Page 35 - Why were our ancestors referred to as Bnei Mikra or Baalei Mikra and what does the word Karaim mean
Question:
Why were our ancestors referred to as Bnei Mikra or Baalei Mikra and what do these words mean?
Answer:
The word Bnei means sons, the word Mikra means the Teachings of Moses, or that which is read or also the (Hebrew) Bible.
The words Bnei Mikra and Baalei Mikra mean "adherents of the teaching of Moses" this is because our ancestors confessed only the faith described in the Hebrew Bible, which we also call the Mikra.
Question:
What does the word Karaim mean, and when did our ancestors the Bnei Mikra begin to be known as Karaim?
Answer:
When Asia Minor and the Middle East was under the rule of Arabs, and when Arabic was the main language, the Bnei Mikra were named by the Arabic word karaiyn (plural) / karaiya (singular). This Arabic word was gradually replaced by the hebrew word Karaim (plural) / karai (singular).
Both the Arabic and Hebrew word means reading (someone who reads), or also those who believe only in the Teaching of Moses - the written Torah also called the Mikra - the Hebrew Bible.
According to our tradition our ancestors Bnei Mikra began being referred to as Karaim (approximately in the 10th century, after the Karaites came to Crimea from the Holy Land) - the adherents of Teachings of Moses.
Question:
Why are Karaites also called Biblists?
Answer:
Why were our ancestors referred to as Bnei Mikra or Baalei Mikra and what do these words mean?
Answer:
The word Bnei means sons, the word Mikra means the Teachings of Moses, or that which is read or also the (Hebrew) Bible.
The words Bnei Mikra and Baalei Mikra mean "adherents of the teaching of Moses" this is because our ancestors confessed only the faith described in the Hebrew Bible, which we also call the Mikra.
Question:
What does the word Karaim mean, and when did our ancestors the Bnei Mikra begin to be known as Karaim?
Answer:
When Asia Minor and the Middle East was under the rule of Arabs, and when Arabic was the main language, the Bnei Mikra were named by the Arabic word karaiyn (plural) / karaiya (singular). This Arabic word was gradually replaced by the hebrew word Karaim (plural) / karai (singular).
Both the Arabic and Hebrew word means reading (someone who reads), or also those who believe only in the Teaching of Moses - the written Torah also called the Mikra - the Hebrew Bible.
According to our tradition our ancestors Bnei Mikra began being referred to as Karaim (approximately in the 10th century, after the Karaites came to Crimea from the Holy Land) - the adherents of Teachings of Moses.
Question:
Why are Karaites also called Biblists?
Answer:
Karaites are referred to as Biblists because they study only the Bible, and because they do not accept religious instructions that are not supported by the Bible.
