3. What Do Ephraimites mean when they say they keep the Law?">
Brit-Am Now 1038
"Brit-Am Now"-1038
Contents: 1. Joseph and the Law: A Challenge to Ephraimites
2. Question on what should be done to further Reconciliation.
3. What Do Ephraimites mean when they say they keep the Law?
Recently a mini-ruckus developed over whether "Joseph" (the Ten Lost Tribes) should keep the Law or not.
See:
"Joseph and the Law" http://www.britam.org/worship.html Certain Ephraimites were offended by the Brit-Am position that "Joseph" at the
present time
is not bound by the Law though in the future he will be
though not necessarily as we understand the concept today.
In effect the whole affair was a question of semantics since what is understood by us
to be "Law"
is not kept by any Ephraimites neither is there any intention in this direction.
No Ephraimites keep the Law, - neither as it is written nor as the Rabbis explain it.
They "Keep" it as they have decided it can most reasonably be kept by them.
We recently came across a source (in the Rabbinical Commentary "Sefat Emet") saying
that Joseph represents the
understanding of the Oral Law as emerging from the Written Law and the connection between the two..
We would like to throw out a conceptual challenge to all Ephraimites:
If it could be proven to your satisfaction that the Oral Law emanates from the Written Law
would you keep it??
If not, why not??
################################################### 2. Question on what should be done to further Reconciliation.
Question:
ROB SAUTONFLEET
It would seem to me quite a task you have undertaken in light of the historical attitudes of the "church" concerning Jewish in general, and also the undeniable element of replacement theology within the church.
What are your recommendations to help foster a reconciliation between both groups? Thank you. ================================================
Reply:
Reconciliation goes both ways. We should reach out to both sides.
Concerning reaching out to "Joseph"
I would say that the most important point might be
spreading the knowledge of the ancestral identity of western peoples
along with affirmation of the Jews being Judah,
that the Jews (as being Israelites and keeping the Law) have a right to ALL the Land of Israel
since they are the forerunners in Israel of all the Tribes.
Ephraimites technically may not be obligated at present to keep all the Law
but they should respect the obligation of Judah to do so.
Concerning reaching out to "Judah" the situation is a little different.
We should let them know who "Joseph" is, let them know about Brit-Am,
and let them know that there are Ephraimites who agree with and support Brit-Am
or at least hold principles of their own similar to those of Brit-Am.
################################################### 3. What Do Ephraimites mean when they say they keep the Torah?
Brit-Am has said that Ephraimites are not obliged to keep the Torah.
Quite a few Ephraimites were offended by this as if we were denying them their birthright
and contradicting an article of faith of theirs.
An examination of the facts however shows that the whole affair was somewhat superfluous
and may be considered a misunderstanding.
When Ephraimites say they keep the Torah they usually mean something along the following lines:
They do not work on the Sabbath (Saturday) and often congregate for worship on that day.
[They will however drive and light fires for heating on the Sabbath.]
They also congregate together on some of the Feast Days which they sometimes celebrate on a different
day than that of the Hebrew Calendar.
In their worship they may have a few appurtenances or practices adapted from the Jewish Synagogue
or based on their own imagination but intended to recall Biblical themes.
They do not eat pork and most other forbidden meat.
They tithe to their church.
They have other injunctions of their own that they keep, believing them to be the
correct interpretation or a valid optional application
of Biblical Commandments.
In other words they have adapted some Biblical Commandments while disregarding others.
In some ways they are similar to Reform Jews except that RJs often doubt whether the Torah was
God-given
whereas Ephraimites accept it.
This is OK.
As far as Brit-Am is concerned this is positive since it maintains Hebraic consciousness, is
a step in the right direction, and may be what is required of Joseph in our time.
It is not however "Keeping the Torah" as Brit-Am understands the word.
When Brit-Am therefore says that Ephraimites are not obliged by the Law we mean that they
are not obligated to keep the commandments in the same way as Jews are,
i.e. they do not have to live the lifestyle of Ultra-Orthodox Jews.
As far as we know none of them want to either.
