What Does Brit-Am Believe? Why the Confusion?
14 February 2023; 23 Shevet, 5783.
Rough Outline Only. Notes and References to be added later.
Contents:
1. Main Principles.
2. Where are the Lost Ten Tribes?
3. The Task of Joseph.
4. Converting to Judaism. Coming to Live in Israel.
5. Mixed Multitude, "ErevRav," Now Ruling over us?
6. Messiah son of Joseph (MBJ) and Messiah son of David (MBD). End Times Scenario.
7. Return of the Ten Tribes.
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1. Main Principles:
Spread the message, Help Judah. Brit-Am understands the Lost Ten Tribes to be among Western Peoples. They should know this. In our time it may be important. This information should lead to increased Biblical Awareness and more righteous behavior. Do what God wants according to the Bible.
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2. Where are the Lost Ten Tribes?
The Lost Ten Tribes are among Western Nations.
The English-speaking peoples embody the Tribes of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh.
Joseph should also help protect Judah and assist Judah in rebuilding the Holy Land. Judah is preparing the way for the other Tribes.
This knowledge should be made known to those concerned.
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3. The Task of Joseph.
Joseph has a task to fulfill.This includes upgrading and civilizing humanity.
Much of this may already have been carried out.
Joseph had previously lost his identity and was exiled. This was in order for Joseph and his brothers to fulfill their task.
An understanding of the Task may be derived from the Blessings to Abraham.
When Joseph has completed his task he can return.
Return means re-asserting Hebrew identity, drawing closer to Judah as a prelude to political and religious unification.
At present Brit-Am/Hebrew Awareness fits into all this by spreading knowledge of Hebrew ancestry and encouraging concern for Judah. This is a beginning and it is important and should be assisted.
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4. Converting to Judaism. Coming to Live in Israel.
Individual "Ephraimites" who wish to convert to Judaism may do so if they feel they should.
Someone who already knows they should convert should not delay it.
On the whole however Conversion of individuals is not encouraged. Joseph had his own role to play as Joseph, with others from Joseph, and in the Lands of Joseph.
On the other hand, if considering Coming to Israel:
Non-Jews (especially descendants of Israel) should not necessarily come to live in Israel among Jews without first converting and/or being prepared to do so. After conversion they should keep the Law and identify with other Jews.
In the End Times all the descendants of Joseph will return as one unit.
They will Renew the Covenant as one group. From a Religious-Legal Point of view this will be parallel to receiving the Torah at Sinai and the equivalent of mass conversion. Meanwhile they do not necessarily have to convert if they are not coming to live in Israel straight away.
Jews and Gentiles who live in Israel but commit grievous sins endanger the whole community.
In other words: Individual Conversion is not encouraged but there are exceptions. These entail doing it straight away especially if the intention is to come and live in the State of Israel.
Experience shows that Gentiles who come to live in Israel without converting conjugate with Jews but resent the Jewish Religion and usually join the forces of the Erev Rav. See Below.
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5. Mixed Multitude, "Erev-Rav," Riff-Raff? Now Ruling over us?
Among Jews and among all Israelites there exists a large body of the Mixed Multitude.
These are the "Erev Rav" (Mixed Multitude) who attached themselves to the Hebrews when they came out of Egypt. They are the interface between Jews and non-Jews, Israelites and foreigners.
Exodus 12:
38: A mixed crowd ["mixed multitude] also went up with them, and livestock in great numbers, both flocks and herds.
The expression "Erev Rav" is from the Hebrew "erev" i.e. mixed, and "rav" connoting multitude.
The English word "riffraff" sounds similar and has a like meaning.
According to some sources:
The Erev Rav may be the majority in both Judah and Israel. They are found among both Jews and the Ten Tribes. They are riff-raff and the weak link in the chain.
If the True Israelites are strong the Riff-Raff will repent and be strengthened in a positive direction and give their strength to United Israel. If however the True Israelites are not strong it will work the other way.
At present the Riff-Raff rule (OR AT LEAST HAVE AN OVERBEARING INFLUENCE) over all Israelites including both Judah and Israel. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that as long as we are aware of it and make allowances for it.
Great Rabbis opined that we all have aspects of the Erev Rav in each one of us. We have to recognize this enemy within us and subdue it, or channel its energies in a positive direction.
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6. Messiah son of Joseph (MBJ) and Messiah son of David (MBD). End Times Scenario.
MBJ arrives before MBD. MBJ will probably be a real person but belief in him is not compulsory unlike MBD.
MBJ as well as probably being a real person also represents an Historical Process that will come about close to the End Times.
MBJ will lead the Ten Tribes, defeat the enemies of Judah, and help Judah. He will initiate reconciliation with Judah and help rebuild the Land.
This is similar in some respects to WW2 and its aftermath.
MBD will bring all the Jews back to Judaism.
MBD tells every Israelite what Tribe they belong to.
The Temple will be rebuilt.
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7. Return of the Ten Tribes.
The Ten Tribes will renew the Covenant.
What this means is not clear but in Rabbinical Sources it is considered the equivalent of conversion.
The Land of Greater Israel will be divided among the Tribes. Each Tribe will receive its own portion. The Tribes will not intermix. Descendants of non-Israelites who dwell among Israelites and identify with them will also receive an inheritance in the Land alongside those of whichever Tribe they live among (Ezekiel 47:23).
Lands that the TTs now possess and possibly other lands as well will be considered their own and as part of the Land of Israel. The Sanctity of the Holy Land will spread to them.
When the Ten Tribes return they will come by way of Kurdistan, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan (Zechariah 10:9, Micah 7:14).
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References.
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Commentary of the ‘Natziv’ (Naphtali Zvi Berlin ‘“ an important 19th century Rabbi in Russia whose opinion is still greatly respected) in free translation:
"YOUR CAPTAINS OF YOUR TRIBES": The expression ‘˜of your tribes’™ would appear to be superfluous...rather it comes to teach us that each tribe and its heads are not judged the same way as the others. Each tribe is judged according to its own nature and according to that quality it was recognized to be most adherent to. Each tribe is judged by [the extent of its adherence to or] deviation from its own special characteristic. This is similar to Amos:
"THUS SAITH THE L-RD; FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF JUDAH, AND FOR FOUR, I WILL NOT TURN AWAY THE PUNISHMENT THEREOF; BECAUSE THEY HAVE DESPISED THE LAW OF THE L-RD, AND HAVE NOT KEPT HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND THEIR LIES CAUSED THEM TO ERR, AFTER THE WHICH THEIR FATHERS HAVE WALKED [Amos 2:4].
"THUS SAITH THE L-RD; FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF ISRAEL, AND FOR FOUR, I WILL NOT TURN AWAY THE PUNISHMENT THEREOF; BECAUSE THEY SOLD THE RIGHTEOUS FOR SILVER, AND THE POOR FOR A PAIR OF SHOES [Amos 2:6]:
"The main judgment against Judah is because they departed from their good path of keeping HIS commandments, meaning the qualities of the Torah. It is an honor for the Written Law that it be kept very strictly. When Judah departed from the good path it was as if they despised the Torah. This did not apply to the [other] tribes of Israel who had never been really strict about learning the Torah. On the contrary, their main characteristic was kindness [empathy] between a man and his fellow. The main judgment against the [northern Ten] Tribes is because they deviated from the quality of social empathy and sold ‘THE POOR FOR A PAIR OF SHOES’.
Note the principles enunciated by the Natziv and how important they are for Brit-Am studies:
*Each tribe has its own peculiar characteristics and meritorious traits of its own. It is expected to adhere to these natural inclinations. If it deviates from its own tribal nature it is liable to be punished.
*Not every tribe is judged in the same way. This also applies to individuals.
*Judah is expected to keep the Law and will be punished if it does not.
*The other tribes were less involved with the Law BUT they were connected to the characteristic of social justice.
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Great Rabbis. Pri Tsadik, Bais Yisroel,
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Blessings to Abraham.
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/biblical-proof/blessings/abraham.html
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CivilizingHumanity.
Master Plan.
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/bible/masterplan.html
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riffraff (n.)
https://www.etymonline.com/word/riffraff
also riff-raff, late 15c., "persons of disreputable character or low degree," from earlier rif and raf (Anglo-French rif et raf) "one and all, everybody; every scrap, everything," also "sweepings, refuse, things of small value" (mid-14c.), from Old French rif et raf, from rifler "to spoil, strip" (see rifle (v.)). Second element from raffler "carry off," related to rafle "plundering," or from raffer "to snatch, to sweep together" (see raffle (n.)); the word presumably made more for suggestive half-rhyming alliteration than for sense.
The meaning "refuse, scum, or rabble of a community" is by 1540s....
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Ten Tribes to Return this being the Equivalent of Conversion anew.
Eventually the Lost Ten Tribes will return and be accepted anew into the Covenant of Moses (Malachi 3:22; Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10; Zohar, "VaYechi"). At present they have other goals and duties to fulfill. Technically they are Gentiles and not obligated by the Law (Jeremiah 3:8, Talmud, Yebamot 17a,b). Their obligations under the Law have been suspended temporarily (Hosea 1:9).
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Predicted Hebrew Islands
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/rabbi/sofer.html
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Not Keeping the Law Endangers Everybody!
Time to Repent. articles/tribes/hebrewamerica/repent.html
The New World, Nachmanides, and Other Matters.
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/hebrewamerica/repent.html
4. Nachmanides and Dwelling in the Land of Israel.
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/tribes/hebrewamerica/repent.html
Nachmanides: The Connection Between The Law and the Land:
The connection between the Law and the Land is best summed up by Nachmanides (1194-1270. Not everybody would necessarily agree with Nachmanides on every point but what he says does appear to fit all relevant Biblical passages. The extract below is a free translation:
Nachmanides:
"AND THE LAND IS DEFILED: THEREFORE I DO VISIT THE INIQUITY THEREOF UPON IT, AND THE LAND ITSELF VOMITETH OUT HER INHABITANTS" [Leviticus 18:25]. Scripture is especially strict concerning sexual offences that if transgressed cause the Land to be polluted and vomit the offenders out of it. Are not sexual offences pertinent to the physical body rather than to the land? The secret of the matter, however, is contained in the verse, "WHEN THE MOST HIGH DIVIDED TO THE NATIONS THEIR INHERITANCE, WHEN HE SEPARATED THE SONS OF ADAM, HE SET THE BOUNDS OF THE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL"; "FOR THE LORD'S PORTION IS HIS PEOPLE" [Deuteronomy 32:8-9]..... God gave the Land of Israel to His special people, the seed of His beloved ones, as it says, "YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE UNTO ME ABOVE ALL PEOPLE: FOR ALL THE EARTH IS MINE" [Exodus 19:5], and it says, "SO SHALL YE BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD" [Jeremiah 11:4]. ......God sanctified the people who dwell in His land with the sanctity of sexual prohibitions and numerous commandments to be dedicated to His Name. It therefore says, "YE SHALL THEREFORE KEEP ALL MY STATUTES, AND ALL MY JUDGMENTS, AND DO THEM: THAT THE LAND, WHITHER I BRING YOU TO DWELL THEREIN, SPUE YOU NOT OUT" [Leviticus 20:22]. And it says, "YE SHALL INHERIT THEIR LAND, AND I WILL GIVE IT UNTO YOU TO POSSESS IT, A LAND THAT FLOWETH WITH MILK AND HONEY: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHICH HAVE SEPARATED YOU FROM OTHER PEOPLE" [Leviticus 20:24]....
Numerous other verses confirm and expand on the points raised by Nachmanides.
Brit-Am Explanation: The Lost Ten Tribes were destined to be exiled and forget the correct worship of God. In the future they will return, acknowledge the Almighty, and re-settle the Land. Jacob represents his descendants. When He returns to his spiritual and physical inheritance ("MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN PEACE") then He will once again return to the God of Israel..
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Returning to the Land of GREATER Israel.
Micah (NKJV) 7:
14 Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
The flock of Your heritage,
Who dwell solitarily in a woodland,
In the midst of Carmel;
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
As in days of old.
Zechariah (NKJV) 10:
9 I will sow them among the peoples,
And they shall remember Me in far countries;
They shall live, together with their children,
And they shall return.
10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt,
And gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon,
Until no more room is found for them.
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Once the decision is made to convert it should be carried out with alacrity.
Talmud, Yebamot 48;b # Why do converts in our time endure troubles and sufferings?
Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel says: Because they did not keep the Seven Commandments of the Children of Noah [before conversion].
Rabbi Yose said: A convert who converts is like a newborn child. Why therefore do they suffer? Because they are not as learned as regular Israelites to keep the Commandments as they should be kept.
Aba Chanan in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: Because they do it out of fear [of punishment] rather than from love [of God].
Others say: Because they delayed placing themselves under the Wings of the Divine Presence [of converting].
Said Rabbi Abahu: We learned from Rabbi Chaninah: Where do we read of this? "The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge" (Ruth 2:12).
Commentary of Rashi: That you hurried and did not delay [attaching yourself to the Almighty].
Brit-Am: From this we may learn that once the decision is made it should be carried out.
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