Understanding Jewish Sects: Origins and Beliefs of Groups Opposed to the Oral Torah

The *Oral Torah*: The term *Oral Torah* refers to the interpretations and guidelines for observing the 613 commandments written in the Torah. The strongest evidence of the existence of the *Oral Torah* lies in the fact that it's impossible to fully understand the commandments without an interpretation passed down alongside the Torah itself. Here are several among many examples: - The Torah doesn't specify the labors prohibited on *Shabbat*, even though it states that violating *Shabbat* is a serious offense. - The Torah does not define what "No one shall leave his place on the seventh day" truly means. - The Torah lacks details on marriage, divorce, or what precisely constitutes a "bill of divorce." - The Torah doesn't describe how to perform slaughter or what a mezuzah is, only mentioning "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house." - Nowhere does it elaborate on *tzitzit* and what they should look like. Practically speaking, almost none of the commandments in the Torah have enough detail for their fulfillment. This can be likened to a table of contents. The Torah notes the commandments but doesn't detail them for practical observance. Imagine when Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the list of 613 commandments, the people naturally asked straightforward questions like "What is *tzitzit*? How do you prepare a mezuzah?" Moses would not have responded, "Guess and figure it out on your own!" Consider the *Torah* passage about the wood gatherer on *Shabbat* (Numbers 15). The Israelites knew they had to execute the *Shabbat* violator, but unsure of the method, they didn't interpret the command according to their wisdom. Moses awaited Hashem's guidance on the matter, highlighting the necessity of the *Oral Torah*. How else would they recognize collecting wood as a prohibited activity on *Shabbat* when the Torah doesn't specify? The practical necessity of the *Oral Torah* indicates that Moses provided the Israelites with explicit instructions for the 613 commandments, which were orally passed down and later documented by Rabbi Judah the Prince in the *Mishnah*, elucidated in the *Talmud*'s forty tractates. Interested in more? The following articles explore this subject further: - The Source of the *Oral Torah* in the Torah - What Did We Receive at Sinai? - What Exactly Is the *Oral Torah*? Where Did Sects Opposed to the *Oral Torah* Come From? Historically, four sects claimed to observe the commandments directly from the Torah without external interpretation, each understanding those written commandments in varied ways: 1. Samaritans 2. Sadducees 3. Boethusians 4. Karaites Other smaller sects have vanished without much trace. Most sects emerged during difficult times for the Israelites, when rulers changed, and some opposed rabbinical authority. During the Second Temple period, roughly 150 years BCE, two sects split from Rabbinic Judaism (the Pharisees of the time). Around then, significant Hellenistic influences and the Maccabean revolt were occurring. Here's an overview of their beliefs and practices by their emergence: 1) The Samaritans: About 800 people today, mostly in Shechem and Holon. The Samaritans claim to be descendants of ancient Israelite tribes. Historically, they're mentioned primarily in the *Talmudic* sources and identified by the sages (the sages) as a people of foreign origin partially converted to Judaism by the Assyrians. The Samaritans dispute this account, identifying as pure Jews exiled to Assyria, rejecting the *Oral Torah* and understanding commandments directly from the Torah's simple meaning. Notably, they accept only the Five Books of Moses and reject the rest of the Hebrew Bible. They keep beliefs like the soul's immortality and claim the Holy Temple should be on Mount Gerizim, not Jerusalem. Their conflict with the Jews began during Ezra and Nehemiah's time when they were not allowed to participate in building the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Since then, tensions have persisted. Jewish law has debated interactions with the Samaritans extensively, acknowledging that sometimes Samaritans observed specific commandments with greater strictness than the Israelites. However, due to their rejection of most commandments and the *Oral Torah*, their numbers are declining. 2) The Sadducees: Emerged and disappeared swiftly. Rabbinic sources link the Sadducees to a founder named Zadok, a disciple of Antigonus of Sokho. Like others, they rejected the *Oral Torah*, interpreting commandments literally. They left no writings and supposedly peaked during the Second Temple. Josephus describes the Sadducees as similar to the Essenes in laws and customs but more closely related to the Hellenistic rulers. Sadducees didn't believe in resurrection or angels' existence. While they accepted the Hebrew Bible, they often resisted rabbinic traditions, such as *eye for an eye* interpreted literally. Materialistic and politically aligned with Greek rulers, they vanished after the Second Temple's destruction. 3) The Boethusians: Emerged and vanished like the Sadducees. The Boethusians split from mainstream Judaism, resisting the *Oral Torah*. They are linked to a founder named Boethus and connected to priestly families in Alexandria. Unlike Sadducees, Boethusians were less involved in politics, yet shared disbelief in the resurrection and afterlife punishments, often opposing rabbinical leadership. 4) The Karaites: Around 40,000 worldwide, predominantly in Ramla and Jerusalem. The Karaites separated from rabbinic Judaism, starting with Anan ben David in the 8th century CE in Babylon. Anan wrote the "Book of Commandments," interpreting the commandments literally straight from the Bible. His interpretations appear irrational compared to modern understandings. Anan opposed rabbinic rule, imprisoned by authorities as a traitor. Rescued by claiming independence from Rabbinic Judaism, he formed the Karaite sect, focusing on independent scriptural interpretations, rejecting the *Oral Torah*. Their understanding evolved over time, showing inconsistency in interpretation. The Karaites accept beliefs in the soul's immortality, resurrection, and the Messiah. They adopted more rabbinic-like traditions such as having a Bar Mitzvah for thirteen-year-olds. They main differences include skepticism about rabbinic laws, yet they mimic traditions like using tefillin and mezuzah inscriptions as cultural rather than religious mandates. Despite rejecting the *Oral Torah*, each sect offered a unique interpretation of scriptures. Historically, these sects branched from Rabbinic Judaism, all claiming plain scripture comprehension, yet diverging greatly in practices and beliefs, even within themselves over generations. Examples include changing perspectives on marriage and purity laws, once nearly leading to the sect's extinction, but modern Karaites believe their ancestors misunderstood these laws. The truth is, no individual, Karaite, or otherwise, can determine if an act is prohibited on *Shabbat* merely by reading the scripture without understanding what constitutes 'labor.' This insight reinforces the necessity and authenticity of the *Oral Torah*, essential for understanding commands from the written Torah. The IF truth should be stated: even a Karaite cannot decide alone if work is prohibited on *Shabbat* because scripture doesn't specify what's considered work. Without the *Oral Torah*, understanding the Bible is incomplete, requiring oral elucidation passed down through generations. The rabbis passing on interpretations from generation to generation presented an ever-consistent understanding of the *Torah*. Contrarily, sects like the Samaritans and Karaites, lacking such consistent interpretation, often altered interpretations drastically over time, which shows the importance of tradition in accurately practising commandments. Despite differences, these sects don't represent the wider Jewish tradition; they are seen as minority views historically separate from the broader Jewish community throughout time. Today, when the world thinks of "Jews," it identifies with rabbinic traditions and symbols recognized globally. This highlights the centrality of the *Oral Torah* and its rabbinic keepers as an integral part of Jewish identity throughout history.