Solomon Troki

A prominent Karaite scholar, Solomon ben Aaron Troki was born in Poswól (Pasvalys), Lithuania. He settled in Troki sometime after 1707. In 1710, after a plague decimated half the Karaite population in Troki, including Solomon’s wife and children, he moved to Vilna, where he became head of the Karaite bet din. He was friendly with Rabbanite Jews and corresponded extensively with Karaite leaders around the world. In 1696/97, he was invited to Riga to expound on Karaite doctrines and was asked to write a work explaining the schism with Rabbanite Jews. The first part of his work Apiryon ‘asah lo ([Solomon] Made Himself a Palanquin) explains the commandments according to Karaite doctrine; the second part is an anti-Rabbanite polemic. His other works, including grammatical treatises and polemics, remain in manuscript. He also wrote liturgical poems, some of which were included in the Karaite prayer book.