The Tribe of Simeon, Naphtali, Benjamin and the Igbo

The Tribe of Simeon, Naphtali, Benjamin and the Igbo

Rabbi Yehudah (Tochukwu) ben Shomeyr

Simeon

Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. – Gen. 49:5-7

Due to the combined efforts of Levi and Simeon to avenge the dishonor of their sister Dinah, Jacob (Israel) links their people together and said that they would be scattered among the Tribes of Israel.

Because of the Igbo priests (Nri and Arochukwu) who operate in the same function as the Levitical priests, we are assured Levi can be found among the Igbo. Thus it stands to reason that since Simeon like Levi was destine to be scattered among Israel and Simeon had a reputation of being warriors or mercenaries for hire, the possibility exists that Simeon can be found among the Igbo, especially seeing as there were many waves of Israelites made their way to Nigeria prior to the Exodus, after the Exodus, after Babylon and during the Assyrian captivity and before and after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Some of Simeon who were not scattered along with Levi and other various Israeli tribes actually became the Spartans who the Levitical Maccabean warriors called BROTHERS, and they did not just throw that intimate family term around lightly and they never called Gentiles, Non-Hebraic nations their “Brothers.”

And this is the copy of the letters which Jonathan wrote to the Lacedemonians (Spartans):  Jonathan the high priest, and the elders of the nation, and the priests, and the other of the Jews, unto the Lacedemonians their brethren send greeting:  There were letters sent in times past unto Onias the high priest from Darius, who reigned then among you, to signify that ye are our brethren, as the copy here underwritten doth specify.  At which time Onias entreated the ambassador that was sent honourably, and received the letters, wherein declaration was made of the league and friendship. Therefore we also, albeit we need none of these things, that we have the holy books of scripture in our hands to comfort us,  Have nevertheless attempted to send unto you for the renewing of brotherhood and friendship, lest we should become strangers unto you altogether: for there is a long time passed since ye sent unto us.  We therefore at all times without ceasing, both in our feasts, and other convenient days, do remember you in the sacrifices which we offer, and in our prayers, as reason is, and as it becometh us to think upon our brethren:  And we are right glad of your honour.  As for ourselves, we have had great troubles and wars on every side, forsomuch as the kings that are round about us have fought against us.  Howbeit we would not be troublesome unto you, nor to others of our confederates and friends, in these wars:  For we have help from heaven that succoureth us, so as we are delivered from our enemies, and our enemies are brought under foot.  For this cause we chose Numenius the son of Antiochus, and Antipater he son of Jason, and sent them unto the Romans, to renew the amity that we had with them, and the former league.  We commanded them also to go unto you, and to salute and to deliver you our letters concerning the renewing of our brotherhood.  Wherefore now ye shall do well to give us an answer thereto.  And this is the copy of the letters which Oniares sent.  Areus king of the Lacedemonians to Onias the high priest, greeting:  It is found in writing, that the Lacedemonians and Jews are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham:  Now therefore, since this is come to our knowledge, ye shall do well to write unto us of your prosperity.  We do write back again to you, that your cattle and goods are our's, and our's are your's We do command therefore our ambassadors to make report unto you on this wise. – I Mac. 12:5-23

Naphtali

Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words. – Gen. 49:21

And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south. – Deut. 33:23

Shavei.org is one of many who claim the Igbo also have affiliation with the Tribe of Naphtali, along with Gad, Dan and Asher.

Naphtali is prophesied to produce the most beautiful women in all of Israel and the Igbo claim their women are the most beautiful in all of Africa and I dare say they may be right. So many Igbo women enter and win beauty pagents and find success as actresses and models in Nollywood and Hollywood.

Naphtali was born of Zilpah the handmaid and children of the handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah tend to gravitate to one another because they were not physically born of Rachel or Leah. The handmaids were said by some to be Egyptian women and or half-sisters of Rachel and Leah and were very dark women. So it stands to reasn that Naphtali may have traveled with Eri’s entourage and made their way to Nigeria to be with their relatives who more closely resembled them ethnically during one of the many waves of Israelites who came to Africa.

Naphtali, if you read Collins and Davidiy’s books explain that a portion of Naphtali became the White Huns.

“…Ephthalite,” or “Nephthalies” Huns. They were also called “White Huns,” as they were a fair-skinned, Caucasian or Semitic race. The striking similarity between the Israelite “Naphtalites” and the Asian “Ephthalites” is obvious.” – Pg. 209 “Israel’s Tribes Today” Steven M. Collins

Another part of Naphtali became the Norwegians and Swedes.

Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words. – Gen. 49:21

“Wind let loose” speaks of a female deer in heat and the Scandinavian societies are known for its loose and “liberated” attitude toward sex and sexuality. Also, many Scandinavian women have become models and actresses and their Nordic blonde hair, blue eyes and long legs have become the Hollywood standard for sex appeal.

“Goodly words” may hint of Beautiful speeches which are declared from Sweden during the annual Nobel Prizes.

Benjamin

Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. – Gen. 49:27

And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. –Deut. 33:12

Benjamin, the baby of all the Tribes held tight to two tribes; full brother Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) and big half-brother Judah. The Southern Kingdom of Judah consisted of Judah, Levi and a smattering of Benjamin and their tribal territory in the allotment within the Promised Land under Joshua was smack dab between Judah, Dan, Ephraim, Manasseh as well as Gad and Reuben. So when Assyria took away the 10 tribes into captivity, part of Benjamin went with them while others were able to escape and take refuge into the Southern Kingdom of Judah, that is until the Babylonians came and took away Judah and Levi into captivity and the Benjamites who escaped the Assyrians were nabbed by the Babylonians.

Seeing as Judah likely resides among the Igbo as well as Manasseh and seeing as Benjamin had a close relationship with these tribes it is conceivable to find Benjamin among the Igbo.

In Scripture Benjamin was known as a small yet fiercely tenacious Tribe (Judges 19-21) of warriors. Their Tribal symbol is the Wolf who hunts in small packs. Based on the clues of the Jacobic and Mosaic prophetic blessings concerning Benjamin and the uncanny similarities in people and culture, some believe  many of Benjamin who were not scattered among other Israeli Tribes, ended up in Norway and became part of the Vikings.

OMER 34

“Today is thirty-four days which are four weeks and six days of the Omer.”

Theme of the Week: Hod - Glory

Theme of the Day: Yesod - Intimacy

Overall Theme: The Intimacy of His Glory

The counting of the Omer also recounts the journey in the wilderness to Mount Sinai where Israel received the Torah (Law) and ever so often in the count a stop or an event in the journey is recounted. Today is just such a day as we recall the stop at Rephidim where Moses gets water from the Rock.

Exodus 17:1-16

We see Israel is camped in Rephidim which means, “spread them” a contraction of Raphot Yadim meaning “weakness of the hands. This is a Hebrew idiom for fear. Kind of like when we say, “Weak in the knees” The hand in Hebraic thought means ability, authority and power. So we can put it all together like this; “When your hands are weak, spread them.” When do we see people spreading their hands in Scripture, what are they usually doing? Praying and or Praising. And in our day and time what does spreading the hands mean? Surrender. So when we are weak we must surrender ourselves and our situation to G-d and spread our hands out in prayer and praise for the anticipated answer that is coming.

There are two stories about Rephidim, and each involves weak and spreading hands.

1. Exodus 17:3 “And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Israel was WEAK with fear for their lives, and Moshe SPREAD his HANDS and struck the rock and water flowed.

This most likely was a porous volcanic rock that allowed water to flow through it from an underground spring. Or it could have been sandstone or limestone rock which is light enough to allow water to pass through it, and the rock would act as a purifier and so the water would be supper clean.

“The striking of the Rock at Rephidim by Moses and the gushing forth of water sounds like a veritable miracle, but the writer [Major Jarvis] has seen it happen. Some of the Sinai Camel Corps had halted in a wadi and were digging in the loose gravel accumulated at one of the rocky sides to obtain water that was slowly trickling through limestone rock… One of the men began to dig with great vigor… One of his lusty blows hit the rock… out of the porous rock came a great gush of clear water.” – Yesterday and Today in Sinai – Major C.S. Jarvis

2. The battle with Amalek. The problem was that Moshe’s hands were physically WEAK and the solution was Aharon and Hur helped SPREAD his HANDS so they could win the war.

“Did then the hands of Moses wage war or break war? Not so; but so long as Israel looked upwards and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed; and when they did not, they fell.” -- Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 29a

 Exodus 16:1 “And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.” (KJV)

Yesod means foundation and in going through the attributes we liken foundation to closeness and intimacy because when you superimpose the Seforitic chart onto the outline of a man, Yesod symbolizes the regenerative organ, and hence in a marital relationship this has to do with intimacy.  In a relationship one will go the extra wile or jump though hoops to please their partner and to prove their love. Sometimes a want or a need arises and one will go out of their way for their partner to meet such a want or need because of love. Water was just such a need and getting it from a rock was the extreme YHWH was willing to go to meet that need and to prove His love for Israel. His Intimacy for Israel was manifested in a Glorious and unusual way.

Now spiritually who is the Rock? And who is the Water? Yeshua the Messiah (I Cor. 10:4, John 4:10)!

The Traditional Psalm to read is Psalm 78:56-72:

Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel: So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation. Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach. Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

“Abba YHWH Elohim, You indeed are my all in all and if I but trust, believe and submit, even my most intimate and essential needs would be met. Help and enable me to fully trust, believe and submit to You. In the Name of Messiah Yeshua I pray. Ameyn!”

OMER 33 Lag B'Omer

“Today is thirty-three days which are four weeks and five days of the Omer.”

Theme of the Week: Hod - Glory

Theme of the Day: Hod - Hod

Overall Theme: The Hod of His Glory

Today is Lag B’Omer:

What is Lag B’Omer

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Lag B’Omer takes place during the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer which counts up to the High Holy Day of Shavu’ot (Pentecost). The 33^rd day of the Omer takes place on Iyar 18^th on the Hebrew Calendar.

Lag B’Omer itself is not a High Holy Day, but a Traditional Jewish Holiday recounting the Talmud account of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who die at the hand of YHWH via a plague during the counting of the Omer because his students didn’t show proper respect towards one another. The 33^rd day is when the plague ended. So to commemorate this we traditionally have our haircut at this time so as to show that we have no more reason to mourn, but to rejoice, because in Judaism, when we are in mourning we leave our hair unkempt. Jewish children traditionally do not get their hair cut until the age of three when on this day it is cut for the first time.

Also commemorated on this day is the death of a great sage from the Mishnah era, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who ironically was one of the surviving students of Rabbi Akiva and is believed to have authored the Mystical Kabbalistic Jewish work called the Zohar.

It is also traditional to light bonfires, symbolizing the Light of Torah that shone through the Zohar which Rabbi Yochai had supposedly authored; also bonfires were set to signal war and thus remind us of the Jewish revolt against Rome by General Bar Kochba. Since we have bonfires we also naturally cook out on this day as well as play with bows and arrows because it was said that a rainbow was never seen during Rabbi Yochai’s lifetime, because of him it was a righteous generation where the thought to destroy the world and then relent, hence seeing the rainbow and remembering the covenant, never crossed the mind of G-d during that time. Also it commemorates temporary victories by the weaponry and armies of General Bar Kochba who revolted against Rome, but because Rabbi Akiva foolishly endorsed Bar Kochba as the Messiah, the revolt ultimately failed.

There is also a legend that Rabbi Akiva and his surviving students would go out into the wilderness to study Torah at a time when it was illegal to do so under Roman occupation and the bow and arrows were taken so as not to raise suspicions of their true intentions.

The Traditional Psalm to read is Psalm 78:40-55:

How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan. And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased. He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

“Abba YHWH Elohim, I live in a material world and depend upon so many material things. Help me to realize that You are all I’ll ever need, now and forever. In Yeshua’s Name Ameyn.”

OMER 32

“Today is thirty-two days, which are four weeks and four days of the Omer.”

Theme of the Week: Hod - Glory

Theme of the Day: Netzach - Victory

Overall Theme: The Victory of His Glory

Today is the day before Lag B’Omer which to some is a remembrance of minor military victories by the Jewish people in the midst of persecution. This teaches us that we can have victory even in the middle of  challenges to our faith and that His Glory, in the guise of His Word, is with us!

Today we also have both Glory and Victory despite most of us are living outside of Israel in exile. The Rabbi’s and Sages of old said that when His people went into exile that His Presence in the form of the Shekinah went with us. And didn’t Yeshua say in the Besorah that He’d never leave us of forsake us?

The Traditional Psalm to read is Psalm 78:32-39:

For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

“HalleluYah Abba YHWH Elohim that regardless where we are, even if what we perceive it as a “hell” that Your with us. Thank You, In Yeshua’s Name, Ameyn.”