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From: yair davidi (britam@netvision.net.il)
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Orthodox Jewish View: The Ten Lost Tribes WILL return
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From Eddie:
This is the second of two articles that I am sending out to the
newsgroup on understanding the restoration of both houses of Israel
(Ezekiel 37:15-28) from ORTHODOX JEWISH sources.
ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBIS see that Ephraim or the Ten Lost
Tribes
are NOT Jews today but are NON-JEWs who have assimulated into the
nations of the world and who will embrace the Sabbath, Festivals and
the Torah in the end of days.
WHY is it SO IMPORTANT to understand that ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBIS
see that the Ten Lost Tribes are NOT Jewish (from the Southern
Kingdom of Judah) but are NON-JEWS from the nations who descend from
the Northern Kingdom of Israel?
Some of you may be aware that recently the MJAA (Messianic
Jewish Alliance of America) came out publically with a position paper
attaching the teaching of the restoration of the two houses of Israel
in the end of days (Ezekiel 37:15-28) and Ephraim (the Ten Lost
Tribes) consisting today of NON-JEWS from among the nations.
The MJAA position paper claims that ALL twelve tribes are Jewish and
those who want to teach that the Ten Lost Tribes are NOT Jewish are
teaching "replacement theology". Furthermore, the MJAA says that if
you teach that Ten Lost Tribes are NOT Jewish today that this is
not only "replacement theology" but is also a "doctrine of demons"
that needs to be avoided like the plague.
Therefore, as all of us has had to be EDUCATED about the
origins of Christmas, Easter and that we need to embrace the Sabbath,
Festivals and the Torah as our Hebraic heritage, what is needed today
in the body is EDUCATION that ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBIS teach that
Ephraim WILL return and be reunited in the end of days (this is
called by Orthodox Jewish Rabbis the Messianic Redemption or the
Ingathering of the Exiles) as told to us in Ezekiel 37:15-28 and that
ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBIS teach that Ephraim (the Ten Lost Tribes) are
NOT Jewish (from the Southern Kingdom) but are NON-JEWS who have
assimulated into the nations of the world and who have their roots
historically back to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
What makes this an even more critical issue to
understand is
that there are some "Hebraic roots" ministries who also side with the
MJAA (but for different POLITICAL reasons) that believing in the
restoration of both houses of Israel and that Ephraim (Ten Lost
Tribes) are NOT Jewish is also labeled by some of these "Hebraic
roots" ministries as teaching "replacement theology" also.
In the past year, I was given the
"left foot of fellowship"
(ex-communicated) from having contact with one of these "Hebraic
roots" ministries because by writing and explaining in my latest book
"Restoring the Two Houses of Israel" that Ephraim and Judah WILL
be reunited in the end of days and that Ephraim (Ten Lost Tribes) are
NON-JEWS (just like what the ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBIS teach) that I am
teaching "replacement theology".
Do Orthodox Jew believe in "replacement
theology"? Hardly!
So, what is needed to set in order these
ERRONEOUS teachings
by the MJAA and some "Hebraic roots" ministries that say that if you
believe that Ephraim and Judah WILL be reunited in the end of days
and that Ephraim is NON-JEWS that this is some form of "replacement
theology" is EDUCATION and STUDY of this issue regarding what
Orthodox Jews teach and believe about Ephraim and Judah becoming one
house. When you do, you will be able to understand that the TORAH
and the PROPHETS tell us like the Orthodox Jews believe regarding
this subject that this reunion of Ephraim and Judah WILL happen in
the end of days.
For these reasons, I am sending out this second
of two articles
regarding the understanding of the restoration of both houses of
Israel by a well-respected Orthodox Jewish Rabbi (Ramban 1194-1270)
which was published in a recent magazine of (Brit-Am) by Yair Davidy
who is an Orthodox Jew who lives in Jerusalem and has a ministry
named (Brit-Am which means in Hebrew Covenant-People) devoted to
doing research and educating the masses on the understanding of the
restoration of both houses of israel from an Orthodox Jewish
perspective.
Yair Davidy has written several books on the Ten Lost Tribes. He
is probably the most recognizable ORTHODOX JEWISH authority on the
research regarding the Ten Lost Tribes from an ORTHODOX JEWISH
perspective.
You are encouraged to send an e-mail to Yair Davidy at:
(britam@netvision.net.il) and subscribe to
his magazine and / or buy
his books and discover his research on the subject of the Ten Lost
Tribes from Talmudic and historical sources. He has a webpage located
at:
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Meeting/6405/tribesman.html
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l
P.S. I would also encourage you to order my book on the subject
"Restoring the Two Houses of Israel" and the book by Batya Wooten of
Houses of David ministries entitled, "Who is Israel and Why you need
to Know". The web address for the House of David ministries is:
(http:/www.mim.net).
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THE
RETURN OF THE LOST TRIBES
What
Does the Bible Say?
by
Nachmanides (Moshe ben Nachman.
1194-1270)
(ARTICLE
2 of 2)
Nachmanides was one of the greatest Biblical scholars of all times. He
attached importance to the subject of the Lost Ten Tribes and spoke of them
in several places. In the following articles Nachmanides gives us some
important insights. There were actually thirteen tribes of Israel. The
people of Israel include two sections, which are the Ten Tribes of "Israel"
and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin known collectively as Judah.
Several Exiles occurred to the people of Israel. The Bible prophesied each
one separately. Nachmanides discusses these prophecies and distinguishes
between them. Just as part of Judah was exiled with the northern tribes so
too did some people from the ten tribes remain with Judah. Their
descendants are now to be found amongst the present-day Jews. The
overwhelming majority of the Ten Tribes however were exiled by the
Assyrians and NEVER returned though they are destined to do so. The Ten
Tribes (said Nachmanides in ca. 1260 CE) are still in Tserefath (Gaul and
its region) and "at the ends of the north."
THE
TWO STICKS OF EZEKIEL 37
In Ezekiel [chapter thirty-seven] it
speaks of future re-union:
[Ezek 37:16] Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon
it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take
another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for
all the house of Israel his companions:
Here it speaks of a FUTURE Redemption for both Judah and Israel. Where it
says, "For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions" by "the
children of Israel his companions" it means Benjamin who was attached to
Judah. Similarly it says, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the
house of Israel his companions." The section is quite plain. The two
kingdoms will unite into one kingdom under the House of David. The
Israelites went into Exile and ever since then Ephraim and all [the ten
tribes of northern] Israel have NEVER been in the Land of Israel.
Concerning the FUTURE it says, "And the heathen shall know that I the LORD
do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for
evermore"
Behold I will recall a matter that is expressly mentioned many times in
Scripture. It is known that with the Return of the Exiles under Ezra only
the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned. These had been exiled to Babylon
by Nebuchadnezzar. This is what it says concerning the beginning of that
Redemption, [Ezra 1:5] Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and
Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God
had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem".
And on their return it says, [Ezra 2:1] Now these are the children of the
province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried
away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto
Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
When they laid the foundations of the Temple it says, [Ezra 4:1] Now when
the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of
the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
This is the highest level. The establishment of the status of Ezra is
expressly mentioned here, [Ezra 8:1] These are now the chief of
their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me
from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
After this, [Ezra 10:7] And they made proclamation throughout Judah and
Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather
themselves together unto Jerusalem; concerning the deportation of
foreign women. It says, [Ezra 10:9] Then all the men of Judah and
Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem
Whilst they had settled in the land it says,
Neh 11:1] And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the
people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem
the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities. And it says there,
[Neh 11:4] And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah,
and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Neh 11:7]
And these are the sons of Benjamin; ... The cities of their
settlement are related, " [Neh 11:25] And for the villages, with
their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kiryat Arba, and
in...These same cities are also recalled as being in the inheritances
of Judah and Benjamin in the Book of
Joshua [when they first entered the land]. Together with all this we
acknowledge the view of our sages may their memories be blessed and Heaven
Forbid that we should not agree with them. They said in the Midrash Seder
Olam, <Of those who came into the Land in the time of Ezra the whole
community together numbered 42,360. The total whose names are recorded
however only numbered 30,360. What happened therefore to the missing
12,000? These were those from the other Tribes who came up with Ezra.
Let me clarify the matter for you. You have already noticed that in the
Second Redemption [i.e. the redemption of Ezra, the First Redemption was
the coming out of Egypt]. Only those returned who had been exiled to
Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Over these people had the decree of a
seventy-year Exile been made. These are Judah and Benjamin as well as the
Cohanim [priests] who dwelt in Jerusalem and who pertained to the Kingdom
of Judah. This was as it was written concerning the initial split of the
Kingdom between the northern ten tribes and the Kingdom of Judah, "having
Judah and Benjamin on his side" (2-Chronicles 11;12), "And the priests and
the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their
coasts" (2-Chronicles 11;13): [The southern Kingdom of Judah encompassed
the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi]. The Kingdom of Israel included
the ten northern Tribes. These were exiled by Sancheribc as it says, "For
he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of
Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made
them sin a great sin" (2-Kings 17;11). "Until the LORD removed Israel out
of his sight...so was Israel exiled out of their own land to Assyria unto
this day" (2-Kings 17;12). This is a proof that all the Kingdom of Israel
was exiled to Assyria but the Kingdom of David remained as it was until
Nebucahdnessar exiled them to Babylon. The Kingdom of David included Judah
and Benjamin. It says, "There was none left but the tribe of Judah only"
(2-Kings 17;18). This indicates the Kingdom of the Tribe of Judah that
included the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
It also appears from the simple meaning of the text, that before the exile
of the northern country by Senacherib there were gathered into the cities
of Judah people from the neighboring tribes of Menasseh, Ephraim, and
Simeon and these then dwelt in the heritage of Judah. Or . This explains
what was said concerning King Josiah, "They delivered the money that was
brought into the house of God which the Levites that kept the doors had
gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of
Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin" (2-Chronicles 34; 9). Prior to that
time in the period King Asa it was written, "And he gathered all Judah and
Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Menasseh, and out
of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw
the LORD his God was with him" (2-Chronicles 15; 9).
Those from the Tribes of Ephraim and Shimeon from Israel that were
present (2-Chronicles 35;18) with Judah were they who dwelt in the Land of Judah or
perhaps to some degree also those who had dwelt in their own territories
adjoining Judah and had fled to Judah. They are referred (in 2-Chronicles
35;18) to in a general sense as "from Israel" and not by their specific
tribes since they represented only a small portion of their tribe. These
are they who returned under Ezra with the Jews from Babylon. They were not
expressly mentioned by their tribes since they were attached to Judah. They
all settled in the cities of Judah. There was no Redemption for the Ten
Tribes who remained in exile.
I will now explain somewhat a clearly expressed section that still
requires clarification. It says concerning the genealogy of Benjamin in the
Book of Chronicles. It is written about the genealogy of all Israel in this
work (1-Chronicles 9;1-3). Judah was exiled to Babylon due to their
infidelity. Out of the first to return from this exile were priests
("Cohans") and Levites and the Natins who settled in the cities of Israel.
In Jerusalem there settled descendants of Judah and Benjamin along with
descendants of Ephraim, and Menasseh: [1Chr 9:1] So all Israel were
reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the
book
of the kings of Israel and
Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression.
[1Chr 9:2] Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in
their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.
[1Chr 9:3] And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the
children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;
Our sages (Talmud, Baba Batra 15;a) recalled that Ezra was the one who
wrote the Book of Chronicles. His aim was to let us knew the genealogies of
those who returned with him from Babylon. Ezra in Chronicles begins his
account with Adam at the head and from whom all the genealogies begin. He
keeps going in summary manner until he comes to our own tribes of Israel.
He then first gives the genealogy of Judah at length. After that he does
not give the genealogies of all the other tribes but only some of them and
these he goes through in summarized form until he gets to Benjamin. He then
becomes apologetic and says, "So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies;
and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel" [1Chr
9:1]. This is as if to say that he does not need to recount their
genealogies at length for they are still in exile. He goes on to say, "And
Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression" [1Chr
9:1]. It is as if he is saying that, he really has only to relate the
genealogy of one other tribe apart from Judah. The tribe spoken of is the
tribe of Benjamin whose genealogy together with that of Judah he has
already given. They are the ones who were exiled to babylon and they are
the ones returning in the time of Ezra. The other tribes have their
genealogies given, "In the book of the kings of Israel" This book [-that
has since been lost] is perhaps in their hands in their place of exile.
Ezra then goes on to tell of the settlement of those who returned with him:
"Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions" [1Chr 9:2].
That is to say, those who were the first to return from Babylon settled in
their citie. These included Israelites, Cohans (i.e. priests), Levites, and
Nathinim as stated xpressly in the Book of Ezra, "in the cities of Judah
dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's
servants" (Nehemiah 11;3). [The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are now separate
books but Nachmanides refers to both of both together as "The Book of
Ezra."]. He goes on to say, "And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children
of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. [Neh 11:4]. He also said, "And
in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of
Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh" [1Chr 9:3]. He only
recalls in detail however the genealogies of Judah and Benjamin whose names
and family-trees he elaborates upon. Even here he does not give all the
genealogies but only a section of them as is the practice in Scripture. He
also speaks of the Priestly families and the Levites, whom he says
"hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the
companies of the children of Levi"[1Chr 9:18]. That is to so, that with
their return from exile they were appointed on the gates of the Second
Temple just as they had been so appointed in the First: "All these which
were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These
were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel
the seer did ordain in their set office" [1Chr 9:22].
We have explained this section in accordance with the opinion of our
sages of blessed memory. These said that in the time of the Second Temple a few
refugees from the other tribes also came up. They did not come from all of
the other tribes but only from Ephraim and Menasseh. [Another authority
however, Tosefot in Arakin 32;a, says that, "from each and every tribe a
few returned"]. These few were not enough to be termed a tribe in their own
right or even part of a tribe> due to their minority position they were
included amongst the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin and dwelt in their
cities. This Second Redemption was not meant for the other tribes. Look at
the genealogy of the Tribe of Rueben in this Book of Chronicles and you
will find that Ezra gives their familial connections until he reaches Beera
who was exiled by Tiglathpileser the King of Assyria (1-Chronicles 5). He
then stops. All of those other tribes whose family trees he mentions he
also does not continue with after the Assyrian Exile. Rueben, Gad, and the
half-tribe of Menasseh: "And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul
king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he
carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe
of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the
river Gozan, unto this day" [1-Chr 5:26]. When re recalls the genealogy of
Judah he speaks firstly of the King and of Zerubabel and his sons who were
amongst those coming into the Land with Ezra himself. "And them that had
escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants
to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia". [2-Chr 36;
20}. The Book of Chronicles speaks of the exile to Babylon and of the first
year of Cyrus,"Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia" [2-Chr
36:22]. The Book of Ezra also speaks of these events in the same way that
is additional proof that Ezra wrote Chronicles. Where Chronicles finishes
the Book of Ezra begins. They are in effect like unto book concerning
genealogies and the Second redemption that took place at that time. We have
not revealed very new in the above discussion but by bringing a few
scattered verses together we ha clarified an issue. It has been made quite
clear from our study that the only ones who returned from the Babylonian
Exile were they who belonged to the Kingdom of Judah. Those however who are
termed the House of Ephraim, or The House of Israel, meaning the Ten Tribes
are still in Exile in Assyria. These Tribes did not have any participants
in the Second redemption, as I have noted.
The Second Redemption took place with permission of Cyrus, King of
Persia. Before then it is known from the Book of Esther the great dispersion and
enormous division that existed amongst our people in all the countries of
King Ahaserus from India Cush. After this only a few came up with Ezra from
Babylon, about 1,500 men. In my opinion it seems probably that the license
of Cyrus applied only to those who had belonged to the Kingdom of Judah
meaning the people of Jerusalem. Cyrus commanded these wherever they may
then have been in his entire kingdom to return to their land. The
commandment was directed to these to go forth and to re-build the Temple.
"Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him
go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah..." [Ezra 1:3]. If you wish to claim
that permission was given to all of Israel as it says, "Cyrus king of
Persia...made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom" [Ezra 1:1], meaning
that the proclamation also must have reached the Ten Tribes then it may be
answered that the other tribes did not wish to go up at that stage since
they knew their time had not come.
The vision of Obadiah deals with events that were to occur after the exile
of Jerusalem to Babylon. [Obad 1:11] In the day that thou stoodest on the
other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces,
and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even
thou wast as one of them.
[Obad 1:18] And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph
a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them,
and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau;
for the LORD hath spoken it.
There are those who say that this prophecy is referring to King Hezekiah in
the Second Temple period but those who think this are in error. It is
obvious from scripture that this term, i.e. house of Joseph, applies to the
Kingdom of Israel who are the Ten Tribes. They should be ashamed not to
recognize this fact! The above verse proves it! When was the House of
Joseph like a flame devouring the stubble of Esau? Not on Biblical times!
The Ten Tribes had already been exiled and they are still in Exile, in the
area of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath: "And this first exile of the
children of Israel who are [now] from Canaan unto Zarephath" [Obad 1:20].
These places are at the extremes of the north. The verse continues, "and
the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities
of the south" [Obad 1:20]. Those who were exiled to "Sepharad" [meaning
Spain] were the Jews of Jerusalem who were taken away by Titus and
Vespasian when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans and not before
then. The others were The Ten Tribes who were exiled in the First Exile.
These have not returned as has been claimed.
It says, [Obad 1:19] And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they
of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim,
and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
[Obad 1:20] And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall
possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of
Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
[Obad 1:21] And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of
Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.
"Zarephath" according to Rabbinical Commentators (Rashi, Iben Ezra, Radak,
and all Medieval authorities) refers to France or more specifically
northern France and probably included present-day Belgium and Holland. The
words translated in the KJ as "the captivity of this host" in Hebrew
["Galut HaChail"] can also mean "the first exile" and so was the
understanding of Rabbinical Commentators.
When did they come back and when were these enormous exiled groups
ingathered to inherit the cities of Ephraim and Samaria? When did saviours
go up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau? In the time of Ezra only a
few returned as pigeons to their dovecotes. It says, "the kingdom shall be
the LORD's" [Obad 1:21]. At that time everyone will openly acknowledge the
Kingdom of God. "And the LORD shall be King over all the earth" (Zechariah
14;9). This too will happen in the future. The general principle concerning
these and all similar verses concerning the Redemption of Israel and the
fall of Edom and the like is that it is all for the future. "The punishment
of your iniquity is finished daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you
away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will
discover your sins" (Lamentations 4;22). This is all for the future. "He
will no more carry you away into captivity," is instructing us about the
future redemption. If it was otherwise what would be the point of saying to
those in exile that they would no longer be exiled unless it meant that
they really are destined to be redeemed from the exile they are in? Also,
"he will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will discover your
sins", must be for the future. It could not be speaking of the past for it
was they who were beaten by Herod the Edomite in the time of the Second
Temple. It all must pertain to the future. It is impossible that this was
all conditional, that they did not desrve it, and that the prophecies were
spoken for nothing. It is pertinent that at the time of their exile Israel
were sinning and transgressing. Even so, it was prophesied, "The punishment
of your iniquity is finished daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you
away into captivity" (Lamentations 4;22). This was not conditional, meaning
to say that on condition that they repented then they would have been
redeemed. This is not the way of Prophecies to make such limited
conditions. Rather it is all pertyaining to the future. Zechariah lived in
the Second Temple period. Zechariah said, "Behold, the day of the LORD is
coming," and so on in great detail that without any doubt can only be
referring to some future day. So too, were these passages explained by the
Commentators and by our holy sages of blessed memory.
************************************************************************
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