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The Samaritan version of Deuteronomy adds the words ‘beside Shechem’ to Moses’ account of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Rabbinic tradition in Sifre Deuteronomy quotes that addition and calls it a Samaritan change to the Torah.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Samaritan Deuteronomy 11:30
Samaritan Penteteuch
Samaritan
29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. 30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh, beside Sechem? 31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
Sifre Deuteronomy 56
Halakhic Midrash
Rabbinic
(Devarim 11:30) "Are they not across the Jordan?": across the Jordan and beyond. These are the words of R. Yehudah. "after the way of the coming of the sun": the place from which the sun shines (i.e., rises). "in the land of the Canaani, who inhabits the plain": This refers to Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, which are inhabited by Cuthites. "opposite Gilgal": near Gilgal. "near the terebinths of Moreh": This is Shechem. It is written here "the terebinths of Moreh," and, elsewhere, (Bereshith 12:16) "And Avram passed through the land, until the place of Shechem, until the terebinths of Moreh." Just as "the terebinths of Moreh" there, is in Shechem, so, here, (Shechem is intended). R. Elazar b. R. Yossi said: I said to the Cuthite scribes: You falsified the Torah and "brought up" (i.e., originated) nothing. For you wrote "near the terebinths of Moreh near Shechem," (this ["near Shechem"] being the addition of the Cuthites). We, too, agree that it is Shechem. We learn it from a gezeirah shavah , (identity [i.e., we learn it by way of the oral law, to which you do not subscribe]), it being written "Are they not across the Jordan," and, elsewhere "And Avram passed through the land, etc." Just as "the terebinths of Moreh" there, is Shechem, so, here (Shechem is intended). How did you derive it! R. Elazar says: These are not the Mount Eival and Mount Gerizim between the Cuthites, it being written "Are they not across the Jordan" — near the Jordan. "after the way of the coming of the sun" — the place where the sun sets. "in the land of the Canaani": But is it not the land of the Chivi? "who inhabits the plain": But do they not dwell among mountains and hills? "opposite Gilgal": But is the Gilgal not seen from there? — R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: The purpose of Scripture (here) is (not to give an exact description, but) to teach them the way to return as he showed them in the beginning (viz. Bamidbar 13:17-20), viz. ("after the way") — Go by the way (i.e., by the beaten path) and do not go through the fields. "who inhabits" — Go through the habitation and not through the desert. "in the plain" — Go by way of the plain and not by way of the mountains.
Date: 200 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
... Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Jose said: I said to the scribes of the Cutheans (Samaritans), 'You have falsified the Torah but have not benefited from it in the least. You have written, 'by the terebinths of Moreh, which is Shechem,' but we conclude that this refers to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which are likewise situated where the Samaritans live, as it is said, Are they not beyond the Jordan, etc., . . . beside the terebinths of Moreh, while elsewhere it is said, And Abram passed through the land (unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh). Just as the terebinth of Moreh referred to there is Shechem, so is the terebinth of Moreh referred to here Shechem. Rabbi Eliezer says: This does not refer to the Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal that are situated among the Samaritans ...
Hammer, Reuven
Sifre: A Tannaitic Commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy
(p. 113) Yale University Press, 1986
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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