A
Brief History of Jewish Sects
by Yoseif Yaron
LATER SECTS
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JEWISH SECTS > Page 1, 2, 3, 4
The Karaites, and the next two sects mentioned are still active today.
The next major Jewish sect to appear on the world map was the Sabbatians, out of whom grew the Frankists. The Sabbatians are followers of Shabbatai Tzvi the Kabbalist who proclaimed himself the Messiah in the seventeenth century. Shabbatai Tzvi was arrested by the Sultan of Turkey, and forcibly converted to Islam. His most ardent followers, those who comprise the Sabbatians today, followed him in his conversion and became Muslims. While they outwardly converted to Islam, the Sabbatians maintained a level of Jewish practice secretly. They essentially became self-imposed crypto-Jews. The Sabbatians are also known as Dönme (a word which means to turn in Turkish); it is a term similar to the word Marrano (pig) used for Sephardic crypto-Jews.
One of the basic tenants of Sabbatian theology arises out of the conversion of Shabbatai Tzvi, of whom it was said converted to Islam in order to retrieve the sparks of holiness that dwelt in the depths of evil. From this theological tenant many strange practices have grown, such as ritual incest and spouse swapping.
Finally, there are the Beta Israel. Though the Beta Israel are an ancient sect, their existence has only come to light recently. The origins of the Beta Israel remain a mystery. There is no doubt that Judaism was influential in Abyssinia at a very early date, very likely as far back as the First Temple. Given the lack of hard data and the Ethiopian Jews' resemblance to native Ethiopians, several theories have arisen about the origins of the community, most based on superficial research of Beta Israel traditions and lore. Most notable about the Beta Israel is the fact that they were separated from the Jewish people for at least 2400 years. This being, their practice of Judaism bears more resemblance to Biblical Judaism, than Talmudic.
RESOURCES
General Reference
Encyclopedia Judaica, Cecil Roth, ed.
Early Jewish Sects
The TaNaKh, Jewish Publication Society Translation
Second Temple Sects
The Complete Works Of Flavious
Josephus
The Pharisees and other sects - edited with a preface by Jacob Neusner
Sects of the Second Diaspora
Ya'Qub al-Qirqisani on Jewish Sects and Christianity - Bruno Chiesa
Karaite References
Karaism.com - Education Division of the Karaite Jews
of America
KJA Home Page – Community Pages of the Karaite
Jews of America
Karaite Anthology: Excerpts from the Early Literature – Leon Nemoy
Sabbatian References4
Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism - Gerschom Scholem
Türkiye'de Dönmeler ve Dönmelik - Selahattin Galip
Dönmeler ve Dönmelik tarihi - Abdurrahman Küçük.
Beta Israel References
http://www.circus.org/ - Maintained by the North
American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry
FalashaAnthology - Wolf Leslau.
The Beta Israel (Falasha) in Ethiopia: from earliest times to the twentieth century
- Steven Kaplan
NOTES
1
One schismatic group of mention found in the TaNaKh is the Samaritans, also called Cuthim, or Shomronim. According to the historian Ya`aqov al-Qirqisani:
Next, after Jeroboam, appeared the Samaritans, known among the Jewish people as Cutheans, of whom it is written: "And the king of Assyria brought men from Bablyon and from Cutha," (II Kings 17.24).
The TaNaKh relates that the Cutheans adopted Judaism after they were inflicted with a plague of lions sent by God (II Kings 17.25-28). The Samaritans, however, have never been considered Jewish because, as II Kings 17.29 relates:
However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put [them] in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, [every] nation in the cities where they dwelt.
2
Gunter Stemberger in his work, Jewish Contemporaries of Jesus, outlines this controversy well.
3
Although, it is admitted by everyone that the Ananites became Karaites; and Anan is considered one of the major organizers of Karaism.
4
There are sites on the internet claiming to be Dönme, however, they are not the work of Sabbatians. They cannot be relied on for accurate information. The Sabbattians themselves, would never refer to themselves as Dönme. It would be tantamount to Sephardic crypto-Jews referring to themselves as marranos (pigs). These " Dönme” sites, while they contain interesting information about the Donmeh, are written and maintained by people want to be Donmeh, but don't necessarily have Dönme roots. One of the sites even refers to itself as the “New Donmeh.”
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