“Mount
Gerizim,
All the Days
of Our Lives”
March/ April 2015
Vol. XIV - No 4
In This Issue ·
Future Events ·
Passover Bus ·
Two Documents ·
Amram b. Salamah ·
Jacob b. Aaron ·
High Priests ·
Exhibition Reminder ·
Inscription ·
Auction Results ·
Museum Tourists ·
Ben-Zvi photos ·
Recent Publications ·
Future Publication ·
Schorch Publications ·
Past Lecture ·
From the Editor ·
Links ·
Old News ·
Biblio
Future Events
It has been 3654
years since the entrance into the Holy Land
This counting began on
the Sixth Month of the Year of Creation (Samaritan’s typical calendar)
1st
day of the 13th Month 3653- March 19, 2015
1st
day of the 1st Month 3654 – April 18, 2015
Passover Sacrifice Saturday evening- May 2,
2015
Conclusion
of the Festival of Unleavened Bread- May 9, 2015
Shavuot-
June 28 2015
Festival
of the First Day of 7th Month 3654- Oct. 13, 2015
Day of
Atonement- Oct. 22, 2015
Festival
of Succot- Oct. 27, 2015
Festival
of the 8th day of Succot 3654- Nov. 3, 2015
[Calculated
by: Priest Yakkiir ['Aziz] b. High Priest Jacob b. 'Azzi – Kiriat Luza, Mount
Gerizim]
~~~~~~~~~~~
Samaritan Passover Buses From Jerusalem
The Passover Sacrifice will be Saturday evening, May 2, 2015.
If you are in Jerusalem and would like to see the event
firsthand, there is a bus leaving at 3 p.m. from Nablus Rd 76. The cost is
nothing, just 100 NIS per person, but the experience you shall remember for the
rest of your life.
Buses are organized/ sponsored from projectredemption.org. Call
or email your reservations early! 054 4370 443 infor@projectredemption.org
See the Flyer for more information!
Samaritans Receive Two Documents from the Turkish Ambassador
The ceremony was attended by the
Minister of Education, Mrs. Khawla Shakhshir and representatives from the mayor
of Nablus and the governor and the men of the city. Also attending the ceremony
of the Turkish ambassador to Turkey in Ramallah, Mr. Mustafa Sarnıç and Director
General of the Agency Coordinating and Turkish cooperation / tikka and a large
number of Turks. At the end of the ceremony, the Turkish Ambassador gave the
high priest two documents to the Samaritans dated back about two hundred years
ago.
The two Turkish documents date back to the year 1313
AH (c.
1895 C.E.). The content of one (shown directly
below) is the transfer of the High Priesthood from the priest ‘Imran ibn Ishaq
after seventeen years of service because of his old age and his illness to his
nephew the High Priest Jacob Aaron. The document is signed by each of the
elders: Jacob Aaron, Khadr the Samaritan priest, Israel Sarawi, Abdul Latif
Isma‘il, Murjan al-Salamah, Isma‘il Israel Joseph, son of al-‘Abd, Rizq
al-Yousuf, Ephraim al-Salamah, Amin Shalaby, Salamah Ben Su‘aifann and Nimr
Sadaqa.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Amram ben Salamah HP #119 (1857–1874)
Amram b. Salamah (b.1809 - d. 1874)b. Tabiah b.
Isaac b. Abraham b. Isaac b. Sedaqa b. Tabiah b. Abraham b. Joseph b. Tabiah. Amram
took on many of the duties as 2nd priest to his father High Priest
Salamah, as early as 1826. Amram’s father retired as High Priest in 1855, but officially
he was still High Priest till his death in 1857. According to Samaritan
halakha, the High Priest remains in office till he dies. Like his father, Amram
retired in 1859 as High Priest, but still remaining High Priest per halakha.
Jacob b. Aaron took over the duties as High Priest.
Amram wrote and restored ageing manuscripts and
worked as a teacher. He was always cordial in greeting foreigners, anxious to
speak about his people and their history. Among some of the people he met was
the English Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) in 1862
and author Mark Twain in 1867.
Amram married Hanuniah barat Jacob b. Sedaqah
(1795-1848), Danfi family) in 1826. The couple had two daughters. Perah (b.
1841- d. 1901) married Shelah b. Abraham b. Shelah (b.1830- d.1862) in 1865 and
the younger sister Zaharah married in 1865 to Pinhas b. Isaac b. Salamah
(b.1841- d.1897).
Amram raised his nephew Jacob b. Aaron, from
the year he was born in 1840, when Jacob’s father, Aaron b. Salamah (?-1840) passed.
Amram remarried and had two sons, Isaac b.
Amram (1855-1916) and Salama b. Amram (1863-1931).
Yacob ben Aharon ben Shalma ben Tabya ben Ishak HP #120
(1874–1916)
(The earliest photo above left was taken said to be
taken in 1887, yet the far right photo is said to be taken in 1880. Second from
right dates to around 1903.)
Also known as Jacob b. Aaron, (b.1840 - d.1916). The same year he was born, his father Aaron B. Salamah died. He was raised by his uncle, Amram b. Salamah (HP). He took over the duties as High Priest in 1859.
Jacob’s son, Ab Hisda (b.1883- d.1959) was also a teacher, writer, translator. Jacob and his son were among the photos of The National Geographic Magazine January, 1920 article, ‘The Last Israelitsh Blood Sacrifice,’ by John D. Whiting.
The
Samaritan High Priests
The
last of the Priests of the line of Eleazar, son of Aaron, brother of Moses,
that were among the Samaritans died out in 1624 C.E.. Therefore the remaining
priests today are from the line of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, brother of Moses.
Zedekiah was the first priest of the Ithamar sons.
The following Samaritan
priesthood genealogy is from the Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly
Statement, January 1904,
page 73.
Zedekiah (the first Priest-Levite) 1623/4
to 1650 C.E.
I
Isaac, Pr.-Lev.
I
Abraham, Pr.-Lev.
________________________I
I
I
Levi, Pr.-Lev. Isaac
I
Tabvah, or Ghazal,
Pr.-Lev, (born 1732, died 1786)
I
Shalmah, or Solomon, Pr.-Lev. (b. 1783 [? Earlier}, d. 1857
I
_____________________________________________
I
I I
Aaron Amram, Pr.-Lev. (b. 1809,
d.?) Isaac
I
I
I
_____________ ________
Jacob, Pr.-Lev. (b. 1841) I I I I
I Isaac Shalmah Phinehas Sarûr
I I
I
three sons Amram five sons
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reminder: Samaritan Photography Exhibition
[ Above: a photo of the Samaritan
Pentateuch by Dale Lazar]
The Israelite Samaritans and the Festival of Unleavened
Bread: Photographs by Dale Lazar
May 4, 2015 - July 24, 2015
Mr. Tsedaka's visit, his first to
Pittsburgh, introduces the upcoming exhibition, The Israelite Samaritans and
the Festival of Unleavened Bread: Photographs by Dale Lazar, on view at the
American Jewish Museum of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Community Center,
May 4, 2015 through July 24, 2015. For more information regarding this
exhibition, contact Melissa Hiller at 412.697.3231 or mhiller@jccpgh.org .
Location: JCC of Greater Pittsburgh,
5738 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412.697.3231, www.jccpgh.org
Cost: This exhibit is free and open
to the public
Visit Dale Lazar’s website: http://dalelazarphotography.smugmug.com/
~~~~~~~~
Istitude Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione
Istitude Centrale per
il Catalogo e la Documentazione posted a Samaritan Inscription from Nablus on
their website http://www.iccd.beniculturali.it/
Photo: Andrè - inv.H008137 Nablus
- iscrizione samaritana
1908-1910
Is this a Samaritan
inscription? What can be determined from the photograph?
There is no further information concerning
the name of Andrè, who may have been the either the
photographer or person that donated the photos from his collection.
The
years mentioned 1908-1910 happen to coincide with the site of the first
American undertaking of the Harvard Expedition in Samaria,
in 1908-1910. The site of the Harvard excavation could possibly be the area
where the photograph had been taken which is not that far from Nablus. We can
confirm that the photographer of the above inscription also took photos at the
Harvard Samaria excavation. It is also of interest that in 1908 there were
excavations underway at Gezer by Mr. Macalister, the location where the calendar inscription was discovered.
Two
photographs shown below are also from Andrè
and appear to be the tent, altar
and steps of the Temple of Augustus that was built by
Herod the Great from
the Harvard Samaria excavation.
Similar
photos shown below are from Harvard
Excavations at Samaria, 1908-1910
(Vol. II) Reisner,
George Andrew, & Clarence Stanley Fisher, David Gordon Lyon, London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford
University Press 1924. The photos are from plate
17 on page 55 and plate 18c on page 56. In both photographs a tent is seen
just as in Andrè’s photo.
Reisner,
George Andrew, & Clarence Stanley Fisher, David Gordon Lyon. Harvard Excavations at Samaria, 1908-1910
London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press 1924
Further we can see a better photo with the tent in
Plate 86 b and c (shown below) on page 125 (Vol. II). (The photo to the left,
when inspected closer, you will see the excavation holes in the side walls). Comparing the photos of Andrè
and Reisner, we can see a similarity between the photos with the steps and
tent.
But we
still do not know who this Andrè is? But maybe Andrè, is an Italian name for
the English name of Andrew, the leader of the Harvard excavations, George
Andrew Reisner (Nov. 5, 1867 – June 6, 1942), an American
archaeologist of Ancient Egypt and Palestine. So is it possible that Andrew and Andrè are in fact the
same person.
Questions still remain. Where is
this inscription? Was it really in Nablus? Did the inscription go to
Constantinople where the excavation permit originated, to Harvard or some place
else? Why was it never mentioned? What date did it originate? Was it inscripted
by the Samaritans after the temple was destroyed? What was written on it? Was
there something controverial in the inscription? Was Gerizim mentioned in it?
And, was it actually Samaritan or an earlier inscription?
‘According to
Turkish law all antiques found in the empire are the property of the
government. This law was observed scrupulously by the Harvard Expedition. All
moveable objects worth moving were sent to Constantinople or delivered to the
commissioner for transmission.’ The Harvard Excavations at Samaria by David G.
Lyon in Art and Archaeology, volume 7, No.
5-6, June, 1918, page 205.
Also
see more images at the website at Istitude
Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione.
The photo to the left is also said
to be from Nablus. But it may infact be from the Harvard excavation, yet to be
comfirmed.
So far thes photos are the only
source that has brought numerous questions. There may be an answer somewhere in
all the records of the excavation. See http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/expeditions/reisner.html.
There appears to have been a total
of 652 photographs taken at the
Samaria excavation from 1907-1910. It appears that the American Colony of Jerusalem took the photographs.
I have found an article in the Illustrated London News 1912 issue, where as
they are credited with some excavation photos. Rachel Hallote in her article ‘Photography and the American
Contribution to Early “Biblical” Archaeology, 1870-1920,’ says that the Library of Congress has “twenty
thousand glass and film photographic negatives”, which may have some of these
photos.
You can also see more photos from the
article, ‘The Harvard Exedition to Samaria, by David Gordon Lyon in Harvard Theological Review, vol. 2 (1909)
which also shows the tent.
There is one search result that is puzzling; The Independent, Vol. 70
‘Dr. Reisner, who
has been in charge of the excavations at Samaria, has returned, and he brings
no confirmation of the report sent to the world by Professor Yahuda, of a
Hebrew seminary in Berlin, that there had been discovered in Samaria, a hundred
tablets of Ahab’s time, with a letter from a king of Assyria, and a list of
Ahab’s palace furniture. It is all moonshine, but we do not so much blame Dr.
Yahuda, for he got it out of a Hebrew paper Ha-Or,
published in Jerusalem, and there it rose out of growing gossip about the
inscribed pots-herds with old Hebrew characters, which are interesting and
valuable but not to the extent claimed for the imaginary tablets. But such
discoveries are not improbable, and the beginning is hopeful.’
Of interest is the source of money
by Jacob H. Schiff who donated for
the Samaria excavation. He also donated a collection of Samaritan manusctipts
to Harvard. It is also mentioned that Schiff donated Samaritan
Biblical manuscripts to the New York Public Library in 1909.
The Editor
~~~~~~~
Auction Results
The following auction items were shown in the last issue of The Samaritan Update.
Auction: Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters
Kedem Public Auction House Ltd Auction: March 11, 2015, Jerusalem, Israel
Lot 444- Deleil Alaseil Alei Almaseil Samaritan
manuscript (in Arabic) – Nablus, 1886: Realized Price: $1,500.00
Lot 445: Samaritan manuscript- Prayers and Piyutim-
Nablus 1898 Realized
Price: $1,500.00
Lot 446: Kitab Al-Kafi- Samaritan manuscript (in
Arabic) – Nablus, 1865 Realized Price: $2,000.00
~~~~~~~~~~~
German
Tourists Visit the Samaritan Museum in March (2015 Samaritan Museum Facebook Post)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram visitng Samaritans in
Nablus in 1934
Description:
Right to left: Leah
Brown, Feldman, Izhak Avi Amram (the son of Shlomo) High Priest
of the Samaritans from 1917 to 1932, Izhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram, on a
visit with the Samaritans in Shechem (Nablus). Source: Israelalbum.org.il
These photos have a copyright and have a
wonderful history. Visit this great website! The list below is incomplete, see
all the photos at Israelalbum.org.il
Yitzhak
Ben-Zvi with Professor Protopopov visiting Samaritans in Nablus 1910
Professor Protopopov left-right
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, the professor's wife, Hsumronim- Naji, Amram,
Avisba. Sitting in a family charity
Description: Standing, right to
left: Russian Professor Protopopov, Izhak Ben-Zvi, the professor's
wife; three Samaritans: Naji, Amram and Aviseva; and seated, a youth
from the Zedakah family, during a visit to the Samaritan community in Shechem
(Nablus).
Yitzhak
Ben-Zvi and his son Amram visitng Samaritans in Nablus in 1932
Right-left (?), Amram Ben-Zvi,
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, the priest Jacob ben Uzi, Leah Brown
Description: Left to right:?,
Amram Ben-Zvi, his father Izhak Ben-Zvi, Samaritan priest Ya'akov Ben-Uzi, Leah
Brown and three unknown, during a visit of Izhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram to
the Samaritan community in Shechem (Nablus).
Pit Samaritan altar
on Mount Gerizim in 1932
Silhouette image of Ben-Zvi
Description: The shadow of Izhak Ben-Zvi
superimposed on a stone-lined pit in which the Samaritan sacrifice was cooked,
on Mount Gerizim, during a visit of Izhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram to the
Samaritan community in Shechem (Nablus).
Pit Samaritan altar
on Mount Gerizim in 1932
Description: A stone-lined pit in which the Samaritan sacrifice was
cooked, on Mount Gerizim, during a visit of Izhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram to
the Samaritan community in Shechem (Nablus).
British officers with
the Samaritans in Nablus in 1932
Description: British officers with Samaritans,
during a visit of Izhak Ben-Zvi and his son Amram to the Samaritan community in
Shechem (Nablus).
Samaritan
Passover sacrifice in Nablus (date unknown,
most likely 1932)
Description: Inside a circle of
Samaritans during the Passover sacrifice ritual in Shechem (Nablus)
Yitzhak
Ben-Zvi and Rachel Nablus visit (1930-1936)
Left-right Rahel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi,
both Samaritans and an unidentified person
Description: Right to left:
Rahel Yanait Ben-Zvi and her husband Izhak Ben-Zvi, with two Samaritans in
traditional dress and a man in a suit between them, sitting on a stone ledge
near Shechem (Nablus).
Two written in
Samaritan mortar in the wall (date
unknown)
Inscriptions on clay bumps on the
side of the house
Description: Samaritan writings on protusions in
the mud on the wall of a home, possibly talismans (good luck charms).
Isaac
the father of Amram ben Shlomo Samaritan High Priest in Nablus (date: 1917-1932)
Priest wearing a dark coat stands
next to a Torah Ftoham three grenades at the end of the rods on them rolled
parchment. The book stands on a table covered with an embroidered curtain
center Address
Description: Izhak Avi Amram
(the son of Shlomo) who served as the High Priest of the Samaritans from 1917
to 1932 (after his cousin Ya'akov) with the ancient Abisha Torah
scroll. Acording to historical research it was written by a Samaritan in
Damascus in the 12th to 13th century AD, although Samaritan tradition claims it
is from the time of Joshua-13th century BC
Samaritans in Nablus (date:
1930-1936)
Description: Two Samaritan men with a
non-Samaritan women between them, in Shechem (Nablus).
Ben Zvi with the
Samaritans in Nablus (1930-1936)
Mshmul right-Ben-Zvi, an unidentified friend, the two Samaritans
Description: Right to left: two Samaritans, a
friend of Izhak Ben-Zvi, Izhak Ben-Zvi (in the light colored jacket).
Stone tablets of the
stairs Mount Gerizim (1935)
Description: Izhak Ben-Zvi (in the center) with a
Samaritan and another man, near stone tablets from the steps to Mount Gerizim
in Shechem (Nablus).
The
remains of the ancient complex on Mount Gerizim, the Byzantine church or the
Samaritan temple (1934)
Description: The remains of an
ancient complex on Mount Gerizim in Shechem (Nablus), either a Byzantine church
or a Samaritan temple.
Samaritan High Priest Nablus (1917-1932)
Description: A profile portrait of the Samaritan
High Priest from Shechem (Nablus), probably Izhak Avi Amram the son of Shlomo,
who served as the High Priest of the Samaritans from 1917 to 1932 (after his
cousin Ya'akov).
Guests at the
Samaritan Passover sacrifice on Mount Gerizim in Nablus (1934)
First row second from right Leah
Brown
Description: Leah Brown (front row, second from
the right) with a large group of guests watching the ritual of the Samaritan
Passover sacrifice on Mount Gerizim in Shechem (Nablus).
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review
Isaac Kalimi, Early Jewish Exegesis and Theological Controversy: Studies
in Scripture in the Shadow of Internal and External Conflicts.
(Jewish and Christian Heritage Series 2; Assen: Van Gorcum, 2002)
Reviewed by Francis Landy
~~~~~~~
Recent
Publications
Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, Qumran,
Septuagint; Collected Essays, Volume 3
Publication date: March 2015
Thirty-three revised and updated
essays on the textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible, Qumran and the Septuagint,
originally published between 2008 and 2014 are presented in this volume, the
third volume of the author’s collected writings. All three areas have developed
much in modern research, and the auhor, the past editor-in-chief of the
international Dead Sea Scrolls publication project, is a major speaker in all
of them. The scrolls are of central importance in the modern textual research
and this aspect is well represented in this volume. Among the studies included
in this volume are central studies on coincidence, consistency, the Torah, the
nature of the MT and SP, the diffusion of manuscripts, and the LXX of Genesis.
by Tamar Zewi (Author)
Brill Academic Publishers; Mul Cri edition (April 13, 2015)
Should you read this book, please write a review.
‘Der Samaritanische
Pentateuch in der Geschichte des hebräischen Bibeltextes’
By Stefan Schorch in Verkündigung und
Forschung. Volume 60, Issue 1, Pages 18–28, ISSN
(Online) 2198-0454, ISSN (Print) 0342-2410, DOI: 10.14315/vf-2015-0104, March 2015
By CNM Naseri, in Lwati:
A Journal of Contemporary Research, Volume 11, No. 2 (2014) 75-88.
psychological
Abstract
Relations between Jews and
Samaritans were at the level of conflicts during the time of Christ. These
conflicts are reflected especially in the Gospels (see John 8:48; Luke 9:53-54).
Understanding the nature of the relations between these two groups will
therefore assists students and interpreters of the New Testament appreciate and
comprehend the negative signals emitted by these biblical texts. The work is a
historical-critical method of study applied to biblical texts in their
synchronic forms. It implies an inquiry into who the Samaritans were; what
their beliefs and practices were and why there was such enmity between them and
the Jews. The study identifies the non-recognition of the Jewish origin of the
Samaritans as the basis for the conflicts. It also identifies the intricacies
of religion and politics in the diversification of the conflict, highlights
some instances of class distinctions and religious conflicts in modern society
as contemporary equivalents of the Samaritan-Jewish conflicts. It recommends
respects for the dignity of the human person, emphasis on, and widening of the
borders of kinship and the encouragement of multi-culturalism as the
foundations for building a less discriminatory society.
A History of Biblical Israel: The Fate of the Tribes
and Kingdoms from Merenptah to Bar Kochba
By Axel Knauf & Philippe
Guillaume
Equinox Publishing 01/05/2015
Chapter 8. From Artaxerxes I to
Ptolemy I
Axel Knauf, Philippe Guillaume
Abstract: The difficulties
encountered by the Achaemenids in Egypt spur the construction of a Persian
fortress at Jerusalem with an adjacent sanctuary (the second ‘Second Temple),
as well as the destruction of Bethel and the construction of a cultic centre at
Mount Gerizim. Such renewed imperial interest in the Levant set the stage for
the formation of the Torah and the rise of a common identity based on Biblical
Israel operative across the empire.
Von »Israeliten« zu »Ausländern«: Zur Entwicklung
anti-samaritanischer Polemik ab der hasmonäischen Zeit by Benedikt
Hensel in Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche
Wissenschaft. Volume 126, Issue 4, Pages 475–493,
ISSN (Online) 1613-0103, ISSN (Print) 0044-2526, DOI: 10.1515/zaw-2014-0029, December 2014
Published
Online: 2014-12-01
Abstract: In Josephus and in certain biblical traditions (Ezra/Neh;
II Reg 17,24 ff.) the Samaritans are designated as »foreigners« who would have
had nothing in common with Israel, so that violent conflicts would have
developed between the two groups in the Persian and early Hellenistic periods.
The article analyses the non-biblical sources in which the »foreigner-polemic«
is attested. After its origins in Hasmonaean times (Sir 50,25), this polemic
first becomes more extensive in Josephus (»Cuthaeans«). But it only found
general circulation and full development in the Amoraic period (3rd cent. AD).
It involves a purely literary polemic (»Othering«), since from a religious and
cultural point of view Samaritans and Jews were only marginally distinct until
the Byzantine period. Both belonged to »Israel«. The development of anti-Samaritan
polemic is a further proof that conflicts between the Gerizim and Jerusalem
communities only began in the 2nd cent. BC.
Résumé: Les Samaritains sont désignés comme »étrangers« par Fl.
Josèphe et par certaines traditions bibliques (Esdr. – Néh.; II Rois 17,24ss.):
ils n’auraient rien en commun avec Israël, d’où les conflits violents qui se
seraient développés entre ces deux groupes à l’époque perse et
proto-hellénistique. Cette étude analyse les documents extra-bibliques qui font
référence à cette polémique des »étrangers«. Après son apparition à l’époque
hasmonéenne (Sir. 50,25), cette polémique est exposée plus largement chez Fl.
Josèphe (»Cuthéens«). Elle ne se généralisera, pleinement exposée, qu’à
l’époque amoréenne (3ème siècle ap. J.-C.): il s’agit alors d’une polémique
purement littéraire, car du point de vue de l’histoire de la religion et de la
culture, Samaritains et Judéens ne se distinguent guère jusqu’à l’époque
byzantine. Les deux appartiennent à »Israël«. Cette évolution de la polémique anti-samaritaine
constitue un témoignage supplémentaire que les tensions entre les communautés
du Garizim et de Jérusalem ne débutent qu’au 2ème siècle av. J.-C.
Zusammenfassung: Die Samaritaner werden bei Josephus und in bestimmten
biblischen Traditionen (Esr/Neh; II Reg 17,24 ff.) als »Ausländer« bezeichnet,
die mit Israel nichts gemein hätten, woraus sich heftige Streitigkeiten
zwischen beiden Gruppen in persischer und früh-hellenistischer Zeit entwickelt
hätten. Der Artikel analysiert die nicht-biblischen Evidenzen, in denen sich
die »Ausländer«-Polemik belegen lässt. Nach Anfängen in der hasmonäischen Zeit
(Sir 50,25) wird die Polemik erst bei Josephus breiter ausgeführt (»Kuthäer«).
Allgemein verbreitet und voll ausgeformt wird diese allerdings erst in
amoräischer Zeit (3. Jh. n. Chr.). Es handelt sich um eine rein literarische
Polemik (»Othering«), denn religionswie kulturgeschichtlich unterscheiden sich
Samaritaner und Judäer bis in byzantinische Zeit nur marginal voneinander.
Beide zählen zu »Israel«. Die Entwicklung der anti-samaritanischen Polemik ist
ein weiterer Beleg dafür, dass sich Streitigkeiten zwischen Garizim- und
Jerusalemer Gemeinde erst im 2. Jh. v. Chr. entwickeln.
Is the Samaritan Pentateuch a Sectarian Text?
by Edmond L.
Gallagher Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft. Volume
127, Issue 1, Pages 96–107, ISSN (Online) 1613-0103, ISSN (Print) 0044-2526, DOI: 10.1515/zaw-2015-0007, March
2015
Abstract: Wissenschaftler kennzeichnen den Samaritanischen
Pentateuch (SP) auf Grund einiger Abweichungen zum masoretischen Text (MT)
üblicherweise als einen sektierischen Text. Diese Stellen heben den Kult auf
dem Garizim besonders hervor. Neuerdings verstehen Wissenschaftler einige der
besonders als sektiererisch klassifizierten Stellen durchaus nicht als
sektiererisch, auch wenn der SP weiterhin als tendenziös und sektiererisch
eingeordnet wird. Dieser Artikel untersucht die Gründe für die Verwendung
dieser Kennzeichnungen mit Blick auf den SP und fragt nach dem Nutzen solcher
Klassifikationen.
Résumé: Scholars routinely describe the
Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) as a sectarian text, owing to the presence of a few
variants in the SP in comparison with the Masoretic Text (MT). These particular
readings are thought to highlight the Gerizim cult in a way peculiarly
appropriate to Samaritanism and inappropriate for Jewish texts. But scholars
now interpret some of the most prominent »sectarian « elements of the SP as not
sectarian at all, even while continuing to label the SP tendentious and
sectarian. This paper examines the reasons for applying these terms to the SP
and queries the usefulness of describing it in this manner.
Zusammenfassung: Les chercheurs décrivent
systématiquement le Pentateuque samaritain comme un texte sectaire, en raison
de quelques variantes dans le Pentateuque samaritain par rapport au texte
massorétique. Ces lectures spécifiques ont pour but d’accentuer dans le
Pentateuque le culte au mont Garizim et ceci de manière particulièrement
adaptée au courant samaritain mais inadéquat du point de vue du judaïsme. A
présent cependant, plusieurs chercheurs interprètent quelquesuns des plus
importants éléments dits »sectaires« du Pentateuque samaritain comme n’étant
pas sectaires du tout, même s’ils continuent à étiqueter le Pentateuque
samaritain comme tendancieux et sectaire. Cet article examine les raisons pour
lesquelles on applique ces termes au Pentateuque samaritain et s’interroge sur
l’utilité de le décrire de cette manière.
D’Abraham à la
conquête: L’Hexateuque et l’histoire d’Israël et de Juda
Par Thomas Römer Recherches de
Science Religieuse 2015/1 (Tome 103) pp. 35-53
Français
L’histoire
des origines d’Israël telle qu’elle se présente dans le Pentateuque, allant des
Patriarches jusqu’à l’Exode, est une construction éphémère de l’époque perse.
Si c’est l’époque perse qui est décisive pour la naissance de l’Hexa- et puis
du Pentateuque, les différents éléments qui constituent cette histoire
remontent à quelques siècles plus haut et reflètent les contextes historiques
des royaumes d’Israël et de Juda. Certaines de ces traditions, comme l’histoire
de Jacob et celle de l’Exode, proviennent du Nord. Bien qu’elles aient été «
judaïsées » par la suite, leur enracinement nordique n’a pas été entièrement
occulté et a même pu servir le compromis entre Samaritains et Judéens.
English
From
Abraham to the conquest
The
history of the origins of Israel as presented in the Pentateuch, moving from
the Patriarchs to Exodus, is an ephemeral construction of the Persian era.
Although the Persian period is decisive for the birth of the Hexateuch and
Pentateuch, the various elements that make up this history go back some centuries
and reflect the historical contexts of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Some
of these traditions, such as the story of Jacob and of Exodus are from the
north. Even though they were subsequently “Judaized”, their northern roots were
not entirely concealed and may well have served as a compromise between
Samaritans and Judeans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Future Publication
Samaritan scholar and co-editor of the Samaritan A-B
News Benyamim
Tsedaka is expecting to publish his new Hebrew book on comparing
Israelite history according to Samaritan tradition in comparison with the
Tanach in May 2015. More information to come in the next issue of the Samaritan
Update.
~~~~~~~~~
Publications from Stefan Schorch
The Samaritan Pentateuch A
Critical Editio Maior
Ed. by Schorch, Stefan
6 volumes
Das Buch Genesis in Series: Beihefte zur
Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 339, De Gruyter. X, 304
pages in German. Publication date: 2004
Aims and Scope: Beside the
Masoretic text, the orally transmitted Samaritan reading tradition is the most
important source for the vocalisation of the Torah. The author points to
parallel developments in Qumran, and sees the development of the Samaritan
tradition from the 2nd century BC as part of the creation of specific group
identities within Judaism, and examines its transmission. In addition, the work
offers a comprehensive analysis of the more than 400 textually relevant
differences in vocalisation between the Samaritan and Masoretic traditions in
the Book of Genesis.
De Gruyter. 224 pages in Hebrew and English. Publication
date: November 2015
Aims and Scope: A critical edition
of the Samaritan Pentateuch is one of the most urgent desiderata of Hebrew
Bible research. The present volume on Leviticus is the first out of a series of
five meant to fill this gap. The text from the oldest mss. of SP is
continuously accompanied by comparative readings, gathered from the Samaritan
Targum and the oral reading, as well as MT, the DSS, and the LXX, creating an
indispensable resource for Biblical research.
The Samaritans, History,
Texts, and Traditions
Series: Studia Samaritana 8 Studia Judaica 75
De Gruyter. 330 pages in English. Publication date May 2017
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Past Lecture
How Ancient Scribes
Inserted Larger Passages into Older Texts Editorial Techniques in Light of
Empirical Evidence International Workshop in Münster, 17-19 March 2015
Organized by Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions, The Academy of Finland's
Centre of Excellence, in Collaboration with the Faculty of Protestant Theology,
University of Münster
15:00-16:00 Stefan
Schorch (Halle/Philadelphia) The Garizim-commandment in the Samaritan
Pentateuch
http://egora.uni-muenster.de/gkm/Workshop_Editorial_Techniques_17.-19.03._in_M_nster-1.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Editor
I have been thinking about the Holy
Rock that the Samaritans visit on their pilgrimage on the summit of Mount Gerizim
and the site of the old temple ruins. And I have been wondering, why didn’t the
cult that built the temple incorporate this stone inside the temple, like the rock
in Jerusalem? The only answer that comes to me, is that this would have caused
a major conflict, since the existing worshippers to Mount Gerizim must have
used this site for their pilgrimages during that time period and before, like
the Samaritans still do today. So is
this real evidence that there were in fact two cults that worshipped on Mount
Gerizim?
~~~~
If you read the May/June 2014 issue of The Samaritan Update, you may recall the many different coins that exhibit
the Roman temple on Mount Gerizim. I knew there were a good number of different
minted coins from the period of Phillip, the Roman ruler (244-249 C.E.) in my
study (see pdf). I was
surprised that the count of different minted stamps was a total of 34 from
Philip. There still could possibly be even more. But why was there so many
different stamped coins at this time. When I looked back at John Bowman’s Samaritan Documents Relating to Their
History, Religion and Life (1977), I found on page 160 the following:
‘And at that time Pillippus the
king took from ‘Akbon all the wealth which Baba Raba had left, in the presence
of the companions of Levi his son.’
Is this evidence of Baba Raba of this
period ? What other possiblity could there be for such reshaping of the
currency at that time? I cannot recall any other time that would indicate such
a change in the minting of coins.
We know from the exidence that
coins were minted from rulers over Samaria like Hadrian (117- 138 C.E.,
Antonius Pius (138-161), Marcus Aurelius (161-180 C.E.), Commodus (180-192
C.E.) Macrinus (217-218 C.E.) and Elagabalus (218-222 C.E.) and then Severus Alexander (222-235 C.E.). Each of these
rulers minted cions with a temple on Mount Gerizim, which means that they had
at least one mint there and most likely, minted the coins from the tax money
they received from the people. It also states in Bowman’s book on page 149, ‘Then Alexander died and he had not been able
to take tax from Israel.’ This was not Alexander the Great. This was
Severus Alexander who was the Roman Emperor from 222-235 C.E. This gives a time
period of 9 years(244C.E.- 235C.E.= 9) between Severus and Pillip in which
Samaria was independent.
I even looked in Jeffrey M. Cohen’s
book, A Samaritan Chronicle (Brill,
1981) page 70, ‘These “Seventy” also gave the priest Baba Rabbah all manner of
military assisteance; they turned over to him the revenue…” Further on page 78
and 79, the issue of paying tax to foreign kings was halted and contributions
went to Baba’s army. So it would appear that Baba had a large treasury.
Of interest on page 70 of Cohen’s book is the ‘Family of
the Seventy.” The Seventy or LXX is interesting. Could this be the origin of
the LXX text? Could these be the remnants of the sect of Menasseh that came
from Jerusalem and built a temple on Gerizim? Remember John Hyrcanus (reigned from 134 until his death in 104 BCE) destroyed
the Gerizim temple. It had only been 300 years or so, which means that they were
most likely ancestors of the temple that had remained in the land. It is clear
on page 70, that the Seventy was a sect, a different sect in which Baba belonged,
‘Whenever they came across a priest from among those priests of the “Family of
Seventy” who erred in religious law, in administering justice or in civil
affairs, they would hasten to consult their own High Priest.”
This Seventy sect is interesting
for one very interesting fact, we have the Septuagint which is also
called the LXX. Here we have the ‘Family of the Seventy’ and the ’72 Elders.’
Both originated in close to the same time period. The legend of the LXX dates
of the 3rd century BCE., while the Gerizim Seventy, if I am
permitted to call them that, date their origin from the same period of
Sanaballat from the period of Alexander the Great.
~~~
Also, I have been thinking that
there needs to be a good serious book by someone or a group concerning all of
the Samartian inscriptions. It would make for a great book! This issue was
relized after I had post the article in the last issue of The Samaritan Update on the inscription in the UK, which no one
appears to be interested in studing. I wish to thank Haseeb Shehadeh for determining the
Samaritan Hebrew inscription being Genesis, chapter 21, verses 4-14.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Links
Samaritan
Museum Website
The Samaritan Museum website; Samaritans-mu.com has a
collection of audios (MP3) on page 5
~~~~~
List of Articles on Synagogues By Yosef Tabori
See
list Samaritan synagugoes
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/bibliogr/tavori3-2.htm
~~~~~
Bernardinus De
Moor Comments on the Use and Abuse of the Samaritan Pentateuch
From http://www.bernardinusdemoor.com
~~~~~
America’s lost tribes and the
new Samaritans by Eli Kavon (The Jerusalem Post)
Is this really the Torah God
gave Moses at Sinai? (Part 2) by Roger Price (Jewish
Journal)
Samaritans Play it Cool with
their Jewish Neighbors by Gedalyah Reback (Arutz
Sheva, Israel National News.)
The Highest Peak in Nablus:
archarological sites first occupation.. “Jews Samaritans” demanding power to
protect them. (in Arabic) Alwantan Voice
Top 10 must do experiences
over Easter and Passover in the Holy Land by Elisa Moed (Jerusalem
Post)
10. 8th Experience
the Samaritan Passover – May 2, 2015
Jews celebrate Passover beginning on April 3
however the Samaritans will not begin their Passover celebration until a month
later, May 1. The reason in the calendar discrepancy is due to the fact that
Jews begin calculating from the first year of creation while the Samaritans use
the year that Joshua Bin-Nun entered Israel as their first year. Consequently,
leap years are not parallel resulting in a Samaritan celebration occurring one
month later.
Approximately 760 Samaritans who live in Holon
and Mt. Gerazim will begin celebrating Passover on the eve of May 1 and the
actual sacrifice will occur after Shabbat ends, on the eve of May 2, 2015. The
venue is the community of Kiryat Luza on top of Mt. Gerazim, which overlooks
biblical Shechem or modern day Nablus.
~~~~~~~
Shared publicly - Feb 19, 2015
This
photograph depicts what is believed to be one of the oldest books in existence,
dating from between the 12th and 14th centuries. It is known as The Abisha
Scroll and is an early manuscript of the Samaritan Pentateuch (a version of the
first five books of the Old Testament). The scroll was viewed by the Prince of
Wales during his royal tour 1862 - http://bit.ly/1Ld4Hxb. The photograph can be seen at our exhibition
'Cairo to Constantinople' at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
~~~~~
By Ed
Gallagher Thursday, March 5, 2015
A
comment in Emanuel Tov's Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (3d ed.) surprised me: he lists the scrolls belonging to
the Samaritan Pentateuch group of texts found at Qumran, and he says that
"possibly also 4QLev-d" should be classed among them (91). I thought
that Leviticus stood out from the other books of the Samaritan Pentateuch as
the one that did not feature any major expansions of text.
Let me explain: the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) is a version of the Torah that
features several differences from the Jewish Torah. Among these differences are
about forty major expansions to the Pentateuchal text, all consisting of
material duplicated from elsewhere in the Pentateuch. For instance, in the
Jewish Torah (Mosoretic Text--MT), God tells Moses to go warn Pharaoh that
frogs are coming, and the next thing you read is that frogs are coming, but you
never read that Moses went to warn Pharaoh. Well, in the SP, you do read that
Moses warned Pharaoh; the text has been expanded with that conversation
inserted. Similarly, when Moses reviews Israel's history in Deuteronomy 1–3, we
encounter certain details that are not found in the MT version of Exodus or
Numbers. The SP has those details inserted into Exodus and Numbers.
Continue reading: http://sanctushieronymus.blogspot.com/2015/03/4qlev-d-4qdeut-n-and-pre-samaritan.html
~~~~~
The
Samaritan Village (Tuesday, March 24, 2015) by
Elisheva Smith
Hello Friends! I know I promised to tell you about our Succot
adventure in Jerusalem and I will get to that.....next time. But first, I want
to rewind a little and pause, because I feel like I went a bit too fast over
the Samaritan Village last time. Continue reading.
~~~~~
TFAHR Photo Album- Zur Natan (Antesion), Israel
From The Texas Foundation for Archaeological& Historical
Research
Associations in the Greco-Roman World: A Companion to
the Sourcebook
Honors by a Society for
Leaders Mentioning a Samaritan Member (III BCE) ║ Piraeus - Attica
previous post for this sub-region next post for this sub-region
Piraeus (Attica, Greece and Macedonia). IG II² 2943 + addenda
(pt. 3.1 p. 348) = IJO I Ach41 = PHI 5200
= ID# 12116 IV-III BCE
Slab of Pentelic marble found at the Piraeus in 1879, now in
the National Museum at Athens (inv. no. 8799; 94 x 40 x 8.5-9.0 cm). One member
of this society is identified as a "Samaritan," but it is unclear
whether this is an Israelite (who honors the Israelite God) or a non-Israelite
from Samaria.
(central column): (illegible names ?)
(left column): (in a crown) Nikon son of Nikophon, (in a
crown) Leptines son of Euperses,
(right column): (in a crown) Symmachos son of Dates, (in a
crown) Ergasion the Samaritan.
(central column): (in a crown) . . . The society members
(thiasitai) (?) . . . crowned the
supervisor (epimelētēs), Nikon son of Nikophon, and Hermogenes son of
Hermaphilos, during his time as (?) secretary (grammateia), on account of
moderation.
Translation by: Harland
{central column}
[— — —]ΕΝΟΙΣΑΣ̣[— —
—] | [— — —]ν. |
{left column}
{in a crown:} Νίκων |
Νικοφῶντος || {in a crown:}
Λεπτίνης | Εὐπέρσ̣[ο]υ?
{right column} {in a crown:} Σύμμαχος
| Δάτου | {in a crown:} Ἐ[ρ]γασίων
| Σαμαρίτης
{central column}
{in a crown:} [οἱ θιασῶ]||τα̣[ι
τὸ]ν ἐπ[ι]|μελητὴν
ἐ|στεφάνωσαν Νί|κωνα
Νικοφῶντ|ος, Ἑρμογένην
|| Ἑρμαφίλου
γρα|μματέια
σ|ω[φροσ]ύν|ης οὕνεκα.
ID number: 12116
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=12116
Honors by Israelites for
Menippos of Herakleia (ca. 250-175 BCE) ║ Delos -
Southwestern islands
previous post for this
sub-region next post for this sub-region
Delos (Southwestern islands, Aegean Islands). AGRW 222a = IJO
I Ach 66 = NewDocs VIII 12b = SEG 32 (1982), 810 = PHI 215712 = ID# 1569
ca. 250-175 BCE
Slab of white marble with a large wreath.
The Israelites
(i.e. Samaritans) on Delos who contribute towards
the holy temple on (or: contribute towards sacred and holy) Gerizim honored
Menippos son of Artemidoros from Herakleia, himself and his descendents, who
furnished and dedicated from his own resources on account of a prayer (proseuchē)
of God (or: in fulfillment of a vow to God; or: for the prayer-house of God) .
. . (about two lines missing) and they crowned him with a gold crown and . . .
(the rest of inscription missing).
Translation by: Harland
[οἱ ἐν Δήλῳ] | Ἰσραηλῖται
οἱ ἀπαρχόμενοι
εἰς ἱερὸν ἅγιον
Ἀρ|γαριζεὶν ἐτίμησαν
(vac.) Μένιππον Ἀρτεμιδώρου
Ἡρά|κλειον αὐτὸν
καὶ τοὺς ἐγγόνους
αὐτοῦ
κατ̣ασκευ||άσαντα
καὶ ἀναθέντα ἐκ
τῶν ἰδίων ἐπὶ
προσευχῇ τοῦ |
θ̣ε̣[οῦ] ΤΟΝ[ - - - ] |
ΟΛΟΝΚΑΙ̣Τ̣Ο[ - - ca. 6-8
- - καὶ ἐστεφάνωσαν]
χρυσῷ στε[φά]|νῳ
καὶ [ - - - ] | ΚΑ[ - - - ] || Τ[ - - - ]
ID number: 1569
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=1569
Honors by Israelites for
Jason of Knossos (ca. 150-50 BCE) ║ Delos -
Southwestern islands
previous post for this
sub-region next post for this sub-region
Delos (Southwestern islands, Aegean Islands). AGRW 222 = IJO
I Ach 67 = NewDocs VIII 12a = SEG 32 (1982), 809 = PHI 215712 = ID# 4510
ca. 150-50 BCE ▶ abbreviation
guide
▶
bibliography
Slab of white marble with a large wreath.
The Israelites
(i.e. Samaritans) on Delos who contribute to the
temple on (or: to sacred) Gerizim crown with a gold crown Sarapion son of Jason
from Knossos because of his beneficence towards them.
Translation by: Harland
οἱ ἐν Δήλῳ Ἰσραελεῖται
οἱ ἀ|παρχόμενοι
εἰς ἱερὸν Ἀργα|ριζεὶν
στεφανοῦσιν
χρυσῷ | στεφάνῳ
Σαραπίωνα Ἰάσο||νος
Κνώσιον εὐεργεσίας
| ἕνεκεν τῆς εἰς
ἑαυτούς.
ID number: 4510
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=4510
~~~~~~
The Palestine Exploration
Fund, Quarterly Statement, January, 1900
Third Report on the Excavation at Tell es-Sâfi.’ By F.J. Bliss, PHD. (page 16) Page 28
‘Excavations at Tell es-Sâfi. Lists of Casts and Moulds. Received
from Dr. Bliss, September, 1899
11. C. jar-handle, Samaritan inscription. T.S. Not deep.
The Palestine Exploration Fund, Quarterly Statement, October,
1899, Page 326.
American Journal of
Archaeology
General Meeting, January 2-4, 1914
6. Professor J. Frederick McCurdy,
of the University of Toronto, A New
Hebrew Seal and a Samaritan Inscription. No abstract of this paper was
received.
[Unable to locate
this article]
~~~~~~~
Israel Antiquities Authority
Hadashot Arkheologiyot: Excavations
and Surveys in Israel
Volume 127 Year 2015
Set She’an, Tel Iztabba 17/03/2015 Final
Report
By Ya’aqov Har’el
The excavation area
was located c. 50 m south of a former excavation at
Khirbat Majdal, where a settlement from the Byzantine period (sixth–seventh
centuries CE) was exposed; it included numerous installations, dwellings and a
large public building with an apse that was identified as a Samaritan synagogue
(E. Ayalon 2002. Horvat Migdal (Zur Natan): An Ancient Samaritan Village. In E. Stern and H. Eshel
(eds.). The Book of Samaritans. Jerusalem. Pp. 272–288).
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Old News
The Last of the Good Samaritans
But 170 Members of “The Faithful”
Remain, Huddled Together at Nablous, in Palestine, Despised and Hated By All
Their Neighbors.
By Archie Bell.
[Drawing below by (Harry?) Hohnhorst]
“The Jews have no dealings with
the Samaritans,” declared the woman whom Jesus met at Jacob’s well. That was
nearly two thousand years ago, but it is as true today as when the words came
from her mouth. And today, in addition to the Jews, the same thing might be
said of the Christians and Mohammedans with whom the remnants of a once-proud
nation rub elbows in the affairs of their daily life. The Samaritan is a thing
despised on the face of the earth by Jew and infidel. The end of all things has
almost come for him. There are 170 members of the faithful huddled together in
little white-domed housed around their only remaining synagogue, at Nablous, a
very modern and very fanatical Mohammedan city in the middle of Palestine.
Nablous is the Shechem of the Bible and in the valley beyond its gates lies Jacob’s
well. On the distant hilltop is Sabasteih, the ruins of the beautiful
metropolis of Samaria and once a stronghold of Herod the Great. The Samaritan
of today may look from his roof at sunset and see them, as he can see Mount
Gerizim, which he considers the place “chosen of the Lord.” All of these places
have lost their former glory. They seem to have reached the end before “God’s
Chosen People.” The little group of Samaritans, poverty-stricken, degenerate in
appearance and despised, huddle around the diminutive white synagogue and vow
that they will remain faithful to the end.
“The struggle is almost over; God
may He be exalted, only knows how long and we shall be no more; but we shall remain
faithful,” says Jacob, son of Aaron, High Priest of the tribe, and the
graybeards at his side on a little stone bench on his housetop repeat the vow;
“we shall remain faithful.”
In the tone of their voices there
is the sorrow of centuries, the decay of pride and the wail of blasted hope.
Also there is a faint echo of what must once have been bravery, when Samaritans
were men among men and when they could force their wills. Now they seem to be
resigned to the fate that awaits them and is rapidly overtaking them.
[You can continue reading the article or see the same words in Archie Bells’s book The Spell of the
Holy Land]
Welshman, Friday, November 26, 1841, Carmarthen, Vol. 10, No. 514, (page 4)
Present State of the Samaritans
Since the days of Pocock this sect
has gradually dwindled away, and will probably soon become extinct. The
Samaritans are now reduced to a very small community; there being only 30 men
who pay taxes, and few, if any, who are exempt; so that their whole number
cannot be reckoned at over 158 souls. One of them is in affluent circumstances;
and, having been for a long time chief secretary of the Mutesellim of Nabullus,
became one of the most important and powerful men of the province. He had
recently been superseded in his influence with the governor by a Copt, and now
held only the second place. He was called el-‘Abd es Samary. The rest of the
Samaritans are not remarkable wither for their wealth or poverty. The
physiognomy of those we saw was not Jewish; nor indeed did we remark in it any
peculiar character, as distinguished from that of other natives of the country.
They keep the Saturday as their Sabbath with great strictness, allowing no
labour nor trading, nor even cooking or lighting a fire. On Friday evening they
pray in their houses; and on Saturday have public prayers in their synagogue at
morning, noon, and evening. They meet also in the synagogue on the great
festivals, and on the new moons; but not every day. The law is read in public,
not every Sabbath-day, but only upon the same festivals. Four times a year they
go up to Mount Gerizim (Jabal et l’ur), in solemn procession to worship; and
then they begin reading the law as they set off, and finish it above. These
seasons are- the feast of Passover, when they pitch their tent upon the
mountain all night, and sacrifice seven lambs at sunset; the day of Pentecost;
the feast of Tabernacles, when they sojourn here in booths built of branches of
the arbutus; and lastly the great day of Atonement in autumn. They still
maintain their ancient hatred against the Jews; accuse them of departing from
the law in not sacrificing the Passover, and in various other points, as well
as of corrupting the ancient text; and scrupulously avoid all connection with
them.
The Times Dispatch, September 09, 1906 [page 8] [Richmond Va. USA]
Last of Samaritans Seek Aid in
London;
Only Two Hundred Members Now Left
of a Famous Jewish Tribe; Harried by Turks
London, Sept. 8
In an unpretentious house in
Commercial road, East, four men who are as strange to London as London is
strange to them are staying. They are the representatives of a dying race- the
Samaritans.
Of extraordinary stature, gaunt,
dignified and silent, and clad in the robes of their priestly office, their
names might have been taken, like their creed, from the Pentateuch. They are
Ishak ben Amram ha-Cohen ha-Levi, Shafeek ben Jacob ha-Cohen ha Levi, Nage ben
Khader ha-Cohen ha-Levi and Shelbee ben Jacob Shelabee.
They have with them books and
manuscripts of priceless worth. Among these is a scroll- one of three that have
been used in their synagogue for untold centuries. They also carry with them
ancient prayer books and a time-worn copy of the chronology of their departed
priests.
The Samaritans have come to
England to attempt to raise funds on which the tribe, harried and taxed by the
Turks, may live. They are the bearers of a letter of introduction from the
Bishop of Jerusalem to the Bishop of London, and they hope to secure an
audience with the King. Ishak ben Amram is the son of the high priest who
showed the King, then Prince of Wales, the famous scrolls of the tribe.
Dr. Gaster, the Hebrew scholar and
Jewish rabbi, said yesterday that the Samaritans represent the last remnant of
the oldest Jewish sect on earth. “There are only 200 of them left,” he said.
“They cannot speak English, or,
indeed, any European language, but convers either in Arabic or in very
difficult Hebrew.
“They believe only in the five
books of Moses, and regard us as schismatics.”
“I am now endeavoring to arouse
interest in them, and hope that soon a room will be placed at their disposal
for an exhibition of their wonderful treasures. I am using my influence with
the Royal Asiatic Society to this end. Probably, too, the Biblical
Archaeological Society will take them up.”
The Pacific
Commercial Advertiser, (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands)
December 17, 1906 [page 6]
Poverty of Samaritans
London, Nov. 13.- The manuscript
of the Pentateuch, dating from 1050, A.D., which four Samaritans are trying to
sell in London, is one of two which were especially venerated at Nablus. One
claims antiquity which suggests that it is the original translation into the
Samaritan dialect from the Hebrew Pentateuch 2250 years ago. This sacred
document is not shown except to royal persons, although a rich American tourist
once overcame the scruples of a high priest by a fee of $350.
The second manuscript is the one
described of the priceless master roll. It is enclosed in a metal case
beautifully inlaid with silver, which is 500 years old. It is ornamented with
two brass objects similar to those traditionally decorating the Ark of the
Covenant. The Samaritan Community, which now numbers about 250 adheres stanchly
to the beliefs and traditions which from unknown antiquity has divided them
from the orthodox Hebrews. They regard all the latter’s sacred books except the
Pentateuch as heretical and now, no more than in the days of Christ, are there
dealings between the two communities.
The Samaritans are very poor,
subsisting on petty trades, and the local authorities fleece and oppress them.
They are thus perpetually poor, and it is now said that their very existence as
a separate community is threatened unless they are able to raise a large sum of
money. To obtain this High Priest Isaac, who is here, has been directed to try
and sell the manuscript of the Pentateuch although to him and his fellow
priests the act is sacrilegious.
It is asserted that he made the
first offer to England, because of Mr. Finn, the former British Consul at
Jerusalem once helped the community by protecting the ancient Annual service on
the summit of Mount Gerizim. He would also prefer to sell the manuscript to a Christian
country, because the Christian Messiah called the Samaritans good.
Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.) July 22, 1922 [page 8]
Claim Temple Bible Written 13
Years After Moses.
Revise Views as to Other People
Entering Heaven.
By Junius B. Wood (Special
Correspondence of the Star and Chicago Daily News.)
Nablus, Palestine, June 20.- Never
having seen any bona fide Samaritans, I motored over the parched rock-strewn
hills from Jerusalem today to see all that remains of the powerful race sent
from Babylon twenty-five centuries ago to populate the Holy Land. I elicited
the information that today there are only 156 real Samaritans- men, women and
children. The high priest said that during the war fifty were conscripted by
the Turks and never returned. He was insistent, too, that the tribe was
increasing, rather than dying out, since it had only sixty members 200 years
ago.
The Samaritans assert that they
are the real Jews, the only chosen people, and that they alone are privileged
to enter the kingdom of heaven. Since recently the Samaritans have learned that
there are several million other persons in the world- the high priest has made
three trips to London; they now agree that the worthy in the rest of the world
may enter paradise as their servitors. Being good to them in this world is the
chief requisite for a menial job.
Lecture on the Roof.
The Samaritan high priest, Jacob
Aaron, and his brother Isaac, both distinguished by the Samaritan purple
turbans and the latter by the most luxuriant crop of whiskers in Palestine were
at the hotel before I had finished lunch. They were ready to escort me to the
Samaritan quarter, one of the least prosperous corners of the town nestling at
the base of the mountain. Through devious streets, many of them long dark,
arched tunnels under the buildings, we reached a wooden gate, climbed some
stone steps and were in a little 10 by 12 court- the world center of the
Samaritans.
“Won’t you come into our house,
please.” A soft girlish voice invited from one of the roofs surrounding the
court. However, the fringe of black, ivy-like tendrils around the face from
which that voice issued dispelled all romance- it was the high priest’s son,
Abou Il Hasan, who had spoken. He learned English in the Samaritan school.
The high priest’s brother started
a lecture. It was as unending as an automatic piano filled with nickels. Only
by my shouting could he be halted occasionally to answer a question.
Men Exceed Women.
Since the war, he told me, there
are twenty more men than women. There is one of their strictest customs. The
high priest’s office is hereditary. They Samaritans by marriage, as
intermarriage among their dwindling numbers is one of their strictest customs.
They do not approve of Zionism or of other Jews, but consider all others
apostate. They have a language and a script of their own, alleged to be the
same as in the time of Solomon, but they speak Arabic for local necessities. As
Nablus is fanatically Moslem and even the Zionists have refrained from locating
any of their people or even Jewish policemen in that district, the Samaritans
still are unmolested.
The Bible in the little bare stone
temple, with a single chair, is their chief exhibit. But the wily Samaritans
have two Bibles, one a comparatively modern work, which they prefer to exhibit
to be pawed over by casual visitors. The one I saw was in a round brass case,
opening on two hinges, bound in green brocade and rolling on tow sticks mounted
with large brass handles. The lecturer said it was written thirteen years after
Moses and this year is 2,578 years old. After being handled that long it is in
a remarkable state of preservation. The high priest’s father translated its
dead Hebrew script into Arabic and the Rev. William E. Barton of Oak Park,
Ill., has it translated and published in an English pamphlet, which, Abou Il
Hasan explained, is sold in Chicago for 25 cents. He said the brass cover was
500 years old.
Pose for Camera.
The trio consented to be
photographed. When they were marshaled on another roof, a fourth venerable with
a sparse white beard joined the group. Evidently no Samaritan has ever become a
barber. Abou El Hassan’s gentle voice suggested that a cash contribution would
be proper for the photographic privilege. The hills of Nablus encourage and
architecture where the roof of one house serves as a courtyard for its higher
neighbor. A red-haired Samaritan matron with a fat white naked baby and a
stouter black-haired girl came down the steps to watch the picture taking. I
suggested a photograph of the fair Samaritans. Abou asked them and they said
their husbands might be angry. Anyway, there was a more generous display of
neck and breast than is approved by puritanical postal inspectors and the film
was not wasted. The Samaritan women wear veils as Moslems, because of custom
and because their skin is fair and their features different from the other
inhabitants.
When I started to leave the
Samaritan center I found that my pipe, which had left on the coping outside the
temple, had gone before me. Its removal does not prove the insecurity of
property under the British mandate or affect the merits of the Zionist
movement, but it brings doubts, to me at least, as to whether all Samaritans
deserve the prefix “good.”
~~~~~~~~~
Biblio
Agate,
Margaret M.
Egypt, the Sinaitic Desert, and the Holy Land Paisley 1904, see pp. 216-17.
Arnold, Werner
‘die Arabischen Dialekte von
Jaffa und Umgebung’Vol. 38, Approaches top Arabicx Dialects, A
Collection of Articles presented to Manfred Woidich on the Occasion of his
Sixieth Birthday, Eds. Martine
Haak, Rudfolf deJong & Kees Versteegh. Brill, 2004, pp. 33- 46
Ashkenazi,
D., Taxel, I. and Tal, O. 2015. Archaeometallurgical
Characterization of Late Roman- and Byzantine-Period Samaritan Magical Objects
and Jewelry Made of Copper Alloys. Materials Characterization 102: 195-208.
Berlin,
Andrea M.
‘Archaeological
Sources for the History of Palestine: Between Large Forces: Palestine in the
Hellenistic Period’ The Biblical
Archaeologist, Vol. 60,
No. 1, Hellenistic Palestine: Between Large Forces (Mar., 1997), pp. 2-51
Bowen,
John
Memorials of John Bowen, LL.D., Late Bishop of Sierra Leone, Compiled
from His Letters and Journals by His Sister.
London: James Nisbet, 1862
Eliassof,
H.
“Three Jewish Sects; I. The Samaritans.” The Sentinel vol. 025 no. 05,
1917, pp 6, 21-22; vol. 025 no. 06, 1917
pp. 6, 18; vol. 025 no. 07,
1917 pp 7, 15.
Ellison,
H. L.
‘Judea in the Late
Persian Period’ in From Babylon to Bethlehem, The Jewish People from the Exile to the
Messiah. Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1976
Charvit,
Yonel
‘Catalogue of Oil Lambs from Zur Natan.’ Publication of
the Texas Foundation for Archaeological and Historical Research; Reports on Tfahr Excavations at: Zur Natan, Israel
Silistra, Bulgaria and Ulanci, Macedonia. Houston, Texas, December 1994,
pp. 22-26.
C.R.C.
(Conder, Claude Reignier)
Dray,
Yeshua
‘The Oil Presses of Zur Natan.’ Publication of
the Texas Foundation for Archaeological and Historical Research; Reports on Tfahr Excavations at: Zur Natan, Israel
Silistra, Bulgaria and Ulanci, Macedonia. Houston, Texas, December 1994,
pp. 14-15.
אשל, אסתר ; אשל, חנן ; Eshel, Esther ; Eshel, Hanan
A Fragment of a Samaritan Inscription from
Yavne (Jamnia) / שבר של כתובת שומרונית מתל יבנה
Summary:Recently
we learned of a small fragment of a Samaritan Inscription of the Decalogue found at Yavne (Jamnia) in 1975, which
is in private hands. This fragment is the second Samaritan
Inscription found at this site.
Based on the historical sources that testify to the existence of a Samaritan
community in
Yavne, these inscriptions should be dated somewhere between the Byzantine
period and the Crusader period, but in view of the paleographic data it seems
that the new fragment should be dated towards the beginning of this time span.
Language: Hebrew Is Part Of: Tarbiz / תרביץ,
1 January 2005, Vol. עד
(ב),
pp.313-316
Identifier: ISSN: 03343650 Source: Archival Journals
(JSTOR)
Fine,
Steven
Synagogues in the
Land of Israel
Gallagher,
Edmond L.
Is the Samaritan Pentateuch a Sectarian Text? Zeitschrift für die
alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 2015 - degruyter.com
Gaster,
Moses
“The Passing of a Nation” The Sentinel vol 074, no. 1,
1929 p. 9, 46-47.
Goirein,
David
“The Passover Sacrifice” The Euclid Ave. Temple Bulletin Vol.
XV No. 29, Cleveland, April 10, 1936. p. 3-4
Gudme, Anne Katrine de
Hemmer (University
of Copenhagen)
No# “For Good Remembrance
before God in this Place” – an Analysis of the Votive Inscriptions from Mount
Gerizim
(2009)
Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
Dedicatory Inscriptions as Communication with the Devine. 2012
Haefeli, Leo
#2052 “Les samaritains
dans le Coran" in Revue sémitique 16 (1908): 419-429
Harvianen,
Tapani & Haseeb Shehadeh and Harry Halén
Samaritan and
Karaim Commitments to Minyan, Abraham Firkovich, and the Poor of Trakai In
English
Heath,
Dunbar Isidore & A. Lowy and Hyde Clarke
‘Discussion’ Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and
Ireland Vol. III, London: Trubner & Co. 1874 p. 205-
208
Hendel,
Ron
‘The
Idea of a Critical Edition of the Hebrew Bible: A Genealogy’ Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel 3 (2014),
pp. 392-423
Jamitovsky,
Itzhak
Changes and
Developments of the Samaritan Settlement in the Land of Israel during the
Hellenistic-Roman Period. MA Thesis (Hebrew) 2004
Joosten,
Jan
The Septuagint
and the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: A Conversation
Jewish
Telegraphic Agency
“Isaac ben Amram, High Priest of Samaritans, Calls
on Palestine High Commissioner; Will Write History of Sect.” The Sentinel, vol. 056 no. 13,
1924 p. 2.
“Samaritans Preserve Old Holy Scrolls” The Sentinel. Vol. 063, no. 07,
1926 pp. 26.
Krek,
Miroslav
‘Middle Eastern Manuscripts in North American
Collections. (Continued)’ Mela Notes 31, Winter, 1984 pp. 5- (mostly 12-) 14.
Lamm-Bray,
Debbie
Laugh,
Philip A.
“My Visit to the Lost Ten Tribes” The Sentinel, vol. 073 no. 03,
1929 p. 7, 45
Massey,
William
The Origin and Progress of Letters. An Essay, in Two Parts.
London, printed for J. Johnson, 1763
Meltzer,
Julian Louis
“Ancient Samaritan Synagogue Near Latrun is
Discovered by Israeli Trench Diggers” The Euclid Ave. Temple Bulletin Vol.
XXVIII No. 5, Cleveland, Nov. 16, 1948. p. 3.
Mendel,
Anat & Leore Grosman
Mordecai,
David
“Exotic Passovers” The Sentinel vol. 122 no. 1,
1941 p. 6, 29.
Neidinger,
William J.
‘A Brief History of the Samaritans.’ Publication of
the Texas Foundation for Archaeological and Historical Research; Reports on Tfahr Excavations at: Zur Natan, Israel
Silistra, Bulgaria and Ulanci, Macedonia. Houston, Texas, December 1994,
pp. 3-4.
Neidinger,
William J. & Eulah Matthews and Etan Ayalon
‘Excavations at Zur Natan: Stratigraphic,
Architectural and Historical Report.’ A Publication of
the Texas Foundation for Archaeological and Historical Research; Reports on Tfahr Excavations at: Zur Natan, Israel
Silistra, Bulgaria and Ulanci, Macedonia. Houston, Texas, December 1994,
pp. 5-14.
Nodet, Etienne
(Review) The Samaritans in
Flavius Joshephus (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism, 129), par Reinhard
Pummer. Tübingen, Mohr-Siebeck, 2009
(Review) Judah and the
Judeans in the Fourth Century B.C.E., par Oded Lipschits, Gary N.
Knoppers & Rainer Albertz (eds), Winona Lake, Eisenbrauns, 2007
Noegel,
Scott B.
‘The Samaria
Ostraca’ The Ancient
Near East: Historical Sources in Translation.” London: Blackwell (2006),
396-399.
Römer,
Thomas
D’Abraham à la
conquête, Recherches
de Science Religieuse 1/2015 (Tome 103), p. 35-53
Rosenblum,
S.
“Jewish Colonies in Palestine” The Sentinel vol. 055 no. 06,
1924 p. 8.
Schattner-Rieser,
Ursula
Prä-, Proto- und
Antisamaritanisches in den Qumrantexten, in: St. Beyerle/J. Frey, Qumran
Aktuell, Neuchkirchner Verlag, Neurkirchen 2011.
Schorch,
Stefan
‘Der Samaritanische Pentateuch in der Geschichte des hebräischen Bibeltextes’ erkündigung und Forschung Vol. 60, Issue
1 (March 2015) pp. 18-28
Samaritan Hebrew
blessing before reading from the Torah
Samaritan Hebrew
recitation of the text for the Passover offering
(Exod 12)
Shehadeh,
Haseeb
‘A Non-Moselm
Arabic Word’ Studia
Orientalia 55:17 Helsinki 1984
(Book Review)
“Und das Leben ist siegreich!” Mandäische und samaritanische Literatur. Im
Gedenken an Rudolf Macuch (1919–1993) / “And Life is Victorious!” Mandaean and
Samaritan literatures: In memory of Rudolf Macuch (Ed. Rainer Voigt). Studia
Orientalia Electronica, Vol. 1, 2013 pp. 36-40
Stade,
Bernhard
‘Der Name der Stadt Samarien und seine Herkunft’ zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche wissenschaft, v.
5, pp. 165-175. Giessen 1885
Thomson,
J.E.H. and Theodore Roberts, J.O. Corrie, Moses Gaster, Mr. Rouse, T.G.
Pinchas, A.H. Finn, Harold M. Wiener, Mr. Mackinlay, A.S. Geden, H. Langhorne
Orchard and Chancellor Lias
#4812 “The Pentateuch of the Samaritans: When they Got It,
and Whence.” JTVI 52, 1920 PP.
142-176
Unger, M.
“A Visit to the Samaritans.” The Sentinel, vol. 071 no. 06,
1928 p. 10
Wiener,
Harold M.
Contributions to
a New Theory of the Composition of the Pentateuch
The Recensional
Criticism of the Pentateuch
~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional Bibliography of the Samaritans
Magen, Y.
2008a. Gerizim, Mount. NEAEHL (Sup): 1742-1748.
Magen, Y.
2009. The Temple of YHWH at Mt. Gerizim. EI 29: 277-297 (Hebrew; English
summary: 291*).
Naveh, J. and Magen, Y. 1997. Aramaic and Hebrew Inscriptions of the Second-Century BCE at Mount Gerizim. 'Atiqot 32: 37-56 (Hebrew; English summary: 9*-17*).
Peleg, Y. and Greenfeld
U. 2007. Ritual Baths in Samaritan Settlements in Samaria. JSRS 16: 291-298
(Hebrew; English summary: XX-XXI).
Stern, E. and Magen,
Y. 2002. Archaeological Evidence for the First Stage of the Samaritan
Temple on Mount Gerizim. IEJ 52: 49-57.
~~~~~~~~
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