Current State of Samaritan Studies (Hexateuch)

[Russell Gmirkin]

But how obvious is the answer. The fucking text LITERALLY has Abraham walking over to "the house of God" at Gerizim. Do people read? Have people after curled up with the Book of Genesis and actually read the material?

It's like questioning the sky is blue. "How do you know the sky is blue"? Ummm look out your fucking window? "Oh but where is there a paper which references the blueness of the sky?"

Chapter 12 is about Abraham setting up an altar next to the House of God at Gerizim and then things go on until his grandson Joseph's bones are brought back to the same place and then Joshua ultimately establishes "Israel" there. The Jews don't have a rival place. The Samaritans can take you to the place everyone is buried. It's only option. There are no rival "options." End of story.

Hate to state the obvious, but your geography is all wrong. You're confusing Beth-el with Shechem (see Josh. 24:32 on Joseph's bones). While Shechem is indeed located at the base of Mount Gerizim, Bethel is a little over 20 miles to the south of Gerizim. Look on any map. It's actually closer to Jerusalem (about 10 miles away). Markeh identified Beth-el with Gerizim, but he was clearly 1000+% wrong, since both Genesis (SP & MT) and Joshua place Beth-el adjacent to the Canaanite stronghold of Ai.

The Samaritan Pentateuch, Gen. 12:6-8, reads "12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Mora [Moreh]. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said to him, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. "

Think about it. How can you have Abram build an altar at Moreh = Shechem = Nablus below Mount Gerizim according to Samaritan tradition and "REMOVE FROM THENCE" to ANOTHER mountain between Beth-el and Ai (which is nowhere near Gerizim) where he built a SECOND altar. Different places, different mountains, different altars. I added capitalization for you -- hope that helps.

[neilgodfrey]

The idea of this forum (I was one of the first members) was that . . . we would . . . .avoid argument by citation and name, rank etc

SA on 3rd Nov:

My best friend in the scholarly world Rory Boid and Benyamim Tsedaka a Samaritan were my instructors on these principles of purity. Rory wrote . . .

etc.

Of course I am quite familiar with the writings of Ruairidh Bóid and John Bowman, and Robert Cargill by reputation, but I haven't read anything (yet!) by Benyamim Tsedaka, who seems an interesting fellow. I'll have to chase down some of his works. Unfortunately he doesn't have a presence on Academia.edu.

Benyamin Tsedaka editor and translator of The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah: First English Translation Compared with the Masoretic Version.

A review by Moshe Florentin:

In order to examine and assess Tsedaka’s translation according
to the scholarly parameters outlined above, one has of course to
examine the mode of translation and its results. All the modern
authors mentioned above, they and many others, based their
works on serious philological work. Their works are characterized
by the judicious and careful use of all the knowledge and
research tools of their time. Unfortunately, this is not true for the
composition under discussion.

. . . . .
Unfortunately, it is a work that does not measure up to the accepted
scholarly standards and this renders it a reference work
that may mislead educated readers who lack the tools to examine
it properly.

The edition opens with an introduction that is partly written by
the editor. As expected, he represents his opinion regarding the
antiquity of the SP. An uncompromising, ideological-religious
standpoint is revealed. However, the problematic character of
the whole edition is shown in the editor’s argumentation on this
point. . . .

. . . .

Indeed, his credentials speak for him, but unfortunately, the
edition of the translation that was published under his name does
not benefit the scholar or the educated reader. A series of significant
mistakes, of which only a few have been demonstrated
here, undermine its credibility. The translation points to differences
that in fact do not exist, and simultaneously fails to point
out important differences between the two versions. It is replete
with errors, tainted by carelessness, and characterized by an
inconsistent and faltering style. Therefore, instead of presenting
the SP as it deserves, it twists it and misleads those who do not
have the tools to discern its failures.

A perusal of the religious Israelite Samaritan site - https://www.israelite-samaritans.com/ - and some of its related literature reminds one of all that SA has been arguing here.

[Secret Alias]

I am not a Samaritan. Good, bad or ugly. Tsedaka is a Samaritan but not a scholar. The English translation is problematic but I will tell you that any Samaritanologist recognizes that Tsedaka is an important source of information about his tradition.

[neilgodfrey]

I am not a Samaritan. Good, bad or ugly. Tsedaka is a Samaritan but not a scholar. The English translation is problematic but I will tell you that any Samaritanologist recognizes that Tsedaka is an important source of information about his tradition.

I have never suspected you were a Samaritan. Why so defensive? What is your association with the Israelite Samaritans?

[Secret Alias]

Markeh identified Beth-el with Gerizim, but he was clearly 1000+% wrong

How can Marqe be wrong? Marqe IS the Samaritan tradition. The Samaritan tradition is Marqe and Marqe the Samaritan tradition. If Marqe so identified Bethel the Samaritans identified as such and they are wrong. If they are wrong well what then? What are we supposed to say? A tradition is wrong. Ok. But the Samaritans read the text this way. They know a thing or two about Hebrew. If the Samaritans read the Hebrew in this way, it's a plausible reading of the Hebrew.

It is well known that the Samaritans identified Bethel with Mt. Gerizim. End of story.

[Secret Alias]

Gerizim was also the site of Jacob's vision , and of Bethel , according to the Samaritans https://books.google.com/books?id=VodAA ... im&f=false

As for Bethel , Gerizim is Bethel , the place of Jacob's vision , and the true House of God https://books.google.com/books?id=ugUsA ... im&f=false

[Russell Gmirkin]

Benyamim Tsedaka, who seems an interesting fellow

He's just a Samaritan. Knowledgeable. Has some formal education. But not a 'scholar' per se. But authoritative on the Samaritan tradition.

OK, thanks. I appreciate it. I guess I'll cross him off my reading list. I have quite a few scholarly books and articles (and of course John Bowman's translations of Samaritan texts) so I'll stick with those.

[Secret Alias]

But he's a really nice guy. Almost dead. But a really nice guy. If you want to align your theory with Samaritanism contact Boid. He's really creative too. An expert in Hebrew and Australian which almost always means a good person. He's really generous with his time and intellect. Almost too generous.

[Secret Alias]

The reason the Samaritans call Gerizim the 'house of God' is because they hold that Gerizim is the highest mountain in the world. Why does it look like a little hill? In the Fanuta (the turning away) the top of the mountain where Paradise is/was ascended to heaven. That also probably explains why Jacob sees God coming down the ladder. At the top is Pardes.

[Secret Alias]

What is your association with the Israelite Samaritans?

Honestly? There was a period in my life where I was living in Orlando Florida. I wasn't yet married. Not milk not meat as the Germans say (although they apply the saying to 14 year olds). I was working at Disney as a show producer. Had broken up with my then girlfriend who is now my wife and I began to take Biblical studies more seriously. Not because I was religious. I wasn't nor have I ever been. I really can't explain the interest. I would talk with various scholars on the phone including Boid, Meyer, Baarda, the list goes on and on. I didn't want to become a professor. I think I was hanging around a lot of stupid people and wanted to keep the flame of knowledge going. There isn't much of an intellectual community in Orlando. I really can't explain it. Maybe I was just bored.