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Samaritans (ࠔࠠࠌࠝࠓࠩࠉࠌ שָׁמֵרִים in Samaritan Hebrew: meaning Torah keepers, in Arabic: ا-سامريون, a-ساميريون).

Samaritans (ࠔࠠࠌࠝࠓࠩࠉࠌ שָׁמֵרִים in Samaritan Hebrew: meaning Torah keepers, in Arabic: ا-سامريون, a-ساميريون).

'''Samaritans''' today are a people of mixed ethnicity who live in [[Israel]], who practice a religion having similarities to and differences with the [[Jewish faith]]. They accept as their canon the written part of [[Torah]] and the [[Book of Joshua]], as do [[Christian]]s, while rejecting other [[Jewish]] [[Scriptures]].

'''Samaritans''' today are a people of mixed ethnicity who live in [[Israel]], who practice a religion having similarities to and differences with the [[Jewish faith]]. They accept as their canon the written part of [[Torah]] and the [[Book of Joshua]], as do [[Christian]]s, while rejecting other [[Jewish]] [[Scriptures]] which Christians did accept.

Originally, they were a unique people and ethno-religious group, descendants of the "Cuthites", immigrants from (ancient Assyrian city of) ''Kutha'', who were annexed to the people of Israel during the Assyrian period, and mingled with the priests of the Ten Tribes. (There was a debate if their conversion to Judaism was sincere). They did not abandon their pagan religion and their knowledge of halakhic law was limited. During the Second Temple period, they were in hostile relations with the Jewish community, and sought to sabotage the construction of the Temple. Their halakhic status was in doubt for generations, until they finally separated from the Jewish people.<ref>hamikchlol</ref>

Originally, they were a unique people and ethno-religious group, descendants of the "Cuthites", immigrants from (ancient Assyrian city of) ''Kutha'', who were annexed to the people of Israel during the Assyrian period, and mingled with the priests of the Ten Tribes. (There was a debate if their conversion to Judaism was sincere). They did not abandon their pagan religion and their knowledge of halakhic law was limited. During the Second Temple period, they were in hostile relations with the Jewish community, and sought to sabotage the construction of the Temple.<ref>Nehemiah 3:34[https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt35b03.htm] And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said: 'What do these feeble Jews? will they restore at will? will they sacrifice? will they make an end this day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?'</ref> Their halakhic status was in doubt for generations, until they finally separated from the Jewish people.<ref>hamikchlol</ref>

The Samaritan [[Pentateuch]] has a more [[pro-life]] translation of the ban on [[abortion]] in {{bibleref|Exodus|21|22-23}} than the Jewish Masoretic text does.  “Philo (Spec., 3:108) specifically prescribes the imposition of the death penalty for causing an abortion, and the text is likewise construed in the Samaritan Targum.”<ref>https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/abortion-in-judaism</ref>

The Samaritan [[Pentateuch]] has a more [[pro-life]] translation of the ban on [[abortion]] in {{bibleref|Exodus|21|22-23}} than the Jewish Masoretic text does.  “Philo (Spec., 3:108) specifically prescribes the imposition of the death penalty for causing an abortion, and the text is likewise construed in the Samaritan Targum.”<ref>https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/abortion-in-judaism</ref>

The [[Gospel of John]] implies that [[Jesus]] himself may have been from Samaria area, when John quotes [[Pharisees]] as calling Jesus a Samaritan and Jesus not denying it in response:

The [[Gospel of John]] implies that [[Jesus]] himself may have been from Samaria area, when John quotes [[Pharisees]] as calling Jesus a Samaritan and Jesus not denying it in response:

{{cquote|The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”<ref>{{bible ref|John|8|48-51}}</ref>}}. Thought he was from Nazareth.  

{{cquote|The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”<ref>{{bible ref|John|8|48-51}}</ref>}}. Thought he was from Nazareth, Judea.  

==Samaritans, population==

==Samaritans, population==

At the end of ancient era, a dense Samaritan population lived in Samaria, and after the ''Bar Kochba'' rebellion, in other districts as well, but during the 5th and 6th centuries, the community dwindled as a result of the Samaritan rebellions against the [[Byzantine Empire]]. After the Arab conquest of the Land of Israel, many Samaritans converted to Islam because of / following religious persecution, heavy taxes, poverty and riots.<ref>Milka Levy-Rubin, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3632444 New Evidence Relating to the Process of Islamization in Palestine in the Early Muslim Period: The Case of Samaria], Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 43, 2000, pp. 257–276</ref>

At the end of ancient era, a dense Samaritan population lived in Samaria, and after the ''Bar Kochba'' rebellion, in other districts as well, but during the 5th and 6th centuries, the community dwindled as a result of the Samaritan rebellions against the [[Byzantine Empire]]. After the Arab conquest of the Land of Israel, many Samaritans converted to Islam because of / following religious persecution, heavy taxes, poverty and riots.<ref>Milka Levy-Rubin, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3632444 New Evidence Relating to the Process of Islamization in Palestine in the Early Muslim Period: The Case of Samaria], Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 43, 2000, pp. 257–276</ref>

The Samaritans later experienced persecution and massacres also at the hands of the [[Crusaders]] and the [[Ottoman|Ottomans]],<ref>Historian Dr. Y. Geller, BIU.</ref> until the beginning of the 20th century only about 130 people survived. <ref>Samaritan News (Heb.)</ref>

The Samaritans later experienced persecution and massacres also at the hands of the [[Crusaders]] and the [[Ottoman|Ottomans]],<ref>Historian Dr. Y. Geller, BIU.</ref> until the beginning of the 20th century only about 130 people survived.<ref>Samaritan News (Heb.)</ref>

 

Today's Samaritans who are a mixture of immigrants as well, reject emigrating to other lands, and today do not consider themselves to be Palestinian Arab or Jewish.<ref name="Samaritans"/>  

Today's Samaritans who are a mixture of immigrants as well, reject emigrating to other lands, and today do not consider themselves to be Palestinian Arab or Jewish.<ref name="Samaritans"/>