A OMNGEI SAMBATYON LUI GAAL A NAM MANGTE ~By: Thathang Hangshing
Sambatyon kichi nidanglai a lui min khat ahi a, ni guksung huai luitui a luang a, ni sagihni Sabbath ni in akang zel akichi hi. Pathian in ni guk sung nna asem a, ni sagihni a khawl a atan bang in huai Sambatyon lui leeng ni guk sung in a luang ziahziah a, ni sagihni in a khawl zel a, hichibang ahihziak in Sambatyon River ana chi uhi. Sambatyon chihbel Sabbath chih toh kibang mah ahi a, huai bel Ni Sagihni chihna deuh ahi. Huaiziakin Sabbath River leeng akichi. Hiai luitui luang a khauh in a hat mahmah a, suang lian pipi a tuahkhe phengphung a, hichibang a luitui khuah leh hat ni guk sungkia luang a, ni sagihni a khawlzel lamdang ana sa mahmah uhi. A omzia bel, Judate adia Sabbath ni a khualzin dan in a phallouh mahbang in hiai ni in hiai lui a luangkei chihdan ahi. Hiai Sambatyon River ahihleh Damascus, Syria ah ana om ngei hi.  AD Kumzabi 12 hunlai a tangthu kigen khat in hiai Lui ana genkha a, huainung kum za tampi mahmah akigen lai hi. Hiai tangthu ah Siampu lah hi, Vaihawm lah hi Prester John kichi mi hausa mahmah ana om ngei a, Asia leh Africa kawmtuah Lalgam lianpi ana ukngei hi. Amah tangthu kigelhna laipek (manuscript) a za a sim khovel library tuamtuam ah a kikoih a, amah tanchin kigelhte ah Nam Sawm mangte leh Sambatyon Lui tanchin tamtak a kimuthei hi. Obadiah of Bertinoro's letter, selection from David Reubeni's diary leh Gershon Yiddls' travel book chihte ahleeng Prester John tangthu muhtheih in om hi. Judate’ laibu Midrashah leh Haggadic-te ah leeng hiai Lui lamdang ana kigelhkha hi.

Kumzabi 1-17 AD hunsung travelers, scholars leh theologians te lamdang sakna hiai lui in a lak mahmah ziakin ana hahgelh khak mahmah ua, collections of writings kichi lai kigelhte ah Sambatyon River tanchin muhtheih hi. Roman historian Pliny the Elder, Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, Khualzinmi Eldad the Danite (9th century) leh Yiddls of Prague (13th century) chihte’n hiai Lui lamdang leh minthang leh hiai lui khen a Juda nam mangthang  om ahihlam ana genkha chiat uhi. Gintakthu himawk lou in Pliny ngei in hiai lui ni guk sung a luang a, Judate bang in ni Sagihni’n a khawlzel chih ana gelh hi.

Assyria Leeng Shalmaneser in BC 722 kum in Israel te sal in Assyria ah a pi a, Babylon Kumpi Nebukanezzer in Jerusalem BC 587 vel in a lok a,  Judate sal in akai hi. Hiai Sambatyon luigal lam ah Israel te sal a pi in a om ua, gentel gam ah haksapi in ava khosa uh. Kum tampi nung in, Babylon lalgam leh Persia lalgam leeng apuk khinta a, hiai Juda nammangte tuh vakdalh in akhente Medo-Persia apan in Irag-Iran gamdai tawn in Afghanistan hong tung ua, Himalaya tangdung tawn in Tibet, China, Burma leh India pek pemtung uhi. Hiai mite kuate ahi ua, tua koi mun a khosa ahi ua chih tuhun in hong kipholhkhe thak a, India Malsuah bial Mizoram leh Manipur a omte ban ah Chin State, Burma a singtang namte omte ahi ngei uh chih gintakna lianpi toh telsuimi tuamtuam te’n hong suikhe khinta uhi. Hiai Sambatyon luigaal a nam mangte dan a hon theih ziakun Hilel Halkin in a laibu gelh ah Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel, chiin ana gelh hi. A laibu min hiai Sambatyon Lui min a kipan a laak ahi hi. Simcha Shtull in Beyond the Sambatyon: The Myth of the Mighty Sabbath River chihleh Beyond the Sambatyon: The Myth of the Ten Lost Tribes, chih ana gelh a, hiai laibu te’n  Northeast India a singtang mite Israel nam mangthangte ihihna hon langchian sak semsem.

Hilel Halkin ahihleh journalist minthang tak ahihban ah translator leh ethnographer leeng ahi a, phetlou in essayist, columnist leh critics leeng ahi lai hi. Jerusalem Post leh New York Sun ah columnist ahi a, Commentary leh The New Republic ahleeng regular contributor ahi nawnsawn hi. Israel Nam sawm mangte a suikhiakna tangthu Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel, Houghton Mifflin, New York, 2002 hon gelh akipan in amateur historian khak in simtheih hong hi zawmah hi.

Halkin ahihleh New York mi ahi a, Juda mi hihna ziakin agam mah chi in Israel ah na pem uhi. New York Sun correspondent ana hisa pen Israel a tanchinbu minthang pen Jerusalem Post ah hon sem kop a, Israel tanchin peuhmah agelh gige hi. Nam mangte toh kisai lunglutna hon nei in The New Yorker toh contract nei in Israel nam mangte sui di’n Asia mun tuamtuam hon veh a, Vietnam, China, Burma chihte thumvei na phakual khin a, a nanungpen in India hong lut hi. Hiai hun in India malsuahbial a Mizo leh Kuki namte Manmasi suan ka hi uh ana kichikhinta ua, Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir leeng 1974 in laithon ana khak khinta uhi. Rabinnate Council inle ana pompih in Israel ah bangzah hiam ana lalut khinta uhi.

Rabbi Avichail in 1998 lak a Mizoram leh Manipur hong phakdek in Halkin inleeng hon zui a, a khatvei hohna ahihziakin hiai namte Israel nammang ahihtheihna diing a mukhepah theikei kei a, a lungke mahmah man hi. Avichail ahihleh sawtpi apan na minkhin ahita a, tua sahkhua toh kisai a Holy Land a pilut diingdan hong buatsaih ahi zaw hi. Mizo te’n Hebrew/Bible min peuh a nei ua, a dawr min, Inn min, mun min leh kongzing minte uh Israel a tamsak uh chih Hilal in amuh in lamdang asa a, lah adang kibatna diing a muhbeh tuanlouh ziakin lungliap takin Manipur a zuan hi. Christianity in I tawndan diktakte hong mangsak a, hon westernized sak khingawp  ahihman in bang a mumawk thei mah dia? Imphal hong tun in, upa khat in, ‘India mi ka hikei ua, hiai gam ah ka ki intek sak theikei uh. Hiai a nam mangte Gamchiam tun diing ngak a khodak gige eive ua chih na theikha ngeita hia?’ chiin ana dong a, himahleh Halkin bel a lung himoh lailai. Lunglel a kikmai ut a a omlai in Dr. Khuplam kichi in ava mu a, amah laibu gelh ‘The Wonderful Genealogical Tales of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo’ chih a ensak hi. Hiai hon muhtakin a lungsim hong kikheng a, gintakna lianpi hon neita hi. Etmai a thil teltak a theithei mi ahihman in, Khuplam laibu a, phuisam la, kithoihdan, siampu dan, tuipi san kan la chihte leh Manmasi min pupa te’n ana lohdante uapan in kinaihna (connection) omngei ahi chih hon musuah hi. Khuplam toh kithuah in teltakin hon sui a, muchetna khat toh a kilehkikta hi. Hiaitan inle amah leh amah akidong lailai a, hiai namte hehpihna mit toh ka etziaka hisakmawk dek ka hidiam, ahihkeh ahi uh chih gintakna neisa a bulhtuah teitei dek mawkmawk ka hihiam? Chihte ahi a, himahleh a dawnna tuh ahikei, ka mit mahmah a amun mahmah a kava muh leh kava theihkhiak ahi zaw a, ka gintakna mai ahikei, kei ah ka chiang chih a kidawnna ahi zaw hi.

1999 in amah kia in a hong zinnawn a, kam lettu nih, khat Mizoram a di, khat Manipur adi’n a hon keng a, sui petmah in hong sui hi. Thumvei mahmah a hong phakkhit in, amah leeng bangkim ah chiang mahmah ta kisa in, Dr. Khuplam kiangah, “Nang na upata a, nang ana khawlta in, ken na maban kon sunzom na diing’, chiin khuplam research van tengteng aman alata hi. Tel Aviv azuan vengveng a, huchiin a tung a I gen research work laibu hong piangkhia hi. A laibu hong minthang pah a, laibu kizuakkhia tampen pawl hong suak. Library tuamtuam adeng pah a, Gam solkal tuamtuam te le a copy piak in a om. Tanchinbu tuamtuam leh magazine/journal tuamtuam ah review leh comment a lut zungzung ngal hi. A laibu concluding part ngial houh a conclude hoih luatziak in misiamte banah a simkha phot lamdang saknan a kidim uh. North East a Bnei Manasseh namte Israel nam mang ahi na uh chih empirical evidence ahoih piakluat ziakin kuaman a soisel theikei uh. Amah leeng a kimuang ngeei a, ,ka thil muhsuah a hikei mawngmawng chia hon challenge a omleh kei toh Tel Aviv ah ka kimaituah diing uh, hiai mun a hong pai man, kik man leh a mun a senna teng ken ka tunmvek diing,’ ana chi tanghial hi.

Khuplam ahihleh medical practitioner ahi a, Manipur Government a medical department ah kum 9 ana sem hi. Himahleh Manmasi phung a nam mangte ihi uh chih hong kitheihkhiak chiangin a sem ut nawnkei a, a lunglutna lam mah sem di’n 1949 kum in a sepna a tawpsanta hi. Research hon bawl charchar a, tuni chiang in kum 60 bang avalta. A evidence muhsuahte ziakin Manipur, India leh outside ah mimal, pawlpi leh Government apan recognition leh award tuamtuam 10 vaal bang a dong a, tuchiang in a mah research work pansan pipen khat hong suakta.  Aman Saikul area, Sadar Hills ana pansan deuh a, hiai diing in National Research Laboratory leeng ana hong hi. Tu in New Lambulane, Imphal ah a khosa lel.

Kum 2002 in Hilel Halkin leh Haifa Technion leh University of Arizona apan physician team khat genetic testing bawlna dia chi ladi’n Mizoram hong zin ua, himahleh Mizo te Middle East nam ahi uh chih chetna diing a omthei kei. India Government inle India a nam chi tuamtuam te theih utna neikawm in Mizo/Kuki te chi test di’n pan ala a, Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Kolkata ah 2004 in a test uhi. Mi khat gene test positive ahi chih hon musuah ua, himahleh soiselna zek a omziakin a puangkhe taktak kei uhi. A kumnawn 2005 in Central Forensic Institute, Calcutta ah hon enchain thak ua, Israel te leh Chin-Mizo-Kuki-Zomi te chi (gene) numei lam ah akibatna a om, chih hon mukhia uhi. Juda khanggui suina toh kisai a mi kuapeuh Juda suan hidia pomna di’n numei lam ah a kila him hi.

Hilel Halkin in hiai test di toh kisai a Mizoram hong phak dekin hichiin ana gen—‘A test a positive leh hiai namte Israel nam mang ahi ngei uh chih gennawn ngailou in thudik ahi dia, a test result a negative hialtaak lehle ka thil muhsuah ah ka chianluat ziakin ahikei uh chih ka pomthei nawn tuankei diing.’ Amah gendan takin, "In my opinion, the empirical evidence in my book is so strong that I would continue to believe, even if the DNA evidence were negative”. Haifa National Science Laboratory ah a test result lamet bang in theihtheih kei mahleh mi tampite a lunglel tuankei uh. Israel ah leeng kiselna a piang ngeei. Aziak ahihleh, Israel gam daan ah, mi khat Juda dan zui a, conversion tang a, Juda ka hi akichih leh Juda bang a pom ahi diing, chih ahi a, test leh test lou ah a kinga kei. Israel a lut masate leeng gene test ahi tuankei uh. Ban ah, kum 2000 valtak mangthang a, namdang toh a teenpolh nung un a gene diktak uh a langthei nawnkei dia, hiai test ah anam diktak uh theihtheih ahi nawnkei diing, chih ahi. A test pa ngeei Professor Skorecki inle ‘Hun sawtpi nung a amaute kimukhe nawnpan ahihziakun hiai gene test diklou theimah ahi,’ ana chi hi. A kigelhdan takin, Skorecki admits that “it is possible that after thousands of years it is difficult to identify the traces of the common genetic origin”. Huaiziakin, tawndan, sabiakdan, pipu dan, phuisam dan, heidan tatdan, gindan leh adangte ah akibat leh DNA test in bang a omzia aneih? Chih mi tampite ngaihdan ahi.

Genetic test ah ahi leh hilou in om lemlum mahleh research finding ah ahi chih achiang khinta a, Chief Rabbinate Council inle hiai India Malsuah bial a nam omte Israel nam mangte ahi uh chiin 2005 in hon recognised khinta uhi. Israel Interior Ministry inle pompih (approved) in awlawl a laaklut vek ahi diing uh ana chikhinta uhi. Interior Ministry bel hiailam toh kisai a thunei lianpen ahi hi. Juda mi tampite’n unaute 7000 val Mizoram leh Manipur a omlaite lalut kin un chiin Israel Government ah nonna nei mahleu, Government hong kikheng in June 2003 in Shinui Party apan Interior Minister Avraham Poraz in a lunglut vaklou thu gen hi. Chief Rabbi in Rabinate Council team khat mass conversion bawl dia India a hon sawllutte le India Government in a kham ziakin ana thawnkik ngei ua, huainung conversion peuhmah Israel lutnung a bawldi’n a koihta uhi. Aziak ahihleh mass conversion pen religious prosylitisation a ngaih ahihziakin India dan in phallou hi. Huaiziakin, 2007 tan a mi 1725 Mizoram leh Manipur apan alut ban ma a sawnthei taktak nawnkei a, tukum bul in 275 vel laklut in omnawn pan uhi. Maban ah a omlai teng Installment basis a lakkhit Israel Government tupdan ahi. Hiai diing a pan lapipen ahihleh Amishav a kichi a, huaibel Ka Mite Pikiik Nawnna (My People Returneth) chihna ahi a, Rabbi Eliahu Avichail panlaakna toh Bnei Manasseh nam mangte kaikhawm dia phuhsuah ahi hi. Bnei Manasseh I chih chia’n ‘Sons of Manasseh’, ‘Manasseh Suante’ chihna ahi hi. US apan Israel pemlut Michael Freund in a phuhkhiak Shavei Israel inle Nammangte pikiknawnna nasatakin a buaipih a, a lohching mahmah hi. Hiai pawlnihte sponsor na nuai ah a pemlutte sum leh paai seen ngai hetlou in Israel a tungthei uhi.

Bible in hichiin achi: Hoshea vaihawm sung a kum kuana ah Asuria kumpi Shalmaneser in Samaria ala a, Israel te Asuria ah a pawmang hi. Hala ah bang, Habor Lui gei a Gozan ah bang leh Medes gam a khopite ah bang a teengsak hi. Kumpipa Hezekia vaihawm kum, a kum sawmlelina ah, Asuria kumpipa Senakherib in Judah khawpi kulhneite khempeuh a dou a, a la hi.  (II Kings 17:5-6, 18: 9-11, 13). Amaute’ pu leh pate Pathian tung a a muanhuai kei ua, Pathian in amaute’ mai a tua gam a a hawlkhiak namte’ pathiante kiangah a kizuak uhi. Huchi in, Israel Pathian in Asuria kumpipa Pul’ lungtang a tokthou a, aman Reubente, Gadte leh Manase nam kimkhatte sal in a kaimang hi. (I Judges 5:26-26).

‘Tuachi a hiai gama pan hon lawnkhia a, noute hi’n na pu na pate uh hita leh na theihlouh uh gam hon tun diing ing a, noute hon deihsakna neilou diing ka hih man in, tua gama pathian dangte nna sun leh zan a sem diing na hi uh.’ (Jeremaih 16: 13).

Amaute kiang a Yahweh Elohim thugen hiai ahi nawn: Israel te a tuna gam uapan in ka lakhe ding a, kiim leh paama gamte khempeuh apan in ka kaikhawm diing a, amau’ gam ah ka piikik diing. (Ezekiel 37: 21). Tua hun chiang in ka mi Israel te a saltanna uapan piikik ding ing a, khopi sesate lamthak diing ua, a sung ah teeng diing uhi (Amos 9: 14). Ama’n namte a diing a puanlap liiksang diing a, namte’n mun teng a thehdalhsa Israel te kaikhawm diing a, Judah mi kithehdalhte kaikhawm diing hi. (Isaiah 11: 12).

I mai saulou ah innkuan 200 val apan milip 700 vel Israel lutnawn dia hisap ahi a, hiai ‘nam mangte’ pilutna a tunga igen Zawlneite thugente tangtunna a hong hi toutou diing. Kawl kiil li a apan Israel nam 12 te a kimchia’n galpi thumna a kipan diing, tuhun nauvei kipat hun bang phet ahi, chih mi tampite ngaihdan ahita. Nang ngaihdan bang ahi dia?

THUMUHNATE:
Found: A Lost Tribe, The Jewish Week, http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=6535.
Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel by Hilel Halkin, A review by Caryl Phillips, The New Republic Online, Thursday, September 26, 2002.
Across the Sabbath River: by Hillel Halkin; nonfiction Houghton Mifflin, New York, 2002 Reviewed by Andreas Wittenstein, Newsletter, September 2002.
Laisiangthou, Bibles International, Michigan, USA, 2004.
The Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem, Israel.
Hadassah Magazine, October 1999.
Mizo-Kuki-Chin lost tribe of Israel: Chief Rabbi by Linda Chhakchhuak, Assam Tribune News report, an English Daily, Guwahati, Assam, dated 04-02-2005. See www.assamtribune.com
www.haaretz.com; Amar: Bnei Menashe are descendants of ancient Israelites By Yair Sheleg, on 01/04/2005.

Dr. Khuplam Milui Lenthang, Manmasi Chate Thulhun Kidang Masa, Hill Tribals’ Council (HTC), Moreh, 2005.
Simcha Shtull, Beyond the Sambatyon: The Myth of the Ten Lost Tribes, published by MAXIMA Multimedia, Tel Aviv, 1991.
-------, A Brief History of Kuki and Meitei, Imphal.
The Telegraph, a National daily, Nov. 7, 2012.
The Sangai Express, a local English daily, Imphal.
Manipur Express, a local daily, Lamka, Manipur.
www.shavei.org, Shavei Israel organization.