In some of their writings, this religious group identified their opponents as "thorns" and themselves as "roses."
In some of their writings, this religious group identified their opponents as "thorns" and themselves as "roses." A twelfth-century letter, addressed to their elders in Ascalon, details how they pooled money to ransom refugees and holy relics in Jerusalem during the First Crusade. Entreaties in the early nineteenth century convinced the Tsar that this religious group should not be held legally responsible for crucifying Jesus. Saadia Gaon's Arabic polemics against Anan ben David condemned this sect, whose name comes from the Hebrew for "to (*) read." This highly endogamous sect, which emerged around the 8th century in Mesopotamia, does not require mezuzahs or tefillin, and interprets sex as being work, thereby forbidding sex on the Sabbath. For 10 points, name these non-Rabbinate Jews who clustered in the Crimea, who interpret the Torah and Tanakh literally, and who utterly reject the Mishnah and Talmud.
In some of their writings, this religious group identified their opponents as "thorns" and themselves as "roses."
Karaite Jews [or Kara'im; prompt on Jews until "Hebrew"]