Understanding the Qumran Sect in View of Early Karaite Halakhah from the Geonic Period

Research about the influence of Qumranic Halakha on the Karaite Mourners of Zion can enlarge our knowledge not only on early Karaism, but also on maon disputes that divided th Jewish sects in antiquity. The three halakhik issues discussed in this article shed light on the meaning to the Qumran sect of living in the desert. Defining themselves as the "exiles of the wilderness", they did not obsevre nost of the commandments, which they considered as pertaining to the land of Israel, as the Israelites before them during their sojourn in the wilderness. The three Halakhic issues discussed here are: a. the "deseret passover" (Numbers 9) and "Hezekiah passover" (1 Chr 29-30). b. the half-shekel issue (Exod 30:11-15). c. the consuming of "desired meat" (Deut 12:20-21).