The Karaite literary opponents of Saadiah Gaon.

Original cloth bdg. Demy 8vo. (22 x 14 cm). In English. [vii], 104 p. The Karaite literary opponents of Saadiah Gaon. The literary campaign that Saadiah, first among the Rabbanites, started against the Karaites, and whose external history I have on a former occasion attempted to trace, found the foe ready to join battle. There arose a complete array of Karaite scholars, who, either in special writings, or incidentally in the course of their works, repelled the attacks of Saadiah with energy. But they were not content to remain on the defensive. They speedily assumed an offensive attitude, and endeavoured, with varying degrees of success, to overthrow the arguments and proofs advanced by Saadiah in support of the Oral Law. A disagreeable element in the campaign is the personal abuse into which the controversy often degenerated: objective treatises are marred by regrettable recrimination. It must, however, be admitted that in this respect both parties sinned, although perhaps the Karaites sinned the more deeply. The controversy initiated by Saadiah's activity did not cease with his death. It was not confined to the Gaon alone, but drew within its range the whole of Rabbinism.