The Hebrew term Olam ($\text{עוֹלָם}$) is the linguistic seal that protects the Torah from being "updated" or "replaced"

 From a Karaite perspective, the Hebrew term Olam ($\text{עוֹלָם}$) is the linguistic seal that protects the Torah from being "updated" or "replaced." When applied to the Sabbath and Dietary Laws, it acts as a legal "Everlasting Decree" that binds the Creator to His Word and the people to their duty.

1. The Linguistic Architecture of 'Olam'

In the Tanakh, Olam refers to a duration that is hidden or beyond the horizon—effectively perpetual. While critics argue it can sometimes mean a long but finite age, its usage in the context of the Covenant ($Berit$ $Olam$) denotes continuity as long as the world exists.

• The Sabbath (Exodus 31:16-17): The text calls the Sabbath a "perpetual covenant" ($Berit$ $Olam$) and a "sign forever" ($Ot$ $Hi$ $l'Olam$).

• The Dietary Laws (Leviticus 3:17): The prohibition against eating blood and fat is called a "statute forever" ($Chukat$ $Olam$) throughout your generations.

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2. Why it Cannot be "Phased Out"

If a law is designated as Chukat Olam (Everlasting Statute), any claim that it has been "fulfilled" or "abolished" creates a theological crisis.

• The Integrity of the Law-Giver: If God says a law is for "all your generations" and then terminates it after a few centuries, He has broken His own decree. As Numbers 23:19 states: "Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

• The Test of the Prophet: According to Deuteronomy 13, any prophet who tells you to stop following the Commandments is a false prophet, even if they perform miracles. The word Olam is the benchmark; if the law is eternal, the suggestion to abandon it is a violation of the Covenant.

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3. 'Olam' vs. 'Fulfillment'

Christian theology often uses the "Fulfillment" argument to phase out the Dietary Laws (e.g., Mark 7:19) or the Sabbath (e.g., Colossians 2:16).

• The Karaite Refutation: You cannot "fulfill" a perpetual law into non-existence. You "fulfill" a contract by completing it, but you "keep" an eternal statute. To "fulfill" the Sabbath by stopping its physical observance is a linguistic and logical contradiction. As long as the "Heavens and Earth" remain, the Olam status of these laws remains in effect (Psalm 119:89).

Summary

The term Olam is the "immovability" of the Torah. By labeling the Sabbath and Dietary Laws with this term, the Creator ensured they could never be relegated to a "shadow" of things to come. They are the substance of the relationship between God and Man.