Karaite Separatism in Nineteenth-Century Russia. Joseph Solomon Lutski's Epistle of Israel's Deliverance
Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, (1993). First edition. Hardcover. Lg. 8vo. xix, 252pp. Brown cloth with gold lettering on front cover and spine in original illustrated dust jacket. Study in two parts: In part one, the author surveys the history of the Russian Karaites, examining theories about their origin as well as discussing their fate from the late eighteenth century until the early 1990s. The central character in Miller's study is Simhah Babovich, a Crimean Karaite whose wealth and prominence enabled him favors with the Russian government. In 1827, Babovich went to St. Petersburg on behalf of the Karaite community and petitioned the Tsar for exemption from military conscription legislation that applied to all Jews in the realm. He was accompanied by Joseph Solomon ben Moses Lutski, a leading Karaite religious scholar. Lutski's chronicle of the journey is reprinted in part two as an annotated Hebrew text with English translation. Very minor chipping on head of spine of dj. Dated signature of previous owner on free front endpaper. Dust jacket in very good, book in near fine condition. Part of the series "Monographs of the Hebrew Union College." vg. Item #32402
ISBN: 0878204156
Price: $65.00