Tag Archives: British Israelism

The Truth About the Lost Tribes of Israel

What is the spiritual significance of the Twelve Tribes of Israel? Where did the notion of Ten Lost Tribes come from? Do the Lost Tribes exist somewhere today? What really happened to the ancient Israelites? Find out in this class where we also explore the “Apocalypse of Ezra”, the ancient history of Jerusalem, the strange case of David Reubeni, and when exactly “Judaism” became a religion.

For a written summary with sources and lots more information, please see here.

For the stones, symbols, and flags of the Tribes of Israel, see here.

For the videos on Astrology & Astronomy in Judaism, see here.

For the essay ‘Purim: the First Jewish Holiday’, see Volume One of Garments of Light, available here.

The Perplexing History of the “Ten Lost Tribes”

In Genesis 45 we read about Judah’s confrontation with Joseph, and the latter’s subsequent revelation of his true identity. The Torah tells us that Joseph “kissed all of his brothers and wept over them…” (Genesis 45:15) The Zohar (I, 209b) comments on this verse that Joseph wept because he foresaw the future destruction of the Holy Temples, and the exile of “his brothers, the Ten Tribes.”

The Zohar is referring to the ancient notion that ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were lost to history. The Zohar notes how the Torah first says that Joseph wept over Benjamin’s shoulder, and then separately states that he wept over the remaining ten brothers. This is alluding to the tragedy of the Ten Lost Tribes, among which Benjamin is not numbered. The land of Benjamin bordered Judah’s, and Jerusalem was built partly on Judah’s territory and partly on Benjamin’s. When the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed, Benjamin was mostly spared, and is therefore not counted among the Lost Tribes. We see further proof of this in Megillat Esther, where Mordechai is described as being both a Judahite and a Benjaminite.

So, since Judah and Benjamin were spared, we are left with Ten Lost Tribes—supposedly. We know that the Tribe of Levi did not disappear from history either, and to this day the Levites know who they are. Are there, then, nine Lost Tribes? Or should Joseph be split in two, counting Menashe and Ephraim separately, bringing the total back to ten? On that note, Joseph weeping over his ten brothers because he foresaw their destruction is problematic, since Joseph himself is among the Lost Tribes! (Maybe he should not have wept over Judah, who survived and flourished.) The entire concept of Ten Lost Tribes is perplexing. Moreover, it has been used throughout history to support all kinds of audacious, sometimes bizarre claims. Where did it come from?

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