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From: Yair Davidi [mailto:britam@netvision.net.il]
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Rabbi Malbim on Ezekiel 37
NOTE FROM EDDIE:
Yair Davidi is an ORTHODOX JEW who lives in Jerusalem, Israel and has a ministry (Brit-Am) devoted and dedicated to doing research and spreading awareness of the Ten Lost Tribes and their reunification with the house of Judah in the end of days.
END OF NOTE
RABBI MALBIM On EZEKIEL 37
The full name of the MALBIM was Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michael [Weiser], but he is called "MALBIM" for short. He lived in 1809-1879 CE. The Malbim comments on Ezekiel 37:
Ezekiel 37 says:
[Ezekiel 37:15] THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN UNTO ME,
SAYING,
[Ezekiel 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:
[Ezekiel 37:17] AND JOIN THEM ONE TO ANOTHER INTO ONE STICK; AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN THINE HAND.
[Ezekiel 37:18] AND WHEN THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE SHALL SPEAK UNTO THEE, SAYING, WILT THOU NOT SHEW US WHAT THOU MEANEST BY THESE?
[Ezekiel 37:19] SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL HIS FELLOWS, AND WILL PUT THEM WITH HIM, EVEN WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.
[Ezekiel 37:20] AND THE STICKS WHEREON THOU WRITEST SHALL BE IN THINE HAND BEFORE THEIR EYES.
[Ezekiel 37:21] AND SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN, WHITHER THEY BE GONE, AND WILL GATHER THEM ON EVERY SIDE, AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN LAND:
[Ezekiel 37:22] AND I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION IN THE LAND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL; AND ONE KING SHALL BE KING TO THEM ALL: AND THEY SHALL BE NO MORE TWO NATIONS, NEITHER SHALL THEY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS ANY MORE AT ALL.
[Ezekiel 37:23] NEITHER SHALL THEY DEFILE THEMSELVES ANY MORE WITH THEIR IDOLS, NOR WITH THEIR DETESTABLE THINGS, NOR WITH ANY OF THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS: BUT I WILL SAVE THEM OUT OF ALL THEIR DWELLINGPLACES, WHEREIN THEY HAVE SINNED, AND WILL CLEANSE THEM: SO SHALL THEY BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.
[Ezekiel 37:24] AND DAVID MY SERVANT SHALL BE KING OVER THEM; AND THEY ALL SHALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD: THEY SHALL ALSO WALK IN MY JUDGMENTS, AND OBSERVE MY STATUTES, AND DO THEM.
[Ezekiel 37:25] AND THEY SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UNTO JACOB MY SERVANT, WHEREIN YOUR FATHERS HAVE DWELT; AND THEY SHALL DWELL THEREIN, EVEN THEY, AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN FOR EVER: AND MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR EVER.
[Ezekiel 37:26] MOREOVER I WILL MAKE A COVENANT OF PEACE WITH THEM; IT SHALL BE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM: AND I WILL PLACE THEM, AND MULTIPLY THEM, AND WILL SET MY SANCTUARY IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR EVERMORE.
[Ezekiel 37:27] MY TABERNACLE ALSO SHALL BE WITH THEM: YEA, I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
[Ezekiel 37:28] AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I THE LORD DO SANCTIFY
ISRAEL, WHEN MY SANCTUARY SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR
EVERMORE.
The Malbim explained the above verses that we have just read from the 37th chapter of Ezekiel in the following manner:
[Ezekiel 37;15] "He [the Prophet] was commanded to take one stick and to write upon it, these words, ~FOR JUDAH AND FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS~, [this stick] represented Judah and those [others] joined unto him from the Children of Israel, such as the Tribe of Benjamin, and the Sons of Levi, and the rest of the people who had attached themselves to Judah.
[And he goes on in Ezekiel] "~And he took another stick, and he wrote upon it, these words: ~FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS~, [this stick] represents Joseph who was the source of the tribe [of Ephraim]. From Joseph developed the Kingdom of Ephraim which began with Jeroboam, and therefore [the stick of Joseph] is [also] termed , ~THE STICK OF EPHRAIM.
Ezekiel says: ~AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL~, for unto him [unto Joseph] were joined all of Israel which belong to the Ten Tribes...
Ezekiel [37;19] "BEHOLD , I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH..."I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH...AND I WILL PUT UPON HIM THE STICK OF JUDAH", i.e. the Malbim understands the verse to say that the stick of Judah will be put on the stick of Joseph. The Malbim understands this to mean that Judah will be secondary to Joseph.
The KJ version of this verse (Ezekiel 37;19) that the Malbim is referring to has it translated as: "[Ezekiel 37:19] SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL HIS FELLOWS, AND WILL PUT THEM WITH HIM, EVEN WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.
The King James seems to understand that the stick of Joseph will be put with the stick of Judah and not that the stick of Judah will be put with Joseph. This is just the opposite of how the Malbim understands the verse.
In the original Hebrew the verse could be understood either way. At all events, The MALBIM understands the Hebrew as saying that Judah will be put on (attached to) Joseph (and therefore will be at first of secondary "attache"status importance to Joseph.
In Genesis chapter 44 it is related how the brothers sold Joseph. Joseph later had become the virtual ruler of Egypt. Meanwhile the Land of Canaan like the Land of Egypt was stricken with famine. The brothers of Joseph went up to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph recognized his brothers but the brothers of Joseph did not recognize him. Joseph forced his brothers to go back to Canaan and eventually return accompanied by Benjamin the younger brother of Joseph by the same mother. Joseph then framed Benjamin and made Benjamin look like a thief. Joseph threatened to keep Benjamin as a slave. Judah stepped forward and approached Joseph and pleaded on behalf of Benjamin. Judah offered to serve as a slave instead of Benjamin. The Commentators say that because Judah took responsibility for Benjamin Judah merited to be given Messianic responsibility as part of his Tribal Destiny.
From Judah emerges the House of David and the future Messiah.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher (Chabad) Rabbi, made the following observations on the action of Judah (Genesis: VaYigash). Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was considered inspired by his followers and by many others.
The relevant verse says:
[GENESIS 44:18] THEN JUDAH CAME NEAR UNTO HIM, AND SAID, OH MY LORD, LET
THY SERVANT, I PRAY THEE, SPEAK A WORD IN MY LORD'S EARS, AND LET NOT THINE
ANGER BURN AGAINST THY SERVANT: FOR THOU ART EVEN AS PHARAOH.
Commentary:
On the verse: "FOR THOU ART EVEN AS PHARAOH": Rabbi Schneerson quotes the
source saying that Judah meant to say that Joseph is as powerful as Pharaoh
and that Judah acknowledges his authority. Judah acknowledged the authority
of Joseph. Because of this Judah merited the Promise in Ezekiel 37, "MY
SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR EVER". The Rabbi says that in order
for Judah to bring on the Messiah, to help the Messiah come, and realize
the promise given to his seed ("MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR
EVER") Judah must first do as the Patriarch Judah did when he CAME NEAR
UNTO Joseph and he acknowledged the authority of Joseph and initially was
influenced from Joseph.
The MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH was to appear before the MESSIAH SON OF DAVID. In some sources the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH is called "The First Redeemer." The "Second Redeemer" will be the Messiah son of David.
The Messiah son of Joseph will be the leader of the Lost Ten Tribes.
A few points concerning the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH that are to be found in the book "Kol HaTor" ("The Voice of the Turtledove" in Hebrew). This book is a collection of the sayings of a great and famous Rabbi (Eliyahu of Vilna) and his followers in the eighteenth century. The book deals with the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH. Rabbi Elyahu of Vilna is considered to have been one of the greatest Rabbis of all time. The ideas in this book "Kol HaTor" are all based on Biblical or related sources.
Our Prayers Are Needed:
[In Ezekiel 37:16, Ezekiel was told to take one stick, FOR JUDAH. Ezekeil was then told to take ANOTHER STICK, FOR JOSEPH. Ezekiel was told in Ezekiel 37:17 to join the two sticks together. THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN THINE HAND. The two sticks (representing Judah and Joseph) were to first become one in the hand of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 37:19 God says that the two sticks SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.]
[Ezekiel says that] First the two sticks will become one in your hands and afterwards they will be one in my [God's] hand." [i.e. This means that: First Judah and Joseph should try to join together from below and afterwards God will help them from above].
On the same theme: "Kol HaTor" emphasizes The Two Sticks (representing Judah and Joseph) Must be Joined Together Through Our Initiative!
[2.101] Ezekiel (37) speaks of the stick of Joseph [and Judah and the union of Judah with Joseph].
At first the union [of Judah with Joseph] comes about through arousal from below by way of nature [through our actions] as it says, "Join them one to another into one stick." And afterwards [the re-union is confirmed] in a miraculous manner, [through the hand of God, as it says in Ezekiel "they shall become on in Your hand" meaning they shall become re-united in the hand of God!
Ingathers the Exiles
"Kol HaTor" says [2.40] "His [i.e. Joseph's] bow abode in strength"
(Genesis 49;24). This should be an important principle for us. We have to
stand obstinately strong in the holy work of gathering in the exiles which
is the task of the first redeemer [i.e. of the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH].
Eventually a re-union between Joseph and Judah will take place.
The sooner the better. Helping Brit-Am through purchasing books and tapes, and contributions, and helping to spread Brit-Am truth and knowledge is a first step towards the re-unification of Judah and Joseph. Everybody should participate in this enterprise and do whatever they can to help us.
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