Twelve Tribes of Israel, The

Jacob had twelve sons. The offspring of each these men became the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel.

Into how many portions will the Land of Israel be divided during the Messianic Era? Will the Levites finally have their own land?

For the most part, tribal identities have been lost through the generations, and the majority of Jews do not know which tribe they are from. There are a number of people whose families have passed down their identity as Kohanim (Priests) or Levites, which...

In this process of counting there is an interesting feature: G-d tells Moses to count the people as individuals and also by their families, within their tribes...

If life were a chessboard, would you be a pawn who can travel only in one direction?

In order to ensure the orderly division of the Holy Land between the twelve tribes of Israel, restrictions had been placed on marriages between members of two different tribes. A woman who had inherited tribal lands from her father was forbidden to marry ...

Is tribalism good or bad for the soul? How are we to weigh our loyalties to family, community and "tribe" against our role as a partner in the mission and destiny of the entirety of the Jewish people?

The stick, it can be said, is a piece of tree that has paid the price of leaving home. The stick, it can also be said, is one who has reaped the rewards of leaving home . . .

The Price of a Wife, Jacob’s Children, Jacob’s Wealth

Beginning today, and continuing through Nissan 13, we recite the verses (from Numbers ch. 7) describing the offerings made by the "princes" (nesi'im) of the 12 tribes of Israel (see "Mishkan inaugurated"). Today we read of the gift bought by Nachshon ben ...