Sam Ziwa

Sam Ziwa
Other names	Sam, Sam Ziwa Dakia
Abode	World of Light
Equivalents
Jewish	Shem

In Mandaeism, Sam Ziwa (Classical Mandaic: ࡎࡀࡌ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈsɑm ˈziwa]) or Sam (Sām) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Sam Ziwa is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Shem.^[1][2] He is also considered to be a guardian of the soul.^[3]

Sam is also a Mandaean masculine given name (see for example Abdullah bar Sam).^[4]

In some prayers of the Qulasta such as the Asut Malkia and Shumhata, he is referred to as "Sam, the pure, first-produced, beloved, and great first radiance (ziwa)" (Classical Mandaic: ࡎࡀࡌ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ ࡃࡀࡊࡉࡀ ࡁࡅࡊࡓࡀ ࡄࡀࡁࡉࡁࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ, romanized: Sam Ziua dakia bukra habiba rba qadmaia, Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈsɑm ˈziwa ˈdaχja ˈbʊχra haˈbiba ˈrɑbbɑ qadˈmaja]).^[5] Similarly, in the opening line of Right Ginza 15.5, he is referred to as Sam Ziwa Dakia ("pure, radiant Sam").^[2]

Sam Mana Smira

Sam Ziwa may be identified with Sam Mana Smira (also Smir Ziwa 'pure first Radiance', or Sam Smir Ziwa; Smir means 'preserved'), an uthra is mentioned in Qulasta prayers 9, 14, 28, 77, and 171, and Right Ginza 3 and 5.4.^[6] Yawar Mana Smira and Sam Smira Ziwa are mentioned in Right Ginza 14.^[2] Lidzbarski (1920) translates Sam Mana Smira as "Sām, the well-preserved Mānā."^[7]

See also

• List of angels in theology

References

1. Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
2. Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
3. van Rompaey, Sandra (2024). Mandaean Symbolic Art. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-59365-4.
4. Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
5. Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.
6. Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
7. Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. Mandäische Liturgien. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.