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			{{Sources needed\|date=February 2023}}{{Short description\|Splits along cultural as well as religious bases}}
	{{Jews and Judaism}}
			{{Jews and Judaism sidebar \|History}}
	''']s among the ]s''' are cultural as well as religious. They have happened as a product of historical accident, geography, and ].

			'''Schisms among the Jews''' are cultural as well as religious. They have happened as a product of historical accident, geography, and ].
	==First Temple era==
	Based on the historical narrative in the ] and ], Levantine civilization at the time of ] was prone to ], ], worship of reigning kings, and ]. (Some of the divinities or idols worshipped included ] and possibly ].) This was in direct contrast to the teachings in the ], and was condemned by the ancient Biblical ]s who attacked those Israelites and Judeans who became idol worshipers. The split by the ] from the ] was completed by ] who crowned himself king, and built a northern temple with calf-like idol images that were condemned by the Judeans of ]. After the destruction and exile of the northern ] by ], the temptations to follow non-Judaic practices continued, so that according to the narratives of ] and others, it brought about the failure, destruction, and exile of the southern ] by ]. ] had additional reasons for taking over Judah and turning its inhabitants into exiles, including challenging its great rival ].

			==Samaritans==
	==Second Temple era==
			{{Main\|Samaritans}}
	] stood in the Temple and is an ancient symbol of Judaism. A nine-branched version of it became the symbol of ] celebrations following the ]' victory over the Greeks.]]
			The Samaritans are an ] of the ] originating from the ] (or ]) of the ].
	This was a time when the Jews lived under ], ], and ] power and influence. The main internal struggles during this era were between the ] and the ], as well as the ] and ]. The ] wanted to maintain the authority and traditions of classical Torah teachings and began the early teachings of the ], maintaining the authority of the ], the supreme Jewish court. The ] sought to adapt to more ] ideas, as espoused by ] of Egypt. The ] preached a reclusive way of life. The ] advocated armed rebellion against any foreign power such as ]. All were at violent logger-heads with each other, leading to the confusion and disunity that ended with the destruction of the ] and the sacking of ] by ].

			Ancestrally, Samaritans claim descent from the ] and ] (two sons of ]) as well as from the ]s,<ref name=tsu> Retrieved 1 January 2017.</ref> who have links to ancient ] from the period of their entry into ], while some ] suggest that it was from the beginning of the ] up to the Samaritan polity under the rule of ]. According to Samaritan tradition, the split between them and the ]-led Southern Israelites began during the biblical time of the priest ] when the Southern Israelites split off from the central Israelite tradition, as they perceive it.<ref name="books.google.co.uk">{{cite book\|last=Fried\|first=Lisbeth S.\|title=Ezra and the Law in History and Tradition\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQHQBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT148\|year=2014\|publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press\|isbn=978-1-61117-410-6}}</ref>
	==Break-offs: Samaritans and Christians==
	One small sect of ]s is still extant; however, their religion is not the same as rabbinic ]. The Samaritan faith and that of other Jews diverged over two millennia ago; they commonly refer to themselves as ''Samaritan Israelites'' as opposed to ''Jewish Israelites''.

			They consider themselves to be ''B'nei Yisrael'' ('Children of Israel'), a term used universally by Jewish denominations for the Jewish people as a whole, but do not call themselves ''Yehudim''. The word ''Yehudim'' comes from the ] word ''Yehudi'' which means from the ].
	The most famous schism in Jewish history was the split between the followers of ] (who were known as ''Notzrim'' or ]s) attributed to the ], with the claim by his disciples that he was the long-awaited Jewish ], and the majority ] (Predecessors to ]) who rejected this claim.

			==First Temple period==
	The eventual ] by most of Jesus' ] and their promotion of him as God, along with the publication of the ], ensured that ] and Judaism would become different and often conflicting religions. The New Testament depicts the ] and ] as Jesus' opponents, whereas the Jewish perspective has the Pharisees as the justified followers of the rabbis who upheld the ], or what Christians refer to as the ] as a mark of their having supplanted the Jews' position. This is known as ], a teaching strongly rejected by Judaism. Recently, some Christian churches have rejected or softened their teachings on supersessionism. See also ].
			The biblical narrative describes the split by the ] from the ].<ref></ref> It points to ]'s unfaithfulness to the divine covenant as the reason for the schism.<ref></ref> When ], Solomon's son, became king, the people requested tax reform. Rehoboam refused. This caused the break. At first, Rehoboam considered a military solution but the prophet ] told him not fight because God had caused the schism. ], the leader of the tax revolt, became the leader of the Kingdom of Israel.

			After the destruction and exile of the Kingdom of Israel by ], non-] practices continued. The narratives of ] and others interpreted this as the cause of the failure, destruction, and exile of the Kingdom of Judah by ]. ] had additional reasons for taking over Judah and turning its inhabitants into exiles, including challenging its great rival ].
	==Karaite Judaism==
	{{main\|Karaite Judaism}}
	Karaite Judaism is a ] characterized by reliance on the ] as the sole ] and rejection of the ] and ] as ]. Karaites had a wide following between the 9th and 12th centuries, (they claim that at one time they numbered perhaps 10 percent of Jewry), but over the centuries their numbers have dwindled drastically. Today they are a small group, living mostly in ]; estimates of the number of Israeli Karaites range from as low as 10,000 to as high as 40,000 .

			==Second Temple period==
	There is a divergence of views about the historical origins of ]. Most scholars and some Karaites maintain that it was founded at least in part by ], whereas other Karaites believe that they are not the historical disciples of ] at all, and point out that many of their later sages (such as Ya'acov Al-Kirkisani) argued that most of Anan's teachings were "derived from Rabbanite Lore".
			{{See also\|Second Temple period\|Second Temple Judaism}}
			Conflicts between ] and ] took place in the context of much broader and longstanding social and religious conflicts among Jews, made worse by the Roman occupation.<ref name="Jewishvirtuallibrary.org">{{cite web\|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/deadsea.html#Essenes\|title=History & Overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls\|website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}}</ref> Another conflict was cultural, between those who favored ] (the Sadducees) and those who resisted it (the Pharisees). A third was juridico-religious, between those who emphasized the importance of the ] with its ], and those who emphasized the importance of other ]s. A fourth point of conflict, specifically religious, involved different interpretations of the ] and how to apply it to current Jewish life, with Sadducees recognizing only the ] (with Greek philosophy) and rejecting doctrines such as the ], the ], the ], and the ].

			According to ], the Sadducees differed from the Pharisees on a number of doctrinal grounds, notably rejecting ideas of life after death. They appear to have dominated the aristocracy and the temple, but their influence over the wider Jewish population was limited.
	The state of Israel, along with its Chief Rabbinate, ruled that Karaites are Jews, and while critical differences between ] and Karaite Judaism exist, American Orthodox rabbis ruled that Karaism is much closer to Orthodoxy than the Conservative and Reform movements, which may ease issues of formal conversion.

			The ] preached a reclusive way of life. The ] advocated armed rebellion against any foreign power such as ]. All were at violent loggerheads with each other, leading to the confusion and disunity that ended with the destruction of the Second Temple and the sacking of ] by Rome.
	==Sabbatians and Frankists==
	{{main\|Sabbateans\|Sabbatai Zevi\|Jacob Frank}}
	In ] ] declared himself to be the long-awaited Jewish ] whilst living in the ]. Vast numbers of Jews, known as ], believed him; but when under pain of a death sentence in front of the Turkish ] ] he became an ] to Judaism by becoming a ], his movement crumbled. Nevertheless, for centuries, small groups of Jews believed in him, and the ]s were always on guard against any manifestations of this schism, always suspicious of hidden ''"Shebselach"'' (Yiddish for "little Sabbatians," a play on the word for "young dumb sheep"). Indeed, when the movement of ] began attracting many followers, the rabbis were once again suspicious that this was Sabbatianism in different garb. It would take many centuries to sort out these complex divisions and schisms and see where they were headed.

			==Split of early Christianity and Judaism==
	After his mysterious death somewhere in the area of Turkish ], groups of Jews continued to be clandestine followers of Shabtai Tzvi even though they had outwardly converted to ], these Jews being known as the ]. Jewish converts to Islam were, at times, therefore regarded with great suspicion by their fellow Muslims.
			] by ] (1400–1447).]]
			{{main\|Split of early Christianity and Judaism}}
			{{See also\|New Covenant\|Paul of Tarsus and Judaism\|Christianity and Judaism}}
			The first Christians (whom historians refer to as ]) were the original Jewish followers of ], a Galilean preacher and, according to early Christian belief, the resurrected messiah. After his ], his followers broke over whether they should ], such as at the ]. Those who argued that the law was abrogated (either partially or fully, either by Jesus or Paul or by the Roman ]) broke to form Christianity.<ref>This theory regarding the law and the birth of Christianity is not supported by the New Testament book of Acts. In Acts, the law becomes an issue after Christianity is already born by the events of ]. See Acts 2.</ref>

			The eventual repudiation of ] by Jesus' ] and their ], along with the ], ensured that ] would become different and often conflicting religions. The ] depicts the Sadducees and Pharisees as Jesus' opponents (see ]), whereas the Jewish perspective has the Pharisees as the justified predecessors of the ] who upheld the ] including the ], which Christians refer to as the ] or Pentateuch or "]" in contrast to the "]".
	A few decades after Shabtai's death, a man by the name of ] claiming mystical powers preached that he was Shabtai Tzvi's successor. He attracted a following, preached against the ], advocated a form of licentious worship, and was condemned by the rabbis at the time. When confronted by the ] authorities, he converted to ] in ] in the presence of ], together with groups of his Jewish followers, known as "Frankists". To the alarm of his opponents, he was received by reigning European monarchs who were anxious to see their Jewish subjects abandon Judaism and ]. The Frankists eventually joined the Polish nobility and gentry.

			==Karaite Judaism==
	==Hasidim and Mitnagdim==
			], ], Ukraine.]]
	{{main\|Hasidic Judaism\|Mitnagdim}}
			{{Main\|Karaite Judaism}}
	:''Note: While the name "Hasidim" has gained popular and positive approval, the name "Mitnagdim" has fallen out of popular usage and may even be regarded as offensive by some''.
			Karaite Judaism is a ] characterized by reliance on the ] as the sole source of binding ]. Karaites rejected the rabbinic tenet that an ] (oral law) was transmitted to Moses at Mount Sinai along with the ]. Accordingly, they rejected the central works of ] which claimed to expound and interpret this written law, including the ] and the ], as authoritative on questions of ]. They may consult or discuss various interpretations of the Tanakh, but Karaites do not consider these other sources as binding or authoritative. Karaites prefer to use the '']'' method of study, seeking a meaning within the text that would have been naturally understood by the ancient Hebrews.
	The arrival of Rabbi ] (]-]), known as the ''Baal Shem Tov'' ("Master Good Name"), on the scene of Jewish history in ] would herald the commencement of a sea-change in what is known today as ]. Even though he did not write books, he succeeded in gaining powerful disciples to his teachings that were based on the earlier expositions of Rabbi ] (]-]) known as the ''Ari'' who had based much of his ] teachings on the ]. The ''Baal Shem Tov'' came at a time when the Jewish masses of Eastern Europe were reeling in bewilderment and disappointment engendered by the two notorious Jewish ]s ] (]-]) and ] (]-]) in particular.

			Karaites had a wide following between the 9th and 12th centuries (they claim that at one time they numbered perhaps 10 percent of Jewry), but over the centuries their numbers have dwindled drastically. Today they are a small group, living mostly in ]; estimates of the number of Israeli Karaites range from as low as 10,000 to as high as 50,000.<ref> from Adherents.com</ref><ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041209062150/http://www.turkiye.net/sota/karaisr.html \|date=2004-12-09 }}</ref><ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041213134433/http://qumran.com/Karaite%20Information/israels_karaites.htm \|date=2004-12-13 }}</ref><ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041213081126/http://qumran.com/Karaite%20Information/karaite_true_believers.htm \|date=2004-12-13 }}</ref>
	The ''Baal Shem Tov'' witnessed Frank's public ] (''shmad'' in Hebrew) to ], which compounded Zevi's earlier apostasy to ]. The ''Baal Shem Tov'' was thus determined to encourage his influential disciples to launch a spiritual revolution in Jewish life in order to reinvogorate the Jewish masses' connections with ] and to vigorously motivate them to bind themselves to the joyous observance of the ], ], ], and sincere belief in ], so that the lures of Christianity and Islam, and the appeal of the rising ] ], to the Jewish masses would be weakened and halted. To a large degree the ''Baal Shem Tov'' succeeded in Eastern Europe.

			There is a divergence of views about the historical origins of ]. Most scholars and some Karaites maintain that it was founded at least in part by ], whereas other Karaites believe that they are not the historical disciples of Anan ben David at all, and point out that many of their later sages (such as Ya'acov Al-Kirkisani) argued that most of Anan's teachings were "derived from Rabbanite Lore".
	Already during his lifetime, and gaining momentum following his death, the ''Baal Shem Tov's'' disciples spread out to teach his mystical creeds all over Eastern Europe. Thus was born ] (Hasidism). Some of the main movements were in: ] which saw the rise of the ] movement; ] which had the ]; ] had ]; ] had ]; and ] had the ], and many others that grew rapidly gaining literally millions of adherents, until it became the dominant brand of Judaism in the century following the ''Baal Shem Tov's'' death. The Jewish masses flocked to this new inspired brand of mystical ], and retained their connections to their Jewish heritage and way of life.
	], leader of the '']''.]]

			The state of Israel, along with its Chief Rabbinate, ruled that Karaites are Jews, and while critical differences between ] and Karaite Judaism exist, American Orthodox rabbis ruled that Karaism is much closer to Orthodoxy than the Conservative and Reform movements, which may ease issues of formal conversion.
	Only when this new religious movement reached ] did it meet its stiffest resistance among the ] (also known as ''Litvaks''). It was Rabbi Eliyahu Kramer (]-]), known as the ] ("Genius ]"), and those who followed his classic stringent ]ic and ] scholastism, who put up the fiercest resistance to the ] ("Righteous "). They were called '']'', meaning " oppose/d ".

			==Sabbateans and Frankists==
	The ''Vilna Gaon'', who was himself steeped in both ]ic and ] wisdom, analyzed the theological underpinnings of this new "]" and in his view, concluded that it was deeply flawed since it had elements of what may be roughly termed as ] and perhaps even outright ], dangerous aspirations for bringing the ] that could easily be twisted in unpredictable directions for Jewry as had previously happened with the ] and ] religious "revival" ]s, and an array of complex rejections of their religious ideology. The ''Vilna Gaon's'' views were later formulated by his chief disciple Rabbi ] (]-]) in his work '']''. The new Hasidic leaders countered with their own religious counter-arguments, some of which can be found in the '']'' of Chabad-Lubavitch. Much of the debate remains obscure.
			]
	] founder of ].]]
			{{Main\|Sabbateans\|Sabbatai Zevi\|Frankists (Judaism)\|Jacob Frank}}
			In 1648 ] declared himself to be the long-awaited Jewish ] whilst living in the ]. Vast numbers of Jews, known as ], believed him; but when under pain of a death sentence in front of the ] ] he became an ] from Judaism by becoming a ], his movement crumbled. Nevertheless, for centuries, small groups of Jews believed in him, and the ]s were always on guard against any manifestations of this schism, always suspicious of hidden ''Shebselekh'' (Yiddish for "little Sabbatians", a play on the word for "young dumb sheep"). When the movement of ] began attracting many followers, the rabbis were once again suspicious that this was Sabbatianism in different form. It would take centuries to sort out these complex divisions and schisms.

			After his mysterious death somewhere in the area of ], groups of Jews continued to be clandestine followers of Shabbatai Sevi even though they had outwardly converted to ], these Jews being known as the ]. Jewish converts to Islam were, at times, therefore regarded with great suspicion by their fellow Muslims.
	However, regardless of the unpopularity of the move, the ''Vilna Gaon'' and the scholars of the ] (" religious court") of Vilna went so far as to place at least one severe ] upon the Hasidim, officially "excommunicating" them from ], which they in turn copied and did likewise to the ''mitnagdim''. The ''Vilna Gaon's'' strongest opposition was to the founder of ], Rabbi ] (]-]) and to the founder of Breslov Rabbi ] (]-]). Physical fights broke out in Vilna with each side trying to gain the favor of the Russian authorities and declaring the other side to be beyond the pale of Judaism.

			A few decades after Shabbatai Sevi's death, a man by the name of ] claiming mystical powers preached that he was Shabbatai Sevi's successor. He attracted a following, preached against the ], advocated a form of licentious worship, and was condemned by the rabbis at the time. When confronted by the ] authorities, he converted to ] in 1759 in the presence of ], together with groups of his Jewish followers, known as "]". To the alarm of his opponents, he was received by reigning European monarchs who were anxious to see their Jewish subjects abandon Judaism and ]. The Frankists eventually joined the Polish nobility and gentry.
	The ''Mitnagdim'' played a role in the imprisonment of the first chabad ], Rabbi ]. The bitterness and animosity ran deep, and basically whoever joined one wing, did not attend or pray in the same ]s as the other wing, nor have the same Torah teachers, and they would generally not marry into each other's families, which is still more or less the rule today where there is a high degree of internal communal structure.

			==Hasidim and Misnagdim==
	Little of the split between Hasidim and Mitnagdim remains within the modern Haredi world. When confronted by mutual threats, such as from the secular Jews of the ], or by the onslaught of ] and ], or faced by secular ], Hasidim and Mitnagdim do work together. When the outside world does not threaten them, their battle of ideas resumes as an intellectual debate. Each group has its own unique method of ] study and communal life, no matter where they establish themselves. They tend to live in different neighborhoods that are still within commuting distance, although even these differences are quickly disappearing.
			<!-- This section is linked from ] -->
			{{Main\|Hasidic Judaism\|Misnagdim}}
			{{hatnote\|Note: While the name "Hasidim" has gained popular and positive approval, the name "Mitnagdim" has fallen out of popular usage and may even be regarded as offensive by some.}}
			], leader of the Misnagdim]]
			], founder of ]]]

			Israel ben Eliezer (1698–1760), also known as the '']'' ('Master Good Name'), changed much of Jewish history in ] for what is now known as ]. His teachings were based on the earlier expositions of Rabbi ] (1534–1572) who had based much of his ] teachings on the ]. Baal Shem Tov came after Jews of Eastern Europe were collectively recovering from ]s ] (1626–1676) and ] (1726–1791) in particular.
	In modern-day ] Hasidim support the ] party in the ] (Israel's parliament) and the non-Hasidic Mitnagdim support the ] party. ''Degel HaTorah'' is led by Rabbi ] in ]. Agudat Israel and Degel Torah have formed a political alliance. There is also another large community that follows the rabbinical teachings of the ]. These include the ] and the ''perushim'' communities which do not support any groups that participate in the Israeli government or in Israeli including elections.

			Baal Shem Tov witnessed Frank's public ] (''shmad'' in Hebrew) to ],{{citation needed\|date=February 2017}} which compounded Tzvi's earlier apostasy to Islam. Baal Shem Tov was thus determined to encourage his influential disciples (talmidim) to launch a spiritual revolution in Jewish life in order to reinvigorate the Jewish masses' connections with ] and to vigorously motivate them to bind themselves to the joyous observance of the ], ], ], and sincere belief in ], so that the lures of Christianity and Islam, and the appeal of the rising ] ], to the Jewish masses would be weakened and halted. To a large degree he succeeded in Eastern Europe.
	==Orthodox versus Reform, East versus West==
	{{main\|Relationships between Jewish religious movements}}
	From the time of the ] of ], and the growth of ], added to the political and personal freedoms granted by ] to the Jews of Europe, many Jews chose to abandon the foreboding and isolating ]s and enter into general society. This influenced the internal conflicts about religion, culture, and politics of the Jews to this day.

			Already during his lifetime, and gaining momentum following his death, Baal Shem Tov's disciples spread out to teach his mystical creeds all over Eastern Europe. Thus was born ] (Hasidism). Some of the main movements were in: ] which saw the rise of the ] movement; ] which had the ]; ] had ]; ] had ]; and ] had the ], and many others that grew rapidly, gaining millions of adherents, until it became the dominant brand of Judaism.
	Some Jews in ], and many Jews in ], joined the religiously liberal new ] movement, which drew inspiration from the writings of modernist thinkers like ]. They coined the name "Orthodox" to describe those who opposed the "Reform". They were criticized by the ] rabbis such as ] in Germany, and condemned, particularly by those known today as followers of ], and the leaders of ], the disciples of the ], based mainly in ].

			Only when this new religious movement reached ] did it meet its first stiff resistance at the hands of the ] (''Litvaks''). It was Rabbi Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman (c. 1720 – 1797), known as the ] ("Genius ]"), and those who followed his classic stringent ]ic and ] scholasticism, who put up the fiercest resistance to the Hasidim ("devoted "). They were called '']'', meaning " opposed ".
	There was thus also created a cultural ] between the more westernised ], ] and ]-speaking ]an Jews and their more religiously observant ] speaking ]an brethren whom they denigratingly labelled ''Ost Yidden'' ("Eastern Jews"). These schisms and the debates surrounding them, continue with much ferocity in all Jewish communities today as the Reform and Orthodox movements continue to confront each other over a wide range of religious, social, political and ethnic issues.

			The ''Vilna Gaon'', who was himself steeped in both ]ic and ] wisdom, analyzed the theological underpinnings of this new "]" and in his view, concluded that it was deeply flawed since it had elements of what may be roughly termed as ] and perhaps even outright ], dangerous aspirations for bringing the ] that could easily be twisted in unpredictable directions for Jewry as had previously happened with the Tzvi and Frank religious "revival" fiascos, and an array of complex rejections of their religious ideology. The ''Vilna Gaon''{{'}}s views were later formulated by his chief disciple Rabbi ] (1741–1821) in his work '']''. The new Hasidic leaders countered with their own religious counter-arguments, some of which can be found in the '']'' of Chabad-Lubavitch.

			Little of the split between Hasidim and Mitnagdim remains within the modern Haredi world.{{Citation needed\|reason=Explanation given in this paragraph only refers to political alignment in Israel and does not address religious aspects, or the Haredi communities outside Israel; It is also fails to explain why even in Israeli politics the communities have had separate parties since 1988 who are only united as a voting bloc\|date=March 2020}} In modern-day ] Hasidim support the ] party in the ] (Israel's parliament) and the non-Hasidic Mitnagdim support the ] party, led by ] and ]. Agudat Israel and Degel Torah have formed a political alliance, the ] party. There is also another large community that follows the rabbinical teachings of the ]. These include the ] and the '']'' communities, which do not support any groups that participate in the Israeli government or state activities, including elections.

			==Orthodox versus Reform==
			{{Main\|Relationships between Jewish religious movements}}
			From the time of the ] of 1789, and the growth of ], added to the political and personal freedoms granted by ] to the Jews of Europe, many Jews chose to abandon the foreboding and isolating ]s and enter into general society. This influenced the internal conflicts about religion, culture, and politics of the Jews to this day.

			Some Jews in ], and many Jews in ], joined the religiously liberal ] movement, which drew inspiration from the writings of modernist thinkers like ]. They coined the name "Orthodox" to describe those who opposed the "Reform". They were criticized by the ] rabbis, such as ] in Germany, and condemned particularly by those known today as followers of Haredi Judaism, based mainly in Eastern Europe. (Later on, in 1880s America, ] split from the Reform movement.)

			Thus a cultural ] was also created between the more Western ]-, ]- and ]-speaking ]an Jews and their more religiously observant ]-speaking Eastern European brethren whom they denigratingly labeled ''Ostjuden'' ("Eastern Jews"). These schisms and the debates surrounding them, continue with much ferocity in all Jewish communities today as the Reform and Orthodox movements continue to confront each other over a wide range of religious, social, political and ethnic issues. (Today, the largest Jewish communities are in Israel and in the ], and the geographical separation has resulted in cultural differences, such as a tendency to identify as ] and ] in Israel, as opposed to, say, Reform and Orthodox in the United States.)

	==See also==		==See also==
			{{Portal\|Israel\|Judaism}}
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			==References==
			{{reflist}}

	==External links==		==External links==
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			{{DEFAULTSORT:Jewish Schisms}}
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Schisms among the Jews are cultural as well as religious. They have happened as a product of historical accident, geography, and theology.

Samaritans

Main article: Samaritans

The Samaritans are an ethnoreligious group of the Levant originating from the Israelites (or Hebrews) of the Ancient Near East.

Ancestrally, Samaritans claim descent from the Tribe of Ephraim and Tribe of Manasseh (two sons of Joseph) as well as from the Levites, who have links to ancient Samaria from the period of their entry into Canaan, while some Orthodox Jews suggest that it was from the beginning of the Babylonian captivity up to the Samaritan polity under the rule of Baba Rabba. According to Samaritan tradition, the split between them and the Judean-led Southern Israelites began during the biblical time of the priest Eli when the Southern Israelites split off from the central Israelite tradition, as they perceive it.

They consider themselves to be B'nei Yisrael ('Children of Israel'), a term used universally by Jewish denominations for the Jewish people as a whole, but do not call themselves Yehudim. The word Yehudim comes from the Hebrew word Yehudi which means from the Tribe of Judah.

First Temple period

The biblical narrative describes the split by the Kingdom of Israel from the Kingdom of Judah. It points to Solomon's unfaithfulness to the divine covenant as the reason for the schism. When Rehoboam, Solomon's son, became king, the people requested tax reform. Rehoboam refused. This caused the break. At first, Rehoboam considered a military solution but the prophet Shemaiah told him not fight because God had caused the schism. Jeroboam, the leader of the tax revolt, became the leader of the Kingdom of Israel.

After the destruction and exile of the Kingdom of Israel by Assyria, non-Yahwistic practices continued. The narratives of Jeremiah and others interpreted this as the cause of the failure, destruction, and exile of the Kingdom of Judah by Babylonia. Nebuchadnezzar had additional reasons for taking over Judah and turning its inhabitants into exiles, including challenging its great rival Egypt.

Second Temple period

Conflicts between Pharisees and Sadducees took place in the context of much broader and longstanding social and religious conflicts among Jews, made worse by the Roman occupation. Another conflict was cultural, between those who favored Hellenization (the Sadducees) and those who resisted it (the Pharisees). A third was juridico-religious, between those who emphasized the importance of the Second Temple with its rites and services, and those who emphasized the importance of other Mosaic Laws. A fourth point of conflict, specifically religious, involved different interpretations of the Torah and how to apply it to current Jewish life, with Sadducees recognizing only the Written Torah (with Greek philosophy) and rejecting doctrines such as the Oral Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and the resurrection of the dead.

According to Josephus, the Sadducees differed from the Pharisees on a number of doctrinal grounds, notably rejecting ideas of life after death. They appear to have dominated the aristocracy and the temple, but their influence over the wider Jewish population was limited.

The Essenes preached a reclusive way of life. The Zealots advocated armed rebellion against any foreign power such as Rome. All were at violent loggerheads with each other, leading to the confusion and disunity that ended with the destruction of the Second Temple and the sacking of Jerusalem by Rome.

Split of early Christianity and Judaism

Main article: Split of early Christianity and Judaism See also: New Covenant, Paul of Tarsus and Judaism, and Christianity and Judaism

The first Christians (whom historians refer to as Jewish Christians) were the original Jewish followers of Jesus, a Galilean preacher and, according to early Christian belief, the resurrected messiah. After his crucifixion by the Romans, his followers broke over whether they should continue to observe Jewish law, such as at the Council of Jerusalem. Those who argued that the law was abrogated (either partially or fully, either by Jesus or Paul or by the Roman destruction of the Temple) broke to form Christianity.

The eventual repudiation of Moses' Law by Jesus' disciples and their belief in his divinity, along with the development of the New Testament, ensured that Christianity and Judaism would become different and often conflicting religions. The New Testament depicts the Sadducees and Pharisees as Jesus' opponents (see Woes of the Pharisees), whereas the Jewish perspective has the Pharisees as the justified predecessors of the rabbis who upheld the Torah including the Oral law, which Christians refer to as the Mosaic Law or Pentateuch or "Old Covenant" in contrast to the "New Covenant".

Karaite Judaism

Main article: Karaite Judaism

Karaite Judaism is a Jewish denomination characterized by reliance on the Tanakh as the sole source of binding Jewish Law. Karaites rejected the rabbinic tenet that an Oral Torah (oral law) was transmitted to Moses at Mount Sinai along with the written scriptures. Accordingly, they rejected the central works of Rabbinic Judaism which claimed to expound and interpret this written law, including the Midrash and the Talmud, as authoritative on questions of Jewish law. They may consult or discuss various interpretations of the Tanakh, but Karaites do not consider these other sources as binding or authoritative. Karaites prefer to use the peshat method of study, seeking a meaning within the text that would have been naturally understood by the ancient Hebrews.

Karaites had a wide following between the 9th and 12th centuries (they claim that at one time they numbered perhaps 10 percent of Jewry), but over the centuries their numbers have dwindled drastically. Today they are a small group, living mostly in Israel; estimates of the number of Israeli Karaites range from as low as 10,000 to as high as 50,000.

There is a divergence of views about the historical origins of Karaite Judaism. Most scholars and some Karaites maintain that it was founded at least in part by Anan ben David, whereas other Karaites believe that they are not the historical disciples of Anan ben David at all, and point out that many of their later sages (such as Ya'acov Al-Kirkisani) argued that most of Anan's teachings were "derived from Rabbanite Lore".

The state of Israel, along with its Chief Rabbinate, ruled that Karaites are Jews, and while critical differences between Orthodox Judaism and Karaite Judaism exist, American Orthodox rabbis ruled that Karaism is much closer to Orthodoxy than the Conservative and Reform movements, which may ease issues of formal conversion.

Sabbateans and Frankists

Sabbatai Zevi crowned as the messiah. Amsterdam, 1666.

Main articles: Sabbateans, Sabbatai Zevi, Frankists (Judaism), and Jacob Frank

In 1648 Sabbatai Zevi declared himself to be the long-awaited Jewish Messiah whilst living in the Ottoman Empire. Vast numbers of Jews, known as Sabbateans, believed him; but when under pain of a death sentence in front of the Ottoman sultan Mehmed IV he became an apostate from Judaism by becoming a Muslim, his movement crumbled. Nevertheless, for centuries, small groups of Jews believed in him, and the rabbis were always on guard against any manifestations of this schism, always suspicious of hidden Shebselekh (Yiddish for "little Sabbatians", a play on the word for "young dumb sheep"). When the movement of Hasidism began attracting many followers, the rabbis were once again suspicious that this was Sabbatianism in different form. It would take centuries to sort out these complex divisions and schisms.

After his mysterious death somewhere in the area of Ottoman Albania, groups of Jews continued to be clandestine followers of Shabbatai Sevi even though they had outwardly converted to Islam, these Jews being known as the Donmeh. Jewish converts to Islam were, at times, therefore regarded with great suspicion by their fellow Muslims.

A few decades after Shabbatai Sevi's death, a man by the name of Jacob Frank claiming mystical powers preached that he was Shabbatai Sevi's successor. He attracted a following, preached against the Talmud, advocated a form of licentious worship, and was condemned by the rabbis at the time. When confronted by the Polish authorities, he converted to Catholicism in 1759 in the presence of King Augustus III of Poland, together with groups of his Jewish followers, known as "Frankists". To the alarm of his opponents, he was received by reigning European monarchs who were anxious to see their Jewish subjects abandon Judaism and apostacise. The Frankists eventually joined the Polish nobility and gentry.

Hasidim and Misnagdim

Main articles: Hasidic Judaism and Misnagdim Note: While the name "Hasidim" has gained popular and positive approval, the name "Mitnagdim" has fallen out of popular usage and may even be regarded as offensive by some.

Israel ben Eliezer (1698–1760), also known as the Baal Shem Tov ('Master Good Name'), changed much of Jewish history in Eastern Europe for what is now known as Haredi Judaism. His teachings were based on the earlier expositions of Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534–1572) who had based much of his Kabbalistic teachings on the Zohar. Baal Shem Tov came after Jews of Eastern Europe were collectively recovering from false messiahs Shabtai Tzvi (1626–1676) and Jacob Frank (1726–1791) in particular.

Baal Shem Tov witnessed Frank's public apostasy (shmad in Hebrew) to Christianity, which compounded Tzvi's earlier apostasy to Islam. Baal Shem Tov was thus determined to encourage his influential disciples (talmidim) to launch a spiritual revolution in Jewish life in order to reinvigorate the Jewish masses' connections with Torah Judaism and to vigorously motivate them to bind themselves to the joyous observance of the commandments, worship, Torah study, and sincere belief in God, so that the lures of Christianity and Islam, and the appeal of the rising secular Enlightenment, to the Jewish masses would be weakened and halted. To a large degree he succeeded in Eastern Europe.

Already during his lifetime, and gaining momentum following his death, Baal Shem Tov's disciples spread out to teach his mystical creeds all over Eastern Europe. Thus was born Hasidic Judaism (Hasidism). Some of the main movements were in: Russia which saw the rise of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement; Poland which had the Gerrer Hasidim; Galicia had Bobov; Hungary had Satmar Hasidim; and Ukraine had the Breslovers, and many others that grew rapidly, gaining millions of adherents, until it became the dominant brand of Judaism.

Only when this new religious movement reached Lithuania did it meet its first stiff resistance at the hands of the Lithuanian Jews (Litvaks). It was Rabbi Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman (c. 1720 – 1797), known as the Vilna Gaon ("Genius Vilna"), and those who followed his classic stringent Talmudic and Halakhic scholasticism, who put up the fiercest resistance to the Hasidim ("devoted "). They were called Mitnagdim, meaning " opposed ".

The Vilna Gaon, who was himself steeped in both Talmudic and Kabbalistic wisdom, analyzed the theological underpinnings of this new "Hasidism" and in his view, concluded that it was deeply flawed since it had elements of what may be roughly termed as panentheism and perhaps even outright pantheism, dangerous aspirations for bringing the Jewish Messiah that could easily be twisted in unpredictable directions for Jewry as had previously happened with the Tzvi and Frank religious "revival" fiascos, and an array of complex rejections of their religious ideology. The Vilna Gaon's views were later formulated by his chief disciple Rabbi Chaim Volozhin (1741–1821) in his work Nefesh HaChaim. The new Hasidic leaders countered with their own religious counter-arguments, some of which can be found in the Tanya of Chabad-Lubavitch.

Little of the split between Hasidim and Mitnagdim remains within the modern Haredi world. In modern-day Israel Hasidim support the Agudat Israel party in the Knesset (Israel's parliament) and the non-Hasidic Mitnagdim support the Degel HaTorah party, led by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Gershon Eidelstein. Agudat Israel and Degel Torah have formed a political alliance, the United Torah Judaism party. There is also another large community that follows the rabbinical teachings of the Edah Charedis. These include the Satmar Hasidim and the perushim communities, which do not support any groups that participate in the Israeli government or state activities, including elections.

Orthodox versus Reform

Main article: Relationships between Jewish religious movements

From the time of the French Revolution of 1789, and the growth of Liberalism, added to the political and personal freedoms granted by Napoleon to the Jews of Europe, many Jews chose to abandon the foreboding and isolating ghettos and enter into general society. This influenced the internal conflicts about religion, culture, and politics of the Jews to this day.

Some Jews in Western Europe, and many Jews in America, joined the religiously liberal Reform Judaism movement, which drew inspiration from the writings of modernist thinkers like Moses Mendelson. They coined the name "Orthodox" to describe those who opposed the "Reform". They were criticized by the Orthodox rabbis, such as Samson Raphael Hirsch in Germany, and condemned particularly by those known today as followers of Haredi Judaism, based mainly in Eastern Europe. (Later on, in 1880s America, Conservative Judaism split from the Reform movement.)

Thus a cultural schism was also created between the more Western German-, English- and French-speaking Western European Jews and their more religiously observant Yiddish-speaking Eastern European brethren whom they denigratingly labeled Ostjuden ("Eastern Jews"). These schisms and the debates surrounding them, continue with much ferocity in all Jewish communities today as the Reform and Orthodox movements continue to confront each other over a wide range of religious, social, political and ethnic issues. (Today, the largest Jewish communities are in Israel and in the United States, and the geographical separation has resulted in cultural differences, such as a tendency to identify as hiloni and haredi in Israel, as opposed to, say, Reform and Orthodox in the United States.)

References

The Samaritan Update Retrieved 1 January 2017.
Fried, Lisbeth S. (2014). Ezra and the Law in History and Tradition. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-61117-410-6.
1 Kings 12
1 Kings 11
"History & Overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
This theory regarding the law and the birth of Christianity is not supported by the New Testament book of Acts. In Acts, the law becomes an issue after Christianity is already born by the events of Pentecost. See Acts 2.
Judaism, continued... from Adherents.com
Karaims of Israel Archived 2004-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
qumran.com Archived 2004-12-13 at the Wayback Machine
qumran.com Archived 2004-12-13 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Jewish history

Overviews

Ancient Israel and Judah

Second Temple period

Wars and revolts	Maccabean Revolt Judean Civil War Jewish-Roman Wars First Jewish-Roman War Battle of Beth Horon Galilee campaign Siege of Masada Diaspora revolt Kitos War Bar Kokhba revolt
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