Ten Tribes Studies. (17 January, 2013, Shevet 6, 5773)
Contents:
1. Addition to Article. Ephraimites Exposed!
 Let Scripture Decide! The Ephraimite Ruckus. More Replies.
The Issue of Coming to Israel is a Red Herring
2. Michelle Bowie: The Term Zion (in Amos 6:1) and the USA.
3. A New Month and a New Beginning.
4. Query Concerning genealogical descent from Ephraim.
5. Research Extracts-9. Research Sources from Brit-Am Now nos. 551-575
1. Additions to Article. Ephraimites Exposed!
[3. Let Scripture Decide! The Ephraimite Ruckus. More Replies.
(a) The Bible is Our Authority!
(b) Was Yair Influenced by his Jewish Peers!
(c) Need to Clarify Various issues.
[4. The Issue of Coming to Israel is a Red Herring
Extracts:
It was said,that we want the Tribes to become self aware, but stay where they are.Â
This is so, more or less. Do not come here permanently at the moment until issues with the house have been cleared up and your own status has been 100% (not from 20% to 70% as at present according to us and much less according to everybody else) confirmed.
We repeat the Bible is our authority.
If anyone has Biblical sources suggesting we are wrong let us see them!
We ourselves hope to prepare an article on the matter quoting the sources.
It should also be noted other people need to be convinced of this truth and we are the ones doing the convincing.
...a Red Herring is something that misleads a Searcher who should be looking for something else.
Determining WHO the Ten Tribes are and having this knowledge made known and accepted should be our main aim and occupation at this stage.
All other considerations are relatively-speaking subsidiary or superfluous.
To all those who speak of bringing Ephraimites permanently to Israel:
Whether or not, Yair Davidiy, agrees with you in that matter makes little difference.
No-one is going to listen to you in a positive manner.
You are liable to arouse the suspicions of the Israeli authorities in a negative direction.
The State of Israel already has had one such negative experience with the Black Hebrews in Dimona. [The Black Hebrews were Afro-Americans who said they were from the Lost Tribes. They came to Israel and were helped with accommodation etc. Eventually it became clear that this was an anti-Jewish cult who smuggled in many more of their families. They also caused numerous problems in many areas. The State of Israel wanted to evict them but threats were made that revenge would be taken against Jewish communities in the USA. So Israel left them alone and the problems remain.]
As stated, agitation to allow Ephraimites to come here permanently is not going to change matters BUT experience shows that failure in this direction leads to resentment amongst "Ephraimites"Â that in some cases has anti-Jewish overtones.
Energies, resources, funds expended in such an endeavor are liable to go to waste or have negative results.
Change can come, if it does, only through knowledge of Israelite Ancestry becoming known and accepted.
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2. Michelle Bowie: The Term Zion (in Amos 6:1) and the USA.
Re: Brit-Am Now no. 1995: Ten Tribes Studies
#2. Dolmens: The Way to Come Back - Through Solid Proof and Clear Evidence.
Brit-Am Preliminary Note:
Midrash Tanchuma equates the term Zion with Joseph. In the notes below Michelle Bowie takes the term Zion in Amos 6:1 and shows how it applies to the USA.
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From Michelle Bowie:
Shalom Yair,
Wow. The Almighty and His confirmations!!! I hope you find this as intriguing as I do and then to read your newsletter on the same day about waymarks!!!Just this morning, studying in Amos, here is what was revealed to me:
Wednesday, 16 January,2013 - 8am
Reading in Amos this morning finding another verse that fits. Reminding again that for those who will consider that Ephraim is the U.S., knowing then that the capital of the ten northern tribes of the House of Israel was Samaria and the U.S. is indeed ( at least until these recent years) the world power that all nations look too. If we then do consider that "the mountain of Samaria" is the U.S., being called "the chief of nations", then the last part of the verse "to whom the House of Israel came", alludes strongly that this Christian nation is one among many, the leading nation, where the Lost Ten Tribes were driven to and scattered to JUST as [the ALMIGHTY] said He would do.
Amo 6:1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
Taking out the italicized words:
Amo 6:1 Woe to them at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
Here it is with the Strong's numbers:
Amo 6:1 Woe H1945 to them that are at ease H7600 in Zion, H6726 and trust H982 in the mountain H2022 of Samaria, H8111 which are named H5344 chief H7225 of the nations, H1471 to whom the house H1004 of Israel H3478 came! H935
Breaking down the verse, using Strong's. Just in the first word we look at "Zion", there is an extensive word trail that if we follow, tells us much about -who- Zion is symbolically. The underlined words within each definition appear to give us clues:
...Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem: - Zion.
A "mountain" by biblical view, is considered a "kingdom". "Jerusalem" can also mean a people, not just the actual physical city. It is also interesting to note that the Hebrew word for "sheep" is "tseh-one' ". So then a kingdom of sheep(?) This is a deep study in itself for another day.
Looking at H6726 for Zion, we find reference to yet another word, H6725:
The operative meaning is found in the underlined "guiding pillar". Most people have heard of the cliche "he was the pillar of the community", meaning he was the one everyone else looked to for leadership and to do the right thing. Someone righteous, courageous, strong and wise.
H6725 tsee-yoon' From the same as H6723 in the sense of conspicuousness (compare H5329); a monumental or guiding pillar: - sign, title, waymark.
Moving on, even in H6725, we find both H6723 and H5329. Looking at H6723, we find more that fits the U.S as being descriptive in that when it was first born, it was indeed, physically a "wilderness"; barren, solitary and further out west, a lot of desert. In our current day, it can also be considered a wilderness as it is indeed far from [the ALMIGHTY]'s land He gave to His sheep. It can also be considered to be barren (these days) in the spiritual sense. Remember, there are many layers to the meaning of scripture, physical, spiritual, past present and future.
H6723 tsee-yaw'
From an unused root meaning to parch; aridity; concretely a desert: - barren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place, wilderness.
Looking at the second word referenced "to glitter from afar, that is, to be eminent". Most people who are native born to America, might not be able to relate to that phrase, but ask any immigrant who came to this country seeking freedom and opportunity and they will tell you this fits exactly how they felt and saw America. Can anyone think of any other nation in the history of the world to whom this description fits?
H5329 nâtsach naw-tsakh'
A primitive root; properly to glitter from afar, that is, to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); also (as denominative from H5331), to be permanent: - excel, chief musician (singer), oversee (-r), set forward.
Even in H5331, we find many descriptions that fit the U.S, also that it leads back to the very definition it came from. Again, native born Americans might not see this, but looked at from an immigrant's point of view, a wanderer, a scattered one who has some form of "knowing in the deep of their hearts, that they belong there; someone driven from where they were. Looking through scripture, YHWH speaks of doing this to His people many, many times. See the underlined meanings:
H5331 netsach
From H5329; properly a goal, that is, the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially), continually (that is, to the most distant point of view): - alway (-s), constantly, end, (+ n-) ever (more), perpetual, strength, victory.
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3. A New Month and a New Beginning.
Today (17 January 2013) is the 6th of Shevet (also spelt Shebet). The word Shevet can mean Tribes so perhaps this is auspicious?
In Rabbinical Tradition each month has its own Tribe. The problem is that there exists disagreement as to which month goes to which Tribe.
According to the work Shem MeShmuel (by Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain1855-1926) the Month of Shevet is that of Joseph. He says that the name Joseph in Hebrew connotes increase
from the root ASaF. In this month we receive a renewed vitality and a chance to make a new beginning with greater verve in what we do.
The problem is that no-one else seems to agree that the month of Shevet is that of Joseph.
The most respected opinion is that of the Arizal (Isaac Luria Ashkenazi 1534-1572) which was agreed to by the Gra (i.e. the Vilna Gaon, Elijah Kremer,1720 �1797).
They say that the month of Shevet is that of the Tribe of Asher.
At all events in honor of both opinions we hope to send out a series of articles on both the Tribes of Joseph and of Asher. These shall include translated excerpts from the work of Fishel Mael ("Shivtei Yisrael", 1997).
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4. Query Concerning genealogical descent from Ephraim.
K. wrote:
Yair,
First of all, thank you for all the work you do. It is not only very informative, it is also confirms my beliefs.
.... discovered, on my Mother's side, Henry Moses Ephraim was a forefather
from Poland born in 1832. My great uncle's last name and my grandmother's maiden name was Ephraim.
Together with this knowledge, my love for Isreal, and my studies of the Tanach, I converted in 1995 as a
Conservative Jew.
I believe I am from the Tribe of Ephraim but is this enough proof? Do I need to research further?
 If so,
what other agencies or organizations would have documentation earlier than 1832?
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Brit-Am Reply:
We do not usually give advice concerning individual genealogies but here goes:
I assume your forefather was Jewish. Your family name is not proof but it is an indication. Most Jews are NOT from Ephraim but a few are. It may be that some families retained such a tradition. Similar cases are known from elsewhere (e.g. the Jews of North Africa). The fact that the name is found on both sides (or did we misunderstand you on this point?) of your family is also indicative.
Like goes to like.
cf. The case of General Monash,
Brit-Am Now no. 1971
#7. The Name Monash means Manasseh? A New Insight?
The father of Monash had the surname Monasch (in German pronounced like the English Monash) which means Manasseh and the maiden name of his mother was Manasse which is also a form of Manasseh.Â
Even though this is an indication, it is not enough. It is however a beginning. If you feel in your heart there is something to it then follow it through.
As for obtaining more information,
Try the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv or Jewish Genealogy networks. It may also be of interest if you compare characteristics of the Tribe of Ephraim with those of your self and your family.
God bless you
Yair
ps. It should also be noted that the Jews (especially those of Europe) sometimes adopted the names of other tribes and these names may have evolved into surnames.
I, for instance, know that the Jewish name of the father of my mother was Joseph Levi. The name he was known by however is Leo Jacoby.
I assume that Levi was a family name and that he was a Levite. It may be however the Joseph Levi were his first names as was the practice in some parts of Europe.
A famous Hasidic Rabbi was Rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1810). Here we find Levi used as a first name.
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5. Research Extracts-9
Research Sources from Brit-Am Now nos. 551-575
Contents:
1. Order of Return to the Land of Israel
2. Summary of Hosea
3. Orjan Svensson: Scandinavian Mythology
4. Harold Hemenway: Scythian Israelites
5. Ezekiel: Judah needs Ephraim
6. Vision of Cecil Rhodes: British settlers in Israel and the Euphrates Valley