I am happy to have been in on the beginning of this thread...
NOTE:
The commandment not to kindle any fire on the Sabbath is literal. Guided by the Oral Law, also given to Moses from G-d on Mt. Sinai, we know that we must prepare everything the day before the Sabbath (like G-d prepared everything by the 6th day of creation.) In fact, Jews SPECIFICALLY leave a fire burning (usually a burner with a metal plate over it these days) before the Sabbath begins, and eat a hot food on the Sabbath day...without having kindled a new fire.
The Karites, not believing in the Oral Law and the transmission thereof by the rabbis, sat in the cold and dark over the Sabbath because of this literal Torah law (without the full intent—a day of physical and spiritual fulfillment—as taught in the Oral Law, the Talmud.)
This miserable Sabbath observance by the Karites was similar to that of their co-religionist-deniers, the Saducees....who were very sad, you see....
that's a poor joke, but still funny :)