Black Personalities in the Torah

Question

I am doing some research on Black Personalities in the Bible. Would you please give me some background according to your faith concerning (1) Zipporah, which was Moses wife? (2) The nationality of Hagar and why do people not recognize that when you say Egypt you are in the country of Africa. (3) Who is Asenath who was given to Joseph to wed.

Answer

1) Tzippora was a Midianite, daughter of Yisro (Jethro). Many people make the mistake of thinking that “cushite” means “black,” but that is not the case. Tzippora was not from that region rather it’s an analogy. The Cushite women stood out in their appearance, and Tzippora also stood out in her beauty. That is what her name means. “Tzippo” to look “orah” and see, how she stands out – her great beauty.

2) Hagar was a princess, the daughter of Paro (Pharaoh), the king of Mitzrayim (Egypt). Hagar, after knowing Avraham and Sara, thought it better to be their servant, than to be a princess of Egypt. Not many people can place the spiritual so much higher in value than the physical. And yes, Egypt is on the African continent.

3) There are two possibilities our sages have given for Asenath. One is that she was simply the woman given to Yoseph by Paro, and Yoseph converted her, and 2), that she was the daughter of Dena, from her rape by Shechem, and that G-d arranged for this marriage to happen.

Regards, Eliahu Levenson

Follow-up questions (2)

Question

Why for all the mothers: Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah the Torah says “Tahor v’Talaid,” they conceived and gave birth, but only when it comes to Zipporah do they say “Talaid,” she just gave birth and no mention of conception? This was referring to her birth with Gershon. I don’t know if it mentions this with regards to her other child.

Answer

That is an excellent question. My Encyclopedia of Biblical Personalities provides an answer, saying, “It does not say “she conceived” because she was young and did not look pregnant. (Lekach Tov, Shemos 2:22)

Question

I would like to know if there are Jewish blacks. I learnt there are Ethiopian Jews and Ethiopia is in Africa. I also want to know if the Igbo tribe is a Jewish tribe in Nigeria.

Answer

There are definitely black Jews. Blacks have converted, married Jews, and their children are born Jews. Even if two black converts married, the children would be Jewish by birth. It is said that the Queen of Sheba converted and may of had children from King Solomon. Any such children would then be Jewish. However, the grandchildren may not be Jewish if their fathers married non Jews. Finding other Jews to marry in Ethiopia is not an easy proposition.

The Ethiopians who are thought to “possibly” be Jewish, and have come to Israel, have also converted. The conversions removed any uncertainty as to whether they were Jewish or not.

Regards,
Eliahu Levenson