Brit-Am Now 1178

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Brit-Am Now no. 1178
Date 26 Sivan 5768 29 June 2008
Contents:
1. Jerusalem Post Backs Ten Lost Tribes Search in India
(Rejects Brit-Am Explanations)
(1) Inaccuracies in the JP Article
(2) What Brit-Am Could do to Rectify the Media over-exposure of an "Eastern Solution" to identifying the Lost Ten Tribes.
2. Robert Leslie: A Comment Concerning Scotland
3. BOCHARTUS AND THE CELTS.

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Biblical Truth.
The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel
according to the Book of Genesis
Biblical Prophecy Predicted that the Lost Tribes of Israel would be found amongst Western Nations.
Biblical Verses analysed in the light of the Hebrew language, Rabbinical Commentary, and Historical Reality.
A valuable educational, inspirational, and enjoyable work
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1. Jerusalem Post Backs Ten Lost Tribes Search in India
(Rejects Brit-Am Explanations)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/IndexSpecials&cid=1211286166040
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel - General Background
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1211434097085&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Brit-Am Notes:
(1) Inaccuracies in the JP Article
##The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel - General Background##

(a) Rabbi Akiva and the Return of the Ten Tribes

##The fate of the Ten Tribes was also discussed by the sages of the Mishnah and the Talmud. Opinions differed - Rabbi Akiba believed that the Ten Tribes would not return, and Rabbi Eliezer argued that the Ten Tribes would (Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:3; Shabbat 147b; Numbers Rabba 9:7). ##
Brit-Am Correction:
It is a common assumption that
"Rabbi Akiba believed that the Ten Tribes would not return".
If however one looks at Rashi in Commentary on the very same page where this opinion is given (Sanhedrin 110b) and at other Commentators it becomes clear that Rabbi Akiba was not referring to the Ten Tribes in the future but rather to those in the past who had gone into Assyrian Exile (and not their descendants) or to those in his own time. Rabbi Akiba WAS NOT referring to descendants of the Lost Ten tribes in the Latter Times.

(b) Ethiopian Jews and the Tribe of Dan

##Perhaps the best example of traditions upholding beliefs of an origin from the Ten Lost Tribes can be found among the Jews of Ethiopia. The Beta Israel community of Ethiopia regarded themselves as descendants from the tribe of Dan. It should be pointed out that when Rabbi Ovadiah Yossef, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, recognized the Jewishness of the Jews of Ethiopia in 1973, he too emphasized that they were descendants of the lost tribe of Dan. ##
Brit-Am Correction:
As far as we have seen there is no known source of the Ethiopian Jews themselves saying that they descend from Dan -rather they seem to emphasize the Queen of Sheba, or having come from Yemen.
All sources known to us (e.g. Radbaz) identifying the Ethiopian Jews as the Tribe of Dan are those of outsiders who were never in Ethiopia.

(2) What Brit-Am Can do to Rectify the Media over-exposure of an "Eastern Solution" to identifying the Lost Ten Tribes.
At the moment there are three considerations in this matter.

(i) Identifying the Lost Ten Tribes with Peoples in the west is still viewed as a "Christian" idea even though Jewish sources (as shown by Brit-Am) support it.
Brit-Am can counter this by being itself and continuing along the path it has been going until popular awareness sways the Media to take greater cognition of our existence and view point.
Our new book (soon to appear) on the Khazars may have some influence.
If we had funds we could also advertise in the mainstream media.

(ii) Greater Outreach to the Hebrew -speaking public.
This too could have an effect.
It would requite greater effort on our part and also the outlay of funds.
One of the suggestions under consideration involves another web-site in Hebrew or a larger and separate Hebrew-language section on the present site. Articles of general Israeli interest (to attract a wider audience) would be posted alongside those dealing specifically with Brit-Am "ancestry" matters.

(iii) Rank-and-File of members sympathetic to Brit-Am could help spread the word more.
They could do this by informing their acquaintances and the media.
This is preferably done by concentrating on Brit-Am and NOT bringing up other considerations or the names of others in this connection.

See also:
Jerusalem News-783
http://britam.org/jerusalem/jerusalem783.html#783
#3. New Zealand Maoris Drawing Closer to Judaism?
http://britam.org/jerusalem/jerusalem783.html#New
#4. Other Claimants to Belong to the Lost Ten Tribes Becoming Active
http://britam.org/jerusalem/jerusalem783.html#Other

2. Robert Leslie: A Comment Concerning Scotland
Dear Yair,
I appreciate all the recent information and history concerning Scotland, this is very interesting. I was at MCRD, San Diego, boot camp graduation ceremonies in Oct. 2001. The Marine Corps Band played Scotland the Brave . It was very moving and received a standing ovation from the family and friends of Marines who graduated that day, I was a bit perplexed by this. I had heard it played on Bag Pipes before , but never with drums and brass. It was the most excellent rendition I had ever heard. I now understand the significance of the connection of the United States, liberty, responsible representation and our democracy to Scotland. God Bless Scotland!
My question Yair, it seems to me Menassah is, or at least was in the past, the dominant tribe of Scotland due to their struggles against the English and also the documents declaring liberty and freedom from which the United States draws our own declaration of independence. Is this a possibility? Thank you and God Bless,
Semper Fi !, Robert Leslie

Brit-Am Answer:
You will find this question answered in several of our articles especially:
Manasseh in Rabbinical Sources
http://britam.org/manasseh/menasseh.html
(3b) Manasseh, Ephraim, and the Heritage of Scotland
http://britam.org/manasseh/menasseh.html#Menasseh

3. BOCHARTUS AND THE CELTS.
Adapted from "Lost Israelite Identity" (1996)
Samuel Bochart in 1681 published "Chanaan" in which he claimed the Phoenicians to have had world wide contacts and to have been present in Spain, Gaul and Britain. Points raised by Bochart are still sometimes taken into consideration by scholars without it necessarily being always realised that he pioneered the question under consideration. Bochart assumed that the Phoenicians spoke a Semitic tongue of their own akin to Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic. Most of the names that Bochartus traced to a Phoenician source were those employed (in Gaul) for ruling and military functions. Now the Lost Ten Tribes prior to their exile according to archaeological finds spoke a form (or forms) of Hebrew closer to the Phoenician dialect than to the language used in southern Judah. They were influenced by Aramaic and they were involved with the Phoenicians and are sometimes identifiable with them. It follows that the conclusions of Bochart regarding Phoenician influence in Gaul may be (when considered alongside other factors) taken as further actual proof of an Israelite presence!
A few Gallic terms traced by Bochart to the Phoenicians follow by way of illustration and FOR THE SAKE OF GENERAL INTEREST:

(1.Dignitaries and Officials:

Bren, or barner meant judge, judiciary in Britain and Gaul related (claimed Bochart) to the Hebrew PARNES which could mean provider or administrator.
Mar, maur, implied ruler in Gallic, in Aramaic "Mar" means master.
"Rix", "rich" in Gaul meant appointed ruler, in Arabic raik means the same.
Paterae was the name given in Gaul to interpreters of the oracle to Apollo, in Hebrew "peter" means decipher.
Pagan priests in Gaul were called Cenas, or Coenas; Amongst the Phoenicians of Samothrace the same term "coenas" was used and in Hebrew "cohen" means priest.
Bardi meant a singer or a musician on a stringed instrument; in Hebrew parat means to play on a stringed instrument.

(2.War and military, etc.:

In Gallic guerra, ger meant war; in Hebrew Gerah means "provoke" combat.
Alaud in Gallic meant legion; in Hebrew Aluph can have a similar meaning.
caterva (Gallic), meant a mixed body of troops; in Aramaic "Cat erva" means mixed group.
Gessate, Gasate, meant mercenaries in Gaul; in Hebrew and Aramaic Gais, or Gaisa, means levied troops .
Crupellari in Gallic were gladiators; in Hebrew Carbel may mean a type of armour.
Bagaudae in Gallic denoted rebels; in Hebrew Bagad means betray, bogad=traitor.

Deities: Bochartus traces the deities of Gaul to Phoenician prototypes. Some of his proofs are discussed in the main text of "Lost Israelite Identity".

BOCHARTUS brings many more examples from several fields but we are not relying on his claims neither do we necessarily agree with him. The above sampling is enough to show that his work still deserves consideration.

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