BY: BENYAMIM TSEDAKA
DIRECTOR OF A.B. INSTITUTE OF SAMARITAN STUDIES

I never judged any group of people according to their quantities but
their qualities. The Samaritan-Israelites in any number, whem they
numbered over a milion on the fourth century A.D. or 146 souls in 1917
or 625 today, January 1, 2000 in both centers in Holon/Israel[324] and
Mount Gerizim/Samaria[301] they always have and had the same qualities
altough they lost some of their old traditions and habits due the
dwindling in the number. But they never lost the most inportant ones in
regard to the commandments of the five books of Moses and the principles
of the origional Israelite religion:
1-The Unity of the God of Israel;
2-The Unity of the prophecy of Moses and Moses himself;
3-The unity of the Torah;
4-The unity of the chosen place of God - Gerizim Mountain.

Again, there is no any link between numbers and qualities. We all know a
number of peoples a great ones in numbers that have a false believes and
traditions...

In regard to the pronounciation of the name of God the way the Samaritan
Israelites do, let's say first that Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey[in the origional
hebrew: Yoot-Eay-Baa-Eey or Shema. Note: the "VAV" is pronounced in this
case as "Baa" but written as "vav" with horizontal line over it to
change the pronounciation from "WaW" to "Baa"],
Adonay[Adani].Elohim[Eluwwem] is one unity that will never be devided{It
is said: "And you will know today that Shema is the God".] The
Samaritans never pronounced the Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey as a complete word but
the letters one after one :Yoot-Eay-Baa-Eey or the nick name Shema[=the
Name]. The meaning of Yoot-Eay-Baa-Eey is written already in the Torah
and Shema has explained it to Moses: I will be as I will be, means I
will expose myself in the way I will choose, by myself or by sending my
angel or expressing my word through my messenger - the
prophet=Moses["Moushe"] or a prophet like Moses that will be sent by me
at the right time, just before the end of the days. This what he did
indeed and this is what Shema will do.

But Shema has also many Titles, some of them in the Torah itself and
some that described by many Samaritan-Israelite sages. In the holy ark
at the Samaritan synagogue on Mount Gerizim there is a box called "The
Name" and it is full of ancient purchment pieces with names and titles
of God written on all of them. The Samaritan Israelites in great
festivals are kissing this box in admiration and it shows the importancy
of the holy names of God in their believes. The Samaritan tradition has
quoted 76 names and titles of God in the Torah. They Say: "Aieen-Vav-76-
the eye of light=Ain-Baa Ain Amma'or".

The Samaritans always knew and they still know to distingwish in
pronounciation between the revelation of God and human being: such men
as Anashin[=Enashem] to Anashim[=Enushem] the 3 angels revelated to
Abraham; Between my master=Adoni[=Adanni] to my God=Adonai[=Adaani] or
between to be faced by the man-Lehera'ot et pney
ha'aish,Joseph[=lerra'aot IT fani aa'aish] to 'to see the face of
God'=lehera'aot et pney adonai[=lerra'aot AT fani Shema. Note: AT means
'with']. The Samaritan-Israelites were and still very careful from any
expression of the unity of God in a personificate way. The Torah version
in the hands of the Samaritans said in "The Song of The Sea" - Ex. 15 -
God is hero in war = Shema gibbor bammalamma, not like version in hand
of the Jews: God is a Man of War - Adonai Eash Milchama.

For conclusion I have to tell you a Samaritan folk tale on an argument
between a Samaritan sage, my grandfater's father, Abraham
Tsedaka[1852-1928] and a Moslem sage, The moslen said that the Islam is
the right religion but Abraham Tsedaka has dared to say that the
Israelite religion is the origional and true one and the Islam religion
is  a false one.

How dare you say that? screamed the Moslem.

Abraham Tsedaka said that he is going to prove his words. He said: you
know the last words of the moslem before he is passing away are to admit
the unity of God by saying "La Illah Illa Alla"=No God but God - four
words. The Israelite says the same but in his words: "Shema Eluwwinu
Shema A'aad"= Our God one God - four words.

Yes, I know that, said the Moslem, so what?

Oh, let me tell you by that, said Abraham Tsedaka to the Moslem sage: If
the Moslem soul is passing away before he expressed only one word "No",
so it is  negetive, and if he has expressed only two words " No God" it
means that there is no God = heresy, and if he expressed only three
words "No God But", nobody will know but whom, and it is also heresy.
only if his soul will pass away after he has expressed the whole four
words he will admit the unity of God.

At the same case each word the four words of the israelites has its
significance for the unity of God - said Abraham Tsedaka - If the dying
person has expressed only the first word: Shema, he has identified
already the divinity, and if he has said only two words: Our God, it has
a meaning. If he has said three words: Our God One, it is leading to the
unity of God. He does not have to say the whole words to express it.

It is only a tale but saying much on the Samaritan acceptability of the
unity of God of Israel.

Let me quote from the Samaritan Israelites' prayer, any prayer: "The
glory is yours forever, Yoot-Eay-Baa-Eay, Shema, merciful and
gracious....."

BENYAMIM TSEDAKA