Who Are the Samaritans?

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Executive Producers: Daniel Cuevas, Dorian McCann, Maritza
Producer: Frederick Joseph Adams
Writer: Matthew Chalmers
Editor: Mark Henry

Bibliography:

Gary L. Knoppers, Jews and Samaritans: The Origins and History of their Early Relations (OUP, 2013) - important overview of earliest period (through to Roman rule)

Yitzhak Magen, The Samaritans and the Good Samaritan (IAA, 2008) - summary of archaeological evidence.

Reinhard Pummer, The Samaritans: A Profile (Eerdmans, 2016) - the best (and only) English-language state of the field starting point

[gibiscus]

Ok, so all y'all wondering about the Good Samaritan, the point of the story was that a Jewish priest didn't help an injured Jew because he thought he might've been dead and priests (Kohanim = Cohens) are supposed to remain pure by not having contact with the dead, but the Samaritan was not a priest (if he was the same rules would apply) so he helped the Jew despite their ethnic/religious tensions. So there's two layers to the parable: the downsides of ritual purity and overcoming ethnoreligioua conflict.

[OttoStrawanzinger]

I think it's worth pointing out that the Samaritan Torah is nowadays very accessible to laypeople through Benyamim Tsedaka's book The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah, which not only contains an English translation of the Samaritan Torah, but also has it side by side with and English translation the Masoretic Torah, including differences between the two that are marked in the text.

[wompa]

History is absolutely fascinating. Partly because, as you pointed out, history is still happening.

[reade_gauvin]

I’ve always wondered about the context of Jesus’ “Good Samaritan” story, and what the history is there. Great video!

[ntmn]

I’ve been fascinated by the Samaritan Israelites for years. I’m shocked reading these comments that people didn’t know Samaritans are real and still around. But I’m glad more and more people are learning about them.

[bereftspud]

I've been waiting for this! Fun fact, I am currently working on getting a PhD in history and religious studies, with a focus on the history and development on Samaritanism! Thanks for the video!

[deanedward]

The recent DNA study is an important aspect not mentioned. The studies find that Samaritans and Jews share common ancestral DNA linking the two to the original Hebrew Israelites.

[StrawBss]

Now content like this is why I'm a subscriber. Didn't even know these people exist.

[Mthundrd]

Great video! I am a geneticist and computer scientist from Brazil. I have moroccan&syrian jewish ancestry. I love to study about the ethnicities of middle east. Here's what I discovered about samaritans:

they are the closer non-jewish group with ashkenazi jews.

The genetically closer groups to ashkenazi jews are:
1- sephardic jews
2- mizrahi jews
3 - *samaritans*
4 - south italians
5 - assyrian/chaldean/aramean christians
6- druze
7 - levantine arabs (palestinians, lebanese, syrians, jordanians)

The samaritans also are very closer to sephardic and mizrahi jews.

BUT they have good amounts of iraqi haplogroup subclades, which can definitely indicate an ancient admixture with

So, genetically speaking, both histories are partially true. They are indeed very genetically similar to the main jewish ethnic groups, and they do have mesopotamian admixture.

The genetic tests are a new and interesting weapon to analyze these religious stories.

Sorry about my english!

[flutiyama]

I'm Brazilian, and I had absolutely no idea of the Samaritan movement down here. Immediately researching it as soon as I finish this video!!!!

[davidgusquiloor]

This gives the good samaritan a little more context.

[grizzerotwofour]

Anyone one of those "why haven't i looked this up on my own yet" topics from your channel! Love it

[Vanalovan]

I remember for my BA final project I worked with a source that was a letter from a Jewish garrison in southern Egypt during the Persian period (4th century BCE i think) that was addressed to both Jerusalem AND Gerezim asking for instructions on how to properly observe Passover. I argued that at the time, it was a clue that this garrison didn’t see a difference between Jews and Samaritans

[marksman]

We went to visit them on our holiday trip to Israel and Palestine -- they were super sweet people, and I wish them all the very best!

[lakrids-pibe]

I noticed in the old picture of Solomon's temple in the video, and it made me think that it would be interesting to hear about the design of the temple. We only know the temple from written descriptions, and modern reconstructions have many suggestions on how it can be interpreted. I know architecture is not the main topic of this channel, but I just love the old (and new) drawings.

[coolguy]

As a jew it's fascinating to see a religion that is so similar to mine, I'm amazed at the fact that they stll practice sacrifices. We jews haven't done that since the exile by the romans 2000 years ago so all the connection that I have to the practice is only through what I can read in the torah, seeing it in real life is incredible! especially when it is supposed to be one of the central aspects of jewish religious practice! thank you for the video!

[cuckoophendula]

To the Christians watching this video, this is great contextualization for the parable of the Good Samaritan. EDIT: Lol, I find it unsurprising yet cool that I'm not the only one pointing this out

[abnerbinyamimmenashe]

I really enjoyed this video from a scholarly perspective and would like to thank you for giving more exposure in the academic world about the Israelite Samaritans and how we are NOT a disappearing people, how we are very different from Jews, and about the archeological, historical and religious information about us.
You all feel welcome to come and JOIN Studies Shomrey haTorah GROUP TO LEARN WITH US. We have plenty of articles and studies on Israelite Samaritan Torah and tradition.

- Abner from the Official Israelite Samaritan Community - Shomrey HaTorah.

[harrisonwinch]

I know its a bit outside your typical timeframe, but could you do a video on Byzantine Iconoclasm in the 8th and 9th centuries, and the subsequent rise of icons in Eastern Orthodox Christianity? It's a fascinating example of how categories like "orthodoxy" and "heresy" are constructed and reimagined over time, and continues to have huge significance today in the widespread use of icons in Greek and Russian Orthodox Christianity.

[grahamrankin]

As usual, a very well researched video. I especially liked knowing their current status in Israel