Samaritan admits they partly emulated Rabbinic no-Shabbat-fire mode

[Zvi]

Shavu`a Tov l'khulam,

See http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2903956370821&id=1617852367
:

1. - do you really don't apply any kind of "Eruv" as the Jews? No
light, no fire, no electricity during Shabbat? Or is there any
technical assistance for heating, cooking on Shabbat?

Ben: Before the invention of Electricity the Israelite Samaritans used
an oil lamp that gives light from Friday evening till early morning of
Shabbat. THen since the electric lights we leave one light at home
from before Shabbat comes till Saturday night without touching it -
for eating Friday night meal and reading the portion of the Torah on
Shabbat morning. WE read the Torah at home in order to let every
worshiper to read his/her passage in the portion.

*****

This is news to me. I thought their "one lightbulb on in the house
during Shabbat" practice reflected a very recent innovation in their
Halakha.
In other words, they've been closer to Rabbinic Halakha than Qaraite
in their fire prohibitions on Shabbatot than I had imagined.

*****

On another topic, I wonder how many Samaritans who'd wish to eat meat
with dairy would feel consoled by the fact they don't need to separate
dairy and meat cookware, flatware, silverware, towels and cleaning
items:

3. Do you have all this puzzling and complicate rules concerning the
separation of dairy and flesh products? 2hours in between etc?

Ben: It is not puzzling nor complicate. In the Torah mention 17 kinds
of meat[animals, birds] that permitted to eat. It is exactly the
counting of the word גדי means "lamb" from the verse in the book of
Exodus "Don't cook the lamb with his mother milk". The Israelite
Samaritan sages understood that those eaten kinds are forbidden to be
cooked with milk or in milk. So, after eating meat we wait 6 hours if
we want to eat dairy and after dairy three hours. We wash very well
any dish so there is [NO] separation of dishes to meat or milk. This
is a sole Jewish rite.


May YHWH be with you,
Zvi