Category Archives: The Sayings of Moshe

The Sayings of Moshe: A Revelation in Karaite Thought

James Walker (second from right) with Avi Yefet, Chief H’ Moshe Firrouz, and Hazzan Rotem Cohen (Left to Right)

The Karaite Jews of America recently published The Sayings of Moshe: Insights on Living by the Tanakh. This work is a collection of sermons and Divrei Torah by the late Rabbi Moshe ben Shabbetai Ratzon, an Egyptian-born Karaite Jew who was part of the 20th century exodus of Jews from Egypt.

Of note, Rabbi Moshe was not afraid to blaze his own path and differ with his Karaite co-religionists (to say nothing of the rabbinic mainstream). Rabbi Moshe’s fresh perspectives demonstrate that Karaite thought is alive and well. Today, I interview James Walker who translated The Sayings of Moshe (Hebrew title: Imerot Moshe).

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Books, James Walker, The Sayings of Moshe

The Open Karaite Initiative: Why the KJA Did It

Today, The Karaite Press (a project of the Karaite Jews of America) launches its Open Karaite Initiative. In short, this project will advance access to historical Karaite Jewish literature like never before. The KJA is planning to bring all of its Karaite literature online and make it available for free (with very few use restrictions). And as a show of good faith, The Karaite Press is releasing the fully typeset .pdf of The Palanquin on its site.  Did we already mention “for free”?

More details below.

Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under James Walker, Open Karaite Initiative, The Karaite Press, The Palanquin, The Sayings of Moshe