxtorf never saw more than one; Selden two; but Mr Trigland says, he has recovered enough to speak of them with assurance. He affirms, that soon after the prophets had ceased, the Jews became divided on the subject of works, and supererogation: some maintaining their necessity from tradition; whilst others, keeping close to the written law, set them aside; and it was from these last that Caraitism commenced. He adds, that after the return from the Babylonian captivity, the observation of the law being to be re-established, there were several practices found proper for that end; and these once introduced, were looked upon as essential, and appointed by Moses; which was the origin of Pharisaïsm: as a contrary party, continuing to keep close to the letter, founded Caraitism.

The modern Caraïtes, Leo of Modena observes, have their synagogues and ceremonies; they pretend to be the sole proper Jews, or observers of the laws of Moses; calling the rest by the term Rabbinim, or followers of the Rabbins: these hate the Caraïtes mortally; refusing to ally or even to converse with them, and treating them as mamzeim, bastards; because of their rejecting the constitutions of the rabbins relating to marriages, repudiations, purifications of women, &c. This aversion is so great, that if a Caraïte should become a Rabbinit, he would never be received by the other Jews.

The Caraïtes, however, do not absolutely reject all kinds of traditions; but only such as do not appear well grounded. Selden, who is very expert on this point, in his Uxor Hebraica, observes, that, besides the mere text, they have certain interpretations, which they call hereditary, and which are proper traditions. Their theology only seems to differ from that of the other Jews, in that it is purer, and clearer of superstition; they give no credit to the explications of the Cabalists, chimerical allegories, nor to any constitutions of the Talmud, but what are conformable to the Scripture, and may be drawn from it by just and necessary consequences.

Peringer observes of the Caraïtes in Lithuania, that they are very different, both in aspect, language, and manners, from the Rabbinites, wherewith the country abounds. Their mother tongue is the Turkish; and this they use in their schools and synagogues. In vogue they resemble the Mahometan Tartars. Their synagogues are placed north and south; and the reason they give for it is, that Shalmaneser brought them northward: so that, in praying, to look to Jerusalem, they must turn to the south. He adds, that they admit all the books of the Old Testament; contrary to the opinion of many of the learned, who hold that they reject all but the Pentateuch.

Calvin, a Caraïte, reduces the difference between them and the Rabbinites to three points: 1. In that they deny the oral law to have come from Moses, and reject the Cabala. 2. In that they abhor the Talmud. 3. In that they observe the feasts, as the sabbaths, &c., much more rigorously than the Rabbins do. To this may be added, that they extend the degrees of affinity, wherein marriage is prohibited, almost to infinity.