What do you see as the primary cultural differences in the 12 tribes in the past and today? Who are each of the 12 tribes today in your subjective opinion?
To cover all 12 tribes would take 12 posts. But there is a simple dichotomy that appears throughout history, rooted in Yaakov's two primary wives: Rachel and Leah.
The sons of Rachel (mainly Yosef and Binyamin) present the hard-working, justice-based side of Judaism. They're the backbone that holds the nation together in the deepest exiles (think Yosef in Egypt) with focus and dedication to living by God's word. You might call them the rational mind of the Jewish people.
The sons of Leah (most of the others) hold the lofty ideal of our nation: God's unchangable will to know and connect with every one of His children. King David established God's eternal kingdom on earth. We can call these tribes our beating heart: Jewish life itself.
We can hear echoes of these two lines throughout Jewish history. For example, Ashkenazim tend to be drawn to the intellectual side of Judaism, and Sephardim more to the emotional experience. Within Ashkenazi Jewry, the "Lithuanian" tradition focuses on the practical details of Jewish law, while the Hasidic tradition reminds us that we have to feel our relationship with God, no just know it.
What are your views regarding the "lost tribes of Israel"? How does that play into how we should understand the concept today?
I ask as a non-Jewish Zionist activist who has developed a deep appreciation for Jewish history, culture, theology, and wisdom. I have very secular reasons for understanding how I've drifted this way over the years, but I still wonder about it from a more spiritual, mystical direction too.
Hi David, I'm so happy to learn about your appreciation for all things Jewish. Keep on learning!
In my view, the lost-tribe search is more distraction than substance.
Here's what we know: most of 10 of the tribes were sent into exile sometime around 500 BCE, and except for rumors here and there, haven't been heard of since.
The Mishnah records a dispute whether in Messianic times (read: not yet) they will return. Apparently everyone agrees they will return in some way, because Yechezkel's prophecies clearly refer to all 12 tribes returning together to Israel.
Today, most Jews come from the tribe of Yehuda, or Judah which is where the name "Jew" comes from.
If we want to see the full unity of all 12 tribes, as Yechezkel envisioned their "trees" coming together, the way to get there is by bringing our various communities of Jews together, as I described in this post.
The bottom line: the place to find the lost tribes is in the minds and hearts of the Jewish people that we can know and care for, not the ones that are somewhere beyond the Sambatyon River.
What do you see as the primary cultural differences in the 12 tribes in the past and today? Who are each of the 12 tribes today in your subjective opinion?
That's a great question!
To cover all 12 tribes would take 12 posts. But there is a simple dichotomy that appears throughout history, rooted in Yaakov's two primary wives: Rachel and Leah.
The sons of Rachel (mainly Yosef and Binyamin) present the hard-working, justice-based side of Judaism. They're the backbone that holds the nation together in the deepest exiles (think Yosef in Egypt) with focus and dedication to living by God's word. You might call them the rational mind of the Jewish people.
The sons of Leah (most of the others) hold the lofty ideal of our nation: God's unchangable will to know and connect with every one of His children. King David established God's eternal kingdom on earth. We can call these tribes our beating heart: Jewish life itself.
We can hear echoes of these two lines throughout Jewish history. For example, Ashkenazim tend to be drawn to the intellectual side of Judaism, and Sephardim more to the emotional experience. Within Ashkenazi Jewry, the "Lithuanian" tradition focuses on the practical details of Jewish law, while the Hasidic tradition reminds us that we have to feel our relationship with God, no just know it.
Hope that's helpful, and thanks for stopping by!
Thank you, yes that's very helpful.
What are your views regarding the "lost tribes of Israel"? How does that play into how we should understand the concept today?
I ask as a non-Jewish Zionist activist who has developed a deep appreciation for Jewish history, culture, theology, and wisdom. I have very secular reasons for understanding how I've drifted this way over the years, but I still wonder about it from a more spiritual, mystical direction too.
Hi David, I'm so happy to learn about your appreciation for all things Jewish. Keep on learning!
In my view, the lost-tribe search is more distraction than substance.
Here's what we know: most of 10 of the tribes were sent into exile sometime around 500 BCE, and except for rumors here and there, haven't been heard of since.
The Mishnah records a dispute whether in Messianic times (read: not yet) they will return. Apparently everyone agrees they will return in some way, because Yechezkel's prophecies clearly refer to all 12 tribes returning together to Israel.
Today, most Jews come from the tribe of Yehuda, or Judah which is where the name "Jew" comes from.
If we want to see the full unity of all 12 tribes, as Yechezkel envisioned their "trees" coming together, the way to get there is by bringing our various communities of Jews together, as I described in this post.
The bottom line: the place to find the lost tribes is in the minds and hearts of the Jewish people that we can know and care for, not the ones that are somewhere beyond the Sambatyon River.
Amen! Thank you for the beautiful prayer.