Rabbi Malbim on Ezekiel 37

From: Yair Davidi [mailto:britam@netvision.net.il]
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Rabbi Malbim on Ezekiel 37

NOTE FROM EDDIE:

Yair Davidi is an ORTHODOX JEW who lives in Jerusalem, Israel and
has a ministry (Brit-Am) devoted and dedicated to doing research and
spreading awareness of the Ten Lost Tribes and their reunification
with the house of Judah in the end of days.

END OF NOTE

RABBI MALBIM On EZEKIEL 37

The full name of the MALBIM was Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michael
[Weiser], but he is called "MALBIM" for short. He lived in 1809-1879
CE. The Malbim comments on Ezekiel 37:

Ezekiel 37 says:
[Ezekiel 37:15] THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN UNTO ME,
SAYING,

[Ezekiel 37:16] MOREOVER, THOU SON OF MAN, TAKE THEE ONE STICK, AND WRITE
UPON IT, FOR JUDAH, AND FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HIS COMPANIONS: THEN
TAKE ANOTHER STICK, AND WRITE UPON IT, FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM AND
FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL HIS COMPANIONS:

[Ezekiel 37:17] AND JOIN THEM ONE TO ANOTHER INTO ONE STICK; AND THEY SHALL
BECOME ONE IN THINE HAND.

[Ezekiel 37:18] AND WHEN THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE SHALL SPEAK UNTO THEE,
SAYING, WILT THOU NOT SHEW US WHAT THOU MEANEST BY THESE?

[Ezekiel 37:19] SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE
THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF
ISRAEL HIS FELLOWS, AND WILL PUT THEM WITH HIM, EVEN WITH THE STICK OF
JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MINE
HAND.

[Ezekiel 37:20] AND THE STICKS WHEREON THOU WRITEST SHALL BE IN THINE HAND
BEFORE THEIR EYES.

[Ezekiel 37:21] AND SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL
TAKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN, WHITHER THEY BE GONE,
AND WILL GATHER THEM ON EVERY SIDE, AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN
LAND:

[Ezekiel 37:22] AND I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION IN THE LAND UPON THE
MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL; AND ONE KING SHALL BE KING TO THEM ALL: AND THEY SHALL
BE NO MORE TWO NATIONS, NEITHER SHALL THEY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS ANY
MORE AT ALL.

[Ezekiel 37:23] NEITHER SHALL THEY DEFILE THEMSELVES ANY MORE WITH THEIR
IDOLS, NOR WITH THEIR DETESTABLE THINGS, NOR WITH ANY OF THEIR
TRANSGRESSIONS: BUT I WILL SAVE THEM OUT OF ALL THEIR DWELLINGPLACES,
WHEREIN THEY HAVE SINNED, AND WILL CLEANSE THEM: SO SHALL THEY BE MY
PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.

[Ezekiel 37:24] AND DAVID MY SERVANT SHALL BE KING OVER THEM; AND THEY ALL
SHALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD: THEY SHALL ALSO WALK IN MY JUDGMENTS, AND OBSERVE
MY STATUTES, AND DO THEM.

[Ezekiel 37:25] AND THEY SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UNTO
JACOB MY SERVANT, WHEREIN YOUR FATHERS HAVE DWELT; AND THEY SHALL DWELL
THEREIN, EVEN THEY, AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN FOR
EVER: AND MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR
EVER.

[Ezekiel 37:26] MOREOVER I WILL MAKE A COVENANT OF PEACE WITH THEM; IT
SHALL BE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM: AND I WILL PLACE THEM, AND
MULTIPLY THEM, AND WILL SET MY SANCTUARY IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR
EVERMORE.

[Ezekiel 37:27] MY TABERNACLE ALSO SHALL BE WITH THEM: YEA, I WILL BE THEIR
GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

[Ezekiel 37:28] AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I THE LORD DO SANCTIFY
ISRAEL, WHEN MY SANCTUARY SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR
EVERMORE.

The Malbim explained the above verses that we have just read from the 37th
chapter of Ezekiel in the following manner:

[Ezekiel 37;15] "He [the Prophet] was commanded to take one stick and to
write upon it, these words, ~FOR JUDAH AND FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS
COMPANIONS~, [this stick] represented Judah and those [others] joined unto
him from the Children of Israel, such as the Tribe of Benjamin, and the
Sons of Levi, and the rest of the people who had attached themselves to
Judah.

[And he goes on in Ezekiel] "~And he took another stick, and he
wrote upon it, these words: ~FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND FOR ALL
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS~, [this stick] represents Joseph who
was the source of the tribe [of Ephraim]. From Joseph developed the Kingdom
of Ephraim which began with Jeroboam, and therefore [the stick of Joseph]
is [also] termed , ~THE STICK OF EPHRAIM.

Ezekiel says: ~AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL~, for unto him [unto
Joseph] were joined all of Israel which belong to the Ten Tribes...

Ezekiel [37;19] "BEHOLD , I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH..."I WILL TAKE THE
STICK OF JOSEPH...AND I WILL PUT UPON HIM THE STICK OF JUDAH", i.e. the
Malbim understands the verse to say that the stick of Judah will be put on
the stick of Joseph. The Malbim understands this to mean that Judah will be
secondary to Joseph.

The KJ version of this verse (Ezekiel 37;19) that the Malbim is
referring to has it translated as: "[Ezekiel 37:19] SAY UNTO THEM, THUS
SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN
THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL HIS FELLOWS, AND WILL PUT
THEM WITH HIM, EVEN WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND
THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.

The King James seems to understand that the stick of Joseph will be put
with the stick of Judah and not that the stick of Judah will be put with
Joseph. This is just the opposite of how the Malbim understands the verse.

In the original Hebrew the verse could be understood either way. At all
events, The MALBIM understands the Hebrew as saying that Judah will be put
on (attached to) Joseph (and therefore will be at first of secondary
"attache"status importance to Joseph.

In Genesis chapter 44 it is related how the brothers sold Joseph. Joseph
later had become the virtual ruler of Egypt. Meanwhile the Land of Canaan
like the Land of Egypt was stricken with famine. The brothers of Joseph
went up to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph recognized his brothers but the
brothers of Joseph did not recognize him. Joseph forced his brothers to go
back to Canaan and eventually return accompanied by Benjamin the younger
brother of Joseph by the same mother. Joseph then framed Benjamin and made
Benjamin look like a thief. Joseph threatened to keep Benjamin as a slave.
Judah stepped forward and approached Joseph and pleaded on behalf of
Benjamin. Judah offered to serve as a slave instead of Benjamin. The
Commentators say that because Judah took responsibility for Benjamin Judah
merited to be given Messianic responsibility as part of his Tribal Destiny.

From Judah emerges the House of David and the future Messiah.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher (Chabad) Rabbi, made the
following observations on the action of Judah (Genesis: VaYigash). Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneerson was considered inspired by his followers and by
many others.

The relevant verse says:
[GENESIS 44:18] THEN JUDAH CAME NEAR UNTO HIM, AND SAID, OH MY LORD, LET
THY SERVANT, I PRAY THEE, SPEAK A WORD IN MY LORD'S EARS, AND LET NOT THINE
ANGER BURN AGAINST THY SERVANT: FOR THOU ART EVEN AS PHARAOH.

Commentary:
On the verse: "FOR THOU ART EVEN AS PHARAOH": Rabbi Schneerson quotes the
source saying that Judah meant to say that Joseph is as powerful as Pharaoh
and that Judah acknowledges his authority. Judah acknowledged the authority
of Joseph. Because of this Judah merited the Promise in Ezekiel 37, "MY
SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR EVER". The Rabbi says that in order
for Judah to bring on the Messiah, to help the Messiah come, and realize
the promise given to his seed ("MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR
EVER") Judah must first do as the Patriarch Judah did when he CAME NEAR
UNTO Joseph and he acknowledged the authority of Joseph and initially was
influenced from Joseph.

The MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH was
to appear before the MESSIAH SON OF DAVID. In some sources the MESSIAH SON
OF JOSEPH is called "The First Redeemer." The "Second Redeemer" will be the
Messiah son of David.

The Messiah son of Joseph will be the leader of the Lost Ten Tribes.

A few points concerning the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH that are to be found in
the book "Kol HaTor" ("The Voice of the Turtledove" in Hebrew). This book
is a collection of the sayings of a great and famous Rabbi (Eliyahu of
Vilna) and his followers in the eighteenth century. The book deals with the
MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH. Rabbi Elyahu of Vilna is considered to have been one
of the greatest Rabbis of all time. The ideas in this book "Kol HaTor" are
all based on Biblical or related sources.

Our Prayers Are Needed:

[In Ezekiel 37:16, Ezekiel was told to take one stick, FOR JUDAH. Ezekeil
was then told to take ANOTHER STICK, FOR JOSEPH. Ezekiel was told in
Ezekiel 37:17 to join the two sticks together. THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN
THINE HAND. The two sticks (representing Judah and Joseph) were to first
become one in the hand of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 37:19 God says that the
two sticks SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.]

[Ezekiel says that] First the two sticks will become one in your hands
and afterwards they will be one in my [God's] hand." [i.e. This means
that: First Judah and Joseph should try to join together from below and
afterwards God will help them from above].

On the same theme: "Kol HaTor" emphasizes The Two Sticks (representing
Judah and Joseph) Must be Joined Together Through Our Initiative!

[2.101] Ezekiel (37) speaks of the stick of Joseph [and Judah and the union
of Judah with Joseph].

At first the union [of Judah with Joseph] comes about through arousal from
below by way of nature [through our actions] as it says, "Join them one to
another into one stick." And afterwards [the re-union is confirmed] in a
miraculous manner, [through the hand of God, as it says in Ezekiel "they
shall become on in Your hand" meaning they shall become re-united in the
hand of God!

Ingathers the Exiles

"Kol HaTor" says [2.40] "His [i.e. Joseph's] bow abode in strength"
(Genesis 49;24). This should be an important principle for us. We have to
stand obstinately strong in the holy work of gathering in the exiles which
is the task of the first redeemer [i.e. of the MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH].

Eventually a re-union between Joseph and Judah will take place.

The sooner the better. Helping Brit-Am through purchasing books
and tapes, and contributions, and helping to spread Brit-Am truth and
knowledge is a first step towards the re-unification of Judah and
Joseph. Everybody should participate in this enterprise and do
whatever they can to help us.

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