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82 the main service of Karaism was indirect. The Rabbinite Jews, who represented the mass of the people, had been on the way to a scientific and philosophical development of their own before the rise of Karaism. The necessity of fighting Karaism with its own weapons gave a strong impetus to the new movement in Rabbinism, and some of the best work of Saadiah was inspired by Karaitic opposition. Before, however, we turn to the career of Saadiah, we must consider another literary movement, which coincided in date with the rise of Karaism, but was entirely independent of it.


 * Graetz.—III, 5 (on Troki, ibid., IV, 18, end. M. Mocatta, Faith Strengthened, London, 1851).
 * Steinschneider.—Jewish Literature, p. 115 seq.
 * W. Bacher.—Qirqisani the Qaraite, and his Work on Jewish Sects, J. Q. R., VII, p. 687.
 * Jehuda Hadassi’s Eshkol Hakkofer, J. Q. R., VIII, p. 431.
 * S. Poznański.—Karaite Miscellanies, J. Q. R., VIII, p. 681.