The Samaritans - a people from the red book

For most people, superficially studied the Holy Scriptures, the Samaritans – The people in the parable the Jesus. Good, helpful people, judging by the plot of the short story described in the Bible.

Perhaps the majority believes that the people only remained in the parables. But no. The Samaritans exist in modern times-they live among us, and in his isolated little world. But what they are, where they live, what values to preach, for the bulk of it remains a mystery.

Controversial history

From time immemorial, those who are called lawyers and scribes of Israel, promoted version (and considered it the only correct) about the Assyrian origin of the Samaritans. Say, 700 years BC, when king Sargon defeated the then capital of Israel Samaria, he deported deep into their lands, the indigenous population-the children of Israel to the tenth generation, and instead settled in the city and outskirts pagan tribes, descendants of which have modern Samaritans.

With this interpretation of history, which now sounded from the lips of the rabbis, fundamentally disagree Samaritans. It is, as they assert, a complete distortion of historical facts with which they argue for many centuries.

The Samaritans have always considered themselves the true Jews, and the etymology of “shomrim” transcribed and continue to decode as “Keeper” and to insist that they, a small but very proud nation, and there are guards of the true Jewish tradition and the real, proper, pristine Torah.

The Samaritans and Jews – one nation?

This issue has always caused some disagreement between Samaritans and Jews. First considered and continue to consider themselves the true Jews, and the second can not accept this view.

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As always, the stumbling block was the belief. Not even faith, per se, but some differences in the observance of religious rituals. If the Samaritans – Supporters of the true Jewish heritage, that is, they reject the biblical teaching that the only believe prophet Moses and the Holy place-mount Gerizim, even those Jews who are considered to be Orthodox, is not so categorical in religion.

Throughout its history, the Samaritans live quite an isolated community, considering that they are the true Jews, but other Jews they did not recognize. These people (or people?) share neither more nor less – six thousand differences in Tori – and Samaritan canonised. And so it was, how much they can remember.

Religion does not interfere with the kindness

Almost Any Christian from childhood is familiar with the parable of the Samaritan who, despite the hostility, helped the Israelite in distress.

Significant that it came from the lips of Jesus, the Messiah, recognized by the whole Christian world and Israel too, but unrecognized by the Samaritans. Why Jesus made the Samaritan the good guy of the story? Only if the desire to reconcile the eternal duelists religious – the Samaritans and the Jews? Is it only for the edification of everyone else who must love the enemy, and nothing else?

Maybe it was a simple illustration of a simple truth that most of us, always at war with someone or something, can not comprehend that belonging to any religion does not prevent to perform human actions.

Each of us at heart – the good Samaritan. The value is not religion, and it – soul, if you give her the opportunity.

Where are the Samaritans and who married?

Now the Samaritans are very few – about 1,500 people, but at the beginning of the last century the population was so small (a few dozen) that they had to take action and to slightly open their very closed community to outsiders. Rather, Cheeseman.

The First Samaritan wife “outside” was a Siberian named Maria. Now Samaritan boys expanded the search spouse and are actively exploring the CIS. Wives of the Samaritans already were two Ukrainian, two Russians and four Azerbaijani woman.

But as the Samaritans – it is, first and foremost, respect for traditions, the first requirement of girls – to convert to Judaism (the convert). Only then can you marry a Samaritan.

Despite all the measures taken by the people to this day remains a small one, it made the UNESCO Red book of special ethnic groups facing extinction.

The Modern Samaritans live in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the city of Holon, a few families remained to live in the village of Kiryat Luza, close to their sacred Mountain Blessings.