For most people, superficially studied the Scriptures, the Samaritans - a people in the parable of Jesus.Kind, helpful people, according to the plot of the short story, described in the Bible.
Perhaps most believe that these people just left that in parables.But no.Samaritans exist in the present - they live among us, and in the isolated little world of his.But what they are home, what values are preaching to the bulk and remains a mystery.
controversial history
For centuries, those who are called lawyers and scribes of Israel, promoted version (and considered it the only correct) about the Assyrian origins of the Samaritans.Say, in the 700-s BC, when King Sargon defeated the then capital of Israel, Samaria, he deported deep into their land indigenous population - the children of Israel to the tenth generation, and instead populated city and the outskirts of pagan tribes, descendants of which ismodern Samaritans.
With this interpretation of history, which now sounds from the mouth of the rabbis, is fundamentally disagree Samaritans.This, they assert, complete distortion of historical facts, which they argue for centuries.
Samaritans have always considered themselves the true Jews, and the etymology of "Shomrim" unscrambled and continue to decipher as the "keeper" and to insist that they, a small but very proud people, and there are security guards of the true Jewish tradition and the present, right, pristineTorah.
Samaritans and Jews - a people?
This question always causes some disagreement between the Samaritans and the Jews.The first considered and still consider themselves the true Jews, and the latter can not accept this view.
As always, the stumbling block was the belief.Not even faith as such, but some discrepancies in the observance of religious rituals.If the Samaritans - a genuine supporters of the Jewish heritage, that is, they reject the biblical teaching, the only prophet believe Moses and the sacred place - Mount Gerizim, even those of the Jews, which is considered to be orthodox, not so categorical in religion.
Throughout its history, the Samaritans live fairly isolated community, believing that they are the true Jews, but the rest of the Jews did not recognize.These people (or people?) Share neither more nor less - six thousand differences in the Torah - Samaritan and canonized.And so it was, as they can remember.
religion does not interfere with kindness
virtually any Christian since childhood familiar parable of the Samaritan, who, in spite of the hostility helped Israeli in distress.
iconic that it came from the mouth of Jesus, the Messiah, recognized by the whole Christian world and the Israelis, too, but not recognized by the Samaritans.Why did Jesus Samaritan positive hero of the story?Is it only the desire to reconcile the eternal religious duelists - Samaritans and Jews?Is it only for the edification of all others who should love the enemy, and nothing else?
Or maybe it was just an illustration to the simple truth that most of us, always at war with someone, or something, can not comprehend: affiliation to any religion does not prevent to make human actions.
Each of us at heart - a good Samaritan.What matters is not religion, but it is - the soul, if you give her the opportunity.
Where are the Samaritans and to marry someone?
Samaritans now is very small - about 1,500 people, but at the beginning of the last century the number of people was so small (only a few dozen) that they had to take urgent action and a little to slightly open a very closed community for foreigners.Rather, chuzhezemok.
first wife Samaritan "from the outside" became the Siberian named Maria.Now Samaritan guys have expanded the geography of the search and the spouse are actively exploring the CIS.Samaritans wives have become two Ukrainian, two Russians and four Azerbaijani.
But as the Samaritans - is, first and foremost, respect for tradition, the first requirement for the girls - to go convert to Judaism (the rite of treatment).Only then can marry a Samaritan.
Despite all the measures taken, the people, and to this day remains a small number, it is listed by Unesco as a special Red Book ethnic groups threatened with extinction.
Modern Samaritans live in one of the most prestigious quarters of the city of Holon, and a few families remained to live in the village of Kiryat Luza, in the vicinity of their sacred Mount of Blessings.
