To:                heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject:       Lost Tribes/Commentary:  BALAK by Yair Davidi


                            Lost Tribes/Commentary:  BALAK


by Yair Davidi

The Book of Numbers, chapter 21, recounts how the children of Israel
after emerging from the
wilderness were about to enter the land of Canaan.  They conquered the
lands of Sihon and Og east of the Jordan.  These were Amorite kingdoms.

Numbers chapter 22

The land of Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab bordered that of Sihon and
Og whom the Israelites had conquered.  Balak was afraid of the encroaching
Hebrews.  He therefore sent to Pethor (Peter) to Balaam
the son of Beor.  Balaam was a sort of super religious potentate at the
time.  Balaam believed in G-d but he also believed that the will of G-d
could be manipulated.  Just as we know that through prayer and good deeds
punishment may be averted and the bad made good so Balaam believed that
through using the proper techniques G-d's will could be changed and the
good made bad.

We see that later [Numbers chapter 25 and 31:16] Balaam advised the
Moabites and Midianites to send their daughters to fornicate with the sons
of Israel.  The intention was that the Israelites sin and God lessen his
protection over them.

At all events Balak king of Moab induced Balaam the priest and sorcerer to
come and curse the children of Israel.  Balaam came and set up altars
[Numbers chapter 23] but every time he attempted to curse the Israelites
G-d caused him to bless them instead.  These blessings were also prophecies.

Concerning "Brit-Am" teachings we have much to learn from the blessings of
Balaam.

Balaam likens the Israelites to a unicorn and to a lion [Numbers 23:22-24].
 The Hebrew translated as "unicorn" is "raem" and "unicorn" is a legitimate
translation of this word and so it was understood from the earliest times
and by the greatest of authorities, as discussed in my book "The Tribes".

The British people have as their symbol the lion and the unicorn.  Joseph
[Deuteronomy 33:17] was symbolized by a young bull and by the horns of
unicorns.  The descendants of Joseph are amongst British-descended and
North American peoples.  Balaam blessed Jacob (representing the Israelites)
that "he shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in
many waters" [Numbers 24:7] meaning dwelling on the shores of several
oceans and controlling the seas.  "his kingdom shall be exalted", "he shall
eat up the nations his
enemies, and shall break their bones":  i.e. a world power.

The sages said that based on the blessings which G-d forced Balaam to utter
we learn what the intended curses were.  Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsh
analysed the Hebrew and said that one of the intended curses (probably the
main one) was to cause a permanent division between the aspects of "Jacob"
and "Israel".  These aspects represent several qualities.  One sense
(according to authorities quoted by Menasseh ben Israel) of understanding
the two aspects of "Jacob" and "Israel" is that of "Judah" (the Jews) and
Israel (the Lost Ten Tribes headed by Joseph).  A full blessing in both the
spiritual and physical sense can only be achieved through a union of both
Judah and Joseph.

Another point noted by the commentaries and which Balaam also realized is
that one of the factors protecting Israel from the malignant intentions of
its enemy and his curses was the sanctity of Israelite home life and sexual
morality.  Balaam later attempted to undermine this.  At the beginning of
nearly every blessing Balaam says something hinting at this.

Another related point is in Numbers 24:2:

"And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding according to
their tribes; and the spirit of G-d came upon him".

Note:  "he saw Israel abiding according to their tribes" -- being aware of
Tribal Identity can be a source of blessing.

 
Shalom,
 
Yair Davidi
Jerusalem, Israel
[britam@netvision.net.il]

------------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT YAIR DAVIDY:

YAIR DAVIDY is the founder of Brit-Am Israel, an organization that conducts
research on the Lost Ten Tribes.  Mr. Davidy is the author of "Ephraim",
"The Tribes" and "Lost Israelite Identity:  The Hebraic Origin
of Celtic Races".  Mr. Davidi publishes "The Tribesman", a magazine devoted
to research on the Lost Ten Tribes.

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To:                 heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject:       Lost Tribes/Commentary:  THE KHAZARS by Yair Davidi

Lost Tribes/Commentary:  THE KHAZARS

by Yair Davidi


JERUSALEM, D.C. (DAVID'S CAPITAL),  The Khazars were a
powerful people who once ruled over portions of Russia and eastern
Europe.  They (or at least many of their leaders) converted to
Judaism, were eventually defeated and disappeared.  Their descendants
were either assimilated amongst the Jews or became Sabbath-keeping and
other "sectarian" Christians many (if not most) of whom in some way or
other migrated to the west and to North America.  Other descendants of
the Khazars may be scattered throughout the former area of the
U.S.S.R. and in different parts of Europe.

A knowledge of the Khazars is useful for several reasons.  Evidence
exists that the Khazars were descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel.
There is also proof that they were related to peoples in northwest
Europe. It follows that evidence connecting northwest Europeans to
Israel is strengthened when cognizance is taken of the Israelite
ancestry of their Khazar brothers.

THE KHAZARS AND JEW-HATERS ("ANTI-SEMITES")

Another reason for studying the Khazars is that Jew-haters
("anti-Semites") and some self-hating assimilationist Jews claim that
the present-day Jews came from the Khazars who they assume were
non-Israelite.

Jew-haters use their notion of the Khazars to allege that the Jews are
impostors and not true descendants of Israel.  Some "Identity" groups
also make this allegation.  So do the Arabs and some African American
Jew-haters.  In the past some self-hating assimilationist Jews used
the Khazar idea to claim that since their ancestors were not in Judah
at a certain time therefore they were not culpable for whatever the
Jews may or may not have done to the Christian messiah.

The background for some of these ideas also concerns the Karaites of
Russia.

THE KHAZARS AND KARAITES

The Khazars ruled over many peoples some of whom were also influenced
by Hebraising tendencies.  In Judaism at that time there were two main
streams.  There were Rabbinical Jews who parallel the Torah-observant
("Orthodox") Jews of today.  They believed in the Bible and in its
interpretation according to the rabbinic oral tradition.  They were
homogeneous (and still are) and consistent in their basic beliefs and
practices. They usually managed to reach a consensus regarding the
practical application of Biblical injunctions.

Another group were the Karaites who claimed to believe only in
Scripture. The Karaites, however, were actually eclectic and widely
divergent amongst themselves in their interpretation of Scripture.
The Karaite movement in the modern sense had begun in the region of
present-day Iraq but its roots may be traced back to the Samaritans
and to the Sadducees and to other sects of former times.

Amongst the numerous groups subject to the Khazars were Tartars and
Turkish elements and some of these accepted the Karaite form of
religion.  IT SHOULD HOWEVER BE REMEMBERED THAT THOSE OF THE KHAZARS
THEMSELVES WHO HAD ACCEPTED JUDAISM WERE ADHERENTS OF THE RABBINICAL
FORM.  The Karaites of Russia were not really Jews but freely
intermarried with the Tartars and spoke a Tartar dialect.  Groups of
Karaites were found in Lithuania and southern Russia and the Crimea
and at one stage even in Germany.

Under the Czars the Jews were persecuted and the Karaites naturally
wished to be exempt from anti-Jewish discrimination.  They therefore
claimed to be descended from the Lost Ten Tribes and not Judaeans and
so could not be held responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.

CRIMEAN TOMBSTONES AND THE LOST TEN TRIBES

In the Crimea certain tombstones, etc., were produced by a wealthy
Karaite scholar named Firkovitch.  These tombstones bear the names of
people stating that they are descended from Tribes of Israel exiled by
Assyria. For a short period several leading authorities were misled by
this evidence and there were those who maybe wanted to be misled in
order to help the Karaites out of their predicament.

Recently the claim has been made that even though Firkovitch did forge
some tombstones the examples are so numerous that it is unlikely that
he forged all of them.  Israeli TV recently ran a two part series on
the Khazars and this claim was stated there.

[Some sections of The Lost Ten Tribes really had once been in the
Crimea and in other areas of southern and eastern Russia]

Other Karaite figures both under the Russians and under Hitler strove
to prove that they were not racially of Jewish or Israelite origin.
Some of them were actively anti-Jewish!  PLEASE NOTE THAT TO BE
CONSIDERED AN ISRAELITE OF WHATEVER TYPE CAN BE DANGEROUS!

In some accounts of the Khazars it is sometimes assumed that the
Karaites descend from them.  This assumption is mistaken and
misleading.


ARTHUR KOESTLER:

Another source of confusion is Arthur Koestler who wrote "The
Thirteenth Tribe".  Koestler was a self-hating non-believer.  He had
the notion that Jew-hatred was due to the Jews being blaimed for the
death of Jesus. If he could show that most Jews were not descended
from those who lived at the time of crucifixion of Jesus then the
Christians would not murder, torture and villify Jews anymore.  It
would all be seen as one big mistake and peace would descend on the
world.

Koestler therefore wrote his book tracing European Jews to the
Khazars. Koestler read all the sources and adopted those that suited
his theory. One of his sources was a letter from the King of Khazaria
tracing their origins back to Gomer son of Japhet.  The letter in fact
may well be genuine but the geneaology is a later insertion.

This may be proven by noting the political situation it reflects and
comparing it to later sources.  There is a letter from a subject of
this same King stating that the Khazars were descended from Lost
Israelite Tribes. There is an earlier account of Eldad HaDani who in
some opinions was also a Khazar and he too connects them to Israelite
Tribes.

Jewish sources contemporary with their conversion or shortly
afterwards also spoke of the Khazars originally having been
Israelites.

At all events Koestler's attempt backfired and his book has become a
favorite with Jew-haters.  They now say that not only did the Jews
murder Jesus but that they are not even the Jews of the Bible, being
impostors, etc.

The Khazars at all events never appear to have been very numerous
though they ruled over a great many other peoples.  They were a small
militaristic nomadic elite.  Whatever happened to them their
demographic significance could not have been significant
quantitatively.


THE BIBLICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD CONVERTS IN GENERAL

Regarding conversion or simply the genuine acceptance of membership in
the Israelite community, Scripture has already spoken, "Thou shalt
neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt" [Exodus 22:20]

"One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for
the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your
generations:  as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD".
[Numbers 15:15]

"And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an
inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn amongst you,
which shall beget children among you:  and they shall be unto you as
born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have
inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel". [Ezekiel 47:22]


KHAZAR HISTORY

A linguistic study (Baschmakoff, Paris 1937) based on place-names
indicated that the Khazars could be connected with the region of
northern Mesopotamia and to Adiabene, i.e. to areas to which the Lost
Ten Tribes had been exiled in 730-720 B.C.E.  Arab chroniclers record
the Khazars having been east of the Caspian Sea in the time of
Alexander the Great (Dunlop).  They were said to have invaded Armenia
in ca. 197-217 C.E. and to have been subjected by the Armenians (Moses
of Chorene).

They assisted the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate in 363 C.E. and
managed to conquer Armenia with their ships dominating the Caspian
Sea.  The Caspian Sea was formerly known as "The Khazar Sea".  The
Khazars were also known as "Gazari" and as "Akatzyri" and
"Agathyrsoi".  In the past under the name Agathyrsoi they had been
variously reported in Thrace (south-east Europe), in the Pontus
(north-east Turkey), in Poland, and towards the far north-eastern edge
of the Baltic Sea shore.

Servius on Virgil and Scottish sources said that the Picts of Scotland
were descended from a portion of the Agathyrsoi who crossed the sea
and conquered north Scotland.

One branch of the Khazars were known as Sabirs.  A group of "Sabarium"
together with "Carnutum" had served in Gaul as Roman mercenaries.
These have been ascribed both Anglo-Saxon and Central Asian origins
(GDH vol.1, p.209 ff, vol.4 p.108 ff).  They used the runic "Ing"
letter as their emblem.  This sign is usually associated with the
Angles and is of Scandinavian origin.

In the period 350-450 C.E. the Huns from the area of Mongolia advanced
westward conquering other peoples and forcing them to join their
forces or flee before them.  The  Huns swept into Europe.  The
Anglo-Saxon and related invasions of Britain in the 450s are connected
with the Hun aggression.

Attila the Hun in ca. 434 C.E. had made the Akartziri (Khazars) his
tributaries and appointed his first-born son Ellac as their king over
them.

 The Akatziri (Khazars) fought as Hun auxiliaries alongside the Black
Huns and Alans in Gaul.  Upon Attila's death they returned to the Caucasus
area.

Central Asian and Scythian history can be confusing since there were
many different groups each of which often had several names.  The
names of one group were sometimes interchanged with that of another
due to conquest or assimilation or one group taking over the former
territory or status of the other.

Another portion of the Khazars were the White Ugrians whom the Chinese
described as tall, white-skinned, and green-eyed (McGovern p.472).
The White Ugrians had been in that part of Scythia once ascribed to
the "Hugie" who were in effect the Franks who later settled in France.
 The White Ugrians ruled over a mixed Turkish and Mongolian group
known as the "Black" Ugrians.

Another people once confederated with the Khazars were the White Huns
who were also known as "Nephtali" and descend from the Naphtali Tribe
of Israel.  With the break-up of the Hun Empire remnants of the Huns
in the east were absorbed by the "Turkish(?)" Juan-juan who became
known as the Avars.  The name "Avar" or "Abar" had originally been one
of the names of the Naphtalite Huns but somehow it became applicable
to the Juan-juan who ruled over them.

As stated a people in East Scythia known as the Juan-juan had once
dominated the Khazars, White Ugrians, and Naphtalite Huns who
revolted.  In the course of this revolt most of the Nephtalites moved
westward eventually reaching Scandinavia and settling in Norway.  In
the meanwhile the Khazars and White Ugrians defeated the  Juan-juan
("Avars") and killed most of them.

The remaining Avars were accepted as leaders by the Black Ugrians who
previously had been "White Ugrian" vassals.  The Black Ugrians
henceforth took the name "Avar" upon themselves and migrated to
Central Europe where in the period 550-769 C.E. they dominated
Hungary, parts of Austria, and parts of Germany.  Their kingdom was
destroyed by the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne.

Prior to 582 C.E. the Bulgars in eastern Scythia had been subject to a
branch of the Khazars.  They moved to the Volga-Ural region and also
to the area of modern Bulgaria.  In both places the Khazars were
suzerain over them at some stage or other.


THE KHAZARS CONVERT TO JUDAISM

According to the Russian-Jewish scholar, Abraham Harcavy (Vilna, 1867)
the Khazars converted to Judaism in about 620 C.E.  Other authorities
put this event more than a hundred years later.  The conversion at
first was more or less a secret and was confined to the king and his
co-ruling associate prince and to the inner aristocracy.  Later most
of the Khazars-proper appear to have converted along with some of the
Alans and some of the other subject peoples most of whom however
remained pagan, Christian, or Muslim.

The conversion was also done in stages (Polak).  At first they
accepted a kind of monotheism with Hebraic-type ceremonies which
perhaps in principle is paralleled by the modern Noachide movement
(?).  Later they accepted full-fledged Rabbinical Orthodoxy.

The first Khazar king to accept Judaism was named Bulan whose name
means "unicorn" or "elk" (Altheim, GDH vol.1 p.239).  The unicorn was
an emblem known from the Sakae region east of the Caspian Sea.  The
conversion of the Khazars to Judaism was preceded by a Disputation
amongst members of different religions.  The Jewish poet and
philosopher Yehuda HaLevi (1074-1141), in Spain, wrote a Classical
work in defence of Judaism using this Disputation as a framework.  The
book is called "The Kuzari".


Shalom from Jerusalem,

Yair Davidi
[britam@netvision.net.il]


------------------------------------------------------------


ABOUT YAIR DAVIDY:

YAIR DAVIDY is the founder of Brit-Am Israel, an organization that
conducts research on the Lost Ten Tribes.  Mr. Davidy is the author of
"Ephraim", "The Tribes" and "Lost Israelite Identity:  The Hebraic
Origin of Celtic Races".  Mr. Davidi publishes "The Tribesman", a
magazine devoted to research on the Lost Ten Tribes.

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