The Samaritan Update

“Mount Gerizim,

All the Days of Our Lives”


 

March/ April 2016                                                                                                     Vol. XV - No 4

In This Issue

·         Graduates

·         Newlyweds

·         Kobi Post

·         Samaritan MSS

·         Netanyahu

·         Beno Visit

·         Benko Blessed

·         Minister Elkin

·         Samaritans recognized

·         Samaritan Wrap

·         Drone View

·         Orhof Photos

·         Samaritan exhibits

·         From the Editor

·         Links

·         Biblio

 

Your link to the Samaritan Update Index

On January 1, 2015, the Samaritan Community numbered 777.

 

Future Events

It has been 3654 years since the entrance into the Holy Land

 (Samaritan’s typical calendar) 

 

2016

The First Month 3654 - Wednesday Evening, 6 April 2016

Passover Sacrifice - Wednesday from sunset to sunset (7:13 PM) - 20 April 2016

Last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread –Wed. night, April 27, 2016

Festival of Weeks- Second Pilgrimage- Sunday, June 12, 2016

Festival of the Seventh Month- Saturday Oct. 1, 2016

Day of Atonement- Monday, Oct. 10, 2016

Festival of Sukkot, Third Pilgrimage- Saturday Oct. 15, 2016

Festival of the Eight Day- Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016

 

[Calculated by: Priest Yakkiir ['Aziz] b. High Priest Jacob b. 'Azzi – Kiriat Luza, Mount Gerizim]

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

Ido Yehoshua and Sahar Sassoni – The New graduates of the Torah in Holon, Monday Evening, Alegria Halls, Kiriat Ekron – 21.3.2016

The Ido Yehoshua and Sahar Sassoni celebration of concluding the reading of the Five Books of Moses, both are 7 years old. They read by heart, the Blessing of Moses to the tribes of Israel [Duet. 33-34] and they did the job very well. In the Israelite-Samaritan heritage, kids, boys and girls start to read the Torah on age 6 and when they complete the reading of the entire Torah, their happy parents celebrate the occasion with a big party, lots of good food, drinks and money gifts to the kids. High Priest 'Abed'el b. Asher started with a special happy song sang by the whole present Israelite Samaritans. For all the Samaritans it is a great opportunity to be very proud. There are many concluders of the Readings in both communities in Holon and Kiriat Luza every year, but usually with modest parties within the families and not in a fancy hall that only few of us can afford.

Benyamim Tsedaka

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Revital Mirel and Liraz Yehoshua - A Newlywed Couple in Holon-Sunday, March 6, 2016

 

Kobi Cohen Facebook Post on March 8, 2016 (inside the Samaritan synagogue in Holon)

~~~~~~~~~~

The Samaritan Manuscripts at Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi

Library in Western Jerusalem

By Haseeb Shehadeh, Helsinki University

 The number of Samaritan manuscripts preserved today in numerous libraries around the world is estimated to be approximately four thousand. Almost one-third of these are preserved at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. In 1870 this library, previously known as the Imperial Public Library, bought the collection of the Karaite leader Abraham ben Samuel Firkovich (1787-1874).

A second collection of Samaritan manuscripts may be found today in West Jerusalem, at Izhak ben-Zvi Library. Herewith is a brief description of the 97 Samaritan manuscripts that have been preserved there. Izhak Ben-Zvi (1884-1963, president of the State of Israel from 1952 to 1963) acquired a portion of these manuscripts on his own, while another portion was given to him by Samaritan friends, particularly priests (Mss 23, 25, 64, 69). These manuscripts comprise approximately eighteen thousand pages written in one of the following alphabets: Samaritan, Arabic or square Hebrew. In some of these manuscripts more than one composition is included, as shown in my descriptions in Arabic letters. The oldest manuscript goes back to 1783, while the most recent was copied in 1960. Some of these manuscripts are based on sources dating back to the Middle Ages, as shown in colophons.

I prepared the description of the first 87 manuscripts in the first three months of 1981; this small hand-written catalogue in Hebrew is still preserved in the library today. The description of the last nine, MSS 7085-7094, was carried out at the end of July 1997, during my stay in Jerusalem in conjunction with my participation in the Twelfth International Congress on Jewish Studies. MS 7089, which includes the chronicle of the fourteenth -century author Abū al-Fath the Samaritan, was known to be in the library, but at that time it could not be located. It was only in 2015, on the 6th of December, that the library director, Mr. Moti Ben-Ari, replied to my inquiry electronically saying that the manuscript had been found. The Hebrew texts in these manuscripts are written in Samaritan script. The sign / stands for the end of one line and the beginning of the next, while // indicates the end of a page and the beginning of the following. Sometimes, for the sake of comparison, I refer to similar manuscripts found in other libraries.

The subject matters of these manuscripts are as follows:

Calendar and ephemeria: 31b-c; 77-83; 89a. 

Differences between Samaritans and Jews: 46; 67; 69; 75-76.

History and bibliography: 30a; 31a-45; 68; 85-86; 89b-92.

Language: 17; 60-63.

Polemics: 47.

Prayers, poems and eulogies: 13; 15; 18-19; 21-30.

Religion, Halakhah and Midrash: 9b; 12; 14; 16 a-c; 20-21; 38, 48-50; 51-56; 58a-b, e; 59; 64-65; 88; 93; 95-97.

The Torah: 1-2; 16d; 66; 70 -72; 84; 87; 94.

Torah commentaries: 3- 8; 9a, 10-11; 57; 58c, d, f; 73-74.

An alphabetical list in Arabic of the Samaritan authors and copyists (over 160) mentioned in these manuscripts is included at the end of this study. The manuscript numbers in which each name appears are given with each entry.

Read Haseeb Shehadeh  full article in Arabic and Hebrew at:  https://shomron0.tripod.com/articles/ben-zvi-sam-mss.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delegation of Israeli-Samaritan community: "You are an ancient people, it is our duty to cultivate and solve all issues that bothers you”

On Monday, 04.04.2016 meeting was held, can be described as historic, the delegation of Israelite officials Holon Samaritans with priests, Assaf Ben Tabia and Yair Ben-Avraham and the editors of the bi-weekly “A.B. - The Samaritan News”, the brothers Benyamim and Yefet sons of Ratson Tsedaka, had met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem.

The Samaritan representatives in Holon Eyal Cohen and Oved Altif and the Samaritan representatives of Mount Gerizim, Secretary Isaac Altif and board members Elyon Cohen, Hanan Altif and Ben- Yehudah Altif - Ten delegates of the community, who attended the meeting.

Yefet Ben Ratson Tsedaka, community liaison between the Israelite-Samaritan for years with the Israeli government and a prominent activist for the community, had organized the meeting.

Prime Minister Netanyahu warmly received the delegation and mentioned his long-standing relationship with the Israelite Samaritans. First contact took place when Mr. Netanyahu in his role as deputy foreign minister, arrived for a surprise visit to Mount Gerizim early 90s and was welcomed by the late High Priest Joseph Ben Ab-Hisda [his year term 1987-1998] who wished him that soon will be prime minister for many years. This first meeting left Mr. Netanyahu with a deep impression, and he never ceased to remind it again and again, and keep the high priest picture puts his hands on his head for blessing.

The Samaritan representatives have raised before the prime minister all about the problems that trouble them most of all, Holon - a housing shortage, which causes its youth find housing outside their neighborhood, while a plan was approved for the construction of 64 housing more apartments in their neighborhood, and discrimination directed at young Samaritan new couples by the Ministry of Interior. In Mount Gerizim - A request to set up a government budget, which will ensure implementation of community development projects for the growing community on Mount Gerizim.

Meanwhile, after opening remarks by Yefet b. Ratson Tsedaka, which summarized the state of the Israel-Samaritan community today, read Benyamim Tsedaka, the chairman of the International Samaritan Medal Foundation, which was founded in 2005 in Washington DC, the Charter of Mr. Netanyahu as the recipient of the Samaritan medal of peace and humanitarian achievements. Priest Assaf b. Tabia awarded Mr. Netanyahu with the medal. Mr. Netanyahu thanked warmly for awarding the medal, and praised the wonderful friendship He said existing between him and the Samaritans. "This friendship between us based on contacts with representatives of an ancient people, together with Jews completing the People of Israel - said the prime minister.

Benyamim Tsedaka has offered Prime Minister Netanyahu his new book” “The History of the Israelite Samaritans based on Their Own Sources”, published by the A.B. Institute of Samaritan Studies, Holon-Mount Gerizim, 2016. The dedication on the first page of the 450 double columned pages book, the author wrote: "To Benjamin from Benyamim Tsedaka for reading at the 25Th hour ", hinting on the very busy agenda of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Netanyahu drew great satisfaction from the meeting, which was an escape for an hour or so from the pressures of his constant battle for the State of Israel and “the wars of the Jews”, referred to his winning The Samaritan Medal of Peace, that he agreed on the day of the meeting to talk with Mr. Abbas, President of the Palestinians and invited him to talks about path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. “I will open my busy schedule any day Mr. Abbas will ask to meet me” said Mr. Netanyahu.

The Israeli Prime Minister asked information about the updated situation of the current relations of the Palestinians towards the Samaritans of Mount Gerizim. He recounted the night he slept on Mount Gerizim as an officer of the Israeli Army. “It was a special experience I will never forget. I almost fell into a deep hole, but the blessing of Mount Gerizim and Heaven Saved Me - said the prime minister. The Community leaders reported the prime minister Mr. Netanyahu that there are good relations between the Samaritans and the Palestinians, that most of them support peace with Israel.

In regard to the requirements of the Samaritans, these were very clearly presented by the representatives of the committees of Mount Gerizim and Holon, the Prime Minister Netanyahu, instructed his assistant for administration and society, Mr. Ehud Prawer, to write down all the issues, and to give them immediate action coefficient.

We have suggested to Prime Minister Netanyahu that in order to get a proper budget and organized various projects of the two parts of the community and to prevent “a fall between the chairs” of the various government offices to focus the handling of the affairs of our community under the responsibility of one government office, which the community representatives will apply in all the matters that needs activity. In response, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that it would be favorably considered and soon he will notify the office to address all issues of the Israelite-Samaritan community.

At the end of the meeting recorded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a special greeting message in video for Holiday of Passover and Matzot by the Samaritan community, now allocated to the Web site of the Israelite-Samaritan community in Holon and cellular networks.

The participants were very satisfied and excited by the successful meeting.

In the coming days the Prime Minister's office will send a picture of this constructive meeting with Mr. Netanyahu.

Benyamim Tsedaka

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SHORT BUT CONSTRUCTIVE VISIT TO ISRAEL AND SAMARIA OF MR. RALPH BENKO FOR FINDING WAYS TO MAKE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Mr. Ralph Benko, a famous advocate and political lobbyist in the USA capital Washington D.C. and the head advisor of the chairman of the Samaritan Medal Foundation [The reporter], came this week for a short four days visit in Israel to meet the leadership of the Israelite Samaritans and Palestinian seniors and talk about peace in the region. He spent two days in Holon, meeting Yefet Tsedaka, a political activist and member of the Samaritan Medal Foundation.

We went together to meet the Minister Of Absorption, Jerusalem and Heritage MP Zeev Alkin, in his office in the Knesset, where we have discussed way to improve the heroic story Mount Gerizim and the Israelite Samaritans through the ages. Minister Elkin has researched in the past issues in Samaritan Studies. We have awarded him my new book: "The History of the Israelite Samaritans Based on Their Own Sources" - Holon-Mount Gerizim, 2016

We had also two wonderful days in Samaria, meeting Samaritan and Palestinian leaders speaking with all of them about possibilities of Making Peace in our region, telling them about the activity of the Samaritan Medal Foundation in Washington D.C. and its branch in Holon, Israel. Advocate Benko met two Palestinian seniors, the former mayor of Nablus, Gassan ElShakah and public activist, 'Abd ElAillah ElAttireh that is also a member of the Samaritan Medal Foundation. Both expressed their willing to live in peace with Israel and be part of the peace talks.

We have met the Samaritan committee member Ovadia Cohen in his Nablus office and the secretary of the committee Yitzhaq Altif both members of the Samaritan Medal Foundation. They were so happy to meet Ralph Benko again. Yitzhaq Altif the secretary also organised the meeting with the former Mayor Advocate ElShaq'ah, who will meet soon Mr. Benko in Washington D.C. to meet with seniors of the new American administration after the elections.

Above all, this morning at 5:30 AM, before we left the Mountain, Ralph Benko and I met the High Priest in his house, where after a short talk and very tasty breakfast Ralph Benko received the blessing of the Priests from the High Priest Abedel who wished him success where ever he turns his handsome face. You can't find today a happier personality then our guest the advocate Ralph Benko.

Article and photo by Benyamim Tsedaka.

 

Ralph Benko receives the High Priest’s Blessing March 10, 2016

Ralph says on his Facebook Post: ‘Of many highlights on my snap trip to the Holy Land the most magical was receiving the Blessing -- that all to which I turn my hand will succeed -- of Abedel, the Biblical High Priest of Israel, predawn this morning in Samaria on the Mountain of Blessings.... Photo by Ben Sedaka.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Samaritans visit Minister Zeev Elkin

The Minister Zeev Elkin shows growing interest in the Israelite-Samaritans And the development of the Israeli-Samaritan site on the top of Mount Gerizim

The author granted the Minister MK Zeev Elkin, Absorption Minister and Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and heritage, his new book, at a meeting in his office in the Knesset to discuss the Israelte-Samaritan site development on the summit of Mount Gerizim managed by the National Parks and Nature.

The meeting was coordinated and fulfilled with the author's brother, Yefet Ben Ratson Tsedaka, community activist for years to enhance the bond between the community and the Israeli government.

The Minister thanked the author for the book "The History of the Israelite Samaritans according based on their own sources", Book No. 107 of the author, published since 1971, and the first in 2016.

The Minister Elkin discovered that he has researched in the recent past the Samaritan Studies. Minister Elkin has a particular interest in heritage budgets to be given for extensive development of Mount Gerizim site, with an emphasis on explaining the issue as the Samaritan Israelis see it.

The site on the summit of Mount Gerizim in the recent months had extensive development work, including building a small auditorium for lectures, with the aim to attract domestic and foreign tourism to Mount Gerizim, which will also benefit members of the Israelite-Samaritan community.

The visit to the site is free for each member of the community. Other visitors - a nominal entrance fee [NIS 23 single, 19 shekels for a single in a group]

It is possible to get the new history book, from the days of Joshua until 2015CE, in the A.B. -Institute of Samaritan Studies, in Holon and Mount Gerizim, price: $200 including shipping.

Author Benyamim Tsedaka.

Picture: Minister Z. Elkin with the new book.

Benyamim Tsedaka (3-29-2016)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Samaritans recognized at Likud Party by Prime Minister Netanyahu

The distribution of the history book, ‘The History of Israelite Samaritans Based on their own sources, from the days of Joshua till the year 2015 ‘still continuous

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked again for awarding him the medal and the book of history: “I'm a seeker of the history of our nation”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a toast ceremony last night, April 17, for Passover, by the Likud Party, which he heads. The ceremony was attended by thousands of members of the party.

The ceremony was also attended by Yefet Ben Ratson Tsedaka, a senior bureau member of Likud. Mr. Netanyahu was glad to see him and immediately accepted a joint photo with Yefet and especially with the first Samaritan medal for peace and human achievements, and the book of History of the Israelite Samaritans written by Benyamim Tsedaka awarded to him on April 4, 2016 by a delegation of the seniors of the Israelite Samaritans in his Jerusalem bureau, where photography was not allowed for security reasons. This time, Mr. Netanyahu agreed wholeheartedly  for Photo Recovery of granting the book and the medal.

Mr. Netanyahu thanked again for the honor of awarding of the medal and a book of history: “I'm a seeker of the history of our Israelite People, it's my favorite theme all” - said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Attending the ceremony was Prime Minister's wife, Mrs. Sara Netanyahu, who expressed enthusiasm for the proposal to introduce her to a group of Samaritan women, as she met frequently with women from all communities and sectors. The meeting will be arranged soon.

The book of History, that given as a gift by the A.B. - Institute of Samaritan Studies on Mount Gerizim and Holon, at the end of 2015 for all 210 families of Israelite-Samaritan community, continues to be distributed in Israel and Samaria for price value of $150 including shipping, or $ 200 price for abroad including shipping, by A.B. - Institute of Samaritan Studies, Holon, PO Box 1029, Holon 5811001. The book can be purchased through the web site: Israelite-samaritans.com  

Benyamim Tsedaka, 18.4.2016

Pictures: Yefet b. Ratson Tsedaka, a member of the Samaritan Medal Foundation with Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and the book the medal awarded to Mr Netanyahu.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Passover Articles

Traditional Passover sacrifice, Mount Gerizim- 20 April, 2016 Rexfeatures.com

Members of Samaritan sect participate in traditional sacrifice nex.xinhuanet.com

Samaritan’s Passover Offering. Photos inthetravellab.com

Samaritans Sacrifice Sheep in ‘Hardcore’ Passover Celebration by Naomi Zeveloff forward.com  

In Pictures: Samaritans perform sacrificial Passover ritual jpost.com

How the BBC’s Knell censored a report on the Samaritan Passover festival BBCwatch.org

Samaritans hold Passover ceremony on Mount Gerizim by AFP

~~~~~~~~~~~

The Pentateuch Wrap Discovered in the London, Retuned to the Samaritans

 In 2014, a music teacher, Hugh Rance, (photo left) at County Cork School discovered a green silk wrap with Samaritan words embroidered on green silk at a store on Portobello Road, in Bantry, Ireland. Hugh had displayed the cloth and a stereoview image of the Samaritan High Priest (photo right) on his Facebook page some time ago.

See Rance’s website: http://rugrabbit.com/profile/2103

Hugh Rance says, ‘Here is the silk mantle for the Samaritan Torah with ancient Samaritan Aramaic script embroidered in to it by High Priest Yaacov son of Aaharon (1874–1916). I found it in an antique shop in London and after researching what it was, learning about the Samaritans and getting to know their chief scholar Benyamin Sedaka, I thought the best place for it would be its original home on Mount Gerazim, to where it has now returned. I will be writing a blog article about it in due course.’

Rance had thought it would go in the Samaritan Museum, but he said that it will hang in the Samaritan Synagogue.

The cloth and a short article can be seen in a past issue of the Samaritan Update,  May/ June 2015, Vol. XIV,  No. 5 on page 19-20.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

A Drone View

A drone view over the Samaritan Sacrifice location. (Image from Ovadia Alteef, Facebook April, 7, 2016. Photo by Tomer Altef, Nablus)

 

Tomer Altef used his drone to capture the late afternoon of the Samaritan Passover Sacrifice on April 20, 2016.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ori Orhof Witnessed the New Year Prayers

Ori Orhof (Phd) is the owner of Orhof Consulting, a Consultancy for Project Management and Airports Operational Readiness Projects (ORAT and HBS).

A video of the Samaritan by Ori Orhof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBojzDDE4A

Ori Orhof witnessed the New Year Prayers at the Samaritan Synagogue on Mount Gerizim on April 6, 2016. He has posted some wonderful photos of the event.

Below are some of his photos, see his album of the Samaritan event at https://www.flickr.com/photos/oriorhof/albums/72157666777817551

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Auction Results of the Jewish and Israeli History and Culture by Kedem Public Auction House Ltd March 16, 2016, Jerusalem, Israel

Lot 346: Collection of Documents and Letters concerning the Samaritan Community Sold: $800

Lot 347: Collection of Samaritan Manuscripts; unavailable

Lot 348: Collection of Samaritan Printed Materials - Torah and Prayer Books; unavailable

Lots were shown in the last issue of the Samaritan Update: https://shomron0.tripod.com/2016/janfeb.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Museum Exhibit Samaritan Artifacts in the Samaritan Museum
An Antique collections in the Samaritan museum, demonstrates that the ancient civilization Samaritan, and many different civilizations of the world, and the occupation of the holy land through the ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity:

Late Antique and Byzantine Archaeology and Art Seminar

Thursdays of Weeks 2–8, 11am–12:30 pm  in Trinity Term 2016

St John’s College, New Seminar Room

19 May  (Week 4)

Simon Ford:

Mount Gerizim and the Christian Conversion of Jewish and Samaritan Holy Sites in Late Antiquity

http://www.ocla.ox.ac.uk/home_eve.shtml

~~~~~~~~

 

A Samaritan book that was posted my Osher Sassoni years ago online

 

See: http://the-samaritans.tripod.com/indexabs.html#/2

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Special and Rare Items by Jerusalem of Gold Ltd.

April 19, 2016, 8:00 PM EET Jerusalem, Israel, Israel Live Auction

 

Lot 41: Album with More than 150 High-Quality, Beautiful Photographs of a French Photographer - Jerusalem and the Land of Israel, 1925 - Includes Extremely Rare Photographs of the Arabic Response to Balfour's Visit to Israel and the Opening of the Hebrew University.

Description: Beside many of the photographs there are French inscription explaining what can be seen in them. The Balfour declaration expressed the great truth of Shivat Zion after two thousand years of exile. The declaration that the British government, which then ruled the Land of Israel, "views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" was a constitutive document of the establishment of the Jewish State. Millions of Jews perceived the declaration as the voice of the Messiah. In 1925, Lord Balfour, who represented the miracle of the revival of the Jewish nation, came to Israel for the grand opening of the Hebrew University. He visited Tel Aviv and Jewish settlements around the country and of course, attended the grand opening of the university. For the Arabs, the Balfour declaration had been a cause for grief. Therefore, Balfour's visit to the country and the opening of the university were perceived as a great victory of Zionism and they flew black flags as a symbol of their mourning. The album before us contains extremely rare photographs of the Arabic mourning and the flying of black flags. One of the photographs is that of the house of "the Defense Committee of Islam" ("le comit? de d?fense de l'islam") which was headed by the Mufti Amin al-Husseini, one of the bitterest enemies of Jews in the 20th century. The house, in the Morasha (Mussrara) neighborhood in Jerusalem, still exists and serves as a photography school. On the same page, there is a photograph from the grand opening of the Hebrew University showing a British soldier securing the event. A few pages forward there is a photograph of an Arab with a black flag in his hand riding a horse and photographs of the "Nabi Musa" celebrations. The photograph shows masses of Arabs with black flags in their hands. Another interesting photograph shows a long line of people waiting near the house of the "Supreme Moslem Council". The album also contains many high-quality photographs of various sites in Jerusalem, among them: the Golden Gate, the Jaffa Gate, the allies of the Old City, David's Citadel and many more as well as beautiful the remnants of the ancient synagogue of Caperneum and more. Additional interesting photographs: Arab and Bedouin families in Nazareth, the Samaritan high priest, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mosque of Omar on Temple Mount and monks in the yard of the convent. There is also a photograph of a Jewish funeral, which we have no knowledge of and photographs from Beirut and Alexandria. All the photographs are of high quality and well-preserved. Album with original cloth cover.

[Many of these photographs were taken by two Dominican priests, Raphael Savignac and Antonin Jaussen.]

 

Elagabalus, 218-222 AD, bronze of 22 mm, 14.13 grams.

Obverse: Laureate bust Elagabalus right, countermark A in square on face.

Reverse: Temple and shrine of the Samaritans upon Mt. Gerizim.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Samaria, Neapolis, AE 20, Elagabalus 218-222 AD. Mount Gerizim on reverse. For sale on ebay

 

2 MM. 6.67 GRAM. BRONZE. FROM AN OLD COLLECTION.

OBVERSE: LAUREATE AND DRAPED BUST OF ELAGABALUS RIGHT.

REVERSE: MOUNT GERIZIM SURMOUNTED BY TEMPLE AND ALTAR, STAIRWAY LEADS TO TEMPLE COLONNADE BELOW MOUNTAIN.  

 

35 mm slide Israel Egypt Jerusalem Bethlehem Nablus Samaritans ancient thora for sale on ebay

~~~~~~~~~~

For sale in Israel

 

The Palestine and Near East Annual - Vol. 1, No. 2 - Including; Transjordan, Syria, Cyprus, Rhodes, Iraq and Persia Edited by Reid, A.

There is supposed to be an article on the Samaritans in this issue (shown right). http://www.abebooks.com/Palestine-Near-East-Annual-Vol-Including/751159093/bd

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

From the Editor

Recently I received and email from a friend. He said the following;

I thought you might find this interesting to share-- these are some findings I made long ago at a Lubavitch synagogue:

 

While reading Talmud books at the Orthodox synagogue, with a lot of commentary, I made a couple of findings relevant to the Samaritans:

1) It seemed to be saying that most of the Samaritans did not worship the dove. I cannot remember if it was in the footnotes or the Talmud itself.  Either way, it said the statement about Samaritans worshipping a dove was using a principle regarding minorities.  It was saying that since even minorities count, they use the wording that the Samaritans worship the dove, even though they knew most did not.

2) It said that after the tabernacle was in Gilgal for a particular number of years during the wars of Joshua, the tabernacle was then in Shiloh.  It said that in Shiloh the walls were made of stone, and were not the walls from the Tabernacle of Moses itself.  Some rabbis, I believe the Rambam, maintained that the coverings above were original parts of the Tabernacle.  

Unfortunately I cannot refer to the exact sources since I do not remember where these were said.”

 

Oh yes, I have ran across the dove before but the tabernacle is for sure new to me

My understanding of Samaritan chronicles is that the Tabernacle was placed in a cave, so it could not have been taken to Shiloh and I would also think that the remaining Israelites would have fought anyone that would have taken the original tabernacle away, even parts of it, had they known. Samaritans say that Eli constructed his own, he even made his own Ark, which may have been different, since how could he have seen it since it was in the Holy place and he was not allowed in, all he had was the Torah to go by. This is interesting because I have never heard anyone say this before, anywhere, and I had not thought of it before now. Wow

 

One thing that always seems to amuse me, is when someone finds an artifact in Samaria, they call it Samaritan. An example is a Samaritan terracotta oil lamp that will be auctioned. This particular oil lamp, so they say dates from the late 3rd – 5th century C.E. The description says the lamp has ‘a swastika, a common Samaritan motif’ on it. A swastika is a roman motif! Just because they may have found this oil lamp in Samaria does not mean that it is a Samaritan oil lamp. If they have found it in Jerusalem, would they have called it a Jewish oil lamp? Now, if the Samaritans did not use a Roman motif on their lamps, why would it be called a Samaritan oil lamp? If someone found a Roman statue of a Roman man or woman in Samaria, would it be called a Samaritan statue? I think not!

 

Recently, I looked up the stats for the Samaritan Update, and was surprised at the results;

Daily unique visitors was 49 people

Monthly unique visitors was 1,470 people

Yearly unique visitors was 17,885 people

Daily Page views was 196 pages

Monthly page views was 5,880 pages

Yearly page views was 71,540 pages

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Links

 

Jacob ben Aaron—A Samaritan High Priest

http://www.jerusalemperspective.com/15601/#note-15601-11

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Biblio

 

Di Segni, Leah (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

‘Early Christian Authors on Samaritans and Samaritanism: A Review Article’ [Reinhard Pummer] Journal for the Study of Judaism, XXXVII, 2, Brill NV, Leiden, 2006

 

Leith, Mary Joan

"Elephantine Papyri," Encyclopedia of Religious and Philosophical Writings in Late Antiquity, Jacob Neusner and Alan J. Avery-Peck, eds. 2007

"Samaria Papyri," Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law, Brent Strawn, Editor, 2015

 

Pummer, Reinhard

‘The Samaritan Pentateuch and the New Testament‘  New Testament Studies 22 (1976) 441-443

 

Rosenthal-Heginbottom, Renate

‘The curtain (parochet) in Jewish and Samaritan synagogues (bibliography)’ In A. De Moor and C. Fluck eds. Clothing the House. Furnishing textiles of the 1st millennium AD from Egypt and neighbouring countries (Proceedings of the 5th conference of the research group ‘Textiles from the Nile Valley’

 Antwerp, 6-7 October 2007. Tielt 2009, pp. 155-169.

 

Zewi, Tamar

'Proper Nouns in the Samaritan Version of Saadya Gaon's Translation of the Pentateuch,' J Semitic Studies (Spring 2016) 61(1): 139-155.

 Abstract: The article examines the methods of rendering personal names and place names in the Samaritan version of Saadya Gaon's translation of the Pentateuch in MS BL OR7562. The examination is based on examples from Genesis 11 to Exodus 1, which are part of the first hand stage in the manuscript. The renderings are compared to those found in various manuscripts and printed editions of Saadya Gaon's translation of the Pentateuch in Hebrew and Arabic script, in the Samaritan Arabic translation of the Pentateuch, given in two different versions, the old one and its later revision, in Shehadeh's edition, and in pre-Saadyan Arabic translations.

~~~~~~~~~

The Samaritan Update is open to any articles that are relative to Samaritan Studies. Submit your work to The Editor 

~~~~~~~

TheSamaritanUpdate.com, is a Bi-Monthly Internet Newsletter

Editor: Larry Rynearson. Contact: The Editor 

TheSamaritanUpdate.com

© Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved