PATRILINEAL PRINCIPLE

To recap, in the last section we learned about the various types of kinship systems, e.g. patrilineal, matrilineal, bilineal, etc., and we proved that Igbo/Hebrew Israelite culture was always patrilineal, i.e. a kinship system where families are reckoned through the father's line. In closing, we raised the question of the efficacy of the patrilineal principle in partnership with the matrilineal principle in determining one's Israelite/Jewish status. In other words, is "family" the only concept determined by one's patrilineage, or are there aspects of Israelite culture that are determined exclusively by one's matrilineage? And so, in this section, we shall address that claim by defining those aspects of Israelite culture that are strictly patrilineal. To begin, let's examine some Israelite genealogies through the lens of the tribe of Judah:     

1. "The descendants of Judah according to their families: the family of the Shelanites from Shelah, the family of the Perezites from Perez, the family of the Zerahites from Zerah. The descendants of Perez were: the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, the family of the Hamulites from Hamul. These were the families of Judah according to those of them counted, seventy-six thousand and five hundred" (Num. 26:20-22). 
2. "Of the tribe of Judah, their descendants according to their families, according to their fathers' houses; the number of individual names of every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were fit to go out to the army" (Num. 1:26).
3. "In the morning, therefore, you shall be brought near according to your tribes; and it shall be, that the tribe which the L-rd takes shall come near by families; and the family which the L-rd takes shall come near by households; and the household which the L-rd takes shall come near man by man. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought near the family of Judah; and He took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought the family of the Zarhites near man by man; and Zabdi was taken. And he brought his household near man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken" (Joshua 7:14, 16-18).  

From the outermost layer to the innermost, Israel's patrilineal kinship system is reckoned by tribes, families, and households. The first source shows that Israel is made up of 12 tribes (e.g. Judah), and each tribe is divided into families (e.g. Zerah). The second source shows that each family is further subdivided into father's houses. The third source shows how Joshua used this system in order to locate the man amongst Beney Yisrael {Children of Israel} who had committed evil in the eyes of the L-RD by taking one of the devoted things (Joshua 7:11). First, he sanctified them by tribes. Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, becomes a tribe. Then, he sanctified them by families. Zerah, the fifth son of Judah, becomes a family. Next, he sanctified them by households. Zabdi, a son of Zerah, becomes a household. Finally, he finds Achan son of Carmi (father) son of Zabdi (house) son of Zerah (family) son of Judah (tribe) son of Jacob (Yisrael). Notice that Carmi, Zabdi, Zerah, Judah, and Jacob are all patrilineal ancestors of Achan. 

Don't be confused by the differences in terminology between בית (heb. "bayit", i.e. household) in Joshua 7:14,18 and בית אב (heb. "beit ab", i.e. father's house) in Numbers 1:26--they are synonomous. You would think Achan's house would've been Carmi his father, right? Rather, Achan's "beit ab" or father's house was literally his father's [Carmi's] house--Zabdi. That's how it works! Notice, that it's one's father who connects him to a house (beit ab), which connects him to a family, which connects him to a tribe, which connects him to Jacob (Yisrael) our patriarch, which makes him an Israelite.  

These three divisions can also be represented by the following diagram: 

• שבט (heb. "shevet", i.e. tribe)
• משפחה (heb. "mishpacha", i.e. family)
• בית אב (heb. "beit ab", i.e. father's house)

Concentric Circles Diagram of Israelite Divisions

In this section, we learned that in Igbo/Hebrew Israelite culture, "family" is not the only thing reckoned by one's fathers; on the contrary, one's house, family, and tribe are all reckoned patrilineally, NOT matrilineally. Not only that, the Torah says that Israelite families are reckoned by the father's houses. In other words, without a "beit ab" or father's house, which connects one to a family and thereby to a tribe, it's impossible to be reckoned as an Israelite! In our example, Joshua was able to locate the guilty Israelite (Achan) by reckoning his entire patrilineage back to Jacob/Yisrael himself. Notice, it wasn't Achan's mother or grandmother or great-grandmother who determined his Israelite/Jewish status; on the contrary, it was his father, or rather his father's father (beit ab), who determined his status. And if that's the case that one must have an Israelite father, then what does it even mean to be a "father"? Who can play that role, only one's biological father? In the next section, we shall finally address the focus question of this entire blog: who is considered the "father" of mixed-offspring Israelites?? 

ISRAELITE KINSHIP SYSTEMS

Before we delve into our case studies, let's first lay the groundwork for understanding the Israelite kinship system by defining some key terms: 

Kinship- a descent pattern or kin group representing a family consisting of a married couple and their children. 

Unilineal- a kinship where individuals are reckoned only through ancestors of one gender, male or female; two basic forms of unilineal descent are patrilineal and matrilineal. 

Patrilineal- a form of unilineal kinship where individuals are reckoned through the father's line to the same male ancestor; only men pass on their family identity to their children, while women's children are members of her husband's paternal line. 

 

Matrilineal- a form of unilineal kinship where individuals are reckoned through the mother's line to the same female ancestor; only daughters pass on their family identity to their children.

Cognatic- a non-[uni]lineal kinship where individuals are reckoned through both the father's and mother's ancestors; four basic forms of cognatic descent are bilineal, ambilineal, parallel and bilateral.

Bilineal (Bilateral)- a form of cognatic, or double-descent pattern where individuals are members of both sides of the family; system that combines both patrilineal and matrilineal.  

 

Ambilineal- a form of cognatic kinship where individuals choose a unilineal kinship depending on the circumstances; descent may change from generation to generation. 

 

Parallel- a form of cognatic kinship where individuals are members of only one side of the family; men trace descent patrilineally and women trace matrilineally. 

Underneath a unilineal pattern of descent, one would be Israelite/Jewish if his father is (patrilineal) or his mother is (matrilineal). Underneath a cognatic pattern of descent, one would be Israelite/Jewish if either parent is (ambilineal) or both parents are (bilineal). With all that said, which kinship system best describes the Israelite nation? Here are some key Scriptural precepts to answer that question:

1. "And he said to me, 'The L-rd, before Whom I walked, will send His angel with you and make your way prosper, and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house'" (Gen. 24:40).  
2. "And they assembled all the congregation on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees according to their families according to their fathers' houses; according to the number of names, a head count of every male from twenty years old and upward" (Num. 1:18). 
3. The epicenter of the Igbo/Hebrew Israelite society is the family, referred to as "umu'nna" (lit. "umu"=children, "nna"=father, i.e. children of the [same] father). This term includes "extended family", or all individuals and their respective families who trace their lineage back to the same paternal ancestor.
4. "And these were the ones who ascended from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha: Cherub, Addan, [and] Immer; but they could not tell their fathers' house and their seed, if they were from Israel" (Ezra 2:59).
5. "Rava said in response that the verse states: 'then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall inherit it' (Numbers 27:11), emphasizing that “kinsman” is referring specifically to someone who is of his family, and it is the father’s family that is called one’s family, while one’s mother’s family is not called one’s family. Proof for this is found in another verse, as it is written: 'by their families, by their fathers’ houses'(Numbers 1:2)" (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 109b).
   
   

From these five sources, we can finally address those matrilineal-Israelite theories. Remember, in the introduction of this blog, we brought up four theories used by matrilineal supporters to explain the so-called change in Israelite society from a patrilineal kinship to a matrilineal one. The idea is that Israel began as a patrilineal one and over time solidified into a distinctly matrilineal one, from Sinai to the end of the Babylonian exile. But, what these Scriptures actually show is quite the opposite--it never changed! The first source (Pre-Sinai) of Avrham's family, the second source (Post-Sinai) of the Israelite census, the third (Post-Assyrian) of the Igbo/Hebrew usage for family, the fourth (Post-Babylon) of Ezra/Nehemiah with the return of the Babylonian exiles, and the fifth (Post-Mishnaic) from the Oral Tradition all demonstrate that "family" in Igbo/Hebrew Israelite culture always denoted the father's line, i.e. the very definition of a "patrilineal" kinship.

Since it's been proven that Israelite kinship never changed and has always been reckoned patrilineally, then the only counterargument would be to consider the separation of inheritance and identity. In that case, one's father (patrilineage) determines his tribal status while one's mother (matrilineage) determines his Israelite/Jewish status. In other words, what is the efficacy of the patrilineal principle, and is it possible to be outside of "umunna" yet still be reckoned as an Igbo/Hebrew Israelite matrilineally?? 

--References--

O’Neil, Dennis. “Descent Principles: Part 1.” The Nature of Kinship, 1997. https://www.palomar.edu/anthro/kinship/kinship_2.htm.

INTRODUCTION

There's a seemingly insurmountable problem. "Omenana" {Igbo-Hebrew Israelite Religion & Culture} is the mother of Judaism, Karaitism, and Samaritanism, but something divides the mother and her daughters today--they're unrecognizable to each other! The issue is whether one's status in the Israelite/Jewish community is determined patrilineally (through the fathers) or matrilineally (through the mothers). According to Israelitism, one is an Israelite only if his father is, and according to Judaism, one is Jewish only if his mother is. This issue explains why Israelites and Jews can only profess themselves to be "brothers" when in actuality their legal codes simply deny each other's status. How can this be if they both claim to be Children of Yisrael? I propose that the only way to bridge this gap of understanding between Israelites and Jews is specifically through the study of authentic Omenana on the topic of patrilineal descent. 

You've heard the cliche, 'you are what your father is', and rightfully so since ancient Israelite culture was predominantly, if not completely, a patrilineal society in which one's descent was reckoned exclusively through the male's line. But was this always the case, or did this ever change? Those who hold patrilineal descent believe this was always the case. On the other hand, those who hold matrilineal descent have at least four theories to explain the change: 

1. Always Matrilineal
2. Patrilineal to Matrilineal Post-Sinai
3. '' '' in Ezra/Nehemiah's Times
4. '' '' in Talmudic Times

According to Omenana, one is Igbo if his father is Igbo. However, who is to be considered a child's legitimate "father" who determines his status within the community? The answer will shock many! That indeed is the focus question this blog has been dedicated to answering. With G-d's Help, we shall resolve this issue through the examination of a few mixed-offspring Israelites in the Biblical narrative:

• 
  Son of Israelite woman
• Hiram
• Amasa
• Attai
• Timotheus (Timothy)

Shalom, 
Nz'r Micaiah Perry