How will we know what Tribe we belong to?
Contents:
(1). Who will let us know what specific Tribe we belong to? MBJ or MBD?
(2). Conversion to Judaism and Tribal Affiliation in the End Time.
(3). Summary. MBJ leads the WaY!
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(1) Who will let us know what specific Tribe we belong to? MBJ or MBD?
Towards the End Times each and every Hebrew will be informed in some way or other what specific Tribe they belong to.
One source says this will be through the Messiah son of David, another through Messiah son of Joseph.
The first opinion is the most authoritative but the other is worth keeping in mind.
It may be that, as in other things MBJ will begin the Process and MBD complete it.
Pirkei Heichalos 39:1 writes:
# Forty years before the Davidic Messiah....Mashiach ben Yosef will come and stand in Jerusalem and all Israel will gather around him, each man with his family, and the Family of Israel will bring sacrifices which will be pleasant to God, and all Israel will be identified by their correct families. #
Source: Rabbi Moshe Eisemann , "Yechezkel / Ezekiel," NY, 1988, p. 578.
For readers of Hebrew the original text may be read at "Pirkei Heichalot Rabati" 39:1,
https://www.daat.ac.il/daat/mahshevt/mahadurot/pirkey-2.htm
"Pirkei Heichalos" is an obscure esoteric source dating anywhere from 300 CE to 900 CE or later. It is not generally referred to. Nevertheless, on this point it may be worth relating to.
Maimonides (1138-1204) says the Messiah son of David will tell each and every Hebrew what Tribe they belong to.
Maimonides bases himself on the simple meaning of a Talmudic passage. Maimonides has legal standing. This does not mean he has to be obeyed on every matter but he should taken into consideration.
Sefer Shoftim. Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 12.
By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1188357/jewish/Melachim-uMilchamot-Chapter-12.htm
Quotation:
Maimonides. Laws of Kings and their Wars,
12:3 During the era of the Messianic king, once his kingdom has been established and all of Israel has gathered around him, the Israelite family lineage will be given by his mouth through the holy spirit that will rest upon him, as Malachi 3:3 states: "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier." He will purify the lineage of the Levites first, stating "He is a priest (Cohen) of defined lineage. He is a Levite of defined lineage." Those whose lineage he will not recognize will be lowered to the status of Israelites. This is stated in Ezra 2:63: "The governor said to them: 'They should not eat of the most holy things until a priest arises who will wear the Urim vi-Tumim.'" From this verse, you can infer that the prophetic spirit will be used to define and notify the pedigree of lineage. When he defines the lineage of the Israelites, he will make known their tribal lineage alone, stating: "He is from this tribe and he is from another tribe." He will not, by contrast, state concerning a person who is presumed to be of unblemished lineage: "He is illegitimate or he is of slave lineage." For the law is once a family has become assimilated, remains assimilated.
Converts and non-Israelites who have been assimilated among the Jews and other Israelites will be given a portion according to the Israelite Tribe they dwell among.
cf.
Ezekiel 47:
21 SO YOU SHALL DIVIDE THIS LAND AMONG YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 22 YOU SHALL DIVIDE IT BY LOT FOR AN INHERITANCE AMONG YOURSELVES AND AMONG THE STRANGERS WHO STAY IN YOUR MIDST, WHO BRING FORTH SONS IN YOUR MIDST. AND THEY SHALL BE TO YOU AS THE NATIVE-BORN AMONG THE SONS OF ISRAEL; THEY SHALL BE ALLOTTED AN INHERITANCE WITH YOU AMONG THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 23 AND IN THE TRIBE WITH WHICH THE STRANGER RESIDES, THERE YOU SHALL GIVE HIM HIS INHERITANCE," DECLARES THE LORD GOD.
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(2) Conversion to Judaism and Tribal Affiliation in the End Time.
Nick asked:
... I was curious as to your stance on formal conversion. I am a circumcised man of primarily British descent, who has followed the ideas of British Israelism for some time, by way of Mormonism originally, though I have come to disregard Mormonism ... and believe Judaism is the true path.
Having said that, if Britain became the home of the 10 tribes, do you believe formal conversion is necessary for a British person? Or is Judaism as an institution the realm of the tribe of Judah thus making it unnecessary for a descendant of the 10 tribes to be grafted onto Judah?
Thank you and have a blessed week.
Brit-Am Reply:
Shalom,
This is a complicated question.
Someone who wishes to convert to Judaism does so because they believe in it and consider that to be what they should do.
They then become Jewish. After conversion, they should identify with the Jews without reservation.
Judaism is the religion of Judah and Tribes (Benjamin, Levi) that have attached themselves to Judah. Judah also incudes representative minorities of all the Tribes of Israel.
Judaism at its source is also the religion of all Israel. Israelite Tribes not attached to Judah have moved away and temporarily cut themselves off. They have suspended themselves from association. In the future they will return. Meanwhile Judaism has of necessity evolved. In the End Times some adjustments will be made. The Messiah will make them. We can wait till then or join up now with sall the attendant difficulties that may invovle.
What will happen in the End Times, and when, no-one really knows.
For the present each one has their own task in this world to fulfill.
No-one else can do that for us.
We all have to ask the Almighty for guidance.
If fulfilling one's own individual task requires converting to Judaism then do so. Otherwise think it over.
Brit-Am is calling upon you to be aware of your Israelite ancestry. What you do with it is up to you and your individual orientation.
Supporting Brit-Am and following its teachings is also important.
Ezekiel (NKJV) 47:
21 SO YOU SHALL DIVIDE THIS LAND AMONG YOURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 22 YOU SHALL DIVIDE IT BY LOT FOR AN INHERITANCE AMONG YOURSELVES AND AMONG THE STRANGERS WHO STAY IN YOUR MIDST, WHO BRING FORTH SONS IN YOUR MIDST. AND THEY SHALL BE TO YOU AS THE NATIVE-BORN AMONG THE SONS OF ISRAEL; THEY SHALL BE ALLOTTED AN INHERITANCE WITH YOU AMONG THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 23 AND IN THE TRIBE WITH WHICH THE STRANGER RESIDES, THERE YOU SHALL GIVE HIM HIS INHERITANCE," DECLARES THE LORD GOD.
According to our understand of the sources.
In the End Times each Hebrew will have it made known to them which Tribe they belong to.
The Land of Israel will be apportioned out to the different Tribes.
Areas that many of the Tribes now dwell in will also be incorporated within the Land of Israel. They too, may be re-divided on a Tribal Basis.
Presumably people will move about. Israelites of Hebrew descent will move to areas pertaining to their own Tribe.
How exactly this will work out we do not know. We can keep studying and wait for a definitive answer when the time comes.
What about Israelites from Tribes other than the Jewish ones who have converted to Judaism?
We do not know BUT the sources indicate that all Israel will at that time practice some kind of religion that incorporates the essentials of Judaism.
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3. Summary. MBJ leads the WaY!
In sum,
One opinion said the Messiah son of Joseph (MBJ) will reveal to each Israelite what Trbiue they belong to.
The other said it will be the Messiah son of David (MBD).
We reconciled the two by concluding that the MBJ will begin the process and MBD complete it.
MBJ is alos linked with the Temple and through the Temple with the Tribe of Levi.
The Tribe of Levi includes Cohens (Priests) and ordinary Levite officiates. They are associated with the Service in the Temple.
Several sources indicate that the Messiah son of Joseph, with the assistance of the Tribe of Manasseh, will be instrumental in rebuilding the Temple.
The Temple will be built before the coming of MBD.
In order to rebuilt the Temple and make sacrifices we need to know who belongs to the Tribe of Levi and who does not and also who among the Levites are Priests (Cohens) and who are not.
Since the MBJ will rebuild the Temple he will need to clarify who are Levites. Once he does that he can do the same for all the rest of the Israelite Tribes.
This strengthens the claim that MBJ will begin the process of telling each of the Hebrews what Tribes they belong to.
From this too, we may conclude that learning about the Tribes, taking an interest in them, seeking connections to them, and between them is also part of the process of Redemption.
Helping Brit-Am is involved with this. By Helping Brit-Am yopu are helping all over Israel.
Our movement, Brit-Am/Hebrew Awareness, researches the whereabouts of the Lost Ten Tribes and strives for a spiritual rapport between Judah and Joseph.
The name "Brit-Am" appears in the Bible and is translated as a "Covenant of the People" mentioned in connection with the Lost Ten Tribes.
It also connotes Britain and America the two main Nations of Joseph in our time.
Isaiah (NKJV) 42:
6 I, THE LORD, HAVE CALLED YOU IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,
AND WILL HOLD YOUR HAND;
I WILL KEEP YOU AND GIVE YOU AS A COVENANT TO THE PEOPLE (Brit-Am),
AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES,
Isaiah (NKJV) 49:
8 THUS SAYS THE LORD:
IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU,
AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU;
I WILL PRESERVE YOU AND GIVE YOU
AS A COVENANT TO THE PEOPLE (Brit-Am),
TO RESTORE THE EARTH,
TO CAUSE THEM TO INHERIT THE DESOLATE HERITAGES;