Brit-Am Now no. 1391
The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel Movement
30 September 2009, 12 Tishrei 5770
Contents:
1. David Jackson: "more of a blessing than you realize"
2. Correspondents Who Were Offended by Us.
3. New Year Plans
Bible Translation to be Used.
Bible Content.
Research Information
Publications
Other Sites
4. The English word "Maim" from Hebrew!
5. Marsha H:
Love of Jewish People Led to Adoption of Notion as to who the Lost Israelites Are!
6. Question Concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat
7. Bert Lorenz: Good Wishes
8. What Was the Sin of King Jeroboam?
9. Nils E. Moen: Scandinavian Traditions and Biblical Parallels
10. Suggestion:
Make the Brit-Am Site Your Home Page
|
Brit-Am Discussion Group 
|
Contents by Subject |
Research Recognition Reconciliation Contribute |
|
Site Map Contents in Alphabetical Order |
 This Site |
1. David Jackson: "more of a blessing than you realize"
RE: Weekly Portion: Haazinu
http://www.britam.org/deuteronomy/9haazinu.html
Yair,
Thank you for your weekly portions. They are very well written and instructive.
Sometimes you write things such as:
"It happens that bad luck can pass and a blessing come instead of a curse.
We are commanded to always keep going, never give up, and do the best we can."
And it's more of a blessing than you realize. The last significant thing my mother had the strength to say to me was "Do the best you can".
Quite often you write things that seem to strike a personal cord with me.
Any particular occurrence may not seem significant. Still, it happens, and it doesn't with other writers that I also respect.
Dave
2. Correspondents Who Were Offended by Us.
Recently at least three former correspondents asked to be removed from our list.
In two of these cases we were sorry to see them go. Their input had been appreciated.
Apparently they had been offended by our Brit-Am Replies and took remarks we made personally.
They are not the only ones.
Perhaps we should have taken more care.
We have in fact often been complimented for the tact and diplomatic manner in which we usually handle difficult questions and questioners.
Exceptions however have obviously also taken place and in some cases at least are to be regretted.
There are two important points that should be noted:
a. Any letter sent to us has a chance of being posted UNLESS an express request is included that it not be!
b. Almost anything you send has a good chance of being published even if (within reason) it is against our own opinions, offensive, and/or promotes an agenda we disagree with.
Our replies at times will not necessarily be as courteous and circumlocutory as you may wish.
3. New Year Plans
For this coming Hebrew Year 5770 we have the following intentions.
================================================
Bible Translation to be Used.
Finding a suitable translation is not easy.
The JPS (Jewish Publication Society) Translation of 1917 is being updated by JPS and some Biblical books are already available for free downloading.
For what is not yet available from JPS (i.e. most of the Bible) we will probably use Webster (as recommended by Eric Schendel).
For some sections of the Bible we may introduce our own translation.
We intend the changeover from the KJV to another version(s) to take place when we begin a Brit-Am Commentary on a new Biblical Book or begin to revise the existing commentary of a Biblical Book we have already commented on.
================================================
Bible Content.
Slightly more Bible content than previously.
Pertinent short Bible extracts (with or without commentary) to be appended to many posts as a matter of course.
================================================
Research Information
More research news and facts from our sources.
================================================
Publications
Some of our works are out of print and others are nearing the stage when they will be.
Our magazine will have to be revived.
This should be an outcome of our financial situation.
================================================
Other Sites
Brit-Am at present has three sites but only one (britam.org) is really active at present.
Our Hebrew-language site should go into full swing.
Our other site may be dedicated to specific issues.
4. The English word "Maim" from Hebrew!
Addition to Haazinu Commentary
http://www.britam.org/deuteronomy/9haazinu.html
We Commented:
[Deuteronomy 32:5] THEY HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES, THEIR SPOT IS NOT THE SPOT OF HIS CHILDREN: THEY ARE A PERVERSE AND CROOKED GENERATION.
THEIR SPOT. Hebrew "Moomam" i.e. their imperfection, disqualifying impairment, BLEMISH.
This verse should preferably be rendered:
THEY DESTROY THEMSELVES, NOT HE, HIS CHILDREN ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN BLEMISH. THEY ARE A STUBBORNLY DECEIVOUS AND TWISTED GENERATION.
God is just. Mankind is the cause of misfortune. In most cases we cannot plead innocence.
We have added the following linguistic comment:
##The English word "maim" meaning "mutilate, cripple" has its origin given as Middle English maynhe, Old French mahaignier. These are possibilities but like most alleged etymologies no more than that. The word "MAIM" would in Biblical Hebrew be how one would say "Impart a Moom". It is the Verbal Form of the Hebrew Moom. There are many English words like that. One could reconstruct spoken Hebrew from Biblical Times with the assistance of such examples from Old English!
No-one is likely however to undertake such a work since the only people who could appreciate it would be those with knowledge of both Biblical Hebrew and English and with some initial curiosity regarding the possibility of an ancient link between English and Hebrew.##
5. Marsha H:
Love of Jewish People Led to Adoption of Notion as to who the Lost Israelites Are!
I have always felt close to Jewish people. Then after hearing about the Israelites being in Britain, United States etc. I have felt very close and have adopted the idea that the children of Israel live in USA and Britan and the other places. Marsha
6. Question Concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat
Re: 1-Kings 16 part one
Shalom Yair:
Several years ago I remember reading in a new edition of the Anchor Bible Dictionary that King Jeroboam may have been Edomite. This idea, as I remember, came from an observation that Jeroboam's genealogy was not recorded in any extensive manner except he was the son of Nebat.
A more recent comment from an acquaintance was that the Nabataeans who lived in the rift valley south of the Dead Sea, (see "Petra" in Wikipeda), were called such because they were descended from Nebat. These people, as best I know, were Arab merchants and could be descended from Edom. What do you think?
Jay
================================================
================================================
================================================
Brit-Am Reply:
We appreciate your questions but you, like others, should perhaps pay more attention as to what we have
written on the subject before sending the questions in.
King Jeroboam son of Nebat was the first leader of the Ten Tribes and it was he who led them in breaking away from Judah and setting up their own kingdom.
We said:
http://www.britam.org/Kings/1Kings11.htmlThe Bible says Jeroboam was AN EPHRATHITE
[1-Kings 11:26] AND JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT, AN EPHRATHITE OF ZEREDA, SOLOMON'S SERVANT, WHOSE MOTHER'S NAME WAS ZERUAH, A WIDOW WOMAN, EVEN HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THE KING.
AN EPHRATHITE OF ZEREDA, SOLOMON'S SERVANT. One Modern Commentator (Koren) suggested that the father of Jeroboam was a non-Israelite servant of Solomon.
Our impression is that he was an Israelite from the Tribe of Ephraim. Rabbinival Commentaries also support this opinion though one source (Sanhedrin 101:2) identifies his ancestor as SHEBA, THE SON OF BICHRI, A BENJAMITE (2-Samuel 20:1) who had lead a revolt against David towards the end of his life and had been put to death (2-Samuel 20:22). At the symbolic level we have in the person of Jeroboam a continuation of the struggle for leadership between the descendants of Rachel (represented by King Saul from Benjamin) and those of Leah represented by the House of David from Judah.
from Ephraim.
The Sages said the same.
We see no reason to entertain any other possibility.
7. Bert Lorenz: Good Wishes
Subject: Re: Psalms 141
Yair,
I wish you a Happy Birthday and all the best for another year. The information you provide is very important and I'm certain you will greatly impact many people through your work.
May God bless all of your efforts.
Bert
8. What Was the Sin of King Jeroboam?
From: PJRieke
Subject: Re: 1-Kings 15 part two
Hi Brit-am,
Thank you for all of your insightful research that you have accomplished over the years.
Perhaps you already have done an article on this subject. Could you, please, with careful analysis, describe what you understand to be, the "sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that caused all Israel to sin"?
Sincerely, pjr___________________________________________
================================================
================================================
================================================
Brit-Am Reply:
The sin of King Jeroboam is described in detail in 1-Kings chapter 12.
http://www.britam.org/Kings/1Kings12.html
He made two gold bull calves.
He set one in Beth-el and the other in Dan.
He told the peoples that these were their gods and that from then on they should worship at their shrines and not go up to Jerusalem.
He also appointed priests from the common people and thereby demoted the Levites who consequently moved to Judah.
He made a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in imitation of Succoth which is held a month beforehand.
Certain Ephraimites today are guilty of the same offences by searching for alternate dates for the festivals other than those given by the Hebrew Calendar and by perversely looking for non-Biblical explanations concerning the commandments.
Concerning Nadab the son of Jeroboam it was said.
[1-Kings 15:26] AND HE DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND WALKED IN THE WAY OF HIS FATHER, AND IN HIS SIN WHEREWITH HE MADE ISRAEL TO SIN. The expression concerning Jeroboam HE MADE ISRAEL TO SIN is repeated regarding nearly all the kings of Israel who followed after. Jeroboam set the standard and all the others followed.
The Israelites who came out of Egypt and made the golden calf at first only intended a substitute for Moses.
They thought Moses had disappeared for good.
They wanted an alternative intermediary between themselves and the Almighty.
The golden calf was supposed to serve this purpose
but in the process it turned into an idol. Instead of serving as an intermediary it became an object of worship.
The golden bull calves erected by Jeroboam were the same.
Jeroboam presented them to the people at first not necessarily as alternatives to the Almighty but as an alternative way of representing HIM.
He led Israel to sin by misleading them.
9. Nils E. Moen: Scandinavian Traditions and Biblical Parallels
Hi Yair.
The Younger Edda (Snorre) is very interesting:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre03.htm
" IN the beginning God created heaven and earth and all those things which are in them; and last of all, two of human kind, Adam and Eve, from whom the races are descended. And their offspring multiplied among themselves and were scattered throughout the earth. But as time passed, the races of men became unlike in nature: some were good and believed on the right; but many more turned after the lusts of the world and slighted God's command."
"After that he went northward, where the land is called Sweden; the king there was named Gylfi. When the king learned of the coming of those men of Asia, who were called Aseir, he went to meet them, and made offer to them that Odin should have such power in his realm as he himself wielded. And such well-being followed ever upon their footsteps, that in whatsoever lands they dwelt were good seasons and peace; and all believed that they caused these things, for the lords of the land perceived that they were unlike other men whom they had seen, both in fairness and also in wisdom.
The fields and the choice lands in that place seemed fair to Odin, and he chose for himself the site of a city which is now called Sigt. There he established chieftains in the
{p. 9}
fashion which had prevailed in Troy; he set up also twelve head-men to be doomsmen over the people and to judge the laws of the land; and he ordained also all laws as, there had been before, in Troy, and according to the customs of the Turks. After that he went into the north, until he was stopped by the sea, which men thought lay around all the lands of the earth; and there he set his son over this kingdom, which is now called Norway."
Gangleri began his questioning thus: "Who is foremost, or oldest, of all the gods?" Hothr answered: "He is called in our speech Allfather, but in the Elder Asgard he had twelve names: one is Allfather; the second is Lord, or Lord of Hosts; the third is Nikarr, or Spear-Lord; the fourth is Nikudr, or Striker; the fifth is Knower of Many Things; the sixth, Fulfiller of Wishes; the seventh, Far-Speaking One; the eighth, The Shaker, or He that Putteth the Armies to Flight; the ninth, The Burner; the tenth, The Destroyer; the eleventh, The Protector; the twelfth, Gelding."
Then. spake Thridi: "The greatest of all is this: that he made man, and gave him the spirit, which shall live and never perish, though the flesh-frame rot to mould, or burn to ashes; and all men shall live, such as are just in action, and be with himself in the place called Gimla But evil men go to Hel and thence down to the Misty Hel; and that is down in the ninth world."
-------
Much of this has been "hidden". The church does not teach Edda.
Few know about this "link" between NW Europe and the Lost Tribes.
Best regards
Nils
10. Suggestion:
Make the Brit-Am Site Your Home Page
