Q&A: The Ten Tribes
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
The Ten Tribes
Question
What is the Rabbi’s view of Eldad ha-Dani and the Jewish laws he introduced? Rashi even cites in Hullin a law that he originated, and the Geonim also accepted him. (Although one of the Geonim wrote that because of the distress and hardships of travel he got confused between stringencies and laws—something that happens nowadays too… especially when you have to marry off children and there are lots of debts.)
And more generally, what is the attitude toward groups that may be the Ten Tribes?
Answer
I don’t have any view on a topic I haven’t examined. Any statement or halakhic ruling by a person has to be evaluated on its own merits. Therefore, it doesn’t seem important to me to discuss the nature or reliability of this or that particular person.