Notice that the children of Israel are the ones being addressed here. In the next verse it says, "the children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together". It is clear from the text itself that the first verse is referring to the ten northern tribes. There is a distinction made between the Children of Judah and the Children of Israel.
Ezekiel 37:16 Now you, son of man, take for yourself one piece of wood and write upon it, 'For Yehudah and the Children of Israel his friends, and take another piece of wood and write on it 'For Yoseph, the wood of Ephraim, and all the House of Israel his friends'.
Notice, the house of Israel is mentioned along with Yehudah, and Ephraim. As it says, 'For Yehudah and the Children of Israel his friends, and again 'For Yoseph, the wood of Ephraim, and all the House of Israel his friends'. Both sticks represent the House of Israel. The difference is that the stick of Ephraim is said to represent "all" of the House of Israel.
Rashi says on this verse:
| And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write upon it, ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions’: These four words write upon it, to say that this stick is Judah’s and the tribe of Benjamin’s, who joined him. | ||
| and take one stick and write upon it: This is for Joseph: the stick of Ephraim and the remaining nine tribes, which followed Jeroboam, who was of the tribe of Ephraim. |
See Rashi says that the part of the House of Israel that is mentioned to be represented with the stick of Yehudah is Benyamin. Benyamin shared territory together with the tribe of Yehudah in the city of Yerushaliyim. Rashi counts Benyamin as one of the ten northern tribes and says that he was joined with Yehudah. Yet, we do not know of any Jews today that are descendants of the the tribe of Benyamin. They have assimilated into the general group called "Jews" today. Rashi also says that the other nine tribes are represented by Ephraim because the leader of the northern kingdom was Jeroboam who himself was from the tribe of Ephraim. Ephraim was the younger of the two sons of Yoseph who was adopted by Yaakov.
So what happened to the other ten tribes? Why are they mentioned as "friends"? Or could it be read as representing the friends of the the House of Israel?
Berachot 28a. On that day, Judah, an Amonite proselyte came before them in the Beis HaMidrash, and he said to them, "am I permitted to enter into the essembly"? R. Joshua said to him you are permitted to enter the congregation. Said Rabban Gamliel to him, is it not already established "an Amonite or a Moabite may not enter the assembly of the Lord"? R. Joshua replied to him, "do Moav and Ammon still reside in their original homes"? Sannecharib king of Assyria long ago went up and mixed up all the nations, as it says, "I have removed the bounds of the peoples I have robbed their treasures and brought down as one mighty their inhabitants", and what ever strays from the group is considered to be part of the larger section of the group. Said Rabban Gamliel to him, "but, has it not been said that, afterward I will bring back the captivity of Ammon, sayeth the Lord". So have they returned? To which Rabbi Joshua replied, "and has it not been said I will turn the captivity of my people Israel" , and they have not returned yet? Forthwith they permitted him to enter. Rabban Gamliel said, "this being the case, I will go apologize to Rabbi Joshua".
It is interesting to note at this point that Shmaia and Avtalyon who are mentioned in Peirkie Avos as in the line of receiving the Oral tradition. They were righteous converts and descended from Sennecharib according to the Talmud in Sanhedrin 96b. I the above section of Gemara we see and interesting dispute. The dispute centers around a Amonite Proselyte wants to join the Jewish people and marry a Jewish woman. It is proven by Rabbi Joshua that indeed he was permitted on the premise that all the nations have been mixed up and it is impossible to know from where this man was descended. Though it says that he was Amonite, Rabbi Joshua is making a case that he might actually be from somewhere else, because of the displacement of nations. He is called an Amonite on the premise that one who is strayed from the group is now called by the larger part of the group he has joined. This seemingly would apply also to the House of Israel. Even though they would be descended from the House of Israel, they would be called by the larger part of the group that they find themselves among. Rabban Gamliel was making a case that they had returned from the exile, and this guy was proof. But, Rabbi Joshua refutes that with the fact that the scriptures say the same thing about the Children of Israel. By the conclusion we see that he acknowledged that had not happened yet.
Next I would like to reference a article that I found regarding this issue of the ten northern tribes returning. http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1701071/jewish/Are-the-Ten-Lost-Tribes-Ever-Coming-Back.htm
In the article he gives the references to the differing opinions in the Talmud. Rabbi Akiva is of the opinion that they are gone like the proceeding day never to come back. He Quotes a verse from Devarim 29:27. I would like to take this verse and analyze it in context.
23. And all the nations will say, "For whhat reason did HaShem do so to this land; why this wrathfulness of great anger?" 24.And they will say, "Because they forsook the covenant of HaShem, the G-d of their forefathers, that He sealed with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt. 25. And they went and they served the gods of others and they prostrated themselves to them; gods that they knew not and he did not apportion to them. 26. So G-d's anger flared against that land, to bring upon it the entire curs theat is written in this Book; 27. and HaShem removed them from upon their soil, with anger, with wrath, and with great fury, and He cast them to another land, as this very day!"
As we see from the context that Rabbi Akiva is taking what the nations will say about the Jews that , "He cast them to another land, as this very day!" as proof that they will have not returned even then. At the time of the nations saying this. This being the days of Mashiach!
Devarim 30:1 It will be that when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse that I have presented before you then you will take it to our heart among all the nations where HaShem, your G-d, has dispersed you;2. and you will return unto HaShem, your G-d, and listen to His voice, according toeverthing that I cammand you today, you and your children, with all your heart and all your soul.3. Then HaShem, your G-d, will return your captivity and have mercy upon you,and He will gather you in from all the peoples to where HaShem, your G-d, has scattered you. 4. If your dispersed will be at the ends of the heavens, from there HaShem, your G-d will gather you in and from there he will take you. 5 HaShem your G-d will bring you to the land of which your forefathers took possesion.
The obvious question begs to be asked. How could Rabbi Akiva ignore the rest of the verses after the one he quoted? It seems from the proceeding verses that it would lean more towards Rabbi Shimon Ben Yehudah. Rabbi Shimon Ben Yehudah holds that it depends on their works. If they do tshuvah/repentance then they shall return. This is an arousal from below. This depends upon man. Rabbi Eliezer said, "that G-d would take them out of their darkness". This is arousal from above, this depends upon HaShem.
At the end of the article it quotes Rambam which I would like to reiterate here.
Maimonides writes, with regards to this dispute between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Eliezer as to whether the lost ten tribes will ever return, that “when there is a dispute in the Talmud that has no actionable relevance to us, Jewish law does not rule either way.
However, there are those who do rule, and say that we follow Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion that the ten tribes will ultimately be reunited with the rest of Israel at the time of the redemption with the coming of the Moshiach.
Seeing how this is not a matter of Halacha, which I am unqualified to offer opinions on. I feel that I can at least share my findings and own insights as I see it.
I would like to point to two areas of Talmud that mention the verse in Hoshea that I opened this article with. The first is in .
Kidushin 36a Now according to both Abaye and Raba, how do they interpret this verse, "ye are sons."? ect. this is wanted for what was taught, "You are sons of the Lord your G-d, when you behave as sons you are designated as sons, if you do not behave as sons then you are not designated as sons. this is Rabbi Judah's opinion. Rabbi Meir said, "in both cases you are called sons, for it is said," They are sottish children, and it is said; 'they are a children in whom is no faith", and it is also said, "a seed of evil doers, sons that deal corruptly"; and it is said, "that in the place where it was said to them you are not my people, it shall be said to them ye are the sons of the living G-d", why the additional quotations? For should you say that only when they are foolish they are designated as sons but not when they lack faith, then come and hear, "they are sons in whom is no faith", and if you should say they are sons when they lack faith but not when they worship idols, come and hear. "a seed of evil-doers sons that deal corruptly" and should you say that indeed they are sons that deal corruptly, but not good sons, then come and hear "in the place where it was said to them they are not my people, they shall be called the sons of the living G-d.
This is an amazing Gemara. It is extremely encouraging to those who feel that they are too far gone. Rabbi Meir is in essence saying that no Jew will be lost. No son of G-d can truly ever be lost. Rabbi Meir applies this verse that is talking to the Ten northern tribes who were mixed into the other nations and says that they are still sons. And even though they might be called by the name of the people that they live amongst. As they are called "not my people". One day, they will be called children of the living G-d. Even if they stoop so low as to whorship idols they, according to Rabbi Meir are still called sons, or will be again one day.
Now there is one more place that I want to look at in...
Pesachim 87b. R. Eleazar said even when the Holy One Blessed be He is angry He remembers compassion as it is said, "for I will no more have compassion on the House of Israel" R. Jose b. Hanina deduced it from this, "that I would any wise pardon them" Rabbi Eleazar also said, "The Holy One Blessed be He did not exile Israel among the nation except that converts might join them" as it is said, "I will sow her to me in the land"; surely a man sows a seah to harvest many kor! While Rabbi Yochanan deduced it from this, "that I will have compassion upon her that has not obtained compassion".
From this section of the Talmud that the Rabbis deduced from this passage in Hoshea that the Israelites are exiled amoung the nations to make converts. These converts are considered to be the same as the seed that was "sown". We see this from the analogy given by Rabbi Eleazar. Rabbi Yochanan quotes the second part of Hoshea 2:25 I will sow her for Myself in the land, and I will have compassion on those that have no compassion, and will say to he who is not my nation, you are my nation, and he will say "you are my G-d".
From all this we can conclude several ideas. It seems that in one place in the Gemara it makes reference to Hoshea's passage as referring to the House of Israel and in another place it refers to them as converts. So which is it? Or could it be both? In Midrash Rabbah it says that the ten tribes are beyond the river Sabbation. The river Sabbation is a river that always flows very violently, and has rocks shooting up form it. And, it stops flowing and shooting rocks out of it, on the Sabbath. Though this may be a literal place it is not presently known to man where this place is. I guess you could say that it is a secret. This does not do much to answer the question of where are the ten tribes today. So far we know that some of the Norhtern tribes were absorbed into the tribe of Judah, and their ancestry was lost, at least to tribe identification. What was not absorbed into the tribe of Judah was absorbed into the rest of the nations. Either way the identity was lost. The difference is that the ones that were absorbed into the nations their complete identity was lost. Even that Chas V'Shalom they should be called and reckoned with the nations. Similarly, to Yoseph when he revealed himself to his brothers. They did not recognize him at first to be a Jew. They heard him speak like an Egyptian and dress and look like and Egyptian. It was only when he showed to them his Bris Milah did they recognize him. Yoseph converted the entire Egyptian nation. It seemed he understood his mission to proselytize the faith of Avraham and the way that he made proselytes.
The concept of making converts is a fascinating one. It is interesting to note that we learn that a Ger Nisgyer. We say that a "convert converts". So the obvious question is, why don't we say a gentile converts. The answer is that he was always a convert. So why do you have to go through the conversion process? It is simple. It is a matter of heaven and earth, soul and body, Israel the bride of G-d and the husband. A convert is said to be the "Son of G-d" himself. He cannot really say in truth that he is a physical descendant of Avraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A convert goes through a process where he most prove himself to the Jewish people. The Mother must recognize her children. And that mother is the Jewish people. The Father is G-d in heaven who knew all along that you had a Jewish soul. But, the Jewish people are the ones who were given the power and authority to make a Jew in this world. So the conversion process is so that the Jewish people will acknowledge and say that you are a "convert who converted". And we say that a convert is fully Jewish and has the same status as a born Jew. So this may shed light on the three opinions on the ten tribes return of tshuva. According to Rabbi, Shimon Ben Yehudah, they will return because they will do tshuva. This could mean the reckoning of the House of Israel as converts. As we see with the Bnei Menashe in India, and the Bnei Dan in Ethiopia, both had to convert on a doubt. This is an example of G-d and the people themselves know who they are, and the Jews need to recognize through the conversion of doubt. The second scenario could be that Mashiach comes and tells these people that they are really Jewish and tell them what tribe they are from this could be and example of from above to below, Rabbi Eliezer's opinion that "G-d will take them out of darkness".
Rabbi Akiva is descended from a convert. His father was a convert. The Son of a convert is considered to be a convert himself. Surely, he was very knowledgeable on the laws of conversion. I believe Rabbi Akiva held that the Ten tribes would return in the form of converts. In this way all opinions can be reconciled. It could be that Mashiach will tell these converts that they are from the House of Israel, and we will see that the converts that are coming to Judaism today in the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption are really part of the House of Israel. This lends much urgency to the campaign of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Through the campaign to spread sheva mitzvot bnei Noach these converts and possible Bnei Yisrael will be revealed. As the seven are foundational to all of Judaism and correspond to the emotions of man. As there are six emotive attributes and Malchus which is the seventh, which represents David HaMelech HaMashiach who descended from Coverts. Through these commandments we can reignite the heart of these lost tribes that might find themselves trapped in great darkness. Through this fire we can spark a holy desire for G-dliness. In this way, through the spreading of these seven commandments we will uncover hidden treasures and multiply the crop. As some will embrace just the seven and stay Bnei Noach, others will decide that seven is not enough and will ask for 613. And others yet will reveal the Jewish soul inside them and acknowledge their Jewishness. May it happen speedily in our days!
