The Maharal on the Ten Lost Tribes

בִּשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁעִ֜ית לְהוֹשֵׁ֗עַ לָכַ֤ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ אֶת־שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיֶּ֥גֶל אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַשּׁ֑וּרָה וַיֹּ֨שֶׁב אוֹתָ֜ם בַּחְלַ֧ח וּבְחָב֛וֹר נְהַ֥ר גּוֹזָ֖ן וְעָרֵ֥י מָדָֽי׃ {פ} עַ֠ד אֲשֶׁר־הֵסִ֨יר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד כׇּל־עֲבָדָ֣יו הַנְּבִיאִ֑ים וַיִּ֨גֶל יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל מֵעַ֤ל אַדְמָתוֹ֙ אַשּׁ֔וּרָה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {פ}

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He deported the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah, at the [River] Habor, at the River Gozan, and in the towns of Media. In the end, GOD removed Israel from the divine presence, as they had been warned through all God’s servants the prophets. So the Israelites were deported from their land to Assyria, as is still the case.

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יוֹסִ֨יף אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ שֵׁנִית֙ יָד֔וֹ לִקְנ֖וֹת אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר עַמּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשָּׁאֵר֩ מֵאַשּׁ֨וּר וּמִמִּצְרַ֜יִם וּמִפַּתְר֣וֹס וּמִכּ֗וּשׁ וּמֵעֵילָ֤ם וּמִשִּׁנְעָר֙ וּמֵ֣חֲמָ֔ת וּמֵאִיֵּ֖י הַיָּֽם׃ וְנָשָׂ֥א נֵס֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְאָסַ֖ף נִדְחֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּנְפֻצ֤וֹת יְהוּדָה֙ יְקַבֵּ֔ץ מֵאַרְבַּ֖ע כַּנְפ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וְסָ֙רָה֙ קִנְאַ֣ת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְצֹרְרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ לֹא־יְקַנֵּ֣א אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וִיהוּדָ֖ה לֹא־יָצֹ֥ר אֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃

In that day, my Sovereign will apply the divine hand again to redeeming the other part of this people from Assyria—as also from Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coastlands. [God] will hold up a signal to the nations And assemble the banished of Israel, And gather the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. Then Ephraim’s envy shall cease And Judah’s harassment shall end; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָ֥ה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ בָנִ֖ים לִגְבוּלָֽם׃ הֲבֵן֩ יַקִּ֨יר לִ֜י אֶפְרַ֗יִם אִ֚ם יֶ֣לֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִ֔ים כִּֽי־מִדֵּ֤י דַבְּרִי֙ בּ֔וֹ זָכֹ֥ר אֶזְכְּרֶ֖נּוּ ע֑וֹד עַל־כֵּ֗ן הָמ֤וּ מֵעַי֙ ל֔וֹ רַחֵ֥ם אֲֽרַחֲמֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}

Thus said GOD: Restrain your voice from weeping, Your eyes from shedding tears; For there is a reward for your labor —declares GOD: They shall return from the enemy’s land. And there is hope for your future —declares GOD: Your children shall return to their country. Truly, Ephraim is a dear son to Me, A child that is dandled! Whenever I have turned against him, My thoughts would dwell on him still. That is why My heart yearns for him; I will receive him back in love —declares GOD.

מַתְנִי׳ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים אֵינָן עֲתִידִין לַחֲזוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּשְׁלִכֵם אֶל אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה״. מָה הַיּוֹם הוֹלֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר – אַף הֵם הוֹלְכִים וְאֵינָן חוֹזְרִים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: ״כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה״ – מָה יוֹם מַאֲפִיל וּמֵאִיר, אַף עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁאֲפֵילָה לָהֶן כָּךְ עֲתִידָה לְהָאִיר לָהֶם. גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים אֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה׳ מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם בְּאַף וּבְחֵמָה וּבְקֶצֶף גָּדוֹל״. ״וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה׳ מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם״ – בְּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״וַיַּשְׁלִכֵם אֶל אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת״ – לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אִישׁ כְּפַר עַכּוֹ אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: אִם מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה – אֵינָן חוֹזְרִין, וְאִם לָאו – חוֹזְרִין. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בָּאִים הֵם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שַׁבְקַהּ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לַחֲסִידוּתֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הָלֹךְ וְקָרָאתָ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה צָפוֹנָה וְאָמַרְתָּ שׁוּבָה מְשֻׁבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה׳ לוֹא אַפִּיל פָּנַי בָּכֶם כִּי חָסִיד אֲנִי נְאֻם ה׳ לֹא אֶטּוֹר לְעוֹלָם״.

MISHNA: The ten tribes are not destined to return to Eretz Yisrael, even during the messianic era, as it is stated: “And He cast them into another land, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 29:27). Just as the day passes never to return, so too, the ten tribes go into exile and do not return; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Eliezer says: “As it is this day,” meaning just as the day darkens and then the sky brightens the next day, with regard to the ten tribes as well, although it is dark for them now, so it is destined to brighten for them. GEMARA: The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 13:12): The ten tribes have no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation; and He cast them into another land, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 29:27). “And the Lord rooted them out of their land” indicates in this world; “and cast them into another land” indicates for the World-to-Come; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda of the village of Akko says in the name of Rabbi Shimon: If their actions continue to be “as it is this day” and they continue to sin, they do not return to Eretz Yisrael. And if not, and they repent, they return to Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The members of the ten tribes come to the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and they shall come who were lost in the land of Assyria and who were dispersed in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the Lord at the holy mountain in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 27:13). Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Here too, Rabbi Akiva abandoned his piety and uncharacteristically interpreted the verses harshly, as it is stated with regard to the ten tribes: “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: Return you faithless Israel, says the Lord; I will not frown upon you; for I am merciful, says the Lord, and I will not bear a grudge forever” (Jeremiah 3:12). The prophet prophesies about the return of the ten tribes to Eretz Yisrael.

והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם. אלו כ"ד מתנות כהונה שניתנו לכהנים: תחת אשר קנא לאלהיו ויכפר על בני ישראל. (ישעיהו נ״ג:י״ב) "תחת אשר הערה למות נפשו". לכפר על בני ישראל לא נאמר כאן אלא ויכפר על בני ישראל, שעד עכשיו לא זזו, אלא עומד ומכפר עד שיחיו המתים:

(Bamidbar 25:13) "And it shall be unto him and to his seed after him a covenant of eternal priesthood": This refers to the twenty-four priestly gifts bestowed upon the Cohanim. (Ibid.) "because he was wroth for his G-d": because he was ready to give his life. (Ibid.) "and he will atone for the children of Israel": It is not written "to atone for the children of Israel," but "and he will atone for the children of Israel." Until now he has not stirred (from his place), but he stands and atones until the revival of the dead.

ומפני שבארנו בחבור גבורות השם ענין גאולת מצרים, יש לחבר עם זה גאולה אחרונה. וחבור הזה יקרא בשמו נצח ישראל, והטעם מבואר למעלה בתחלה חבור גבורות ה' (סוף הקדמה שלישית), כי בחבור הזה יתבאר כי השם יתברך נתן לישראל הנצחיות, ואינם כלים חס ושלום בגלותם הקשה הכבד. גם כן יתבאר כי יש אל השם יתברך הנצח, שיהיה מנצח מלכות הרביעית שיש לה הממשלה, וכדכתיב (עובדיה א, כא) "ועלו מושיעים בהר ציון לשפוט את הר עשו והיתה לה' המלוכה אחד". אמן כן יהי רצון במהרה בימינו:

And because we have explained in the work Gevurot Hashem the matter of the redemption from Egypt, it is fitting to join with it the final redemption. And this work shall be called by its name, Netzach Yisrael (The Eternity of Israel), the reason for which was explained above at the beginning of the work Gevurot Hashem. For in this work, it will be explained that the Lord, may He be blessed, has given to Israel eternity, and they will not, Heaven forfend, perish in their difficult and heavy exile. It will also be explained that the Lord, may He be blessed, possesses Victory, in that He will vanquish the fourth kingdom which holds dominion, as it is written (Obadiah 1:21), “And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” Amen, so may it be His will, speedily in our days.

כי חבלי משיח הוא מצד השנוי, וזהו ענין חבלי המשיח. והדבר הזה הוא עוד ענין עמוק מאוד, שהרוצה להנצל מחבלי המשיח יהיה עוסק בתורה ובגמילות חסדים, באלו שתי מדות, שהם התורה והחסד, מדות שבהם מדריגות הפשיטות, התורה והחסד. אילימא משום דכתיב וכו'.

Likewise when a new matter materializes, meaning the world of the Messiah, it is a new existence that will materialize, such that this is certainly a change. And this is why there will be birth pangs of the Messiah. For it is just like that there are pangs to a woman when an infant comes out to the world from the angle of the existence and creation that comes into the world.

כי החכם ישיג מצד שכלו, ומכיון שהוא ישיג מצד שכלו, יוכל להשיג הדברים הנעלמים והנסתרים ביותר. וביאור זה, כי הנבואה דומה כדבר* לחוש עין, שירגיש המוחש מבחוץ. שכבר אמרנו כי הנבואה צריך להתדבקות מבחוץ במה שהוא מתנבא עליו. ולפיכך אמרו חכמים (ברכות לד:), כל הנביאים לא נתנבאו אלא לימי* המשיח, אבל עולם הבא "עין לא ראתה אלוהים זולתך" (ישעיה סד, ג).

2 It is the case that human conception is inherent in man; it is his conceiving. It is necessary to infer from this that the thing (דבר) that he conceives cannot be separate from him who conceives it in any way. For if it were completely separate from the man, the conceiver, it would not be considered humanly conceivable. As previously stated that human conception is inherent in man, it must be the case that the thing that is completely separate from him, being that it is separate from him, cannot be conceived by him.

ואין לומר שהיו מתערבים עם הגוים*, ופליגי אם אותן שנטמעו בין הגוים יחזרו לעתיד, דבפרק קמא דיבמות (יז.) מוכח דלא חיישינן להכי, דקאמר שם גוי שקדש בזמן הזה, אין חוששין לקדושין, ולא חיישינן שמא הוא מעשרת השבטים, דגמירא דבנתיה דההוא דרא אצטרויי אצטרי. כי כמה פעמים האדם מעתיק מקומו והולך למקום אחר. ועוד יראה דהכי פירושו, דמתחלה הגלה אותם לאפריקי. ועל כל פנים לא* היה השם יתברך מפריש אותם מן ישראל, רק השליך אותם מעל פניו; ולמר השליך אותם לשמאל, כי השמאל הוא נבדל מעל פניו לגמרי, ודבר זה מבואר.

Therefore, one must say that that which Rabbi Elazar said that the ten tribes are destined to return, the meaning is that they will return in the future along with the rest of the exiles [of the kingdom of Judah]. For even now also they are [mixed] in the midst of the rest of the exiles [of the kingdom of Judah], for originally He exiled them such that ultimately they would be able to return with the rest of the exiles, for He exiled them originally to Afrikei or to the Selug Mountains, and afterward they were uprooted from their place [there] to be amongst the rest of the exiles [of Judah]. For often a person uproots himself from his place and goes to another place. And according to [Rabbi Akiva] who said that [the ten tribes] never return, those 10 tribes went off and were lost from the land. This is what is meant "They are not destined to return", i.e. from the onset He didn't exile them that they would then return [again] in the future; rather they would be lost from Israel.

ודבר זה, שרוצה לומר שהם בנים באין חסרון. ולכן אל תתגודדו למת, שהיה דרך שלהם לעשות השחתה בעצמם בשביל ההשחתה שהגיע למת.

Hence it is not fit to say that with the removal of the cause – which is the righteousness of the Jewish people – the result would also be removed, meaning His taking them as a people for Himself. And even though their deeds, good or bad, caused there to be more or less attachment [to God], as this is certainly according to the majority of [their] deeds, such that there would be more or less [of it] – nevertheless, [God's] actual choice was not because of any deed at all.

אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ: חַמְרָא דִּפְרוֹגִיתָא וּמַיָּא דִדְיוֹמְסֵת קִיפְּחוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ אִיקְּלַע לְהָתָם, אִימְּשִׁיךְ בָּתְרַיְיהוּ אִיעַקַּר תַּלְמוּדֵיהּ. כִּי הֲדַר אֲתָא, קָם לְמִיקְרֵי בְּסִפְרָא, בְּעָא לְמִקְרֵי ״הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם״, אָמַר ״הַחֵרֵשׁ הָיָה לִבָּם״. בְּעוֹ רַבָּנַן רַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ וַהֲדַר תַּלְמוּדֵיהּ.

Apropos Deyomset, the Gemara cites that Rabbi Ḥelbo said: The wine of Phrygia [Perugaita] and the water of the Deyomset deprived Israel of the ten lost tribes. Because the members of these tribes were attracted to the pleasures of wine and bathing and did not occupy themselves with Torah, they were lost to the Jewish people. The Gemara relates that once Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh happened to come there, to Phrygia and Deyomset, and he was drawn after them, and his Torah learning was forgotten. When he returned, he stood to read from a Torah scroll and was supposed to read the verse: “This month shall be for you [haḥodesh hazeh lakhem]” (Exodus 12:2), but he had forgotten so much that he could barely remember how to read the Hebrew letters, and instead he read: Have their hearts become deaf [haḥeresh haya libbam], interchanging the similar letters reish for dalet, yod for zayin, and beit for khaf. The Sages prayed and asked for God to have mercy on him, and his learning was restored.

אַפְאֵיהֶם, אָמְרוּ הַמְּדַקְדְּקִים, אֲפַזְּרֵם בְּכָל פֵּאָה. וְאִם כֵּן יִהְיֶה טַעַם אָמַרְתִּי, שֶׁהָיָה הָרָצוֹן לְפָנָיו בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּכָה לְעוֹלָם מְפֻזָּרִים בְּכָל פֵּאָה, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה זִכְרָם מֵאֱנוֹשׁ נִשְׁבָּת לָעַד, לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב אָגוּר. וְעַל דַּעְתִּי הִיא מִלָּה מֻרְכֶּבֶת כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְכִּירוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (האזינו כו), אַף אֵי הֵם, אֲבָל טַעְמָהּ שֶׁאֲשִׁיתֵם בִּמְקוֹם פֵּאָה וּבְעִנְיָן שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גַּם אֵי הֵם, לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר לָהֶם שֵׁם וּשְׁאָר בַּגּוֹיִם וְלֹא יִוָּדַע מְקוֹמָם אַיֵּה. וְהִנֵּה יִרְמֹז לְגָלוּת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁגָּלוּ לִנְהַר גּוֹזָן (מלכים ב יז ו), הוּא שֶׁהַחֲכָמִים קוֹרִין סַמְבַּטְיוֹן, כִּי נִקְרָא גּוֹזָן מִלְּשׁוֹן וַיָּגָז שַׂלְוִים (במדבר יא לא), אַתָּה גוֹזִי (תהלים עא ו), כִּי הָעוֹמְדִים אַחֲרָיו מוּסָרִים מִבְּנֵי אָדָם. וְקוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ סַמְבַּטְיוֹן מִפְּנֵי שְׁבִיתָתוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת, כִּי יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בִּלְשׁוֹן הַהוּא סַבְּט כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא בְּעַרְבִי, וְנָהוּג בִּלְשׁוֹנָם לְהוֹסִיף בַּתְּאָרִים "יוֹן" אֵזוֹבְיוֹן חוֹרְיוֹן מוּלְיוֹן וְכֵן הַרְבֵּה:

[‘AMARTI’ (I SAID)] ‘APHEIHEM.’ Grammarians explained it as meaning: “I will disperse them into every ‘corner.’” And if so, the word amarti means that it was the Will before Him by the attribute of justice that they be so scattered forever in every corner, and that their memory cease forever from among men — were it not that I was in dread of the wrath from the enemy. And in my opinion the word apheihem is a composite word, as is mentioned in the Sifre, that it consists of these three words: aph ei heim [“I said in My ‘anger’ that I will banish them so that it will be said of them ‘where are they?’ “]. The meaning thereof is that I will put them in such a place and in such a manner that it will also be said of them “Where are they?” signifying that there will be no name or remnant left of them among the nations, and their place will not be known where they are. He thus alludes to the exile of the ten tribes that were banished to the river Gozan, this being the river which the Sages call “Sabbatyon.” The name “Gozan” is of the expressions: ‘vayagaz’ (and it brought over) quails from the sea; Thou art ‘gozi’ (He that took me out) of my mother’s womb, because those who remain behind [that river] are “divested” of any contacts with other people. It is called “Sabbatyon” because of its rest on the Sabbath-day, for the Sabbath-day in that language, as in Arabic, is called Sabbat, and they add adjectivial suffixes of ‘yon’ to certain nouns, such as: eizoviyon (Greek hyssop), churyon (another), mulyon (a mule), and many others.

אמר לצפון תני, גם היהודים אשר בצפון שהם מסוגרים שם בהרים מקיפים אותם ולא יוכלו לצאת מתוכם, יאמר ה' אל החלק הזה שיתן את הסגורים בתוכו, אבל היושבים בתימן אין סגורים בין הררי עד, רק שהאומות לא יניחו אותם לצאת יאמר אל תכלאו ואל תעכבו בידם מלצאת: