Contents:
1. Reactions to Irish film.
2. "Union Jack" and Wales
3. Question on the Children of Aaron
1. Reactions to Irish film.
I just saw a DVD movie "Ordinary Decent
Criminal". The film itself is of
light entertainment value
and nothing more than that though I
liked the ending. The film is based in
Ireland.
It depicted a certain moderate "bullying"
element in the culture which I
doubt would be
tolerated amongst Jews or "Anglo-Saxons"
though I may be wrong.
Apart from that, I was struck as to
how "Jewish" (even "Israeli")
the people in the film in a way both
looked and acted. Anyway, this was my
impression;
I thought it was worth noting; if that
is all I gained from the film, it
was worth it.
2. "Union Jack" and Wales
From: Geoffrey Cooper <geoffrey.cooper@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: "Union Jack"
Have you heard the story that the British
Flag, 'The Union Jack' is from the
French 'Union Jacque', meaning the
'Union of Jacob'. Note, that the Welsh
(Reubon) do not appear on this flag.
Cheers,
Geoff
Comment: Wales is very important in
British history and some of the
greatest people who ever lived
had Welsh blood.
Brit-Am has always supposed that Wales,
like all Britain, is dominated
by Joseph along with elements of Dan,
Asher, and Simeon.
The Welsh symbol is a dragon which
was one of the symbols of Dan.
Welsh mythology speaks of the Children
of Don.
Green and Yellow were Welsh colors
and these are colors of Simeon elements of
whom were present amongst western "Celtic"
peoples.
Welsh tradition also speaks of "Galadon"
(i.e. Gilead of Menasseh) in North
Wales.
Wales is one area about which we need
to acquire more information.
3. Question on the Children of Aaron
From: Marva Ellis
I have a question for you. In the book
of Malachi chapter 3
verse 3 it says 3 "And he shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of
silver: and he shall purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and
silver, that they may offer unto the
LORD an offering in righteousness."
It is understood from the Bible that
persons who perform the
temple ceremonies should be descendents
of Aaron.
Is descendency from Aaron something
which is being traced in Jewish society?
Thank you for your information,
Marva Ellis
BYU Bookstore
Brigham Young University
Answer:
a. This verse in Malachi according
to tradition refers to the Messiah who
will identify
who belongs to which tribe of Israel
beginning with the Tribe of Levi, to
which Aaron
belonged:
<<Said Rabbi Hama Bar Hanina:
When God decides to let it be known who
belongs to which Tribe, he clarifies
firstly who belongs to the Tribe of
Levi, as it says, "And he shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and he shall purify the sons of Levi..."
(Malachi 3;3); [Talmud, Kiddushin
70;a].>>
<<In the days of the Messianic
King: When his kingdom shall be settled and
all of Israel gather unto him, he shall
then give the Tribal-genealogy of
each individual. He shall do this through
Divine inspiration. As it says,
HE SHALL SIT AS A REFINER AND PURIFIER
([Malachi 3:3). He will purify the
Tribe of Levi first..as it says, '.till
there be stood up a priest with
Urim and with Thumim' (Ezra 2;63).He
gives the genealogy of Israel only
concerning which tribe each one belongs
to.." [Maimonides, Mishneh Torah,
The Laws of Kings, ch. 12, no.3].
In modern terms, we may understand this
to say that part of the Messianic
Process will entail the establishment
of means by which
a person may determine from which Israelite
Tribe he is descended.
b. Descendants of Aaron became the Priests
or Cohens who performed the
Temple Services.
Amongst the Jewish people there are
many families that have a tradition
that they are "Priests"
or "Cohens". In some cases they have
genealogical trees going right back.
Nowadays geneaological
studies on the Cohens are being undertaken
and recorded. There is a DNA
test that purports to isolate
a "Cohen" gene but this is problematic
and not as certain as earlier
reports in the scientific literature
and the popular press led us to believe.