Editing Samaritanism (section)

==Festivals and observances==
The Samaritans have conserved the institution of a [[High Priest of Israel|high priesthood]] and the practice of slaughtering and eating [[Lamb and mutton|lambs]] on [[Passover]] eve. They celebrate [[Pesach]], [[Shavuot]], and [[Sukkot]],{{sfn|de Hemmer Gudme|2013|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=StMCvsROU1IC&pg=PA52 52]}} but use a different mode from that employed in Judaism in order to determine the dates annually.{{sfn|Powels|1989|pp=691-741}}{{prtb|date=February 2024}} Yom Teru'ah (the Biblical name for "[[Rosh Hashanah]]"), at the beginning of [[Tishrei]], is not considered a [[New Year]] as it is in [[Rabbinic Judaism]].

The sabbath is observed weekly by the Samaritan community every Friday to Saturday beginning and ending at sundown. For 24 hours, the families gather together to celebrate the rest day: all electricity with the exception of minimal lighting (kept on the entire day) in the house is disconnected, no work is done, and neither cooking nor driving is allowed. The time is devoted to worship which consists of seven [[Liturgy|prayer services]] (divided into two for sabbath eve, two in the morning, two in afternoon and one at eve of conclusion), reading the weekly Torah portion (according to the Samaritan yearly Torah cycle), spending quality time with family, taking meals, rest and sleep, and visiting other members of the community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sabbath Observance: How Israelite Samaritans Keep the Sabbath |url=https://www.israelite-samaritans.com/religion/sabbath-observance/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=Israelite Samaritan Information Institute |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Passover is particularly important in the Samaritan community, climaxing with the sacrifice of up to 40 sheep. The [[Counting of the Omer]] remains largely unchanged; however, the week before Shavuot is a unique festival celebrating the continued commitment Samaritanism has maintained since the time of Moses. Shavuot is characterized by nearly day-long services of continuous prayer, especially over the stones on Gerizim traditionally attributed to Joshua. 

During Sukkot, the [[sukkah]] is built inside houses, as opposed to outdoor settings that are traditional among Jews.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/inside-the-samaritan-high-priests-fruity-sukkah-literally/|title=Inside the Samaritan high priest's fruity sukkah, literally|last1=Lieber|first1=Dov|last2=Luzi|first2=Iacopo|website=The Times of Israel|date=19 October 2016|access-date=2019-12-05}}</ref> Samaritan historian Benyamim Tsedaka traces the indoor-sukkah tradition to persecution of Samaritans during the [[Byzantine Empire]].<ref name=":0" /> The roof of the Samaritan sukkah is decorated with [[citrus]] fruits and the branches of [[Arecaceae|palm]], [[Myrtus|myrtle]], and [[willow]] trees, according to the Samaritan interpretation of the [[four species]] designated in the Torah for the holiday.<ref name=":0" /><gallery widths="200" heights="140">
File:Samaritans.jpg|Samaritans, from a photo c. 1900 by the [[Palestine Exploration Fund]].
File:Mezuzah IMG 2124.JPG|Samaritan ''[[mezuzah]]'' in the city of [[Nablus]], 2013
File:Bitknest2.jpg|A modern Samaritan synagogue in the city of [[Holon]], Israel
</gallery>