01-11-2010, 09:12 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-14-2010, 06:31 PM by Director Michael.)
A person is born a Jew if he or she has matrilineal descent from a Jewish woman.
IF a person is born Jewish, his or her tribal affiliation is determined by a purely Jewish patrilineal descent from one of the 12 sons of Jacob. So in order to have a Jewish tribal affiliation, the person must have been born to a Jewish mother, and ALSO to a Jewish father who had this patrilineal descent.
If a person has only the matrilineal Jewish descent, but not patrilineal, then he or she IS a Jew, but with no tribal affiliation. (Likewise, a person who converts according to Torah Law to become a Jew does not have any tribal affiliation). That's what your Rabbi was saying. A person could be a "lost Jew" (born Jewish without knowing that his or her matrilineal line was really Jewish), but without belonging to one of the lost tribes if there is no patrilineal descent.
When Moshiach comes, G-d Himself will gather all the Jews, including all the "lost" Jews, to the Holy Land. There, with a spirit of prophecy, Moshiach will tell each Jew if he/she has any tribal affiliation, and if so, which tribe that is.
IF a person is born Jewish, his or her tribal affiliation is determined by a purely Jewish patrilineal descent from one of the 12 sons of Jacob. So in order to have a Jewish tribal affiliation, the person must have been born to a Jewish mother, and ALSO to a Jewish father who had this patrilineal descent.
If a person has only the matrilineal Jewish descent, but not patrilineal, then he or she IS a Jew, but with no tribal affiliation. (Likewise, a person who converts according to Torah Law to become a Jew does not have any tribal affiliation). That's what your Rabbi was saying. A person could be a "lost Jew" (born Jewish without knowing that his or her matrilineal line was really Jewish), but without belonging to one of the lost tribes if there is no patrilineal descent.
When Moshiach comes, G-d Himself will gather all the Jews, including all the "lost" Jews, to the Holy Land. There, with a spirit of prophecy, Moshiach will tell each Jew if he/she has any tribal affiliation, and if so, which tribe that is.