Plural of apikores; people who deny the divine origin of Torah or reject Jewish law and tradition, particularly in Rabbinic Judaism.
From Hebrew apikoros (epicurean, heretic), derived from Greek Epicurus. The term evolved in Rabbinic Hebrew to mean someone who rejected Jewish teachings, not specifically a hedonist.
This word shows how the Greek philosopher Epicurus became a symbol for heresy in Judaism—even though he wasn't actually a hedonist, just someone who questioned authority!
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