Samaritanism is the Abrahamic, monotheistic, ethnic religion of the Samaritan people, an ethnoreligious group who originate from the ancient Israelites. Its central holy text is the Samaritan Pentateuch, which Samaritans believe is the original, unchanged version of the Torah.
Samaritans, also known as Israelite Samaritans, are an ethnoreligious group who originate from the ancient Israelites. They are native to the Levant and adhere to Samaritanism, an Abrahamic and ethnic religion similar to Judaism, but differing in several important aspects.
Uzzi is a given name. One derivation is biblical, from Uzzî meaning "my strength". The name can also be transliterated as Uzi. It may be a nickname for Uzza/Uzzah, Uzzia/Uzziah, and Uziel/Uzziel.
The Samaritan Torah, commonly called the Samaritan Pentateuch, is a text of the Torah written in the Samaritan script and used as sacred scripture by the Samaritans. It dates back to one of the ancient versions of the Hebrew Bible that existed during the Second Temple period, and constitutes the entire biblical canon in Samaritanism.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. It is about a traveler who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. First, a Jewish priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveler. Although Samaritans and Jews were generally antagonistic towards each other, the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to a provocative question from a lawyer, "And who is my neighbor?", in the context of the Great Commandment. The conclusion is that the neighbor figure in the parable is the one who shows mercy to their fellow man.
Shechem, also spelled Sichem, was an ancient city in the southern Levant. Mentioned as a Canaanite city in the Amarna Letters, it later appears in the Hebrew Bible as the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel following the split of the United Monarchy. According to Joshua 21:20–21, it was located in the tribal territorial allotment of the tribe of Ephraim. Shechem declined after the fall of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The city later regained its importance as a prominent Samaritan center during the Hellenistic period.
Eli was, according to the Book of Samuel, a priest and a judge of the Israelites in the city of Shiloh, ancient Israel. When Hannah came to Shiloh to pray for a son, Eli initially accused her of drunkenness, but when she protested her innocence, Eli wished her well. Hannah's eventual child, Samuel, was raised by Eli in the tabernacle. When Eli failed to rein in the abusive behavior of his own sons, God promised to punish his family, which resulted in the death of Eli's sons at the Battle of Aphek where the Ark of the Covenant was also captured. When Eli heard the news of the captured Ark, he fell from his seat, broke his neck, and died. Later biblical passages mention the fortunes of several of Eli's descendants.
Mount Gerizim is one of two mountains in the immediate vicinity of the Palestinian city of Nablus and the biblical city of Shechem. It forms the southern side of the valley in which Nablus is situated, the northern side being formed by Mount Ebal. The mountain is one of the highest peaks in the West Bank and rises to 881 m (2,890 ft) above sea level, 70 m (230 ft) lower than Mount Ebal. The mountain is particularly steep on the northern side, is sparsely covered at the top with shrubbery, and lower down there is a spring with a high yield of fresh water. For the Samaritan people, most of whom live around it, Mount Gerizim is considered the holiest place on Earth.
Baba II Rabba, was a notable Samaritan High Priest. He is believed to have lived during the late third and early fourth centuries CE; Jeffrey Cohen puts his birth at 288 and his death at 328.
In the Torah, Ithamar was the fourth son of Aaron the High Priest. Following the construction of the Tabernacle, he was responsible for recording an inventory to ensure that the constructed Tabernacle and its contents conformed to the vision given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
The Samaritan High Priest is the high priest of the Samaritan community in the Levant. According to Samaritan tradition, the office has existed continuously since the time of Aaron, the brother of Moses, and has been held by 133 priests over the last 3400 years. However, the historicity of this claim is disputed. One account by Josephus suggests that its office holders are an offshoot of the Zadokite high priests of Jerusalem from around the time of Alexander the Great. As of 2013, the incumbent high priest is Abdel V.
Aharon ben Ab-Chisda ben Yaacob also transliterated as Aaron b. Abhisda b. Jacob was a Samaritan nurse and priest who in old age served as the Samaritan High Priest.
Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach (Samaritan Hebrew: ࠏࠢࠁࠝࠃࠀࠢࠋ ࠁࠣࠍ ࠀࠟࠔࠝࠓ ࠁࠣࠍ ࠌࠣࠑࠋࠪࠉࠇࠣ ʾĀbədʾēl ban ʾĀ̊šər ban Maṣlīyaʾ; born 1935 in Nablus, is the current Samaritan High Priest. He assumed office on April 19, 2013. According to Samaritan tradition, he is the 133rd high priest since Aaron and in accordance with Samaritan custom, upon his death, the office automatically transfers to the oldest surviving descendant of Ithamar. Aabed-El is married and has two sons and two daughters.
The Tolidah or Tulida is a Samaritan chronicle that is considered the oldest Samaritan historical work. Written mainly in Hebrew, with sections in hybrid Samaritan Hebrew and Aramaic, the book provides a concise summary of Samaritan history and the dynasty of kohanim up to the Middle Ages.
Amram IX ben Yitzhaq ben Amram ben Shalma was the 124th Samaritan High Priest from 1961–1980. He came from the house of Yitzhaq, descendants of Yitzhaq ben Amram ben Shalma. He was the father of Saloum Cohen.
Abisha III ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma was the 123rd Samaritan High Priest from 1943–1961. He is a member of the house of Pinhas, descendants of Pinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma, and brother of the previous high priest Matzliach ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma.
Yitzhaq II ben Amram ben Shalma ben Tabia was the 121st Samaritan High Priest from 1916–1932. He is the progenitor of the house of Yitzhaq, one of the three houses of Samaritan High Priests.
Matzliach ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma was the 122nd Samaritan High Priest from 1933 to 1943. He was succeeded by his brother Abisha III ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma, both of them being members of the clan of Phinhas, descendants of Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma. His sons Asher ben Matzliach ben Phinehas and Phinehas X ben Matzliach ben Phinehas would later become high priests. His grandson became high priest Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach.
Asher ben Matzliach ben Phinhas was the 125th Samaritan High Priest from 1980 to 1982. He was the son of Matzliach ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma, and the nephew of Abisha III ben Phinhas ben Yittzhaq ben Shalma. In 1982 he was succeeded by his brother Phinehas X ben Matzliach ben Phinehas. His son became high priest Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach.
Phinehas X ben Matzliach ben Phinehas was the 126th Samaritan High Priest from 1982 to 1984. He was the son of Matzliach ben Phinhas ben Yitzhaq ben Shalma and the nephew of Abisha III ben Phinhas ben Yittzhaq ben Shalma. He succeeded his brother Asher ben Matzliach ben Phinehas as high priest and was succeeded by Yaacob II ben Uzzi ben Yaacob ben Aaharon in 1984. His nephew became high priest Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach.
