Lost Tribe

[Moshe]

I remember well, as most people who are familiar with history, the lost Ten Tribes and the scattering of Israel, and remaining Judeans.  Part of that scattering were the  Bukharans often associated with the duel worship of Ashera and Hashem at the same time.  My mother's side is Bukharan heavy, dark hair, dark eyes.  There was some influx of German Jew as well.   So, for instance my sister is darker complected than I am, with brown hair and dark brown eyes.  In contrast, I am lighter skinned, with lighter brown hair, mostly turning white these days.  I got hazel eyes in the mix.  However, the Bukharans are known for early and hard OPMD.  Mine is Autosomal Dominant, matriarchal.  Ironically, the Doctor told me, men are more affected than women.  Because, we are the traditionally the spiritual head of the family, and are more accountable? That might explain my mother's lesser version, and mine being off the chart.  There is also a 50/50 chance to pass it on.  For instance, my mother's younger sister didn't contract it.  So far, my sister seems to have faired well, other than she probably weighs as much or more than I do.  I am not throwing rocks, at others that have Bukharan in their background.  But, it seems we must have pissed off Hashem more to get crippling OPMD, and earlier in life, as it is considered a disease that strikes other groups in their last 60's.  I am about to bridge over the middle age at 46.  I contracted this about three years ago.  Those who are familiar with the amount of Alleles in a genetic test, mine was the highest level there is.  The Bukharan stayed wandering a lot longer than most groups, end up in Eastern Europe until Soviet oppression.    My relatives all immigrated to the United States prior to the 1930's.  Those that didn't weren't so lucky and had to endure the Shoa-or not as six million didn't make it.

[Maccabeus]

Well, I'm not fluent in the historical details of the Bukharim, nor do I have first hand experience with OPMD.  

I am sorry for those in your family and lineage that have to deal with it.

On this statement, however, I do have a comment to add:

1 hour ago, Moshe said:

I...it seems we must have pissed off Hashem more to get crippling OPMD, and earlier in life, ...

I suspect the comment was more tongue in cheek rather than your actual belief, but for other readers who may not be biblically informed, it's worth repeating the Lord's words as recorded in Luke 13:

"...Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse sinners than all the people living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too.”

Our external circumstances (including health or lack of health) cannot be used to assess the LORD's opinion of us.  What matters is neither hardships nor the lack of them, but being in a right  relationship with God.  As for His feelings toward us, we must listen to His words, not our experiences.  "For God so loved the world..."; and for those who trust Messiah: "See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are!" 1 Jn.3 

As for our circumstances, trials, and hardships, a man born blind gives us a glimpse into the unanswerable "why" questions: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him." Jn.9

[Moshe]

10 of the Northern Tribes were carried off, along with Daniel the Prophet.  There has been constant destruction.  For instance, those that followed Yeshua, knew when the Pagan Romans surrounded Y'rusalem, that it was the abomination of desolation that a final judgement had come.  The reform movement of Yeshua fled once the Romans were temporarily called away.  When the Romans came back, they did what Yeshua foretold, and not one stone was left on another as they sacked the Temple.  The ardent resistance retreated to the high place at Mossada.  It was a hard to place to siege.  But, the determined Romans, built a road all the way to Mossada.  Fearing the torture and crucifixion took their own lives.   So, in a sense it was a hollow victory for the Romans.  It is also where the elite clandestine wet work teams get their name MOSSAD.  There are many Messianic Jews, and I agree with most of their teachings.  There are some subtle differences between us.  But, nothing really salvational.  There are sparse Messianic groups in major cities in the United States.  There are approximately 30k in Israel today, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the general population.  I often chat with them,  but the time difference between here and Israel is quite dramatic.  The Messianics tend to put most "standard" Christianity to shame.  Few, understand nor wish to understand the fundamentals of the "Old Testament" and just focus on the "New Testament" which is about like having a second story house that hovers over a void.  We often get some hacked off people from Judaism that are offended by Messianics and wish to argue.  I find the best solution for that is to respect their position, and debate respectfully.  One had his mind blown by the fact the response was, we will worship Yeshua on the Shabbat, and you should do what your conscience demands.  Basically, a message of let's co-exist in respectful discourse.  After all we are of Jewish descent, and it is not my place to put my place in judgment of their belief versus mine.  The man calmed down, expecting to be excoriated or some such.  There is no place for that.  We have a long history of persecution, why should we persecute each other?  It led to mutual respect.  And that is all Messianics want.  If you think about it, brand new Messianics are being turned on by their families many times, for daring to join a reform movement.  It is a hole in my heart that I cannot be with my people, but I have to make due with my family religious choice of my parents and my ShIksha wife, who does not really understand me, which is SDA. 

I don't think you can escape your ethnicity, especially when you are part of Hashem's people.  I know, the moment I told my father I wanted to be Messianic, he would turn his back on me.  I grew up where there was and is not any concept of unconditional love.  It is what you did, what you achieved that mattered.  Failure was not an option.  A meritocrisy.  Dad is not to be challenged, because if it wasn't physical violence it was verbal.  I know, if I were in the same town with him and left to go with the Messianics, he would disown me.  He is French and German Jewish.  I grew up not with the language, festivals, but with all the other trappings.  I love listening to Jewish comedians, because I can relate.  The phraseology is a tad bit different, but the message is the same.  Instead of, "So, you like having your beard that way?"  It is, "I really don't like your beard, you should trim it like that Riker guy, he has a nice beard."  What I have also noticed, that when I have been unjustly persecuted, sometimes Yeshua shows me his promise that vengeance is his to repay.  It has freaked out my wife throughout the years on exactly that transpires.   But, when you are part of the chosen people and accept Yeshua, he does repay.  I have seen it again and again.  My wife when she sees it looks a bit white, and says, "It is not safe to mess with you."  And the times I don't see it, I hear about it, and when it is completely from view, I know Yeshua has my back.  I think the worst situation was a dirty Senior Patrol Agent that made it his mission to drive me out of my job, I guess he got wind I was getting Sabbath off or something.   He was relentless,  to the point he was violating the law.  As a result, he was burned from ever being a Supervisor, rolled his truck, and shattered his pelvis.  He stopped being anyone's persecutor. 

I had some Neo-Nazi Supervisor, who took it on himself to give me some racist diatribe about Zionism.  He was put on a PIP, had to quit, and went to San Antonio to work the crappiest job you could as a Deportation Officer-juveniles.

Hashem still has His chosen people.   He is not pleased when they are messed with.  I remember when I was first married my Shiksha wife thought I was too manly compared to the milquetoast, and often homosexual men that went to her parochial university.  Yeshua actually spoke to her in prayers and said, "Leave him alone, he is mine."

 

 

[Maccabeus]

I'm sure it can be quite a challenge as a Messianic.  On the one hand, you no doubt receive much confusion and grief from those who share an ethnicity, but not the same view of Messiah; while, on the other hand, the numerical majority of those who trust that Jewish Messiah from Nazareth are a bunch of goi'im who have been adopted into the family and bring all sorts of non-traditional practices that overshadow the more ancient traditions.  Sorry about that.  But, many thanks for sharing the Savior! ?

[Moshe]

It isn't.  It makes you a "multi-pariah".  Conservative Judaism is pissed at you,  Muslims still want a piece of you,  and so do white and black supremacists.   When you are in the Bible Belt and your kid gets sick, they are required to make up hours.  But, only on the Shabbat.   Or, they can do long one hour periods of detention after school.   It is not uncommon to find swastikas scribbled on school property.  Ironically, recently, everyone has lost their friggin' minds as this time of year the crazies have come out of the woodwork, even here, as small as it is.  5k City Proper.  One bank robbery (idiot walks away from it and gets pummeled by the SO, rightfully so).  One guy, assaulted one of the PD by punching him in the head.  He was cornered to a school ground, and produced a firearm, and a standoff went on.  Eventually, he ate his own gun.  One guy decided he didn't like his friend after all at Thanksgiving, so he blew his brains out.  I have been here 10 years, and you usually see the multiple wrecks and DWI's, and Meth Heads.  One or two killings a year, usually domestic or drug dispute.  One significant killing where a guy with an XD .45 tried to rob a guy who had a Glock .45.  The guy with the Glock won.  The robber was laid out in the grass deader that hell.