JEWISH RESEARCH AMERICAN ACADEMY - KJU Online

AMERICAN ACADEMY
FOR
JEWISH RESEARCH
PROCEEDINGS
VOL. XLIII
1976
NEW YORK CITY
1976
CENTER FOR JUDAIC
STUDIES
LIBRARY

THE· PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON
TO THE KARAITES
by LEON NEMOY
More than half a century ago the late lamented Jacob Mann
published an anonymous document preserved iua manuscript in
the Bodleian Library, which he entitled "A Tract by au Early
Karaite Settler in Jerusalem."Ol Later, in his Texts and Studies,02
he assigned the tract to. Daniel al~Qumisi (end of 9th-beginning
of 10th century), and I accordingly included an extract from it in
'English translation iumy Karaite Anthology,03 among texts ascribed
to Daniel. Since then it has received but little attention from
students of Karaism.
Mann's principal reason, aside from some similarities. of wording,
for assigning the document to Daniel was the appeal, incorporated
in it, to the Karaites in the Dispersion to come and settle
in Jerusalem, or, if they do not choose to do so for economic
reasons, at least to send. out a five-man delegation from each'
foreign town, "together with their sustenance", who would settle
in the Holy City and spend their time in prayer for the redemption
of Israel and Zion. Since Daniel was, so far as we now know,
the .earliest eminent Karaite. scholar to mOve from the original
Iraqi-Iranian center of Karaism to· Jerusalem, the hypothesis of
his authorship is reasonable enough, although it must, it seems
to me, remain conjectural, pending more substantial proof. In
Karaite literature, where authors freely and consistently borrow
from their predecessors without explicit acknowledgment, similarities
in subject matter, argumentation, and style are at best infirm
crutches with which to support assignment of authorship, and more
01 JQR XII (1921/22), 257-298.
02 II (philadelphia, 1935), 5.
03 New Haven, 1952, pp. 34-39.
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NEMOY
convincing proof must be discovered before the authorship of a
particular piece can be regarded as definitely settled.
But the document does not really need the cachet of Daniel's
name to deserve far more attention than it has received so far.
Presumably the author was a resident of Jerusalem - one must
give him the credit for practicing what he preached - although the
text itself does not explicitly say so, nor does it exhibit any evidence
of his familiarity with the topography of the Holy City or
even of Palestine. What is more important is that the text palpably
belongs to a very early period of Karaite history. It is not an
orderly literary composition by a trained and experienced scholar,
but rather a rambling and badly organized sermon, in awkward
Hebrew,04 delivered by a Karaite preacher vastly inferior in scholarship,
eloquence, and persuasiveness to his far superior 10th century
colleague, Sahl ben Ma~li:al;1.o5The author quotes only one Rabbanite
work, the Mishnah, and that only once (p. 18), which perhaps
suggests that he could not easily navigate through a scholarly
Rabbinic text. Nor does he mention any Karaite scholar by name,
although he clearly criticizes some of the doctrines of Anan, Benjamin
al-NahiiwandY, and no doubt others. He jumps from one
topic to another without much logical order, repeats himself, and
often belabors a point to unnecessary and annoying excess. In short,
he gives us a good idea of what a very early Karaite preacher
sounded like before Karaism developed its superbly trained cadres
of learned and skillful homilists and apologists typified by Sahl.
Unlike Sahl - one more mark of the text's early date and one
more indication of its historical importance - the author addresses
himself not to a Rabbanite audience but to "our brethren", his
own fellow Karaites. Aside from the customary condemnation
of Rabbanism as "a man-made precept learned by rote" (rmm
04 I cannot agree with Mann's view that the work "is written in fluent and
correct Hebrew" (loc. cu. in n. or, p. 272). The style is at best lame, and often
requires intensive effort in eliciting the syntactic interrelationship of words
and phrases. It certainly cannot match the fluency and clarity of Sahl's style.
05 See my recent paper, "The Epistle of Sahl ben Ma~nab," P AAJR 38/39
O~~I~n .
[2]
[3]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
i1,r.i'r.i l:l''iZi:J~, Isa. 29 :13), the author wastes little time in polemicizing
against the Rabbanites,and concentrates his main effort
on setting straight his own fellow sectarians. Evidently the state
of their souls aroused a serious alarm in his mind.
"Accept nothing from any man," he admonishes them, evidently
not even from Anan and his associate patres synagogae, "but only
that which is written in the Torah" - an echo of Anan's famous
dictum "Search diligently in the Torah, and rely not on my opinion."
Do your own study in the Torah, for "he who relies upon
one of the (presumably Karaite) teachers of the Dispersion, without
investigating thoroughly (in the Torah) according to his own wisdom,
is the same as if he had engaged in alien worship" - strong
language indeed, and characteristic of the early schismatics who
rejected all non-Scriptural authority, whether Rabbanite or non­
Rabbanite, however learned and however impressive it may be.
Ultimate reward and punishment will be meted out, he continues, to
both body and spirit of man, not to spirit alone, as some Karaite
freethinkers think and teach. God is sole Creator, and no one else
may be associated with Him in the work of creation - an obvious
slap at Benjamin al-Nahiiwandl's (2nd quarter of the 9th century)
theory of the angelic demiurge. Scriptural law is sole authority,
and he who adds man-made law to it is to be ostracized. Sorcery
and divination are vain. The Tetragrammaton should never be pronounced
as it is spelled, but only as Ad6niiy - some Karaites pronounced
it as YHWH.06 The original Ark of the Covenant should
not be reproduced in the shape of the synagogal ark, and the
synagogal Scrolls of Scripture should be kept in a plain utilitarian
chest which should be accorded no special marks of reverence, for
no synagogue can be equivalent to the Sanctuary in Jerusalem,
nor is prayer equivalent to animal sacrifice - again an obvious
06 "Some of the Karaites of Khurasan ... assert that he who pronounces
it (the Tetragrammaton) as if it were spelled alef dalet, is guilty of unbelief"
(al-Qirqisani, Kitiib aI-anway, ed. Nemoy, I, 62, 14-15 = HUCA 1/1930, 395;
cf. ibid., I, 161, 13 ff.).
51

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NEMOY
criticism of Anan.o7 The prolonged Dispersion, so unlike the com­
paratively short Babylonian exile, is due to the corruption of the
"shepherds of the Dispersion", who in their ignorance of the truth
misled their own flock into violation of Scriptural precepts, instead
of leading them to return to the Lord and His Torah, and some
individuals who "call themselves Karaites" were induced to follow
their erring ways. Some of these self-styled Karaites willfully post­
pone the dates of Passover and Tabernacles, nullify the uncleanness
of a corpse, a leprous person, and a heathen, deny the ultimate
resurrection of the dead, do not watch for the appearance
of fresh ears of corn to determine t.he date of Passover, and dis­
patch mail and cargo on the Sabbath (no doubt by Gentile carriers).
Their whole mode ofliving is deplorable: "they rush around
with merchandise, rich and poor, in the manner of the Gentiles ...
continually pursuing ... profit ... Therefore do they nDt turn to
8ea:ch in the Torah for what is the way of truth." And e';cn the
intervals between such periods of frantic pursuit of worldly gain
are devoted by them not to Torah but to "reel(ing) with wine and
beer in the banquet chambers Therefore have they forgotten
Jerusalem and are not grieving on her account." A formidable
indictment indeed, strongly reminiscent of Sahl's ringing j'accuse
directed against the Rabbanites.
Repent therefore, warns the author, turn away from apat{lY and
self-indulgence, and return to Jerusalem to pray to the Lord for
mercy and deliverance. Fear 110t the Rabbanites, seeing that the
ruling Muslims are inclined to favor the Karaites over the Rabbanites.
On the contrary, try to "strengthen those whose hands
have grown weak (in Torah)." But in doing so, be sure to approach
the Rabbanites in a spirit and manner of brotherly compassion
and love, "and admonish them with words of peace, and
not of strife and contention" - a striking reversal of the usual
scenario painted by Sahl and others, in which peaceful approaches
by meek Karaite scholars are met with maledictions and curses
07 See my remarks in Karoite Anthology, pp. 271-272, and in Studies ... in
Honor of 1. Edward Kiev (New York, 1971), p. 307.
[4]
[5] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
from their intolerant and arrogant Rabbanite opponents. Observe
all Scriptural precepts, the author appeals to his fellow schismatics:
the only precepts that are no longer operative are those that are
dependent wholly upon the "chosen place" (the Sanctuary in Jerusalem),
such as sacrifices and their like. All other precepts are
still obligatory, including those dependent upon both the "chosen
place" and the priest. In the case of these latter, only the part
dependent upon the "chosen place" is no longer operative; the
part dependent upon the priest is still capable of being observed
and therefore should be observed. Some precepts apply to both
Israelites and Gentiles, others to Israelites alone.
It is in this bird's eye view of contemporary Karaite society
that the chief importance of this remarkable document lies. It is
a radically different society from the one described by Sahl, perhaps
as much as a century or so later. Since the author addresses
his own "brethren", and presumably expects his sermon to be kept
away from hostile eyes, he feels free to speak frankly and to the
point, without fear of playing into the hands of his Rabbanite
adversaries. And frank indeed he is. The Karaites within his pur­
view are not the congregation of unworldly dreamy-eyed pietists
limned by Sahl, but a group of worldly, energetic, and hardheaded
merchants and traders, fairly successful in their pursuits, living in'
more or less comfortable circumstances, and giving little more than
lip service to theology and to the desolated state of Zion. Not
only are they not particularly pious, but they even see no harm
in adopting some Rabbanite or Rabbanite-inspired relaxations of
particularly inconvenient and burdensome Scriptural precepts, as
well as serious modifications of some major dogmatic principles
inspired by Rabbanite and/or Muslim students of Greek-based
secular philosophy. Nor are they loath to engage in word-battles
with their Rabbanite cousins, at which they give tit for tat to
any rough language used by the latter, and do not at all turn the
other cheek to meet Rabbanite verbal blows. That all this is a
more believable picture of Karaite society in the author's time, and
a more truthful one than Sahl's idealized congregation of saints,
is in my judgment self-evident. The contents of the sermon, its
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NEMOY
frankness, and its very awkwardness seem to assure the reader that
the author "tells it like it is" (if one may be permitted to use a
slangy turn of phrase), because he is speaking privately to his own
brethren and has no fear of being overheard by hostile outsiders.
Unfortunately, neither the beginning nor the end of the sermon
has been preserved. Mann's text is, as usual with him, competently
and accurately edited, but it still requires correction in a substantial
number of places, and so does the transcription and interpretation
of the Arabic and Persian glosses. I assumed that these
are glosses interpolated by copyists or readers and have therefore
consigned them to the footnotes, although in some instances it is
at least possible that they came from the author's own pen, when
in his insufficient command of Hebrew he was not sure that the
Hebrew term or phrase chosen by him really conveyed the idea
he had in mind.os For parallels from, and comparisons with, other
early sources, both Karaite and Rabbanite, the reader is referred
to Mann's prefatory remarks.o9 Perhaps Mann himself would have
appended an English translation had he not felt pressed to avoid
doubling the size of his already bulky article. In any case, the
translation given here should, I think, facilitate the proper appreciation
and utilization of this valuable text. The detailed infor­
mation provided by this text on early Karaite doctrines, including
some (e.g., the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton) that are
usually dealt with only briefly in Karaite works, adds to its importance
as an historical document that should be consulted more
frequently and exploited more thoroughly in reconstructing a more
factual picture of early Karaism.
08 Mann (p. 272) assumes that the Arabic and Persian glosses are the
author's own, and therefore constitute evidence of his Iraqi-Iranian origin,
or at least of the use of Persian in his immediate social circle. If so, he was
very sparing in the use of such glosses. They would have been helpful to his
hearers and readers in many other places of his sermon, particularly in the
case of many rather difficult Scriptural quotations (even assuming that in his
autograph manuscript these quotations were written out in full, and were
not for the most part reduced to acronyms, as they appear in the Bodleian
manuscript).
09 JQR XII, 257-273.
[6]
[7]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
[Ultimate punishment]
273 ." Voiceless and uncircumcised, in order to intermix with all man­
ner of persons afflicted with flux or leprosy or unclean by reason
of (contact with) a corpse. They lapsed out of serving the Lord
into the servitude of their enemies, in hunger, and in thirst, and
in nakedness, and in want of all things (Deut. 28 :48). Therefore the
Lord waxed wroth with them, and their prayer is not heard. What
vengeance and requital is more grievous than this? Hence it is
written, How hath the Lord ... cast down from heaven unto the earth
the beauty of Israel, etc.? (Lam. 2:1). Is this not requital of some
sins in this world, as it is written, I will requite into their bosom
(Isa. 65 :6). And there will also be complete requital in the worldto-come.
Whosoever denies this by saying, "This is not requital,"
is transgressing and denying the Lord (Isa. 59: 13). Whosoever says,
"There is requital upon the spirit alone, not upon the body," is
conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood (ibid.).
Is it not written in Scripture, Thy dead shall live, etc. (Isa. 26:19)?
This is known by eyesight, 1 not that it is merely the Congregation
of Israel that say so.
Now therefore return unto the Torah of the Lord, for all these
aforementioned, their words are falsehood and in contradiction
with the words of the Torah. Do not go astray after extraneous:?
matters. They are falsehood and folly, an abomination unto the
274 Lord, II for extraneous2 matters have corrupted many, down to
this day, and have been likened unto a harlot, For she hath cast
down many wounded (Prov. 7:26), None that go unto her return,
neither do they attain unto (the paths of life) (Prov. 2:19).
1 That is to say, the fact that some sins are requited in this world is visible
to the eye.
2 Gloss (Arabic): barriini.
3 JV (Jewish Version, pub. by the Jewish Publication Society of America,
1917): a commandment a/men, learned by rate; the standard Karaite term for
Rabbanism.
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NEMOY
[Torah is sole authority]
Abandon ye therefore a man-made precept learned by rote3 (Isa.
29:13) and not taken from the Torah. Accept nothing from any
man, but only that which is written in the Torah of the Lord.
[God, the Creator, is one]
For the beginning of all precepts is the fear of the Lord, and the
beginning of the fear of the Lord is the avoidance of pride and
arrogance, the abandonment of anger and envy, the assumption
of humility, and the knowledge of, and belief in, the oneness of
the Lord. And the beginning of (the knowledge of) the oneness
(of the Lord) is the knowledge that He created the world out of
nothing, as it is written, In the beginning God created the heaven
and the earth (Gen. 1 :1). The meaning of in the beginning is that
these were the beginning of all creatures. Any thing which has a
limit and an end and is subject to accident is in itself witness and
sign that it is created, is not pre-existent, and will eventually cease.
We learn this from what is written, 1have seen an end to every
purpose, etc. (Ps. 119 :96), Man setteth an end to darkness (Job
28 :3), meaning, be it known unto you that heaven and carth, light
and darkness, as you observe their farthest boundary,4 it (all) indicates5
in itself the one sole Creator, and not two antagonistic
creators. Th,,"t I" why Scripture says, Thy fattlifulness is unto all
generations. (Thou hast established the earth, and it standeth). They
stand this day according to Thine ordinances, (for all things are
Thy servants) (Ps. 119 :90-91). Their standing always according to
their order6 indicates that they are like servants who are directed
but do not direct.
He7 who was is He who shall be, for there is no second to
Him who might countermand His works. He created man in a
form distinct from all other creatures, (possessed) of intelligence,
4 Paraphrase of the next sentence in Job 28 :3, and searcheth out TO the
furthest bound.
S Gloss (Arabic): daW.
6 Gloss (Arabic: 'al[ii] rasmihim.
7 Reading 11';1\1/ 'r.l (not nr.l, as Mann suggests).
[8]
[9]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
choice of mind,8 and speech of tongue, so that man might lead
himself5 (to the realization) that there is over him One who will
inquire, call to account, and pass judgment upon him. Hence
Scripture says, He that instructeth nations, shall not He correct,
even He that teacheth man knowledge? (Ps. 94:10), (to indicate)
that man's intelligence leads5 him (to the realization) that there
is over him One who inquires as well as creates, as it is written,
Then without my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:26).
[Ultimate judgment (continued)]
Here too, in this world, there are visible requitals, such as earthquake,
consumption, fever, and various diseases and plagues, so
that one may know that there is requital for all deeds. Not for
every thing, however, does He make speedy9 requital, to indicate
that there is yet another world, where all deeds are requited.
Hence Solomon, when he saw that in the place of righteousnesslO
... wickedness was there (Ecc!. 3:16) - meaning, when he saw the
righteous stumbling while the wicked prospered - said that surely
God 'Willnot act unjustly, rather both the righteous and the wicked
275 God will judge (Ecd. 3 :17); whence, said he, I know II that there
is a time there for every purpose and for every work (ibid.), there
signifying on the day of (ultimate) visitation. There are heavens
above, as it is written, And there are higher than they (Eccl. 5 :7),
meaning that the heavens are higher than man, to indicate5 that
the Lord is higher than all that are high. He stands guard over
all deeds to inquire (into them), and on the Day of Judgment
He will illuminate their day, which indicates the light sown in
recompense of the righteous,l1 while the darkness of night, the
burning fire, the serpents, and the noxious beasts He has created
on earth to indicateS requital [of the wicked].12 The skin of Moses'
8 Literally "heart".
9 Gloss (Arabic): 'iijil.
10 JV: justice"
11 Cf. Ps. 97:11.
12 Presumably 1:l':Illllin has dropped out here.
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NEMOY
face sending forth beams of light, Elijah's ascension in the whirlwind,
Enoch's translation (to heaven),13 and the prophecy of the
prophets, all indicate the recompense of the righteous which will
not be cut off.
[Torah is sole authority (continued)]
God deposited the Torah with. Israel and called its name an inheritance
of the Congregation of Jacob (Deut. 33 :4), so that one
may know that he who observes man-made precepts, other than
the Lord's Torah, is not of the Congregation of Jacob and has
no share with Israel, and the Lord shall separate him unto evil (out
of all the Tribes of Israel) (Deut. 29:20).
13 Cf. Exod. 34:29, 2 Kings 2:11, Gen. 5:24.
14 Probably read rn'1 (cf. Gen. 26:35). See Rashi, ad ioe.
[10]
[Ultimate judgment (continued)]
God wrote in His Torah concerning Moses and Aaron, the righteous
ones, Because ye believed not in Me (Num. 20:12), by reason
of a minor trespass on their part due to bitterness of spirit, 14 and
let them not enter the Land of Israel, so that one may know that
He will not show favor. This matter He has recorded in the Torah,
so that one may know that the Torah was written not at Moses'
desire but at God's desire and in accordance with His command
to Moses, as it is written, Even as the Lord my God commanded
me (Deut. 4:5). This matter therefore should indicate to Israel (a
warning), lest they should hearken unto their chiefs and their
instructors, other than what is written in the Lord's Torah. He
likewise caused Nadab and Abihu to be burned ill the fire, because
of their trespass in offering strange fire before the Lord, which He
had not commanded them (Lev. 10:1), again indicatingS to Israel
(a warning), lest they should learn anything other than what the
Lord had commanded. He has written further, Through them that
are nigh unto Me will I be sanctified (Lev. 10:3), meaning "will
I make My sanctity known," before Israel's eyes, to let them know
[11]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
that I did not show favor to My nigh ones, Nadab and Abihu,lS
nor to the dignity of Moses and Aaron. Who then can be saved
from His judgment, as it is written, And there is none that can
deliver out of My hand (Deut. 32:39)? Now therefore let yourselves
be admonished, our brethren, for if damp wood can burn,
how can dry chaff save itself?16
Behold in Scripture the judgment eye for eye (Exod. 21 :24),
which indicates that on the Day of Judgment God will judge both
the spirit and the body. Were it as they say, that (ultimate) judgment
shall be executed upon the spirit alone and not upon the
body, would not the Torah's judgments upon the body constitute
injustice, according to their1? view? If, on the other hand, the
judgments of the Torah upon the body are (based) in truth, then
the same must be true of judgment upon the body in the worldto-come,
[God is sole Creator]
Know ye that God alone created the heavens and the earth and
all the things of the world, as it is written, To Him who alone
doeth great wonders (Ps. 136 :4). Elsewhere Scripture proceeds to
276 particularize all II of His handiwork, the heavens, the earth, and
all the things created in them, as it is written, I am the Lord that'
maketlz all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, etc. (Isa,
44:24). There is no angel who creates anything. As for what is
written, For We18 will destroy this place (Gen. 19:13), and similar
instances, they are analogous to the verse, Let us fetch the Ark
of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, (that if19 may
15 Who were sons of Aaron, and therefore "nigh ones".
16 The wicked is likened to dry chaff which catches fire easily and is quickly
consumed. The righteous is figured as damp wood, the moisture permeating
it making it fire resistant. Yet the righteous, too, is fallible and not without
sin, which, if not atoned for, will in the end cause him, too, to "burn".
17 Presumably read Oil'''':!''1:::1, as in the preceding line. The punishments
prescribed for violation of Scriptural precepts are all corporal and affect
directly the culprit's body, and only indirectly his spirit.
18 The pronoun refers to the two angels who came to visit Lot (Gen. 19:1).
19 JV: He.
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NEMOY
[12]
come among us, and save us) (1 Sam. 4:3) - the Ark was but
acacia wood, how could it save anyone? How did Moses divide the
sea ?20 How did Elisha revive the son of the Shunamite woman ?21
In all these instances did not the Lord alone do all these things?
So also in all such things it is He alone who does them. Angels
are meant only to show themselves, not to create anything.
[Sorcery and divination are vain]
Do not make inquiries of them that divide the heavens, that gaze
(at the starsJ22 (Isa. 47:13), to forecast good or evil. Lend no
credence to whisper, amulet,23 or all sorcery and their like, nor
to all that the Rabbanites say about the use of "the unclean
'name" and "the clean Name".24 Do not do according to the ways
of the Gentiles for the delivered woman, for the sick, or for inflammation25
of tDe eye, for all such are an abomination unto the
Lord.
[Pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton]
Do not uttei the name of the Lord according to its letters, other
than "Lord",26 for he who does so is liable to the death penalty,
as it is written, And he that uttereth27 the name of the Lord, he
shall surely be put to death ... when he uttereth the Name (Lev.
24:16),28 uttereth meaning "pronounces a person's name," as it
20 Exad. 14:16 ff.
21 2 Kings 4:18 ff,
22 So Gesenius-Brown; JV: the astrologers, the stargazers.
23 Gloss (Arabic): ta'iiwidh (not ta'wir, as Mann suggests).
24 The name of Satan and of God, respectively; or, according to Mann
(p. 262), names of evil and good spirits.
25 11£l'iil!, being Biblical, is probably correct, and Mann's emendation 11£l''1il!
seems unnecessary.
26 That is to say, do not pronounce the Tetragrammaton as it is spelled
(Yahweh), but replace it with Ad6niiy.
27 JV: blasphemeth.
28 Gloss (Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian): "Know that the meaning of uttereth
in the (Arabic) tongue ofIshmael is 'he that makes distinct and clear (musharril;z
[13J THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 61
is written, That are uttered29 by name (Num. 1:17). No one in
Israel may interpret "utter a name" in the sense of "curse", since
the meaning "pronounce" is evident from Which the mouth of
the Lord shall utter (Isa. 62:2), The uttered ones of the first of
the nations (Amos 6:1), and Utter thy wages (Gen. 30:28).30 So
also he that uttereth the name of the Lord signifies "he that pronounceth,"
as it does in How shall I utter whom God hath not
277 uttered? (Num. 23 :8) II and Peoples shall utter him (Prov. 24 :24).31
All these, and their like, signify the pronouncing of a thing's
name, and so does he that uttereth the name of the Lord. Many,
however, have erred in the interpretation of How shall I utter
whom God hath not uttered?, under the impression that it signifies
[cursing], but this is not so; rather he that uttereth and its like
signify mentioning a thing's explicit name, whether in praise or
in reproach - in praise, as in Which the mouth of the Lord shall
utter; in reproach, as in Peoples shall utter him, meaning "shall
mention his name in reproach." Indeed, in the verse, And the
son of the Israelitish woman uttered32 the Name, and cursed (Lev.
24: 11),33 uttered clearly means "pronounced the name of the Lord
according to its letters," as you must perceive from the fact that
it is immediately followed by and cursed. So also in the first instance
Scripture say~ he that uttereth (Lev. 24:16) alone, and in.
wa-mubayyin),' that is to say, he who expresses the name of God according
to its spelling (yufassir ism Alliih bil-hiiii'). In the Persian language uttereth
means 'the specifier that makes blasphemy (wa-farii'iqlln an kufaran kunad)'."
The grammatical form of the first word (an Arabic loanword in Persian) is
not clear to me. See also below, note 30.
29 JV: pointed out.
30 JV: mark out, the notable men, appoint, respectively. Gloss to the third
verse: (Arabic): "state your wages (bayyin kirii'aka)"; (Persian): "Explain,
specify your wages (ishral;zfiriiqan muzd-i ta)." The grammatical form of the
first two words (Arabic loanwords in Persian) is not clear to me. See also
above, note 28.
31 JV: curse ... cursed, curse, respectively.
32 JV: blasphemed.
33 Gloss: "Meaning in the (Arabic) tongue of Ishmael, 'gave a byname
(laqaba)'; and in the Persian laBguage, 'took a name (niim [not tiim, as Mann
has it] ginftr."

62
[Rely not on teachers!]
What I had in my mind concerning the uttering of the Lord's
name, that have I written down for you. As for you, do ye investigate
the matter according to your own wisdom, lest you should
do according to my wisdom in reliance upon my opinion.35 He
who relies36 upon one of the teachers of the Dispersion, without
investigating thoroughly according to his own wisdom, is the same
as if he had engaged in alien worship. For anyone who follows
34 See 1 Sam. 6:19.
NEMOY
[14]
the preceding verse whosoever curseth (Lev. 24:15), the one (obviously)
not synonymous with the other. Similarly in the case of
How shall I utter? and Peoples shall utter him, had Scripture not
explained these by the following And how shall I execrate whom
the Lord hath not execrated? (Num. 23 :8) and Nations shall execrate
him (Prov. 24:24), it would not have been known that these are
references in reproach.
Know then, our brethren, that whosoever utters the name of
the Lord according to its letters is liable to the death penalty,
even if he utters it in praise and not in reproach, as in He that
uttereth the name of the Lord ... when he uttereth the Name. In my
judgment~this prohibition is akin to And the common man that
draweth nigh shall be put to death (Num. 3:10), which applies even
to the Levites who would draw nigh to sing and to carry the Ark
of the Lord, as it is written concerning them, But they shall not
touch the holy things ... But they shall not go in to see the holy
things (Num. 4:15, 20); and indeed multitudes of persons died
because they gazed upon the Ark of the Lord.34 All this is meant
to impress upon our souls the awe and fear of the Lord, which
is also the reason for And he that uttereth the name of the Lord,
he shall surely be put to death, for the sake of this fear and dread
of the Lord. Now therefore beware of uttering (he Lord's name
except as Ad6nay.
35 'll;7i l:>:lll;7i11i17, almost the same wording as in Anan's famous dictum,
'T1;7i 7;7 1mlZlli 7N1 ..,'tllll NT1'..,1lil::l.1lZ1'cn.
[15]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
a man-made precept learned by rote, and not the Lord's Torah, is
like one engaged in alien worship. That is why Scripture speaks
reproachfully through Ezekiel to all those who follow precepts
other than those uttered by the Lord, as it is written, Go ye, serve
everyone his idols... (My holy name shall yeno more profane with
your gifts) (Ezek. 20 :39). By this pronouncement Scripture tells
us that whosoever worships the Lord outside of the Lord's Torah,
by observing a man-made precept learned by rote, or by offering
holy offerings and all gifts to priests and Levites in the Dispersion,
is the same as an idol-worshiper, and profanes the Lord's
name. After your gifts Scripture goes on to say, (For in My holy
mountain .. .) there will I accept them, and not in any other place,
and there will I require your heave offerings (Ezek. 20:40), (at that
time) will He require them, and not in tRis present day.37 Following
this it is written, With your sweet savor will I accept you (Ezek.
20:41) - the Lord will not accept all these until the day when
He will have restored priest and sacrifice to Mount Moriah in
Jerusalem, in the building of His Sanctuary. Today it is forbid-
278 den to offer incense and set up lights, and say [I that this is in
accordance with the Lord's command, as do the Rabbanites, for
is it not written, It is an incense38 of abomination unto Me (Isa.
1 :13)?
[Ark in synagogue forbidden]
If you [no longer]39 have the (original) Ark to keep the (holy)
Scroll therein, deposit the Torah in (a chest in each) one of your
synagogues, but do not place it in front of you to bow before it
according to the custom of the forefathers, who built a chest with
a Scroll of the Torah in it, and draped it with a woven curtain,
in the manner of the Ark of the Covenant. Do not do thus, for
36 Gloss (Arabic): mutaqallid (so read, not bi-taqlid).
37 The translation is conjectural; the text seems to be corrupt.
38 JV: offering.
39 The sense seems to require the insertion of l'N. It seems that n::l.'li here
and 11;/It in the next sentence, two lines below, should change places.
63

64 NEMOY [16] [17] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 65
it is forbidden, and you know that there was no ark in all the
Land of Israel to worship the Lord before it save the Ark of the
Covenant, alone in all the Land of Israel, namely the one inside
the Temple Hall.
Now then, our brethren in Israel, return from your (present)
way and do not do thus, for the Lord will not accept this from
you. And know that if you designate any place as a sanctuary,
other than the one so sanctified by the Lord, it is the same as
an act of worshiping other gods. For He has said, Ye shall ...
reverence My Sanctuary (Lev. 19:30), hence it is forbidden to
reverence any place other than the Lord's Sanctuary. Alternately,
the Lord has said, Behold, I will profane My Sanctuary (Ezek.
24 :21) - how then can you say that after having profaned His
Sanctuary, He has consecrated any other sanctuary in the world?
[Prayer not equivalent to sacrifice]
Know ye also that prayer is not the same as sacrifice, for sacrifice
is not acceptable except when offered at the chosen place by
the hand of a man from the chosen Tribe, that is to Say, in the
Lord's Sanctuary by the hands of officiants from the children of
Aaron clad in holy vestments. Not so prayer, which is permitted
to any man that is clean, is clad in any clean, but not holy, garments,
and is in any clean place. It is [not]40 for us to say that
no prayer may be offered except in a sanctified place, for he who
designates a non-precept as a precept is the same as if he had
designated a precept as a non-precept. Do you not know that
the Lord has designated all the lands of the Gentiles as unclean
ground, because of the Gentiles' uncleanness, and has called even
the Land of Israel an unclean land (Ezra 9:11), by reason of Gentiles
being therein, as it is written, through the uncleanness of the
peoples of the lands (ibid.)? A holy place cannot be (situated) upon
unclean ground, and he who designates a non-precept as a precept
is the same as a worshiper of other gods. Hence it is written,
And the Lord shall scatter you among the peoples ... and there ye
40 Read [l'N] i:m (which makes Mann's emendation N~' unnecessary).
shall serve gods, the work of men's hands (Deut. 4:27-28) - where
today is there among Israel any worship of wooden or stone idols?
Know therefore that all festive seasons, statutes, and judgments
not ordained by the Lord are the same as the worship of other
gods, which is why Scripture says, Go ye, serve everyone his idols,
even because ye will not hearken unto Me (Ezek. 20:39). All manmade
precepts learned by rote are the same as the worship of
wood and stone, they are statutes that are not good, and ordinances
whereby they cannot live (Ezek. 20:25).
[Reason for the long Dispersion]
Now then consider, our brethren in Israel, in your hearts, why
has our Dispersion endured at such exceeding length, while the
dispersion of our forefathers in Babylon has lasted no more than
seventy years ? Yet our Dispersion is exceedingly long. Verily the
Lord acts not unjustly, nor is His might too short to save, as it
is written, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save, etc. (Isa. 59: 1). Why then does He not save us, notwith-
279 standing that we all confess II the Lord and His Torah? Know
therefore that our forefathers knew the way of the precepts in
the Lord's Torah, hence they knew that they should return to
the Lord, and having so returned, they cried out to the Lord, and,
He delivered them. Today, however, in our Dispersion, we serve
the Lord according to a man-made precept learned by rote, and
not according to the Lord's Torah, as it is written, Now for long
seasons Israel was without the true God (2 Chron. 15:3), without
the true God signifying that all alien worship, not in: accordance
with the Lord's Torah, is not (worship) of the Lord, hence Scripture
goes on to say, and without the Torah (ibid.). That is why
the Lord does not answer us nor deliver us, because our deeds
follow a man-made precept learned by rote, as it is written, And
their fear of Me is a man-made precept learned by rote (Isa. 29:13).
For prophets have ceased from among Israel, and Israel have therefore
become like unto blind men, as it is written, For the Lord ...
hath closed your eyes; the prophets, and your heads, the seers, hath
He covered (Isa. 29:10). Thus knowledge was lost from among

66
NEMOY
[18]
Israel, as a following verse puts it, And the wisdom of their wise
men shall perish (Isa. 29:14), and it is written (elsewhere), My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6). That is why
the Sages who followed the prophets, that is to say, the Rabbis
who lived during the time of the second Temple, after the prophets,
had no knowledge, and it is to them that the verse And
the wisdom of their wise men shall perish refers, as does the verse
Her king and her princes are among the nations, Torah is no more
(Lam. 2:9). Is it not among the nations that are the kings of
Israel, the exilarchs, their officials, the heads of the academies,
and all their deputies and their judicators? Not out of the Torah
did they teach Israel, but rather they invented precepts out of
their own hearts, as it is written, a man-made precept learned by
rote (Isa. 29: 13).
[Corruption of Sabbath and festivals]
They corrupted the Sabbath and reversed the festive seasons, hence
it is written, The Lord has let be forgotten in Zion appointed season
and Sabbath (Lam. 2 :6), and again, I will also let all her mirth
cease, her feasts, her New Moons (Hos. 2:13). Know that they
have ordained the observance of the Sabbath not according to
the Lord's Torah, and of the festive seasons not at their proper
times, as they have said concerning the festive seasons, "Whether
at their proper time or not at their proper time, I know of no
other festive seasons save these" (Rosh ha-Shanah 2:9),41 the word
"these" meaning the ones which they arbitrarily declare. The meaning
of The Lord hath let be forgotten in Zion appointed season and
41 The quotation refers to the controversy between Gamaliel II and Iris
court, on the one side, and Joshua ben Hananiah, on the other, in matters
of the calendar, the latter finally bowing to the authority of the former. The
court was the authority in fixing the calendar, on the basis of the Scriptural
verse, These are the appointed seasons of the Lord ... which ye shall proclaim
(Lev. 23:4), the emphasis being laid on ye, meaning the Israelite court, shall
proclaim. The court heard the testimony of witnesses to the sighting of the
new moon, deternrined their credibility, and fixed the day commencing the
new month.
[19]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
Sabbath and of I will also let all her mirth cease, her feasts is the
same as the meaning of 0 Lord, why dost Thou let us err from
Thy ways? (Isa. 63: 17) -. Scripture does not say here that the
Lord has made us err or has caused to be forgotten and to cease
Sabbath and festive seasons. Rather the Lord having cast Israel
into the land of Dispersion and denied them prophets, they consequently
went astray like sheep in the wilderness deprived of a
shepherd, and forgot to observe Sabbaths and the proper times
of festive seasons. Hence it is written, I have gone astray like a
lost sheep (Ps. 119:176), and My people hath been lost sheep (Jer.
50 :6). By this token will you know that these verses refer to the
shepherds of the Dispersion: it is written, Woe unto the shepherds
of Israel, etc., ye did eat the fat, and ye clothed you with the wool,
ye killed the fatlings, but ye fed not the sheep (Ezek. 34:2-3), and
further on, I will require My sheep at their hand, and cause them
to cease from pasturing42 the sheep (Ezek. 34: 10). Does not I will
require My sheep refer to the shepherds of the Dispersion, seeing
280 that they even II permitted to Israel the uncleanness of a corpse and
of the leprous person, and allowed them to perform in the morning
the ablution for the one day's uncleanness? After them there
arose those who, while calling themselves Karaites, yet said, "Passover
and Tabernacles may not fall on a Sabbath, nor are we obli~
gated by the Torah to observe the uncleanness of the corpse, the
leprous person, or the heathen. Hence," said they, "it is written,
And we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses
are as a polluted garment (Isa. 64:5), which signifies that
what we think to be the way of righteousness is to wear a polluted
garment." Therefore is it written, We grope for the wall like
the blind ... we look for right, but there is none, for salvation, but
it is far off from us (Isa. 59:10-11), for we do not know the way
of truth, as it is written, The way of peace they know not (Isa.
59:8), And truth is lacking (Isa. 59: 15), Conceiving and uttering
from the heart words of falsehood (Isa. 59: 13).
42 JV:feeding.
67

68
43 For 11\'7 ':::I presumably read l-I:7i1.
44 Read 'Wl1::J.
NEMOY
[Erring Karaites]
There are also those among the Karaites who say, "The Lord's
judgment falls upon the spirit alone, and not upon the body.
Moreover, we deduce from our own hearts interpretations of much
of Scripture." Is this not43 an illustration of conceiving and uttering
from the heart words of falsehood (Isa. 59: B)? Further more,
they deny44 the resurrection of the dead; hence it is written, transgressing
and denying the Lord (ibid.). There are others among the
Karaites who do not observe the fresh ears,45 and still others who
permit the consumption at the present time of the flesh of cattle
rilld sheep; using metaphorical interpretation46 of Scripture in support
of it, yet that is a false interpretation withal. They also dispatch
cargo and letters on the Sabbath, and do similar things
that are exceedingly grievous in the sight of the Lord, fOl they
rush around with merchandise, rich and poor, in the manner of
the Gentiles, each one in Israel continually pursuing his profit out
of his wares, never ceasing, his soul never satiated with running
after his merchandise according to the measure of his livelihood,
not even when it reaches many thousands (of dinars). Therefore
do they not turn to search in the Torah for what is the way of
truth, because of the extent of their preoccupation with (the pursuit
of) toil and trouble in this world. And (even) when they turn
away for a moment from their wares, they reel (in drunkenness)
with wine and beer in the banquet chambers; hence it is written,
They all turn to their own way, each one to his gain (Isa. 56:11),
all of them (like those) described in the verse But these also reel
through wine (Isa. 28 :7). Therefore have they forgotten Jerusalem II
281 and are not grieving in their hearts on her account, nor mourning
over the cessation of prophecy, of sacrifices unto the Lord,
and of priests and Levites, and over the desecration of the Lord's
Sanctuary. Hence the Lord quarrells with us, and has hidden His
4S The growth of young ears of corn in the Land of Israel, which determines
the beginning of the month of Nisan, and hence the date of Passover.
46 Ta'wil (Arabic), as distinct from literal interpretation (Arabic tafsir).
[20]
[2lJ
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
face from us. Yet we have hardened our necks and emboldened
our faces, and have not turned back to search47 in the Lord's
Torah, as it is written, Let us search and try our ways (Lam. 3 :40),
so that we may know and understand what is the way of truth.
Hence it is written concerning us, Yet have we not entreated the
favor of the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities,
and have discernement in Thy truth (Dan. 9:13). Not one of us
awakens his heart to grieve over this matter and to stand up for
the Lord, as it is written, And there is none that calleth upon Thy
name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee (Isa. 64 :6).
That is why the Lord has spoken through Hosea to the merchants
of the Dispersion, Therefore turn thou to thy God, keep
mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continuously (Has. 12:7),
the latter clause meaning, do not continuously put your trust in
your merchandise, lest you should become estranged from the
Lord's service, but wait for thy God, for He will sustain you. Hence
the next verse reads, As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit
are in his hand, he loveth to oppress (Has. 12:8). This day they
are rushing about and hastening to enrich themselves, they rejoice
in their gain and in the abundance of their silver and gold. But
in the latter part of the end, in the time of distress, such affliction
shall come upon them that they will be unable to save their souls'
at the price of all their possessions, as it is written, Neither their
silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the
Lord's wrath; but the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of
His jealousy; for He will make an end, yea, a terrible end (of all
them that dwell in the earth) (Zeph. 1:18). Then all the rich men
in Israel and their merchants shall be dismayed, and shall confess,
saying, "Woe unto us! What have we done with our souls? All
our labors with our merchandise are of no avail to save our souls
even from a single iniquity," as it is written, And Ephraim said:
Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth; all my labors
shall find for me48 no iniquity that were sin (Has. 12:9). Many
47 '1::1i7 is presumably the copyist's misreading of the following V),."I;>
and is meant to be crossed out.
48 JV: In all my labors they sholl find in me.
69

70
NEMOY
interpret Surely I am become rich to mean that while trafficking
they said, "1 am become rich, I have (much) merchandise, and
am honored for my wealth - no iniquity shall be found in me."
Not SO! All my labors shall find for me (no iniquity), that is to say,
shall find for me [no salvation] from my iniquities. Observe now
what is written in the next verse, But I am the Lord thy God from
the land of Egypt. I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as
in the days of the appointed season (Has. 12: I0), that is to say,
know ye that when I shall take you out of the land of your Dispersion
and into the wilderness of the nations to execute judgment
upon you, will ye not forsake your houses, your possessions, and
all that you have, because these shall avail you nothing, as it is
written, Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver
them? Similarly did the Lord speak unto those who set a table
with the flesh of cattle and sheep and (prepared) banquet chambers,
But ye that forsake the Lord, that forget My holy mountain,
that prepare a table (for gad) (1830. 65:11), gad signifying the company
(gedud) of guests invited to the banquet chambers, and a
table signifying the slaughtering of cattle and sheep (for the banquet).
This verse is explained by what follows it: that offer in full
measure, that is to say, in great quantity, meni of mingled wine
(ibid.), meni signifying number, referring49 to the immediately following
I will number (maniti) you for the sword (Isa. 65: 12), that
is to say, according to the number of wine cups

72
NEMOY
in abandonment, on account of Israel's iniquity. And it is not
known ... the end of this day.
That is why many say, It is vain to serve God, etc. (Mal. 3 :14),
and say further, Everyone that doetft evil is good in the sight of
the Lord, and He delighteth in them; or where is the God of justice?
(Mal. 2:17), for this day there is no judge (sitting) at the gates.
Yet there was always a Judge who dispensed requital, as it is
written, God is a righteous judge, yea, a God that hath indignation
every day (Ps. 7:12). This day, however, iI~ has withheld His
judgment until the day of visitation, therefore the Torah is slacked
(Hab. 1:4) in the eyes of fools, for He has forsaken ~he children
of man like unto the fishes of the sea, without a judge, ;1S it is
written, And Thou makest man as the fishes of the sea (Hab. 1:i';)
58 Worn out or ragged clothing, as a mark of grief and contrition.
59 Meaning the disgraced official.
60 Presumably read 'l[l-t mUl-t 1::111
[24]
[Repent!]
Hear my words, ye wise men, and give ear unto me, ye that have
knowledge (Job 34:2). Is this not the custom of the whole world?
If one man has waxed wroth with another, does not the latter
come to the former to supplicate him? Likewise the disfavored
son comes to his father's door, and the servant to the door of
his master. If the king has waxed wroth with one of his officials
and has him imprisoned, is it not for the official to mourn, to
don different clothing,58 and to forego the (customary) pleasures
283 of high officials, until such time as the king may hear of it II and
be mollified by him, and restore him to his former (place of)
honor? Is it not written, If her father had but spit in her face,
should she not hide in shame seven days? (Num. 12 :14). Is it not
for him, 59 too, to sit like a mourner in grief for (at least) seven
days? How much less, then, if the Creator, God of (all) the world,
waxes wroth with a creature, is it fitting for the latter to eat and
drink until he has returned (in repentance) to Him? [So also we],60
woe, yea, woe unto us, for the Lord has waxed wroth with us,
[25]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
and has cast us away from before Him, into another land, as it is
this day (Deut. 29 :27). But. .. from Him, He has forsaken us like
sheep without a shepherd, He hath cast down from heaven unto
the earth the beauty of Israel (Lam. 2:1) ... He has burned His
Sanctuary, He has forsaken His place and His Temple, the dwelling
of His Holy of Holies, to be trampled under the feet of the
unclean ones, the uncircumcised ones, men and women soiled
with suppuration, menstruation, and leprosy. He has abolished
priests and sacrifices, [as well as Levites] who sang over the sacrifices
to the accompaniment of lutes and harps. Our festivals have
turned into mourning, all our songs into lament, and our appointed
seasons into sorrow and sighing, Therefore is my harp turned to
mourning (Job 30:31). Our sun [at noon) is like night-time, and
our midday like darkness, as it is written, And it shall come to
pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that 1 will cause the sun to
go down at noon, and 1 will darken the earth in the clear day. And
I wi!! turn your feasts into mourning (Amos 8:9-10); For this will
I wail (Mic. 1 :8); The ways of Zion do mourn (Lam. 1 :4); For
these things I (weep) (Lam. 1:16).
Awake, ye drunkardsl (Joel 1:5). Our brethren in Israel, (sunk)
in swooning sleep and indolence, wake up and weep over the
House of the Lord ... 61 Gird yourselves and lament, ye priests;'
wail, ye m,msters of the altar; come, he all night in sackcloth,
ye ministers (of my God) I (Joel 1 :13). And now, our brethren in
Israel, in all your cities, For this gird you with sackcloth, lament
and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned back from
us (Jer. 4:8).
[Duty to return to Jerusalem]
Know that the villains who are among Israel [say] one to another,
"It is not incumbent upon us to come to Jerusalem, until such
time as He shall gather us in, even as He had cast us abroad."
These are the words of those who draw the Lord's wrath and are
61 The acrostic following here is as puzzling to me as it was to Mann; it
presumably represents a Scriptural quotation.
73

L
74
NEMOY
[26]
but fools. For had the Lord not decreed a precept upon us to
go from the lands (of the Dispersion) to Jerusalem, (to pray) in
mourning and bitterness, would we not have known with our own
intelligence that it is for all objects of wrath to come to the gate
of him who is wroth, in order to entreat him, as I have written
above? How much more so when the Lord has (in fact)· com­
manded the people of the Dispersion to come to Jerusalem and
to stand constantly within it before Him, lamenting, fasting, weeping,
mourning, (clad) in sackcloth and bitterness, day and night,
as it is written, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, 0 Jerusalem;
they shall never (hold their peace, day nor night. Ye that are the
Lord's remembrancers, take ye no rest), and give Him no rest (Isa.
62:6-7). And it is written also in Jeremiah, I have surely heard
Ephraim, Ephraim signifying Israel, moving to andfro,62 wandering
hither and thither in the Dispersion, crying and weeping, and saying
before Me, "I3 it not Thou, my God, who hast chastised me, and
hast cast me into the Dispersioil? ""..1:'.d I; in my Dispersion, bereft
of those who would teach me righteousness, am to be likened
unto a calf untrained (JeI. 31: 17[18]) to bear the yoke, by reason
284 that the shepherds 11 of the Dispersion did not teach me to bear
the yoke of the precepts as set forth in the Torah of Moses, rather
did they lead me astray after a man-made precept learned by rate
(Isa. 29: 13). Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned, for Thou art the
Lord my God (Jer. 31 :17[18]).
And the Lord replied to Israel's words and spoke to them,
(saying), "My people, if thou desirest that I turn thee, set thee
up waymarks," meaning [signposts] on the road to Jerusalem to
go to the House of the Lord; "make thee bitterness,"63 that is to
say, weeping and wailing, "set thy heart toward the highway, even
the way by which thou wentest; return, 0 virgin of Israel, return
to these thy cities," (that is to say), prior to the ingathering of the
Dispersion, come thou to Jerusalem and stand before the Lord
in watches, day and night. "How long wilt thou turn away coyly,
62 JV: bemoaning himself.
63 JV: guide-posts.
[27]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
o thou backsliding daughter64 (Jer. 31 :20-21 [21-22]), saying, I will
not go to Jerusalem, to the seat of the Lord? Shouldst thou say,
Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned, 1 will not turn thee until
thou thyself shalt return to Jerusalem." For the Lord hath created
a new thing in the earth - and what is this new thing? That a
wife shall return to her [husband] ... to appease her husband's
heart, without his sending a messenger to her to bring her back
to [him, as it is written], A woman shall court a man (Jer. 31:
21[22]). The relationship between the Lord and Israel is the same
as that between a wife and her husband, as it is written, Surely
as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye
dealt treacherously with Me, 0 house of Israel, saith the Lord (Jer.
3 :20). Therefore said the Lord, "I will go and return to My place,
till they acknowledge their guilt, and seek My face; in their trouble
they will seek Me earnestly (Hos. 5:15)."
[Return to Jerusalem!]
It is therefore, incumbent upon you, 0 ye who fear the Lord, to
come to Jerusalem and to dwell therein, in order to hold watches
until the day when Jerusalem shall be rebuilt, as it is written,
And give Him no rest (lsa. 62 :7).
It is written also, Happy is the man whose [strength] is in Thee;
in whose heart are the highways (Ps. 84:6), (that is to say), happy
is the man whose reliance and strength is in the strength of the
Lord, who does not say, "How shall I go to Jerusalem, (seeing
that I am) in fear of brigands and thieves, and have no way to
earn a livelihood in Jerusalem?" In whose heart are the highways
refers to the aforementioned verse, Set thy heart toward the
highway (Jer. 31 :20[21]). In whose heart are the highways, passing
through the Valley of Weeping, (that is to say) Jerusalem, they
make it a place of springs (Ps. 84:6-7), for the wellspring of learning
is in Jerusalem, as it is written, All my weIIsprings 65 are in
thee (Ps. 87 :7). When they shall have done so, by coming to
64 Gloss (Arabic): ila mata [tatalntifayna ya bint al-murtaddc,h.
65 JV: thoughts.
75

76
66 Read 11':::::1.
NEMOY
[28]
Jerusalem, Yea, the early rain shall clothe it with blessings, they
shall go from strength to strength (Ps.. 84 :7-8), (that is to say)
from city to city, until they reach Jerusalem, as it is "written,
Everyone of them shall appear before God in Zion (Ps. 84:8), and
Scripture says also concerning Zion,66 In those days and in that
time, saith the Lord, the Children of Israel shall come, they and
the Children of Judah together; they shall go on their way weeping,
and shall seek the Lord their God (IeI'. 50:4). They shall go on
their way weeping, prior to the ingathering of the Dispersion;
weeping referring to the verse, Make thee bitterness (Jer. 31 :20[21]),
out of longing for Zion, hence it is written in the next verse, They
shall inquire concerning Zion, with their faces hitherward, seeing
that they had set their faces to come to Zion, Come ye, and join
yourselves to the Lord, in an everlasting covenant that shall not be
forgotten (ler. 50:5) ...
Prior to these days their forefathers professed another religion,67
without the true God ... and without Torah (2 Chr. 15:3)... [They
?R5 fc1l0','"'~d;:ot GGeL precept] II but a man-made precept, observing
neither uncleanness nor cleanness. But now they shall turn back,
prior to the ingathering of the Dispersion ... [to serve] the Lord,
to observe the month of the fresh ears in its right season, and
to observe His precepts. Hence it is written, Come ye, and join
yourselves to the Lord (Jer. 50:5). It is therefore incumbent upon
you, our brethren in Israel, to come out of all the lands, 0 ye
who fear the Lord, before the [evil and the discomfiture] of distress
befalls all the lands, as it is written, But great discornfitures
shall be upon all the inhabitants of the lands (2 Chr. 15:5). It is
now incumbent upon you, all ye who seek the Lord, to walk
before the multitude like the he-goats before the flocks, as it is
written, Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the
land of the Chaldaeans, and be as the he-goats before the flocks.
For la, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon an
67 As Mann rightly remarks, the Hebrew din has here the meaning of the
Arabic din.
[29]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
assembly of [great] nations from the North Country (Jer. 50:8-9).
And is it not written in Daniel," And the king of the North shall
come against him Like a whirlwind (Dan. 11:40)? Therefore Scripture
says, Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man
his life (Jer. 51 :6). At the time of the second Temple they did not
entreat [Cyrus], rather he sent them forth, at his own desire and
with a loud voice. So also at the time of the ingathering of the
Dispersion they will not entreat, [saying], "Do ye not go,"68 which
indicates that prior to the ingathering of the Dispersion the Lord
will command (Israel) to flee and to come to Jerusalem.
Do not nations [other] than Israel come from the four corners
(of the earth) to Jerusalem, every month and every year, in awe
of God? What then is the matter with you, our brethren in Israel,
that you do not do even after the manner of the nations of the
(Gentile) lands to come (to Jerusalem) nor to pray (therein), as it
is written, Neither have ye done after the judgments69 of the nations
that are round about you (Ezek. 5 :7)? (Their) praiseworthy statutes
you have not followed, but (their) evil statutes you did follow, as it
is written in the verse just cited. What is more grievous than this,
that the Lord should call Israel more wicked than the Samaritans,
(of whom it is written), They feared the Lord, and served their own
gods (2 Kings 17:33), while of Israel Scripture says, Unto this day'
they do after the former judgments ;70 they fear not the Lord, neither
do they after their statutes, or after their judgments,70 or after the
Torah and the precepts which the Lord commanded the Children of
Jacob (2 Kings 17:34)? Israel observe neither the Lord's appointed
seasons, nor His precepts and His judgments, but only a manmade
ordinance learned by rote.?l Yetof the Gentiles it is written,
So these nations feared the Lord (2 Kings 17:41).
68 The sense seems to require 13::1',m l-l" "Do not make us go"; the author
seems to reproach Israel for constantly preferring the fleshpots of the Dispersion
to the privations and perils of returning to the Holy Land.
69 IV: ordinances.
70 IV: manners.
71 Gloss (Arabic): taqUd ("traditional authority").
77

78
NEMOY
[30]
Therefore, our brethren in Israel, do not do thus, Hearken unto
the Lord. Rise and come to Jerusalem, and let us return umo the
Lord. But if you will not come because you are running abou~ in
tumult and haste after your merchandise, then (at least) send oue
of every city five men, together with their sustenance, in order
that we might form a united company to supplicate our God continually
upon the hills of Jerusalem, as is written in the aforecited
verse, (1have set watchmen) upon thy walls, 0 Jerusalem (Isa. 62:6).
You will have no opening of the mouth before the Lord if you
return not this day to the Lord's Torah and to His precepts, as
written in His Torah. For since the beginning of the Dispersion,
and during the days of the kingdom of Greece,72 of the kingdom
of the Romans, and of the kingdom of the Persians,73 the Rabbanites
acted as princes and judges, and those who sought the
Torah could not open their mouths in behalf of the Lord's pre­
cepts, out of fear of the Rabbanites, for they were [in dread of
them], until the advent of the kingdom of Ishmae1.74 These latter
always aid the Karaites in their observance of the Torah of Moses,
and it is incumbent upon us to bless them (for it).
[Fear not the Rabbanites!]
286 II Now you are (living) in the midst of the kingdom of Ishmael,
who are favorable to those who fix the new month by lunar observation.
Why then are you afraid of the Rabbanites? God will
help you. Rise therefore and be strong with (the strength of) the
Lord's Torah, and strengthen those whose hands have grown weak,
as it is written, Strengthen ye the weak hands (Isa. 35 :3). Endeavor
skillfully to teach the Lord's precepts to all Israel, and admonish
them with words of peace, and not of strife and contention, as
it is written, And they that are wise among the people shall cause
the many to understand, and further, and many shall join themselves
unto them (Dan. 11:33-34). This verse refers to the kingdom of
Ishmael, for by means of the kingdom of Ishmael did the Lord
72 The following Ji' ':J,i;'J::l~seems to be a dittography.
73 l:l'l:mr.l, "lYlagians", seems to be an explanatory gloss.
74 Meaning the Muhammadan Empire.
[31] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAlTES
break the staff of the Rabbanites from over you. Rise therefore,
(be strong) and d075 and the Lord be with the good (2 Chr. 19:11).
Know that in the days of our forefathers the Lord commanded
Israel to seek of the priests that they teach them the Lord's precepts
according to the Torah of Moses. They used to rely on the
words of the High Priest and of his judges, as it is written, If
there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment ... then shalt
thou arise, and get thee up unto the place [which the Lord thy God
shall choose] (Deut. 17:8). This day, however, that chosen place
is not in our hands. Should you say (that further on it is written)
or unto the judge (Deut. 17:12), know that the Lord commanded
us to rely not upon the judges of the Dispersion but upon the
officials of the High Priest, as it is written, And the man that doeth
presumptuG!lsly, in not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to
minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge (ibid.),
the latter thus beh;g an official of the ministering High Priest.
That is why it is writtC'n further on, even that man shall die (ibid.),
for (in those days) the kingdom was in their hands. This day,
however, the Lord did not command us to rely71 upon the words
of a man, but rather to search 121 the Lord's Torah, as it is written,
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon
thee, [etc.] (Deut. 30:1), that is to say, investigate well in your
heart out of the Torah, as [it is written]76 further on, If thou shalt
hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God (Dent. 30:10), and Then
the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity (Deut. 30 :3); and it is
written also, Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint;
but he that keepeth the Torah, happy is he (Prov. 29:18).
[Which precepts are still operative]
The Lord [has thus commanded us} to investigate in the Lord's
Torah and to observe all the precepts as written in the Torah of
Moses, as it is written, Even all that the Lord hath commanded
you by the hand of lVIoses (Num. 15:23), and (The secret things
75 JV: deal courageously.
76 Insert ::1m:;) (rather than 'r.l~, as Mann suggests).
79
1

80
belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed)
belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do (all
the words of this Torah) (Deut. 29:28). It is therefore incun:bent
upon us this day to perform all the precepts as did our forefathers,
except ... precepts concerning which it is written "lest you should
do it anywhere but in the place which the Lord shall choose (Deut.
12: 14)." (This includes) all (precepts) dependent upon place,77 such
as the Passover offering - concerning which it is written, Thou
mayest not sacrifice the Passover offering ... but at the place which
the Lord thy God shall choose (Deut. 16:5-6) -. and all (other)
offerings, water of impurity (Num. 19 :9), all sacred gifts - such as
287 the meal offering - II all heave offerings, the tithe, the redemption
(price) of the first-born, the atonement money (Exod. 30:16), and
all the gifts to the priests and Levites, which are not incumbent
upon us this day, because of the absence of the (chosen) place,
concerning which it is written, Thither shall ye bring all that I
command you (Deut. 12:11). Just as your burnt offerings this day
would be unfit, so would also tithe and any heave offering likewise
be unfit (this day), for this verse says78 all this with reference
(both) to burnt offerings (and to other offerings), as it goes on
to say, your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and
the offering of your hand (ibid.), until the day when the Lord's
House shall be rebuilt, as it is written, For in My holy mountain,
in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there
shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve Me in the Land;
there will I accept them, and there willI require your heave offerings
(Ezek. 20 :40), and following this it is written, With sweet savor
will I accept you (Ezek. 20:41). Therefore this day He will not
accept anyone of these, until the burnt offerings and the sweet
savor are such as Moses spoke of when he said, your burnt offerings,
and your sacrifices, and followed these with your tithes, and
the offerings of your hand.
77 The text adds here "and priest," which contradicts what follows in the
next paragraph.
78 For i eN read '"Jr.llol.
NEMOY
[32]
[33]1
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
It is therefore incumbent upon us this day to perform all the
Lord's precepts save the sacrifices and all sacred gifts which are
dependent upon the (chosen) place. As for water of impurity (Num.
19 :9) and the sacrifice of the male and the female afflicted with
flux, of the menstruant woman, of the woman delivered of a child,
and of the person afflicted with leprosy, all these are dependent
on both the (chosen) place and the priests, hence it is incumbent
upon us to observe all uncleanness, for the male and the female
afflicted with the flux, the woman delivered of a child, the person
afflicted with leprosy, and the dead corpse are still found among
1.:S, hence their uncleanness is incumbent upon us, seeing that their
sac;-:fices, the water of impurity, and the sacrifice of flux, childbirth,
and leprosy are all dependent upon both the (chosen) place
and the pricsts.79 Therefore, while their uncleanness is incumbent
upon us, their c;1crifices and the water of impurity are not, since
we do not have the (chosen) place. For if it were proper for us
to say that a single (Scriptural) precept has ceased being incumbent
upon us, then, according to what you say, it would be proper for
someone else to say that the (whole) Torah of Moses has ceased
and that another Torah has taken its place. Where then is the
288 word of the Lord, II unto us and to our children for ever, that we
may do all the words of this Torah (Deut. 29 :28)? And where is '
the written (command), Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish
from it (Deut. 13:1)?
Know that the covenant of the sacrifices and of the sacred gifts
is not like the covenant of the other precepts. For the other precepts
are obligatory since the days of Moses upon all Israel and upon
all those who have joined themselves thereunto, whether commoner
or priest, whether sojourner or native, whether in the Land of
Israel or in all the other lands, always and in equal measure. The
79 In other words, a precept dependent wholly on the chosen place (i.e. the
Sanctuary in Jerusalem) is obviously impossible to observe in the Dispersion.
In the case of a precept whose dependence is double-barreled, partly on the
chosen place and partly on something else (priest-directed purification), the
latter part can, and therefore should, be observed in the Dispersion as well.
See below, p. 36 f.
81

82
NEMOY
covenant of the sacred gifts and of all the sacrifices, on the other
hand, is the prerogative of the priests and not of all Israel, the
prerogative of the Land ofIsrael to the exclusion of all other lands,
the prerogative of Jerusalem (to the exclusion of the rest of the
cities), and the prerogative of Mount Moriah to the exclusion of
(the rest of) Jerusalem. Therefore, in the case of the coven~nt of
the sacred gifts and of the sacrifice, there is a time for (its) effectiveness,
a time for (its) cessation, and a time for addition to
the Lord's word after the House of the Sanctuary has been rebuilt,
as it is written in Ezekiel, And [the burnt offering] ... shall be in
the Sabbath day six lambs80 (Ezek. 46 :4). (On the other hand), the
rule concerning the other precepts - Sabbath, festive seasons,
and all the precepts touching uncleanness, cleanness, the uncleanness
of a corpse and of leprosy, and all (other) human unclean­
ness, whether of G~ntile or of Israelite - must be obligatorily observed
by us, as it is written, Or if he touch the uncleanness of
man, whatsoever his uncleanness be (Lev. 5 :3).
Whosoever this day does not observe the uncleanness by reason
of a corpse and of leprosy, and all the (other) uncleannesses, is
himself unclean, and his prayer will not be accepted. The holy
God who commanded Israel, Come not near a woman (Exod. 19:15)
for three days as they approached the outer limits of Sinai, would
He go back on His word and reverse it, by saying, "Those who
are unclean by reason of a corpse, let them approach Me to pray
(unto Me)"? He who issued an interdict, by saying, None that
is unclean in any thing shall enter in (2 Chr. 23 :19)- (meaning
that) he who is unclean with a day-long uncleanness may not enter
in the courtyard of the Lord's House - how could He permit
a person unclean by reason of a corpse to come and give praise
unto the Lord morning and evening? Heaven forfend that God
should turn away from His Torah to another Torah, for He is
not a man, that He should repent (1 Sam. 15:29).
As for water of impurity for purification, (it applies only) while
the Sanctuary is in existence, just as the sacrifice of the delivered
80 Num. 28:9 demands only two he-lambs.
[34]
[35J
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
woman and of the male and the female afflicted with flux (applies
only) while both Sanctuary and priest are in existence. (On the
other hand), all the precepts which He commanded in addition to
the sacrifice - such as (the precepts relating to) Sabbath, festive
seasons, and atonement, which are additional to their respective
sacrifices - have not their sacrifices ceased? And yet Sabbath
and festive seasons remain in our possession to be observed. So
also water of impurity has ceased, for lack of a priest fit to pre­
pare it and for lack of the Sanctuary in front of which it is to be
prepared. But uncleanness by reason of a corpse and of leprosy
remains, for corpse and leprosy are still with us. For all Godfearing
persons, what has been said (above) should be sufficient.
Is it not true that while the Sanctuary was in existence, he who
viobted a negative precept was not forgiven even after he had
repented of his unwitting or deliberate trespass, except after offering
a sacrifice, whereupon the priest made atonement for him,
and he was the;l forgiven? Yet [this day] he is forgiven (solely)
by reason of his repentance, without offering a sacrifice. So also
the delivered woman ami the male and the female afflicted with
flux are cleansed [this day] with water, without sacrifice; and likewise
a person unclean by reason of a corpse is cleansed with
water. This day he who does not observe uncleanness by reason
of a corpse for seven days - whether he had touched (the corpse)
outdoors or had entered an overhanging shelter (containing the
corpse) - is regarded the same as a person afflicted with flux or
menstruation who has not observed his uncleanness. The term tent
(Num. 19 :14) is not limited to (a covering of) curtains; rather any
top covering, whether of curtains or reeds, or of sod or stones,
is called in the holy tongue "tent", because [it] is a covering,
289 [hence it is called]81 "tent", and not "building". II Is it not written,
Thou shalt make the Tabernacle (Exod. 26:1) - which had
walls and floor of boards - [and] above it, curtains of goats'
hair for a tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 26 :7)? And again, And
he spread the tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:19). The court
81 The lacuna presumably read [~.,V~Inn):;) ,>7 ~']:1.
83

84
- __ -Cc.~ ------------
of the Tabernacle, however,82 had hangings all around in every
direction, but was not called "tent", since it was not covered at
the top. And in Ezekiel's description of the (Lord's) House it
is written, [lhe length of] the porch33 was ,;penty [cubits] (Ezek.
40:49) - the porch84 overhead being termed "tt,:'" in the next
verse, And he brought me to the Temple, and measured II:' posts,
six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the u.'7er
side, which was the breadth of the tent (Ezek. 41 :1), and yet it8~'
was made of stone. And is it not written, And made the Tribes
of Israel to dwell in their tents (Ps. 78 :55), And they went into their
tents joyful (1 Kings 8 :66), The first fruits of their strength in the
tents of Ham (Ps. 78 :51)? Are not all these constructed houses,
which are nevertheless called "tents"? And that is why He has
commanded the High Priest and the Nazirite, Neither shall he go
in to any dead body (Lev. 21:11; Num. 6:6).86 Whether roofed
with curtains or stones, all are "tents".
Now then, fear the Lord and do not slacken the precepts touching
uncleanness by wanton words. Observe rather the uncleanness
of a corpse in a house and in a tent, and in all roofed places.
Observe the uncleanness of leprosy, for in the priest's hand are
all the precepts, not just that of leprosy alone, as it is written,
And according to their word shalf every controversy and every stroke
be (Deut. 2I :5), That ye87 may teach the Children of Israel all the
statutes (lev. 10:11), Thcy87 shall teach Jacob Thine ordinances
(Dent. 33:I0). For individual uncleanness is born out of the fountainhead
of uncleanness (as declared) by the Lord's word. As for
what is written, Then the priest shall pronounce him clean (Lev.
13:6) and Then the priest shall pronounce him unclean (Lev. 13:8),
82 For l:l~'?i:l~presumably read 1~[p1l))~" ['?hl.
83 Read ~m l:l'1~m [i'l~~)e'illl:l1 e'1~n [1i1N); the copyist was confused
by the similarity of l:l'?1l'1and l:l''?'l'I, which both occur in the same verse.
84 Gloss (Arabic): q~,ntarCth,"a~ched overhang, bridge".
85 For em read l'I1m (i.e. the "tent" = porch).
86 Num. 6:6 (referring to the Nazirite): he shell not come near to a dead
body.
87 Referring to the priests.
NEMOY
[36]
290
[37] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 85
the priests told Israel, "This one is unclean, and that one is clean,"
just as it is written, And the judges shall justify the righteous and
condemn the wicked (Deut. 25:1) - it was not they who either justified
or condemned; they merely declared, "This one is righteous,
and that one is wicked. "88
And as for what is written, Then the priest shall go out of the
house to the door of the house (Lev. 14:38), know that plague in
a house is not like leprosy in man, for leprosy in man is merely
one of the several plagues and illnesses that afflict II mankind. It
occurs in every generation, among both Israelites and Gentiles,
in the time when there is a priest and in the time when there is
no priest, Plague in a house, on the other hand, is a sign and a
portent reserved exclusively for the Land of Israel [and not for
any other] land, as it is written, And I put the plague of leprosy
in a house of the Land of your possession (Lev. 14:34). It is also
rt~:"rved exclusively for the time when there is a priest, and therefore
it did ]lot occur prior to the availability of priests nor after
their cessation. Consequently ... 89 Not so in the case of leprosy
in man, and that is why it is incumbent upon us to (continue to)
observe it, as it is written in the Tomh of Moses the man of God,
[Take heed in the plague of leprosy ... and do according to all that
the priests ... shall teach youl; as I commanded them, so shall ,.)le
observe to do (Deut. 24;8).
[Precepts applicable to both Israelites and Gentiles,
and to Israelites alone]
Know that a Gentile's uncleanness and an Israelite's uncleanness
are the same, and the same applies to all the precepts save those
in which the Lord has made an explicit distinction between Gentile
and Israelite, (for example), There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod.
88 In other words, it is God's word which defines what is clean and what
is unclean, what is righteous and what is wicked. The priests and thc judgcs
merely diagnose accordingly each case that comes before them - they apply
God's statutes, they do not originate them.
89 The lacuna probably stated that consequently the law of house-plague
did not apply to the Dispersion.

86 NEMOY [38]
12:43), Neither from the hand of a foreigner shall ye offer [the
bread of your God] (Lev. 22 :25), [Ye shall not eat of any thing
that dieth of itself - thou mayest give it] unto the stranger that
is within thy gates (Deut. 14:21), If thou buy a Hebrew servant
(Exod. 21 :2), Unto aforeigner thou mayest lend upon interest (Deut.
23:21), [If a man be found] stealing any of his brethren of the Children
of Israel (Deut. 24:7). All these are exclusive precepts in
which a distinction is made between Gentile :md Israelite. This
applies also to [Thou shalt not see thy brother's] - 11:'I.tis to say,
an Israelite's - [ass or his oxfallen down by the way]... d:ou shalt
surely help him to lift them up again (Deut. 22:4), and [If thou
see the ass of him that hateth thee] - that is to say, of a Gc'tile
- [lying under its burden]... thou shalt surely release it with
him (Exad. 23 :5). Just as it is forbidden to say that Gentile and
Israelite are the same in respect to all the precepts on the ground
that we find that the Lord has made a distinction between them
only in some precepts and not in all, so also is it forbidden to
make a distinction between Gentile and Israelite except where the
Lord himself has made such a distinction. Therefore he who makes
a distinction between Israelite and Gentile in respect to (even) one
precept in which the Lord has made no such distinction, is referred
to in the verse, That is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken;
the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously (Deut. 18:22).
[Uncleanness of Gentiles}
The Lord has held the Gentile's uncleanness far above that of the
Israelite, for Gentiles are regarded as in a state of perpetual impurity,
as it is written, It is an unclean land through the uncleanness
of the peoples of the lands (Ezra 9 :11). This matter cannot be
291 interpreted except in one of two ways: If an unclean II land refers
to bodily uncleanness, are not the Gentiles. perpetually (unclean)
like a menstruant woman '! Hence any person who touches them
is obligated to wash his clothing and bathe. If, on the other hand,
an unclean land refers to the land itself that the Gentiles inhabit,
then inasmuch as the land is regarded as (unclean as) a men­
struating woman by reason of the uncleanness of its inhabitants,
[39]
THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES
is not the uncleanness of its inhabitants more grave than the uncleanness
of a menstruating woman? That is why Scripture says,
It is an unclean land, by reason of the uncleanness of its inhabitants,
as it is written, through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands.
Fools say that Scripture has not said, the uncleanness of the peoples
of the lands ... [who caused to sin]90 with things made of wood,
and not (with human) uncleanness,91 but this is not so.
90 Read l't't;[nn]?
91 Presumably wooden idols, interpreting unclean land as made unclean by
idol worship, not by the natural uncleannesses of human bodies.
87

88
1 Cpo Deut. 28 :48.
2 Lam. 2:1.
3 Isa.65:6.
4 Isa. 59:13.
5 Isa.26:19.
6 Read perhaps 0;'''':::1''1.
NEMOY
APPEND IX: Mann's text of the Sermon
(40]
~N "!:l3 '" r"'::1:>:'~' lil,? NI,?!j' :lii~~' ::11~::J 0:>:' ::1i:>:'lii1~ O'~"J.:II' O'~~N
01'1~!:l1'1'0i1'~~ '" l'J~P' l~bJ iOrl::1' O'i':)i::1' N~~::1' ::l:lli::1 OI'1'::1"loll'11,::1:i7
2'i, 'lIi' !)1'1'iN tb~ T'?lIii1 n~1:;:' '?:i7 liNT~ i1l1ip O,l;JlIi' i11;)p3lilol! 'lol' li:ll1;)lIi~N'
bl'1;)li o"t¥, 3i, 0P!:1l;J:17 'lir.hlli' :'::J mi1 0l;J,:>:'::1li'~":11 m~p 0,l;J1?i m Nl;Ji1
i1;)Ni1 ,::J, 4"'::1 lIirl::J' :II'lIi!:lN'i1 0,l;J~ m I'N i1;)N'llIirl::J~i1l;J:>, N::1ii 0":17::1 5
li:>:J Nl;Jil1 : pw :i, ::1l;J~ ml11 ,.,'il N'il ~':J Nl;J::1i1,::1l;J mli1 'l;J:170,l;J~ W'
,::1'W i11'1~' q:> 'I~N" irm~Nl;J, 61;~'~i1~j1d::1 ~,,~, 5: i, 1'1'1~ Wl' Nlp~::1
i~l'1l1 '?N' : i1.,ili '1::1' l:'j"'r1 om 'Plli 6bl"i:J' il'?N " '::J '" liilli 'tN
li'nllii1 '~Ni::1 '1::1' '::J ", li::1:;;,li i1l;J!:lli' Iplli 7'3NI:J 'I:J' 1:l':J'~'ni1 O'i::1i::1
'Iii' N,nii' 7 j l;J::J18i, ,n 0'::11 '::J i1m ilWN:1 l;JlIi1;)~N'", i1lill::l"il i:li I::l'::li'? 10
yin tIl'N1;)i::li ''?:J/??1 'tNi iliiliill7:J N' iWl li"i:~!"'':llhj:li~i 10: N'1::!
i1T, nl;J~', N,n o'P'~ Nl;J, 'Wi:17Nin'~ 1"I1N''lIib3::1':17 'nil'1p~'i1'jP"1 n:;,:p: 15
7 Cpo Pinsker, [:''''1, tJ'iI!lOJ, 131, in describing Salman's (b. Yerul)am) I~oheleth
commentary: 0'?1~iI ''?::lil::l l'nlil il:lllt '?~ i1!:)l:l~p~1:l1 .•. WI"!:);' rm::ll"Ii:I
'J",,:l,l\ ::H1::Ji:I"i:I:ll",'1 ,""'1 m~:Jn i:)l\11[:' l\l:1W,"'Jl~i' i:l'1E:iO::ll; Pinsker, ibid.,
133-4, translates further a passage from Salman's Ps. commentary: /'1:li'
::l:n:;,) C'Jl:lliH 'i!:lO li:1::l l-t'Pi:I;' :n~'''1' :n'?1' m~'''1'::l '?l-I:"1W'mpo~:nil
'1::l1l-1:'O;"!:l::Jl-I:~l1;'11.1 ~'?i:I' l-I:'?CiI::! ;,mlW 'i:llZI(i1'Jl-I:,::J'?l-I:. See also Neubauer,
Aus der Petersburger Bibliothek, 109, note viii. Cf. further, l):irkisani (l.c.,
279, I. 15) fJ'!:lc"?!:l'?l-I:l-I:i:ll-tl (rhetoric) fJ''?'~'l-I: ~l.Il-I:ii'J~':J'l-I: Cl'?~'?l-I:.There is
no need to correct
8 Provo 7 :26.
9 Prov.2:19.
ii'm,:::! '?lItinto ii'Jl-t;',:J '?lItas Bacher(JQR., VII, 709) suggests.
10 Gen. 1:1.
11 0~' 'sense, meaning'. Hadassi also uses frequently the Arabic lm~1.Iin
the meaning of lJ'J~ (cp. Bacher, JQR,. VIII, 433, note 8).
[41J THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 89
y'1~' 1:J'~lIi '::l :17, 'm.:II~ 13:th I:lWYP 12:'i, p ~., il?::ll'i ,:"l;J li:lill~ '3,~l;J
N.,'::lil '~:;;::ii::114l;J'?, iiii~ N'il [jpmJ N'ii Oli,l;J::ll'i i1N'i 1~il '::lll1ilii .,1N'
'f) l'!j!:l\lm~ : :l17~~ I'"~ .",l;J :'i1 i~N P l;J:s7,I:l'£l',n~ '~l?' N~i 'i:J.~ inN
El'i:J1J:l Elil ':l il"1~ ~'il "~1'116I:lry~0'1 l;J:Il1:JtI!:llP~'t:17 l:Il'1i'~:Ill~ 15:"il
"lP:I7/J l'J'l;Jn'lIi '~i¢.,l;J 1'~ ';' i1'i1'lIi N1i1 17il'illP~ l:l'1'ii3r.lIl:lil N~' El':Jjjjr.lil 20
l'i1'li't l'lIil;J i1::1'::1' :Jl;J in:1~' li:ll'::1 O'N''':J l;J::l~ m'lIi~ 1:ll;J:;;:::1N'1::1 O,N'
:'ii i1d~ P 't:l)' 1::1lji!:lW' Nim 'P'!:l' tIli" ,l;J W' '::J ,tIl!:l~l;Jl;J'" i1'1'~ N'i1
:,;, i:;;:"1 Wii' ,l;J lIi'lIi ,?,l;J, il"'~ OiN li:s7, '::l18: 1'1:i7,i~ r.,il ;, :i C'11 '10"1'1
YINi1W:\i"'J:l1:l':I':>7 ilN"'Jr.l '1:! 1.:J'r.l1'?~illill:l?11J:1 l:lWl:m 19: i1'N hN "'1I):11:1i
Nl;J, O'W:I71:lil?:l'?l:l'~i'W lIi' ':1 1'1:17,l;Jrmo//J l'i'!:l~~'I1:J'N,l;Jn%i' !'In,p' l'iElnw, 25
OWi inN El'i:17 W' ':I il'11;) 1'11'il~ mi1 20':JN:17 i1"il~:J. 1:l,l;Jwi1111,:IJ i:Ji ~::Jl;J
2°:llW'1il ii~tIl p'~il C'P7J imNi:J ii7J'?W i~N l;J::J~1?' 1:l'tIl:IY~ill;J::Jl;J1:J'~W
p'i:3illiNi El'il'N P'lIi:l7' N' O~~N' n,l;J:;;:~ :l7l1i'1'l;J'lIi::>~P"~ ,mN'1::1 ,m:i7/J
0"::1 Olli : I:lW:inm '?:" ,:17, ytlil 't:", lI:11':;) "lI:11i' lINI:! l:.I1!:lll!'1JlIiiii I'1N1
l'11'il' l:l'N? 't:l7~/J tl'7dtll 'il:J:J1':li1'l;J:IiIEl'ii1:J:J1li:'il N'ill;J:I7~~ l:I'~W' i1"P!:i 30
22m::!:J 't:;, '?SlIJ '" ii1:J1 '::> l;J'l;J, il"'J'~
12 Ps. 119 :96.
13 Job 28 :3.
14 J.,b 'proof, indication'.
15 Ps. 119 :90, 91.
16 ('".•.• .) 'design,
17 = i1'i1lZ1:17;1.
18 Ps. 94:10.
plan'.
19 Job 19:26.
20 J':"'LP 'hastening'; cpo Aram. ~'~:!l,
21 Eccles. 3 :16,17.
22 Eccles. 5 :7.
23 Read :nl'?~1.
24 Deut. 33 :4.
(fol. 13, verso)
:111"1"m6 ili'7d ~1i1 O~" '1'N' t?!:lW7dO":! w,."l;J O'lIi:l7~ill;J::J %iN'1~,tIl N'i1
l'1i'il? '1",,'\:1 Nj:J. :11:;.7.,li"n'I I:l'wm, li'P" tIlN' i1l;J'l;J 1w,m O'P'i:S l;J17d1
l,m 1'1i1'P', il'1:1itJ:J il"N 23li'~:I7:J :1W~ '~!:I "'J1:Vl'P [:J Eli'tw'I ?'?, ilji7J
!-tiP'i tV':J cuJ il'1ilii : 11i::,)' N't '1WN ld'i"'~ "i:i1li il"1i1:ll'1ii! ld"l

90 NEMOY [42]
~ll 1t1i1t1::l :11t1::l'125il~'i? ,;, 1~":Jm lb' Oll p~11 1~ r~1 :Jpll' %"i~l"Ip~1)'N
C~~~'1 1mi 1Ii11;j::1!J~~ 11'lll)::126'::1 om~~il ~'illl' C'P'1'$l"Iliil~ ~:171illl)~
11'$i::1l1t'i ':lli:ll''i ili1li:J :Jli::l mil i:J1il1 C')!:l ~II)' ~? ':l m.i',7 tjr Y'i~I;)
,;, ')1''$ ill)l{:::l :;1 1jW~ 'i\/i~:I !:d';i'i~ 11~i::l eN '::l il"W,;) il:lli::l) illl)1:l
i~ ym t:1il"1:l?~1 i:J:'P\li~" t,l{ i:;;~tt," 1:;:; i"'il "i1~ mil i:J'" m~'i27:';i'i~ 10
ill)~ iliT lll~ W:I7W ,:1, 11'lW:J ~1il':::1.N1:::1.')~ W,,:J l'jill)'i ,;, m1M . .:'li:m
'::\iip:J ::\il1:1'i ,;, m'~ iWN 'l'1n 1'~~' 1!j lb'? ?'" il'ii1:l N1il 28m~ :~'i
Id')!:l 'liNW1 N'i ':::l C:Il"1il'i W' '1'~'i 't111)1'P :I7"i~ II)'PN ';!~~i lI)ip!;'
'1'7;) "Ni ~:l 'i'!:l1lJr.li.l 7~j' "r.li lifiNi fiWr.l '1:1'7 N'1 Niil':JNi :J'~ ':J1'iP'i
'Q!:lll)~eli) mm :w:;:!' lOp 'i~p'TN1 l'jiW' n~ 'f~ "::ll 1~'nN ijO~0 illi:l71 29:'i"'$~15
";:' }ml Cil'i:Ji:l bll'~1l'jil1 mi l.?1!:lW"I"' Ci':J '::l liii1fi' 30'li 1':Il jiM 1'~
j:'tZm7 ~ml l"J1m ?:Il iliiliil 'l.?!:lW/j N'iii l'Jil N':! iii:1' m'1ii 'i:ll l.?!:lll)~il
'::l 1:1li1 l'J1l:J N:lil 0'i1:11::ll.?!:lll)~Niil P l'j1l:l %"i~~iliiM 'i'!:llVr.l eNi ,":Ji::l
32''1I1N1 31:1i:i, il ~~ 'iJ'7 ::l:l i':I'7 'Hlii:ll NiiJ e'i:l:'iJ '1I):Ii'1,)7::l1 'f'1N1 t:l'~1I)
l'N1 33: 1i:l' C'~II) iil.?i~ '::li ell:J i!II):I:')i'i'::l1 'f'~1 0'1,)11)tl'II):I7l,)il\7::l '1li!:l 20
N1i1 i:lil:! i:I'~1'il 7::l1 341lmN C'l"N1W7:l " n::l .,\/iN1 : ilr.liNr.l il1l)1:171N'~
'i::l1' ilm tl'l.?1I) '~:17~ 1i'1N N,m 35i1 li'1~ liN 1'7~1,) 1l"N illipl ii:> .,\/iN::l
,;, il'?N 7::l N'?ii n'l,)l111)1l1:1.'PM I'''' ~lIi''7Ni C'1l :Ilp:l. I'N ilWl,)i :I:"l1iiil'
N'1 ilN'1r.l'1 Iii'il' tlil C'::lN'I.l' "d' i11l.mi £'l,n C'W131dil,~ 1:::lilW:> 1':::1.'i 25
'N1 ~'11 :::1.1t;) iVm cmr1i1 t::I'1d1l)"::J,n l1d .,::J., i'NlIili 7~1 : ilm~1,) nil1i:;)'
1j~N1' jll)N 7:::1N'i1 Oii"~i'1 tN:lW:d ';1 36i'iN::.i'ni ::.i"l,)vi l1in'i 'i::l:l 1~'~Nli
25 Cpo Deut. 29 :20.
26 Num. 20:12.
27 Deut. 4:5.
28 Lev. 10:1,3.
29 Deut. 32:39.
30 Exod. 21 :24 is taken in its literal meaning; likewise Ben Zuta in his
polemics against SaOadya, cpo Tbn Ezra a. 1.
31 Ps. 136:4.
32 Read 1::1'in!)!,·
33 !sa. 44:24.
34 Gen. 19:13.
35 1 Sam. 4:3.
36 J ~,.,J,'delusion'.
[43] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 91
i'~ 3'r1!:l'ill)'1 1:1'71117, T1171" 1:I'1lilliii'l1::l 111):I7li 'iN' '1'ilt;), Nr.l!J OW371')i:::1.'1
'" '1::J'~il 7~ '::l 'li~ 'f,n 1'lii'li1N:::1.,;, tlW ij'::lili 7N1 '" li:l:l7ili il7N 7' '::l
i1 '" 0l1i :l.i'1l' ::;::l Iiil,) t)!:lll)r.l17 li1'li1N:l
(fo1. 14, recto)
1~ '):17' 1"::J'~i n'1~~1 "N:I1r.ll1i' lill)7:1 :Jpm l1il'1!:l '::l 1:11'139: t1~1' i:l1I)i:1P):l
41')11' N'1'!:l'::l IN i1P'Ni!:li ::Ji'm 'OJ!:) i111)~:n 40N~il'N::t ii"~ CON iO!:l'
im!:l' 10'1,)iliN ':>i' N" 42j)j1:ll1i::1'::1Pl iWN :;::l ,'7:17:::1. cl!? li'1::liil N'il '~:17~1
n:!i'l 44: im li'II)Ni ':l1Pl 43: 1l:;!R.' '" '!:l "1l1iN1::l1 n1.;!;p "w'?:I. ml,)iIi:J ':l.Pl
"1 Oll)illi'1::liil N'il Oil) ::JP'l1 1::l 47'I'1'inr.llipNi'O ililZlNl461Ni' 1"::1 45:lb 5
,:>m ::!pm l:5i '::1'11 i:.llli1"~'i:.lii l:Jii'r.l"1 il'N '::l49C'r.l:ll il1::Jp' 48:JiPN iir.l
P N'1 N'il 501'11)' ':I 1::JWI1i:I:J:h:.l, 1m:!p' :l'i'N i'!~ 1''1lil:l:! 1~tI) 1:I':!"1i i:lWil
l1'i!li!; t:lN 'iN'::!::! "1:1.,11C\/i li'~i Nil1 i:l 1::1'l,)i'l1 '::l1 ::lpm i'II)'? tlN '::l N'il
'1,)l1i 1"::li' O'~:17 1i'!:1i" 1~::l ii!:lil1'i 'l:1i" ,;, '!:l 1~' ii!;Ilj;7 n!:liJj7 ON
c,~l'1 'Oi!:lll l1W':l1 52:lp" "7N::.i'7,jIl)'"II)'i:l,1it1!:l51il\/iNil,:J l::lii?'i P n!:l,n, 10
i1::l N'~':-r i::l '::l i:ll~N ::.i',n li.Ni::n Nl1'mN::J '" tlW nN "11::l," :liP'1 53li!:l'"1l
37 )'11::1; for 0'3::1;, so also in Pinsker, p"", 1:l'11!:ll:l1,62-3; Hadassi,
;!:l:::ln ":::lUll{, Alph. 246, !:l, ,j'lJrl 1'11::1'i "UI li1r.m~'PIC£).
38 Cpo lVr.lWn 'llI!:lllVlV, Cant. 1 :6; but read perhaps ntl';w",.
39 Lev. 24:16.
40 C..J";:' and likewise 04 II 'to explain, expound'; ,~~ -:ill!,"",! j--", •.h
'he that reveals the nanJ.e of Ged acccrdlng to its spelling'.
41 .1':_5'"1.;.>..;)' 'makes blasphemy'. For the explanation of the Persian words
in this fragment, I am indebted to Mr. Edwards of the British Museum.
42 Num. 1 :17; 1 ehron. 12:32, 16:41; 2 Chron. 28:15.
43 Isa. 62 :2.
44 Amos 6:1.
45 Gen. 30:28.
46 !.\ Ij5'" .J-.:! 'explain thy wages'.
47 ,r1',11r.l = Persian Y ~jA 'thy wages'. The preceding two words are
not clear to me.
48 Num. 23 :8.
49 Prov.24:24.
50 Read [n"?"?pj 11W"?
51 Lev. 24:11.
52 ~, to nickname.
53 .;Jj5'"'i\.;, takes light.

92 NEMOY [44]
ii1.:1ii'ii pi iii NI; ill i:J '? '?'?p' ':::l ,:l '? :lpm T1:::lp' '?'?p" T1:::l '1nNi :liP"~
il!:linl; " ~i'1l-1l; : 'i1i7:1~i' : Ci~iN il1.:lil:lil'inl-l jli£) '~il; : i; 'i1i:lp' : :l'PN
1:1l-1:1~lii7:1 tI!:lW7:1i'''~ i'lii'liiN:::l ", l:lW i::i'iii ~::l " '1'l1N '~i illi::.7' : i::li
')'1:17, li1r.l:::! l-li/l p' : ldWi:lp:I::l. :=" : ,,,, ldW::lpm j, [il!:lin'? N'i, i1~illi~ i'i' 15
l'iN lil-\ liNW'i, i"i'iV~ l:.l'::!"')'pil"., 'j:l t:m 54: li1.:l" :l1pil 1im T1:::liliWN:::l '::l
'N' " li'::l:l"1 'li~ ci, 56:li'Ni'? iN~' l-I'?' 55:w"piiI;N '::.7~'N~' cm. j, ,",
,,,, ldW58::l,Pji ir.lN P 1;); "n!:li ,,,, iir.l'l5 ijtp,l:lj I;::.i iil-l\zh iii ~di 57:'" 1'''i1:\::t
nl;, l'J~N:::!':I'N 'f,n ", ell.' ii',m 'iN' i1ilTi1 r;n~' : 'Ni'1.:I' "n!:ll::.ir.l~ :;, il
l!:lbldllr.l:Jli:J ':Jlfl iiplil biliN': bid''1l'! 'li:Jli:d "'lii:;:'i 1;::.7'i111' /li1'ii "iiVN 20
ml;j ',7:11;1.:Ir.l,l1N I;>~59,'I;>P1i:ll::.iW3i1 1;>:;, ':::l'li:;)" 1;>:;)' piVill;> 'i1r.l::ili:::liiV::.ili
bl'llijl:\ m~r.l iilli':I7ii I;>::li: ii'1::lj il1:Jll ,::t,::.i::l N'ii 'lir.l:::lli::l :1l2'ii "'pn' N'I,
'19 1;>:;;ili;1~:l ,:l, P 1;:17i1''1:::lj iI,':l:l1 ,::t,:I7::l l:\iii ", )'1'1'li:l ~'? i'11r.l,I;r.l
iiTi1 '1::1,:l 60:::J:I1,,1;> ,',?,1;~ lZ."Nj::l ,;, j::1"1r.l 'fin li';;:r.l C'lZ.'i~ill;::J';' I;Npili'
llii:l[ iN iil/d"1::l l:l"lI):lN1Ii~1::lr.l9" li'i!'i(;) 'fili "'\::l lIiiIill 1Il\ ili'Jii i!:lO II::! 11'1111;1I:J.'Ii 1:1, i'ON l::l I;:si[63:iNi'li 'iIJ'p~ !iN ir.lN Nii1 10
ll.'1plI ':l "'l::'" ,1;:lillii 64/:J' 'lIJipr.l i1N I;>'lir.l ':1m '" ir.lN ':I ,nl\ 1£)'Ni
':::l pip::l NI;>ii'?'!:lli '::i i:l7'li 'i:;)'i : iW1p~ liN I;>'D '1WN 'inN Cl;>i:l7:llZ.'ip~
" ,:17 65n"~o 'i:J::!:l '" lIJ'Pr.l:J N,m nl;>mJ t:lipr.l::l tiN ':I il:':ti' NI; PiPii"
l'1i1N '~::l~ tI'j~O 'I' I;>lJ W1ipii 'i~::!:l ,;, W1pr.l::l Nii11 ii"~O t?::lW~ lll'N
Nl;i 'l'IIt? i~:J. ,~I;>66t:l~' "iit? t:l,p~ 1;>:::l:J. iW:::l' P Wi['pl 15
: 111:':tr.liIll; ili:':tr.lm
'W;:)' N'?' 57: m:':tiNii '7,?;1 lii1:l :'::l ii::1 tI'i~ lii'li:l ii1j 1":l;>m;;:r.l 'r.liNii ?" ilNr.lt? ilr.liN 11.:1lZ."'PCipr.l
C,'ilNiil i1:lN' 68: N " il 'iil;>N t:lwi t:lli1:l:l7i : ll::! N ,;, ¥'!:li11T1:J i:::lI;>~i : t:l'inN 20
: '" 'i;;:::l N? 'WN 1:l't?!:liIJld't:l'pn 1;" i:l"~ir.l 'i,'::l :;;, : l:lN' 'f~ liii::!:l7 W'::!
;li! t:l:::ll'N "inN' : ",::1:>1 i,l; "I;>,l;j W'N 'r.lN P 'i:l7, : tm t:l,;,I;>N li"::l:l7:::l Cii
C'::!i~ N:..o;:?~J1l:Jm : j:lN' 1":11m':J.:>1::l N'ii il1r.l"1d t:l'wm m;;:r.l 7:::l' 69'I;N
", 1Nr.l" 'lliil;~ ii:::l'N ilr.l' EI:J::':::'?::! W' '~'nN ':llZ.'M iili:;),' 70: il:j ii' NI;>W~,
ldlr.l: N'ii ii'ii~ 'N,''?),i : mill t:I':I7::tW1;>::l:Jliil;>~ il!1'il ':I'li'::!N li,l;>~
N'? 1Ir.l?' 71/j' ,;, i' ~p NI; li1 :':::l :;)'Wiii~ iliji::!~ iii::i:p Nl;i ,,,, P'W:si'IN? 25
'" liiiTl:J lii~r.lll 1" 1:>:'1:.1:111" ,:>:', : ,li'iilJ:J' ';'::J ld',mr.l i1'i", ,m'w~"
C,'iJi : bl~t1?i'i "" ~;:.;;ip:ll~"1 9.9 'I;:';; i:J::!illl::!I' ~~, ,;" ,;:.;; :Jill;!; '~1' I:::> 1;:>:,
w,1; 1:1':4, C'1d'i :,:::> ,., li'lill::J l{l;i iil/di~1d i:J'i!Jjl{ lii~1d:d ,.,1; C'1:4:11 'Jml;j::J
,;" NI;>,", n'1li:::lN!; iWN lI'i Ii"::!:;) " ":J lir.lN 'il"N N,l; 'l~r.l72i, N 7'll.'"NI;, ,., 'j~:;;' NI; P '?:II' ii"lJ NI;>" i''il1N i1::l i::l 1;>:l7,N'ii
65 The dots denote that these words should be deleted,
66 Read l-l':>,.
67 Ezra 9 :11.
68 Deut. 4:27, 28.
69 Ezek.20:39.
70 Ezek.20:25.
71 Isa. 59:1.
72 2 Chron. 15 :3.

94
73 !sa. 29 :13.
74 Isa. 29 :10.
75 Read "in~, Isa. 29:14.
76 Has. 4:6.
77 Lam. 2:9.
78 Lam. 2:6.
79 H08. 2:13.
80 R. Ha8hana, 2:11.
81 Read '3::J~'.
82 Isa. 63:17.
83 P8. 119 :176.
84 Jer. 50 :6.
85 Read "1::1111.
86 Ezek. 34:2-3; for i1::J'1 read '::Ji.
87 Ezek.34:10.
NEMOY
(fo1. 15, recto)
[46]
iO!::lll\ '::l 73:·1.m 1i\ ~7:I 1i\ l:llll'ti' 'ilni :J:::l ili7:li"i1:l I:l'!lil.}\ Iii~7;; il.'!li:l1/';'::l
I'm l'ti l'ti iil l't C:::l'l':I1 1Il't O::l::I1'i ;, C'ii:l1' W' Wi l' "illi ti"7:1 tl'N'::Il.ii
:>i :;Ii :>n il'::INi piO!::lil 75ilili\ i::l' i1llN' lV'/.; lIll' il,::IN l' ~lli " ': ilO'
om O'li\':.1li1 'i1i~ i1llN O'1:l:m~ !ill, illl'ill.'\"i 1::l!;J!.li 76: iil '!;J::I/.;'/.;:\i I,:"l.
~, Oil"» em ::;,n i::i~i::mi::l i:lil'l;S1il L:l9l:l:'::ll.ll ''llll:l: 'l.\pill'\'::l:i 'i:!'~1'3::1", 5
~:::l'1l",i::nv" "1I.i~'" t:lii'i1ll' ml..,,;;'w>!'" 1]'"':::lSr.: Cl":\::! K7ii1 77:~:! Y'i.lV' il'~1:l
N m;1;7.)~::') Iii;1;~ l:l:l:l'iw i':I ':::l lir~ "w~ iliili 17:1N~i Cil'l."i Cil"'PO
:'i 78: 11::1111' ~ I"::!;:! '"' 1i'1II li, P "?:Ili O'i:ll'17:1 ,::ltlil', 1"'1::1111 '7P'P' :!;Jb
!:ll7:li::1;b 0',:\i,7:I, ,;, lIiill' N~ W::!; 11::1111 lii'1:l1ll " lJ, 79: W Ii ~ ~, 'lI::1wm
i7NI81Nl.lJ7:I' 80:!'iN 7li\i7:l'l; 1'N bl.'\71111'::J.!:ll.7:li::!l'::J.c'i:\1i7:lil 7:\1 ,.,1:lN em 10
: mil il 7:::>'!i::!1IIili 'l.:I11:li: Wi Ii ill"::I:::J. '"' li:::>!li'l.:I17:1iO~tlli::l i~iv' en i1llN
Xi:!Wli'::lWil N~i Ii:lW N7i imrlil ,;, ':::l "wN:I N"ti 82,;, mm1"'l ilw"? m:;)7:I:::lN'il
!:lit l' !;J:;)C'}\'::Il ldil' :;):17:1"m"?l fiN "?N W' !iN i:::l'7t1lit::l C"?iNi : t:l":;)im
Ji:::J1:::l7:11i t:l'i:ll'i?:lli lr.li'i lIill:!lIJ 1l'l'?:l1lJil1:::JW'iil:li'i l'\'I:i, 'l:i,'i?:l::l 1l'\::J;:::J 1:\1l1
;, m"?l. '::Ji., "?::.1i1ii185::1,i1 ,::1, " ::J,1I liNi::J.i 84: :iiN lN~ 83:ill\ il1li:::l'lI':I1li
'rlW'i' li:l"il1~t' 86: in t;>~illi ii t;>li ~ill't' lItli :I"?!iill'1~ '~, ..,W~lirl mh "il 15
ii'liilOl. "::lli'1~~ ':11'" "?:11"IN:!: lIN 'lI1IIii' ~"?il 87ljN:!: i7:lWmCi'7:I 'J1:\:!:li~
,,?:l:l1 Oil"lill\ tm "v::J.::I 0" li~7:li~ l'1;;!;'n" :;)i::J;~' li~ li~7dii' W' "?:;7
i1'"?:;7 lI\~i lIi:JO, m~7dil l.l1 lI::J.IIJ::I~~ i"'7:I~" N"P7:1 '~:;7::1 CtIlOl."? !:l'~i'pil
'ill ;i i:::l b:::l "mi n:::l 1:::l'illi ii7:ll4: Flimill7:1 '1lli1lZ7:l1l:1'~i:!:(;l111~ liliti:lil:l
[47] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 95
il1ll1ll~3n:l p "?:>1: t::l"'~ il.::J.:l N,il P'~ ", Xiil ':::l :!ilZlnl itll~ ':::l188::, 20
li7:lN 1" ::.1il. x"? " ilJ7:I~ 89: 67d p' ;"? lj'N' l:Itl1ll7:l"imp1 ::'i : i'p t:l"'i:ll:::l
'7:\7:1::1 C~ W' ':::l 90: 1iJ , ~ '~'iii i"it ::;, : ~ll{il 'illi' ':::li : i' 1/i"?C,"?tv ", ':::l:l
i"liO 'l.:I:!"?7:I N':!:'l tm l'j'~il "?lJ 1/i"?ii11::l."?1ii,,,"?:\7 ,;, 'OOtlli.lC'i1:l'N N'P7:1
7:11: O'li1;lii li"nli:J 1Iin, Ol' : il i~'i1i "in 7~ Xil'i li'litl X7 ":l n::J.'il X'P1:lii
N'P7:1 '"?::.1::1::1t::l~,::I':JN C'i7:li1li t::lJ'NlVN'p~ '"?lJ::I::I t::lli : 1II1i:::lil ::.1i1ll0lb i' 25
P'liO Nim 91"?"lItli i'"?:11 t:l"7:lNi ilii1 C"illN~i 'P:I ,tIl:l "?':::IN"? C"'li7:1
':J '" '1':;7:4 i1/i7d"? i1tvpi il:Jii1 il!;J1/i:J' li::ltll::l lii'l.~' li'~tIlr.J l:'.l'Ii"?'WI:'.lli: ,ptv
: ll)jli'lIJ:\1 C'1m mlr.l:::l m''ino:J el'T.~in en
(fo1. 15, verso)
b1li]!:Jj [n:\7:lW N7'i 'j7did i]1Ii,1.I' N7 i'7dJi ,'m'ino, 'i:\7:::!:::l 'inN !;IN'1t1l' "?:l
I:lL'~P 7:11 : 1.:l'!:l'l~ il7:l:li il7:l:l ,::.1 ~7r:m '1'\'n1:> l'i11:>::l'lIiino 'inN f'"
07,::1:; ~iN' "?7:1:I1C'::Iili :liir.l 92Jir.lN Jir.lN 1" iiI'Nil : ili'1ll::l i'P"' !:l'1'0
:J.'li:::JP 7~: :ili1liid '.li:J::J.'j::lIlJ::J.i1"::J.bl"~'ll)1:::i/i[']miii1C li,j ::Jli Cl'1'1:i!:l:J1mil
Jil'\ ii1:::JIIJ1::1 ,:Ii, i"::J. ,,'IN l:m 1I:'::; 94,j7i:::> 93: 7 l{ i:!!:l 1:J:::li" 0'l,:J
illl\,:lm illi:ltv 'WN "?:;) bl,l;':~l"1~ :.4:"?,ilj':l~:I ::1"?";;)i~~ bl3'~' I bl7tv,," 5
il7:l1di':lO "lIOi1'1 'l:l t:Jt:J'Pll7:l'"'I "?'ilii'd ,;, tv'P7:l, 61""?' C'3il::l' ,;, l1i3:J'Pi
':::l:l ,;, m'li:l tvi""? ':I,"? '3:JW :.4:"?,,l'l.!:l l"!~ m:i7i1'1 il'O':;) 1Il-t il'WPili
l-t"?, il.'"?~ :lif)::l P 1;l:l1Ml-t 1ii rJi'N "?'::J1Iii1"?,l1:17i1i96rll.'1'~':::li' iloom
:!:::!::I7.liil~1::J."?.lil4;"'1':\7'"'111ii'l: '3idr.J 'n~ 1'~' 97; :j i :i7idwl;> 7l4: ,.j, ':\!:j f)~ ,:\"11
'" j:::J1 1:::;1 !;l3J198[:] ~ , "13Jl'1i:] 1~l1J:ll'l.j1v 1'1:\ :,:;, ,;,~ '1~3J~' iim '1::1;:
88 Isa. 64 :5.
89 Isa. 59 :10, 9, 11; for p"1 read PI,."
90 Isa. 59 :8, 15, 13.
91 J!..9\' 'explanation, interpretation'. Thi8 was one of the hermeneutic prin­
ciples of 'Anan that, when necessary, the Biblical verses might be explained
differently from their literal meaning. The Arabs called this method 'I"l{1'1.
'Anan followed here, as in some other instances, the famous Abu-I;-Ianifa
(cp. Harkavy, Stl/dien I/o Mitteilungen, VIII, introd. xii, noo ::!"').
92 Repeated in the MS.
93 Isa. 56 :11.
94 Read perhaps 0'1,::;.
95 Isa. 28:7.
96 Lam. 3:11.
97 Dano 9:13.
98 Isao 64 :6.

96 NEMOY [48]
mlJ~ 99: i1 ' ?l\ ,N ; liJ; Ii :J1II1liTil,l\:J ill'iNI m'~ 'imO l;llJ lJwinl ", l;llJ 10
ilIpi '" l'i11:1;.7~ c,:ln il'illi 1!:1TlJIilnO:1l1t?::Hi l;lN "r.lli "~li l'ill;lN l;ll\
Oil !:l"ilI100~ 7 ~ ~ "'::11;.71::1 1'iliN iI:J 1::l ,:11, l'::l?::l' N'il '::l l'ill;>N l;>N
li;.7:J fpilli'il'll\::!' C::li11i I:mo::ll'ili" bl;.7:;t:J:l ln~o" i'W:I1i1? C'~N' C'r.llil
C~ C!:IO:lI::I~ :'::ll::li!"t'J::l:l ':J:ll:lw!.'J:l ?'~il? '?::l1' ~"?'O ili~ t:lil'?:Ii N'::!li ili~
tV' 'i'1I1lJ l;l::l ,l;lil::!' iN 101ill;lil::ll IN :, :, i'1 :, .n p ; ,;, 'f:I :j , ;,7 C::!ili
'l'li'i,nC:J 'l:\i'~' l;l::l '::l i1l1i!:l1:J'1'lIilJ ilr.l i1l;l Nl 'iN 'ir.lN"1 'i'li" t:lil'iniO' 15
,, ,j 7 N ~ 'j; N l::l'i!':l~ 'r.J~'1 ':l:l 'li~ 1'~ 1~m1i!:l1[lil;l~]ill'i1~ i:d"lJi' Nl;l
''I' 'liilli:li '::l i:Jli",'liO li:ll:1103"r.ll'1 'lijlli:llli.'\ i:J':::lj rili!:)' 1m 102l'\tJli jttiN 'f:J
'l;l ~, Nl;l 'lJ'~' .n::l '::l 1::l Nl;li 1':;] 'l;l N;!:r.J' Nl;l, i1l1':;],; 1r.J ,,::1::l, [lJIii]no
104f.l:;; ~ lit 'S:J ~ i:J 7l'l '" '::l1l'l "inN li::l ilr.J ilNi' 'l;l '1.4:~~' N'~ 'li'1i:;] [li,?;!:il]1
l:l::l::J.tJ'!:ltti, ld'r.J:;iil i::lii.l l;ll'l:C::lm?l Yil'lr.J C:ilil-t 'N':\i;['''::l '}."? '~i lm:;ii.l 20
C:';;O:.?;:;~'::: ::::::J1"'l': 17':Ii'" l'il;l '::l [C::l1l;l i1l1N l;l::l' t:I::l'O::ll' t:I::l'li:l ,.:~lJli Nl;lil
illi1li~ 'li::1' 1l\;J;, jv:1 j1!i:l.lnl;>111i'::l'1,:11 ,:11 '1:1"' I:;'] ~:17 7::l']9 1:'\' ,,:::1i 1:l~
illiili~ 'li:l.l;ll:Nt'iPilC'ilill\ iii~ l\1il1051n'iIi 7 Ii P Ii N f1 '" ':l.Tl:11t:lli~~
Oil C'N?~r.JiI1 idiil ,1.4:':1 P'C!:!il 'inNI 1l\~' ip::l 'n:li Oil lnl;>1i1im:li~1
'!:IO~ N'il 'l~l;llinli ::linl;l O:::ll1N'11'l~1 1061~ 1c~~i!:lOr.J '1r.J"? C':li1.:1il
IN;J;1 'iW:J bl'n:Ji.? 'n:1i elil lnl;>w i~l; hnlil :l'l117 i::t:::)h~I m1:l~ I" mo,;:, 25
1~:17 '?:17 l'J~P ';'1 01:l1W,;, lIiipi'.'J '::l 1~i.l'? l'1l'l:i '?:;" 1:17'::11'1il:l.tJ? td,:l1
'~i:;' iliV:11.:1 N'?1 bJ"1N N?:Jl lj!:l1l1iN7:! ::Ii:l7j::10'1:17il hN W:I7'11'j!:lI'.'J1::I::l'"?W'1
fiN:1 O[iN] i'N '::1 :I7"?'::Iilli'.'J :I7?:1m liN W1"? tJil":17 '?ilil1.:1l\' '1I1N l:l'il
WI'"
(fo1. 16, recto)
N'? ';:' i~N P ,:I7i ?'~i'.'J I'N' C':I711i, ":1 C'P'i:::1: ":l'il1 C~1l1illi.l or.Jnm l'1N
'i:li1 lj'1'11"?1li~ il-t' '::1 '" 'l!:J7 l::l'p:I7::l:I:;' 'illl 107fl fil: il ~l ; i'1lb' ?:;:. i1:;:' '?'idlil'l
i1 i11=> 7:>1Iii ~ ':IN'ITl il~"? ii 'Iii '" mN i:17 lTl7!:lli:1 N':J:lii plp:1n p:l7:::1: 1:J
99 Has. 12:7.
100 Has. 12 :8.
101 Zeph. 1 :18.
102 Has. 12:9.
103 Read ''ir.;,,'.
104 Has. 12:10.
105 Isa. 65:11, 12.
106 ll.i is here superfluous.
107 Zech. 11:6.
[49] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 97
109:'l;l i:l1~ilili N'? !:IN' ,t\ 'l1'PM::! !:IN'l'O::! O::ll1N l1',::l ,;, l1j:J ':J 1:11i'.'J'? 10s"l1
:I1Wi'? p'1:::1:'?ir.Jl p,1 :Ii'ilii"? Cl"?'111171i'.'JliJi1~p O'l':Ii 11l iliil t:1?,:lii1 :Ii"'il"? 5
l:l1iOI '?'::Ii'.'J1lIinl' iliMi 0,1.4:::l liljl:17il 01"?'wl;lli'N 111:11" !:I7':I1 '~'1.:1 plill:lO pi
m1 11m P'1:::1: O,l;l'iIi l'1Nl il~M"?~il '1I11Nl;l::li t:J''?~i~' '1'11:111nip1 0":::1:1.:11
Cilil tl!:lili~' piM I'? t:l1I1O'i~~~ CliN:::1:::!' t:lli'?iii ::lp:l1" pM~" Cil'::lNi
1l1"1' 11:;]~1I111::lp:l1 il'ili "l1 7N '" "P'? :lii'.'Jilil1:I1'i'.'J1I1 t:1NC''?'W? Ol.11O:'ilOl
::lI:l1" '" l:'J~p C:::1:iNi.l1'~1I111:171.:11 l1ii'.'JiIi 1INii111'i:Jii ill1'il iliipr.li1 'i'.'J' '?::11
ilTi1 t:l1'il y[p] .•••••• l1:11"11'N' I tV' 1':I1::l::lr.:I1p li'.'J'?':17liN 111:11" '1I1'p~ l1N· 10
'1':11:1 :lIt? :I1i [il11l:l7]'::lC''1r.l'N em "l' C"N '1:1:11 Nilli O''11.:1'NC'::!i 1:l "?:I71
t?!:l'iIi il'il i'i'.'J1I ':J C'i:l1i1i::l tl~iili Or'ill'N ':::1112: tl!:lili~il [,?1N N N Ii f1 ; '"
114'!:l 0" 1:17 ,tJ!:l1!ii.l :l71i'.'J01'ili 113:; :j t l;lN' i;!: tJ!:liili [C'il'?N :':J] O?ilir.ll
lj!:l1l1iN"?:I O'il '1i:::l C'N ':ld :11:17':;' fd'7'O:::l '[:1':171::1i1ill'1 mm p 7:17il1'P!:l
N7n116: ,l;l 'INn t:I':I1," ,l;l~ [c'~::ln ']:I7~1I1115:lib C'il i::l C,N il1l1:17lii':J::l
~1;J;1ViJ [7N1 '1~pJil l

98 NEMOY [50]
"l::!]N" il'm i::l!:lim lii"il::li' C,!;l::Jl::Jml::J.,p !;l:li'C'''''WI~rI [C'i!;li liilb.,Pi 25
120,.,il::l "::1N!;l'rI'i rImNi'li~'!;l il":Ii'i~[i rIh'p[" il''''W !;l::li]
(fo1. 16, verso)
:S::1lim iii ", ~bfli1 C,'::1rI'i11 ;::llWi1::l C"il~i m!;l,!;l::l[Ci'::1]il'W~Wiij"ilii
123:'l~ i1'N ,,;;' : it li'::t '::l" 122:ON liNT':Ii' 121::ix!;l C::l['m] 'liltlni :i 7 iii
':J,;, li":l ~:11,:>:1,'~"pi1 tJ,l;l~':J;n tJ':l\t"il o'lJ~:I1m liI' ':l'ilN 124:C',:;W '~'pi1
illJ~' 126:'li'ilili.llil:l '7 ::i f.l [;]liIi.l ,~"l;Jfj ::In ,jlJO, "m 125:liI ::i tI ':JIi , Ii
127:il ", l:'jl't::lWl't' '::l i,',m i,\:lC IO'PW"m mn ~:Ii'O:>"'j:\i',:l:lW' i~'nN 5
1~ C'llJ'i'":> Ni:;''' i:l''';;7 l'N m":> ii1 1d['i:li7.:l] 'ir:!. 'llJ~ C'~::l:!rI ';' ~"
", iT:! "", ":l tJ[,],[",]~, C'O':Ii'::li.lil i::1' iJii i3::"Wil iWl't::l 'l~::Jp'W
':lmi::'li:::J N~fI O"'i'7.:llii ,lJOi.l:l lii:l"7.:lll 17.:ll:i~tlJi" ~;\ N':1~ m~7.:lil'~:>J
'l'1::lli::liliJN::li' lmliil' 'l~'pil i:l1liJ,,,, ",,::1, !:l'!:)::tPlii,::l 7;' 128~, '::l :si"l
j'7.:lli il[;"li::'] "r.>:li'~' tJ~w,,'~'" N'::l":>m":>j'llJ:I}t't,;, iii'~ ':'; ,,~, il":>:Ii'i.l":>
[l']li~ii1!;li::;::l il!;l'''i Ci.li"C"iii.llii PlZI,jtlOi.l, "::l::',Ibli~::'[i] "[:1ltJ] i':l!:l!.;:10
C"'!Jl{ ".li:\77.:ltIJ :\7i7.:ltIJ 130/l'i.l'''::' :;,:>l:li 129",,,, 'i.Jj imli [''''i : illi] iw Jim l'
illiN N!;lil 'll:h iNi il:li::li P:I1i::;;lii":>j::l1:1i :11:11i:lli/':l liI' Ni/l C'i!:lN ':I:\77.:l
lb !;lj:;j::l'li!;lliJ/':l:lP'~'1i.l!;li.ll6:l 'lii!;l:l::\':lNi lii!;lb!;l']:I::l'''wm ':lli'O' 'il!;lN
illZ]i.lli.,il'l:llii;/;i.l:J !;li:l1liNW" m!;lj ':I1i' ':I"i.l" N!;lI31P''':I1 !;li)i.l1NlZ]',i.l!;l
';'i : ['i1"N] ", illi~'::l il:J'lZINil'''N I':I;l'iIlil i1'i.li"7.:lC"W:lN.l1i;/;/':l::l ":li:l1.l1il"::l15
C':li"~ ':::!'di:i1'P'WN ';:' fi[!:llll"\] C~ '~:11Cii'?1:t "l::lj'i Cil''i:::Ji l"\${lii'? ::l'Wil
lii:J:!' bl"iil:lli I? 'iJ't!? ", li':! ?~~!i::J'?, h1~'lZJi'1' Iii:! ••••.• , • , imlliJ
l"\'?~ Yi::lp !::Ii\;): il?N 'f;; N !iJ liI' :i !iJ l"\::i'ii 1" /l?ldl':l? l:h ';n['w pip]'i
~?~:lim :tiJ t1l"\'!iid i:>1il?'?i C7.:li"lIi'1idW7.:l:! ,;, 'j!y? 'iiJm 61?tv,.", '~ii:!
120 Job 30:31.
121 Amos 8 :9, 10.
122 Mic. 1 :8.
123 Lam. 1 :4, 16.
124 Joel 1:5.
125 These abbreviations are not clear to me.
126 Joel 1:13.
127 Jer.4:8.
128 N7 should be deleted.
129 Isa. 62:6, 7.
130 Jer. 31:18,21,22.
131 Read ':::l.
[51] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 99
C'ttlli" ?ll: l'~ l't'? '''~ll:li' : Iili I ~,;;' 132il1li'i~'ll: l"U::l~, l'~Nl' •• ll:li~ 20
"N li~ '::lilZllilZ],:17 l::l'WN N!;l, il:litllN' '1::l'Wil "~ll:li '::l ,;, [li]::l'lZI'"N
~N ilWN::liWl"\ 'WN N'i1 iiW1n li[NT]iii.li : Y'N::l iltll'il ", N'::l ,~ [c"wh,'
il::l'Wn" li"W il"N /lW'N il":>W' "':17.:lilW'll::1" lii::t." ••••••••• [il":I1::1]
/lj~:::!I:JN ::':1il1ll'Ni/ltllN:1W' 1'::1'"" I'::' [-,::l,] : ,::lj ::l::l'O[lin::lp1 j~ i''']N
N li] '~'P~'N n::liWNil!;lN :';' i~ll: 1::l":17133:,;, iW' li'::l '::l::1::l il:l7'~ ilillN 25
il:J li::lllJ"i C"Wi" "N ~'::l!;l,;, 'N" Cl'lNO::l''':I71::l!;l:l1134: liw['] 7 :i tI :i [, N'
::; ,,:11, 135:i't '/':l' tm ":>Ni::;:l l:l'?Wi" 1':1::1Oi' ,:Ii l'1i'i.llZl~C"~'W lii'il"
'idl-\' l-\':J,: ", Ti:s1::lTi:l1''1rH:J:l' 'iill~ 'i:!~il "WN 136'7::1emi 1:1 '':J i~ ",111${
li,"tm : W,,'::1 il'ill.l ,,, l'Nl.li C'::l:l~iO',,'W 'il!:li.l o!;lilli." "ll: 1"ll: l'N
n::l:::Jilp7.:l:l1:l \"::1,:\7::l'::llii"O~ : 1" tli.l" 1::1" 'liW ,::l, 'WN N'il : C::l:l"::l 30
137q::l '3':sli.l!;l::l:'::l : W,,'::! 'il.l''? l'~m'::l ilili'\/)' l'17r.iWi..,'
(fo1. 17, recto)
1;l't":17~ ":>'li'?~ '?"i1i~'1::l'" il"i.:i ilt!z.l' li'::l'i;:: tlj li,',,,, ln~X,::1, l::ltlIiilZlz.l;::
/lidilii C'7.:l":::J ii'~iidl't mi li':;!;:::JC'ii?l't ?N ilNi' :;::l : liIi" "N i:ll'3'W,:11"':\1
1i'ii 138:'1tl1P' ii'il!;lN "" 1i\ii:l!;l, ;ji "ii Ii' iii' :i, ililW' ':I::l;j, ; i ii li:li:li
:ii';/; l1W'", !;l:l1139:li 1" 'l.l'iIl :l'li::lil N'il i::l::li'~:I7i.lil"\'7~'f,::lP tlit! ,::l::1,
,lItt:; J:'~7N Ni::l":>Oil':I!:)il.l'1Z"';:' : Cil':llj mill1i' ,!;lNW'l":':t MNIi::lP ":I7i 5
'liN 14°1" ":Ii Cil'lIi:ll-l: i'il ii'?Nil bJ'i.l'iltl'l.'l •••••• : li ? 'f) :i ,;, !;IN""3'
illi:l1i; iliill:J l{?' ill{i.JiblN?l bl'W:mliidi:7.:l1
••••• 141:1'1~'t?il"\1dN'il':JN N"
i!'1~::J ::l':l~l1li'f1J'1~ "~1::lW'i ", li!ii: ["n:nJ'] .. ,j\!'~'fi:d.p 1:\j!:, i:;;'W'
l"\l't:;!;?Ii;' '1NIN c:;,'l;l:; 1::;1 ,~ : ", 'tN li,':J3iiNb :J,il"\~1::l!;>:l/i".l1i~7.:l.,ii.JW"
:::;:;,l'1i~iS\iI ! 1'1'1~!iid'1[11~'iI~i]11 m'iI blibl ,;, 'l'li' l:Il"\~lii1'11:>:1'i::11d10
C':J,i ':!!:l':J[l"\::l?]' ", 'Wi" l;J::lt:l::J''t:\jill"\:1142:l'til i' ::;, '£J i
132 '..(j.)\ c.:.: ~ .... ci"; the writing is here faint.
133 Jer. 3 :20.
134 Hos. 5 :15.
135 Isa. 62:7.
136 Ps. 84:6-8.
137 Ps. 87 :7.
138 Jer. 50:4--5.
139 Jer. 31:20.
140 )", ZJ..~ 'religion'.
141 2 ehron. 15:3.
111mil7.:l ':l

100 NEMOY [52]
i':I1r.l '::m~ i13ii '::l :;:; ? :i1::li;:; tiI::l ~, :i l'lIr.l ",3 j::l : lN~ '307 1:l"'lI;,i::l
17r.l ,'7:11 i:l1l10" 7N'3i::1 :, N7m 143:l'O:::!;fil'ti';) l:l"~ 'iiP 7.:J::1 7:.7 ii7:.7r.l'
N7 '3~ 11'::1:1,145:'W03 I1N W'N 'i?7r.l' 7::1::l 1'11r.l ,0,3 ir.lN 1::l 'i:.71 144~il
'Wp:1' N'i 11"'i~1',::11' lI:.7::1l:l~': 7'i~ 7'1':1 'W03 J1:::!;,::tl:ln7W Wi~ ';:' •. , ,wp::t
N'iii1 : lV'i' 7N N'.:J7, r:m7 ii1:::!;'m'i~ 1'1:11' l:lii?:J '::l :I1',m'i : '::l7l1 N'i I ••• 'i 15
lINi''i mw 'i;:" w,m 7::J lV'i' 'iN lI":::!;P :.7::1iNr.l l:l'N:J lV'r.l [fin] l:l'r.l:.7
l:l~N7' X,::t7 lI':::!;iNii 'Id:li lIi:J O~ l:l'W,:Ii l:l:J3'N '::llV' '3'71N tJ::l7 ii7.:i' : tJ'ii7N
lIlp~' tJlI'W:.7 N7 !11!.)' !11P'71 146:'lV:.7N'i :io lVN iii 'i?OWi.:l~' j::J ??Ollil7
if.) b:I':iI, ?iJ' I1N '9' NiV ':J illl.i ilWV iI':i' il1:1' ?iJJJ 6 N ill ?iJ1.:l:> :,:;, bll1'W:>1li':ilj
mi1 O,'i1 ili ir.lN lV' 7:1i' : l:l'i.:Jlli I1'ii 'ii7N lIN' l:l'Ni' "ii '" lIN : O'31ir.l'Wii 20
omp~;:, tJ'W,:Ii Cl'N' ,;, l"\l{ i:N'ti' i:l3'N C'3W7Niii C'i?!:lWi.:l::l O'Wl:17 Oii
'j~'7:l l{7l1i : :Jp~' '3:J liN ,.;' i11'~ iWN iil~7.:I::ll iiilli::?1 !::H;J!:lW7.:I::Jl
'i:li, : iii7.:il'ir.l l:l'WJX !11:::!;r.l i'7Pli 1'111"i?OWr.ll "li':::!;r.l N7' lV' l:l'ir.lW7 ,;,
1111:1W i:J 'iWlll1 7N ?iJ' 'iN1~ 1:lllN'i147:'9' I1N C'Ni' il7Nil1:J',m 'i',I''1 fI:> 1:l"~il
l:J':::!;N'l:l'r.l'il1:llJN '::J 'N'::1li N7 I:IN' :';' 7N ii::11W3' lV'" 7N IN'::1' ,1:1,1',;, 'IN
il'ill pm'l tJ1:1:17blli"li1:1' tJ'WJN iHIl1:1iJ'i':iI 'I::lr.l '1li'lW 1l:l::l'lW"no inN 25
7:1i i17:177.:17n::l iWN::l lV'i' 'Iii '1:17 i'r.lll 'J'ii'iN 7N pnl1ii'i linN il"~N7
'99 l'i"1,1I 'IN 1::1"/1,:J'Wl'i Nl;>ON 999 'J"7 :i~ i,nl1" t:l::J'Il'l'C':::!:i1N l:lil' 1;~:li7.:lw'1'1,,'Ir.11'11:1 I:l11Nilli:17
i' 'vm :':lli'itJi !:I'" 'pm, ,;, lii'li::J 'Pill1 ,r.l'P !:I::l'lll' l:l'i1l;~, l':I:Jj i1:;)
:J'i:J N'i, tJ17W 'i:Ji:J I:lniN In'",." ,;, 111o;/;'llV''i::J7 ,r.1'i'i ,'i'::JW,.,,149:.,
142 2 ehron. 15:5.
143 Jer. 50 :8, 9.
144 Dan. 11 :40.
145 Jer. 51 :6.
146 Ezek. 5 :7.
147 2 Kings 17:33-34, 4L
148 Isa. 62 :6.
149 Isa. 35 :3.
[53] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 101
Ii:::l Ti1 i:11il1150: C'::1'i Oil'7::: "I?:I' ~, : e':Ji" '3'::l' l:lli ''I''W1:1, :" il:;;;1:1'
':i" 'WlJ, ,7.:I'P l::.1'r.11':I:J'iili?7.: I ,;, 'i:J.W 7NlJr.1W' 111:::l'ir.1:J':::l 'INlJr.1W' m::l"r.1:J. 5
li'~7.:1 i:lir.J'i' 1:d'3:1'ii 17.:1wi,'i Ii,"'? ,;, il'~ '3'li':l.N '7.:1'::1'::l ,:17" 151: :l.,tm 1::l:17
:i t.l N?!:l' ;:::1::':::1,,!.?O'W, ",,:. lii:;) '''1:1, 7:;.;0t:l'3:17W:I "ii1 iilli7.:1li"1'li::l ,;,
'N 'i1:1Nll tiN, ':1"'::'1 "'111::1' 'iWN 0'Pr.li11'N 01'11, 152: Clpr.1:i 7N ill"l"lJ' i11'1i.lj."
;;:, "ii~ li1::J "'po::! l:ll't ':::l m'i:. '!.?O'W::1l:17Wii7 'l':::!; l't, '::l 'lii i?O'Wii 'il't
j:''l::l i'p!:l N'i1 : i?!:llli:1'N I'N ii7N i' lit liJ liJ7 ii ::'i1 'iN liJ ? T:i :iJ' lVlItW'l'tii' 10
iliil 0""" t:l,,::! illi'i1li'::l'r.Ji1 '::J N'i1ii lIi'Nii li7.:l1Ii~ P 'i:;.;o,153niWr.Jil 'i,,:.
':J 11'/11154:':;, ,;, m'll i1.:lW"'l" ON ':::l W'l'I:'i::ll 'Ill "7vI'11:17W:i' i1'i~ NI;
7ip:J li7.:i\lm " "i71lot 155iWlot' iii'liii lr.1:1i?'i11:J::1'i:J i'pn ,m:sm : 7:i1 ,,,,,::1'
.,1PI1' ':I'7ll [m'~] 156:'il'1WN nlV'1 'i:J ~, i,m l'N:J Ii;" : ,;, :lW, li;" : i'lI;N ,;,
"::1 ?1Ii '9' [~] N ?::l liN ::,;, ilW7.:Ilii'l1:J ::'::l m~7.:Iil ?::l ii7.:llli'l, ,;, l1'1'li::l 15
159iJ'm::tlltr.1m~7.:Iil ,::J 11,W:;J'i0"i1 '3'7:17 l::J'i 15S:lit? 'f:; i:17 ilJ::I'i, 'l'i S, 157:~
l;::l '111:J' .,WN 1:111'7.:1::1 O~ ':J ilWlJli i!:J i1:J ::I1l'1::l'iW~ N'i1i1 ii':::!;7.:Iii••• r'M
ON '::J : £lil liN 7'1 7"1"l N7 ,::1 Ii::l '1WN 710!.)::l lil::J::11 i:l,Pr.1:J. lil"?liii
'illil.l7.:l' li17.:1''1li 1;::;, 11l;'l1::l O'Wip 'I:J, il':I '7.:1,.l1'l:1iPii ?,::I, 160:l:l'Pr.l:J
" 1l.li.l7 ilIil O"ii ,:1',:17 1'NW Ie'", e'1ii::J 11,nm "" e'i'!:l::J ~O::J' j::1ill"'O' 20
'iWN::l' 161:liN m::i:1.:l'::l3N .,lIiN ,::l lJN 'N'::IT\ il1.:lWn::l 1::l ":17, e,pr.1 1'~
l;J:l i ON ':l : "'IW::l' N7 ii7.:l''i11 7::;, "1W:.lr.1 1::l '1W::J' N7 ilTil e":1 0:;)'11"1li
jii:J ':l 162::':d ,;, li':J j'3::1 0" i~ :i' il, :iJ7d:m 0"111,,:17 ::" 11,":;:::1 i'l'N
150 Dan. 11 :33,34.
151 Supply [mJ '71'1, cp. 2 Chron. 19:11.
152 Deut. 17:8, 12.
153 This is against Benjamin a!-Nahawendi's view, who writes ()7:l'J::l Ji~,llIi;l;
1a, bottom): mi1~:::!

102 NEMOY [54]
:~ii'i ~ i,~ tl11.'~i~ 011.':i~:!:;lil' ::i l.;::l :i1' W ii"~'"'N~W' t.l 'iil:l '11."1'
,:17 il"~~ linN il~'i' ~1.;liliil Oi'il ':l ! ~t:l::lli~ il~'~ i'lrN 11''':1 n::l i'''I1~i 25
i'''Ti~i : C::l'I1::J.TiO:;P!i1!;>il' jjW~ ':11 "W~::J liili'~ ll"ii i'i~'ii~ 1ii'il
rm '" %'\i~i:ll;>:;J1ICl; i1iW:il'i 6li'il ~~''i~ 7' 'i:\7 : t:l", ~ilii '1"l'iiiW:I7~
jj"'m ii::m ::IT7::l'iPi ilj~ '~i : Oip~::J.lii'i'in Oil "11.'~'i::ll:l'11.'jP 'i::l~l,:l::l'pn
'::I i1~~i~ 1.;l::l "i~11.'1.;l il'1.;l:l71::l 1.;l:17 tl'lil::l:li t:l'p~:ltl"i1.;l1'1t:l1.;li::l :l7i~~, 1'1"7l.""
li~' :Il"~Id' m1.;li" il::m ::li
(fo1. 18, recto)
ml;l"i il::m ::n P"P' il'3 ,~, b1lii3:l"Pi i~'l;l~ t:ll'iNId'~7:::l;l:lii~~:Ilbl'N:::!;~3
'~i 1m::!.,p' I::ll'i}l:~i~il''-':I:' p
IJli:lW linN I'Jj~~ ':J 'l:l"il'
,;7i 163:O'lil::l:li O'PId::J.0"i1.;l1'1O'i::l :l:'i~~i
'1W:J' 1;;JNj i~"':l j'N l:Jii?~1'J':J ~~''i~ j'N I'J'~
1'1";1Ti~ il'ii1i il~:l' illlm 1'1,,1i i!li::!W,::t,l;l 'l'li1.;liTl;liW:::l'1'i::t'::ll6il il~~
164~iim N'ii lej0ili Nl;lli:::lili!'~i :;ii :;N' 61l;>i~'~ ill:J"i i~71 '" ,::t, il'~i 5
'~'7d m::':7dil,::l 'l'i' '::l i1i:J:r.lil'ili' li'i:l::l N' C'W'Pi 1'1il:t,p 1'1'j::J.'::l :I:"i
7:J::J liJ" i"'N:J : n'iN::l '~:J : lii::l:J 6l:\i':J61"i7J/J ':J '?:ili if)' '?:::l7:il i!1IJ~
N" il'i~O I:l'~il::lil,':J l'm:t'pil '::Ii tl'tIJ,p li,.,:t p' ,n1ll::l "~li I1i:;l'1IIil
l1"~Oil il"'ldil .,il:1, i1'i~O Wii'::!' lii~'Nil ':l~ il'i~O W' y.,N:Ji W'':::l ":J
i::t':t l']'O'il' li:lli li':Jlt'i1' li:lli iii'il' li:ll1:J"Pi l:i'tIJ,p !li,.,:l1:::l ,:11: Wi"'~ 10
l'11651:l'W::l::lil11.'11.' n:lWil tli'::li 'NPin' 'I' ':1:' li::l .,tlJN::I: Pldilli'::l 7'~:J::t'"
l;J'i :>l;::':~i liGl liN~i~ il'iillj1 jjNi:li~ lIi~i:l !;:;'i C'i:;7ii'di n::lill m:::7.:lil'1li'
166:!:J,::;), ld,;;.zli~1:)t;)::l:>Jj' ".
'::;) ,~~ ~:J '11:)117' '~"'!JliJ"::;)i 'il::l tl,1iI:"J:l :n~~1:l'!J
162 Ezek. 20 :40, 41; the sentence l"1i~~:\l::l1?~?:1 i tl~ ':I is not clear, and
is probably corrupt; the meaning is that the verses refer not only to m'~~,
but to l1r.l~'1liand '1l1!:Ilr.las well.
163Benjamin al-Nahawendi (cited by Harkavy, Stud. u. Mitteil., VIII, no.
'fj) also uses the same argument: ~li1l>\':>lJ il1~ 'r.l:l ~"7:I~~tIIl1":ifji ?!l-t7:lfj'1::l'~':>
" .p'P::! ?!l'I'1i'lfj ?!':>17l'1l1! l'I"l':>i' ,7:I::l7113 '7:1li1l1!:I7?'1l1!::;'" ili3 'I;) n'il"llJ i"7:ll'l~lr.iT
ni~ '1;) i~? 1'~1:1'll? •.• p1P N?:J nmnfj 7111?171::l1P 71'71N71Z!tlipr.i::l il'~r.ii
n?~:\l l-t?, l1:::\tII11,,:\l ~l' 1'~~ .1::1'1;):::\ t:l~::l::l'n:;'n1 il, lI!' l.;>::l~.11,l.;>~::l1::l1P'
•.• tl'r.l' n17::1lZ!m~m ~m !:l'i:\l'7:I~ 11::l1Z!n1'r.i1l} [13' lZ!' l.;>::l~]nOll' tl'i:\l'I;)71
]'HlZ! ,::J, ll"1illl:l7'C'::l"l1 mlll:\ln7 nl.;>'::J"'1' m'llIn In:: !1"llIl1w:m 7::l::lW1'17:1'7
•• •In::! )':1"11 I'N " m'wm n,':I' 171:1 Cpo also '1!:l::ln?::Jw~ Alph. 288.
164Deut. 13:1; read 17'~li.
165Ezek. 46 :4.
166Lev. 5:3.
[55] THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES 103
11~'1n~'i 111~ ~iill"liN~i~il '::li :I:''i~~i li~ l"I~~'~ Ci'il 'i'~11."~, iW~ '::li
61'7.:l'litIJ'?11.' t:lilJ 167ill1lN'111[iW~l"I]~N W" ili:J: .,W1IIl1li'Pill ~Nili in"l)l"I 15
~l/)~'Ji7.:l•.m~ '::l '::I"i i'1::1' "1"l1il' i":J'~ :Ji11."il'Nl 1.;li:l~~riT1~ CJi11.'~::1.
l;J~ Ni:l' N' Ci' Ni:l~ '1::1.1,:;" N7.:l~~i:l' N' '17.:l~'.,ON i11.'~i "l)Jiil' "
7N,? il,',?n "" ::1.'1;7::1.i '1[p::t::t]Jii1iil' n~ Ni:l~ Ni::1.1.;l "i'Ji' ,'N : '" Ji'::I "i~Ti
t'Ii'il:J i:J N~n' il'~ '~i : tmm, ~iil O'N N7 '::lJi.,nN iliin' iniiJi~ ::1.i11."
1d:llili~ iiIJN lii~i:lil ':li jil::li W'PId lii'il::1. il::!ii ::ti n"i'il [1:l"P::l W'i?~ 20
1:Jil'J'1i~:ljp Nl.;JilCi1'liil:liP 1:l:>7C"i~ldil C,.,il):;" tl":>7i~i li::1.W::I1::1.'ipil
1111Ji~11 lil:J I'N ':J l'JiA'i.lli:lill P 'ji~iII'? 1;;J":I1ii.li lI:lW i:l'i":lIJ'N!li:li ili:JW
'::l :I7'i~7.:liMidliN~ilJ il'iNW~ p" il'~ 'Id ill1l:ll~in::ll "WN W'p~ N" il'l "I'd
l'ii:;!;7diltIJi:llil,::1 N'ili : iliil .,::1.,ii ~, :1., tl'il'1II N." 7::1i~Id:ll:I:''i~l'dilinl'dil
i~':Jii::t '{in 111iil ,1:\ m~w 'll ;,::tiWJi::!1:1~n,?Oj ~~ W,P7.j liNl::! ilWllM 1:\, 25
!:l'~::1. i'il~' il::1.ii::1.ii lii7"i l::1..,P111':1il:liWl"I:1168i7n'Oli 1il::lil "l):::li l::tiP
111" Oi'l'J li~ liNt.:lj~ ii1:1W'N7 'j~N' 1;;J'~::l'11~' li~ Ni.l~ j:Ji j:l'1P N7::l
::Ii::l:1;J'/ilN'il il';71:17 l:I'liElOi17::l::1.i1N'::I::1t:lN1'l'ii'l:l i1:li'~l.::l t:lNC'~' n:l7::ll1l
l;>;:l'::ll m:li ,'" 11:1I:lN ':J i1:l~'N1697i1l-1: '1i:l'i : Cl1N1di'"i'11dWN' .,WN ilil.i 30
l:I'l:lN::tiN [:lii?~IJp::lnl.;J:lii:l'1:l'l.iElOiN t:l':1lV:li:1iN T1i:l:"i':l il':I:'~1.;lt:l'Oi::l~il
)":1::1 N'?i 'ilN •••••• il "iO:;' '::l 711111N'V~ wip li11.'7::1
(fo1. 18, verso)
hi:il''1'l'1:J i17:l1~'?ijj~~'i hi:l"::JO 61'l1l'1Pem 170i111l:>l1'1 j:JWl':lilhN i1::JNl;;il
pttm!! 'i~11 !':l))\172; :i! l;olili1:i1Jjl>\tthlJ9i pi 17lq::l~~11 7:;:1'111ii" bl'!:>J
li':Ji1 l'1ii:;l:Ji i1l;J:ili':l'? li~o Nl;;':J 'iilN N'Pl N?i t::l'~~l.;J:J' l'1i::l'::1.0l:l':li'P
~d 'ill'l l'l'p~ "l;;:li1dt, 173!1"!j~p CN bI"~m tI"WJ:;:I 'i:l'iii1 i1::J '1Ilpm';;J,
174:l;Jmm ::In; illiii:l1li:lIliIJiIil:J1dJi'1~loi: lVlIl!:l"~i11111i:'~'i ':l'ilil ,loi: '3",::1', 5
176: ill i::IfI'l'li1N':> '\;""1 175:i7'W ;jw i::Il1"IJR::l 1~W9i f1:::JN'", tI":l::li'llllr.l tllli
167 Exod. 19:15.
168Supply Ci'm, i.e. now, since there areno sacrifices, repentance suffices.
169Cpo Num. 19:14.
170 Exod.26:1.
171 Exod. 26:7.
172 Exod.40:19.
173 '.)ci 'bridge' .
174Ezek. 41:1.
175 Ps. 78:55; ~l.;>,wprobably refers to v. 60, [C'1l't:J I::JW?nl't] "W [I::JWI;)].
176For "l'l'1 read t:J7'1, 1 Kings 8:66.

104 NEMOY [56J
m~ 1:.::l':Ii" 'il~ C'~"1i'1 0'i1::l O'li::l il'N ':.::l ~?il 177:011 ,l,m~::l ~ li't1.l~"1
Cil C'~i!:lt:lil ,:;, C'1::l~:;'i lii:li""1':::l 178:j, 7 li~ li'tI.I£11?:::l ?:11, "1'i1?, ?i'~ lil:::l?
'"17.:llVb1'"1:11 m?''i:l7::l il~r.mm m~7.:l 'l:l"1li 'i~,,;,li~ '~"1' illi:lii 179:'il~
':::llil:::l1 i':1 '::l li:l7"1;;;Ji~mtJ i"17.:llVib1'1iI:lOii '1:.::l::li'Ii~:1i Ji'::l::lJi7.:lli~7.:litJ 10
':::llili\ tiJ,'1::1liN m"1ii'i 180:i1:'i i :;, ;i' 01i'1:l ':II'i:;:;' ilj::l' li:li'''~ N'Ii li1~m
,;, "1::11::1ilN~~ill':Ii' 1~ lii"li~ il~~tm ':::l 182: ::IJ'?:Ii'" TtJ£1l1.1~'"1i' 181: I'm
li::l "1lV~::l"1iilt? 1111N7.:lt?ili Iii" 194ii~ilI83: lil:lil 'N7.:lt:!ilil:lil i"1iltJi li::l '1lVNi
ili ij'~' t':IN'::l ':Ii'Wjil Oil N" ii"j;;;' tdil N' 185:iil ~ ;ii ;);il liN iJ'?'i;;;ili
N? li':Jil li:>l'i~ '::1 :Ii, 186: ~il tl , Ii i.l lil'f1 ;j:'i n::1 'iWNi : :l7t1.1jiln P"'~
CiN ':!:l::ltl.l ld'N"nli ,:l, lii:l~ ':l7.:l lInN::l N'il ldiN li:ll'"1;;;':l CiN li:li'"1~::l 15
li:ll"1;J;i l'i:lil .!Wil N'?:J ld~i lilbil li"]il '7.:l':\ bl'i~" lii'? "1"i "1ii ,:l:l N'ili
:1m 'Jim' :;:l m;J;j[~il "lNtI.I:l ~?i] Iii' Y"1N:l il'i~tl li!:li7.:l' li1~::l N'il li'::Iil
lil:::l1Wil ld"1tJ ~, N~[~1] N' [1:::l':11',] lil:::llii'il::l il"~tl N'il1 :,li.l-t lb li:ll'"1~
i1":17 P I ':Ii' 1::1N'7 CiN li:>lj~ ••••• '111::1 ':;;i 187111:::1Ol:l~ 'iWN ''inN N?i 20
':::l :l1'i 188:liiW:Ii'? i'i~[lI.Ili Cli'i;;;li;:::l C'il']Nilll.l'N illl.l~ liiili::l :':l::l ii~lI.I'i
,;, i''il:l11 iWN m~[7.:l11 11:1fm m;J;]r.lil 1;J, l:li imt::l Iii' liNr.ltJi 'i~ li~r.lm
177 Ps, 7R ;51.
178 Lev. 21:11; Num. 6:6.
179 See '1!:l~" ';1~w~, Alph. 289, n ff., who follows our author even as
regards style; cpo also 'ii~p, 12 b: t:ln7:1 .';1n~ '1r.ll-l7:1::1 mp1l;>n t:I'7:1:::I11" 1'11~"
l,"::11'(::l11pm 'il'1'r.l ":::J1·iiW ",tll-l ';tW1'11:>""'1" ?tlK ,,~ l:l::Jtllt.:l '7,,~ 1:IW'::0 1:I''''I(j'l;-i;
Onr.l l.ml'i N'1P'W l'1':m ';1:17Z:ll7;lN.p1\m'? l'NW i17;l:-m,::1W1'I tl,l.mN:J ,~ '3:11'1N';1
":::11lWn",~ ';1:1)lonnW1:l''17;l'N0711:11711:1::l07171 'ill: ';1~ NmW t:I'i7;l1N.
180 Deut. 21 :5.
181 Lev. 10:11.
182 Deut. 33 :10.
IS3 Lev. 13:6, 8, &c.
184 = ''i'm.
185 Deut. 25: 1.
186 Lev. 14:38, 34.
187 See Ibn Ezra to Lev. 14:34: ';1l'i'~::!1'1'::J t:l~~' l'l'::171l'l~'1ll: '1l'i::1';1';1M71
"'1~nl'l';1~7:1';1"l i'::1~:1 "'1::1';1"i~::1l7ii3 m'::J 1~3::l"iN; Nal;1manides to Lev.
13 :47: 'lm p' l::l'7m::l,mil Nl;>,'7'7:0 :!7:JD:t 'J'N m JJ:;7ill: :lll.l ':J j"J'jl":::> 'ix:.1m
" n';1m N'71W"'1N::J N'7N lm3 'J3'N mm ... tl'1'I::Jn. See also '1n::m, Lev. 28b,
71'1111il1:::>,Lev. 37a, 1'~ p, 19d•
188 Deut. 24:8.
189 Exod. 12:43.
[57J THE PSEUDO-QUMISIAN SERMON TO THE KARAITES105
W~ "1~7 190: pli N' h:::l3 j::l i'm i::l] 1897::l~' l't, 'i::l11::l ~::l izj' j':J, 'i~ P Oll.l::l
il'N 194: [tiJ':i~ Nl~]~ tI.I!:l3::1m193: l'lI.Ili ,.,::l17192: i:1:1i':i:17 mpli '::l191: :illV::l
::l1i41:W' 195[i~]:l1 i:l'i'li I::l'pi!l:l~i :W' 1'::Ii 'i~ 1'::l i'"1£1i! itl.ll'\ lii'ii~O .!W:i:~il biil
'::l rsm1;J jnl'\::llii~r.lil1;J::l::l \i)'i 'i~ '::l 'i::lj~ 'iiON ilVN::li 1197: '1~ 196:1~:17:lii:l7n 25
'1~ j':l j'"1lDil7 '1iON j:J lIi~~il ':J:lN';:li lii;;;~il il:;J;p::l ,;, i:li''i!:lil '::l1:1~:;J;~
N7 "lll.ll'tnnl'\ ili:;J;7.:l:l,,~ j'::I, liJ' 1'::1i'"1£1' "1WN,:;" i'i£1i! ["1]lI.IN:ly,n liJ,p'
iN~' ,,~ nNmtJ J'?'inil ';'1 198:iil i i::1,;, '"1::1i N' "1l1.1N"1:liil N'il ,;, i'"1£1il
l't:$' X'1 199: ~"1Xil '~:11 i::1N'il ili3 fiN :;::l td'dWr!j i'r.lli iliJ:J Oil '::lliJ' 1;J:17
,?" ii1~:l i'ldli Wi l-t'i;, bl'!:m '1:17'i:l, ili~ f'iN Il:ll'\ b.1'~!:l'.~tl.lr.Jmil j::liil 30
ldl't N'il iliJ Y"ll't OJ::?tI.I7.:l Y"1N ?:II "1~N ON' : il:$'n"1i 01:l::l i'7:11 Oil::l :I7'~iil
p' ili:! liN~'tJld illl.lp il'::IW" nl't~itJ N1;Ji!il':Jtl.li' lil't7.:litJ:J ii1J::l ii:l.tl.lm fiNil
i'i7.:lN' bl'l'Uim : ;);iNil '~1ll1hJ::1] S:d il':JtI.I" 1I~t~[1tJ~] N'il niJ fiN ';' "1IdN
2ooN1ill:::l N1;J,ilN~1i.? l't" !:l';;;:Ii'~ "1::1i N'tJ". ::lli:;' N' ~"1~il '~:Ii' ni1 ':::l
190 Lev. 22:25.
191 Deut. 14 :21.
192 Exod. 21 :2.
193 Deut. 23 :21.
194 Deut. 24:7.
195 Deut. 22 :4.
196 Exod. 23 :5.
197 This explanation of 1NJ1IIas 'heathen' is ref1ec1ed in Pes. 113 b (cp. B. M.
32d, bottom), ';11\'1111'Nl'1II ,.,r.lN1II lU'W l'i'3l'1 Nm ''1:;'3 Nl'llI ~~''''N l'i3iW'N~
';1l\'1W'N31Wl\",'1IICN7l\ 1::l7'~n m~'l'i l'i3iWl'i';1,. Our author takes ::mm 1'17'im
'7 literally. But later l):araite commentators follow the Rabbinic interpretation.
See n'1ilJ '11'1~, Exod. 77b and 78a: N';1W 71::1l1iMi;) 1';1 W' I::lN'';1'1::1'1~i;)l'1';1,m
'1'::1~::1tl';1mn l'li~'N';1 (1:1'~) l'li'71';1pl'l' N';1, 'I:;"~ n::1WMr.l"nl'li~~ l'1';1,m ::1'l:l7l'1
';1l'i'1l1r';171'1i1lN"~::1l1i; 1'~ p, 185a, o,';1w71'ill: ';1:17~,., ';1l'i'1l1i'l'Nn ';1~ o'7'l'i'
which implies that 1NJW refers to a Jew; cpo also '1M::11;1" 'tl to Exod., 46b•
198 Deut. 18 :22.
199 Ezra 9 :11.
200 The fragment breaks off here; the problem of 'ill'1~7;l'~, according to
the I~araites, is discussed in Appendix I.