This is the hard part.
Talking about Elul and the beauty of the Most High's language, being in relationship with the King of the universe — that is so enjoyable for me. But now comes the difficult part. It has not been easy to get this word out, and it won't be easy to share, and it won't be easy to hear. It required much prayer, labor, and toil to get to this point.
Now is the time to talk about what it means to return. What it means to be in the field. The relationships that define Judah, Israel, and Ephraim.
The story begins with Joseph in the field. In Genesis 37, Joseph is sent by his father to seek his brothers. He does not find them at first. He wanders in the field until a man asks him: "What are you seeking?" Joseph answers: "I seek my brothers."
That is still the question over Ephraim. What are you seeking? If the answer is restoration, then it must include seeking your brothers. Returning Ephraim to the field means returning to the place where Joseph first went looking for his brothers — and not stopping until he found them.
We have the opportunity here to break generational curses. In fact we already have — the fact that those with the soul of Ephraim are taking time to listen to what a Yehudi has to say is remarkable. But I'm also thinking about how Judah and Ephraim relate to each other, and especially how we handle the things we don't agree on.
What the Prophets Say About the Relationship
Isaiah 11 shows us the context — the second exodus. Starting at verse 11:
And it shall come to pass that on that day, the L-rd shall continue to apply His hand a second time to acquire the rest of His people… And He shall raise a banner to the nations, and He shall gather the lost of Israel, and the scattered ones of Judah He shall gather from the four corners of the earth. And the envy of Ephraim shall cease, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor shall Judah vex Ephraim. And they shall fly of one accord against the Philistines in the west; together they shall plunder the children of the East…
Isaiah 11:11–14
Put plainly: Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah. Judah will not harass or trouble Ephraim. That is the messianic promise. But it describes where we are going, not where we are.
Hosea names the problem directly:
The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in their guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them.
Hosea 5:5
The pride of Israel testifies against him, yet they do not return to the L-rd their G-d, nor seek Him for all this.
Hosea 7:10
The pride is evidence of a relationship with YHVH that is out of order. So we have pride, jealousy, and vexing — on both sides. The prophets see it. And the prophets say it ends.
What It Looks Like in Practice
Having been part of this community for nearly a decade, I've had the opportunity to practice interpersonal relationship with many who carry the soul of Ephraim. It's been bumpy. But I've learned much, and I've slowly learned to recognize and control the negative things that come from my side — namely, vexation.
I've observed three patterns in how Judah and Ephraim typically interact when a new idea from the Jewish tradition is introduced to someone from Ephraim:
Pattern One — Walls
A Yehudi presents an idea that is new to the Ephy. Upon hearing it, the Ephy gets defensive, puts up walls, and disregards the idea and anything else connected to it. Full shutdown.
Pattern Two — Pride and Rivalry (most common)
The Ephy quickly rejects the idea without analysis and responds from jealousy — stating they don't need that idea because they have something else. They puff up in pride. Then the Yehudi puffs up. An argument ensues. Eventually the Yehudi gives up and starts pushing buttons. Nobody learns anything.
Pattern Three — The Good One (becoming more common)
The Ephy listens to the idea and replies that they'll have to go study it out. That's it. That's the breakthrough. And this has been becoming more common over the past two years.
Jealousy is a relationship killer. My father-in-law taught me something about jealousy that changed the way I view the relationship between Judah and Ephraim — specifically the aspect of mimicry, overcompensation, and vindictiveness.
Clinically, jealousy produces feelings of inferiority, bitterness, and resentment. It drives competitiveness, mimicry, and social withdrawal. When pride is added, it gets worse. The person cannot acknowledge their jealousy because that would admit a weakness — so it comes out as overcompensation, boasting, hostility, and vindictiveness toward the very people who trigger it. Prideful jealousy creates a distorted self-image: above others on the outside, secretly inferior within.
A doctrinal example: Marcionism — the belief that the mean, vindictive Old Testament G-d is inferior to the loving New Testament G-d. When you understand jealousy, you begin to see Marcionism not as theology but as reactive behavior. Overcompensation. Mimicry. Vindictiveness dressed as revelation.
If you have an Ephraimite soul, being aware of this tendency when encountering things from Judah will serve you well. In the prophetic timeline, the jealousy of Ephraim ends first. The prophecy does not say it ends after Judah changes. It says Ephraim's envy ceases. That means Ephraim goes first.
Ezekiel 37 — One Stick
Take for yourself one stick and write upon it, 'For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions'; and take one stick and write upon it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.' And bring them close, one to the other into one stick, and they shall be one in your hand… Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and I will bring them to their land. And I will make them into one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be to them all as a king; and they shall no longer be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore… My servant David shall be king over them, and one shepherd shall be for them all… And I will place My Sanctuary in their midst forever. And My dwelling place shall be over them, and I will be to them for a G-d, and they shall be to Me as a people. And the nations shall know that I am the L-rd, Who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever.
Ezekiel 37:16–28
May it be soon and in our days.
A few things to learn from this passage: all thirteen tribes are currently represented within the Jewish people. The house of Israel is not whole without Ephraim. "They shall become one" — this is bride and groom language. Recognize what that means. The level of relationship Ephraim is expected to have with the Jewish people is that of a bride and groom. When you join yourself to the Messiah of Judah, you get his people with him.
And verse 27: "My dwelling place shall be upon them." Not in a building alone. Upon them. The people themselves become the dwelling place.
Hosea 2 — A Second Witness
And the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which shall neither be measured nor counted; and it shall come to pass that, instead of saying to them, "You are not My people," it shall be said to them, "The children of the living G-d." And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head, and they shall go up from the land, for great is the day of Jezreel. Say to your brethren, "Ammi" (my people), and to your sisters, "Ruhamah" (mercy).
Hosea 2:1–3
Again: Judah and Ephraim in unity, appointing one leader together. Jezreel means "Elohim plants" — a picture of the second exodus, of Israel being planted in the land. The day is coming when He will say Ammi again. When He will say: you are my people.
Ephraim will not envy Judah. Judah will not vex Ephraim. One stick. One shepherd. One people. That is the promise.
What Ephraim Must Do to Return
It is not enough to wait for someone to save you. You have to be like the children of Israel in Egypt — crying out.
The people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to G-d. And G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. G-d saw the people of Israel and G-d knew.
Exodus 2:23–25
The cry preceded the exodus. Teshuvah precedes restoration. Here is what the prophets say about the return — read these as a chorus:
"And shall return to the L-rd your G-d, and shall obey His voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul; that then the L-rd your G-d will turn your captivity."
"If you return to the L-rd with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and direct your hearts to the L-rd and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you."
"Return, faithless Israel… I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt… Return, faithless people, for I am your husband. I will choose you, one from a town and two from a clan, and bring you to Zion."
"Return, O Israel, to the L-rd your G-d, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the L-rd. Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously.'"
"Return to Me, declares the L-rd of hosts, that I may return to you."
"Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the L-rd of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?'"
That last question is the one that matters. How shall we return? The answer is the same in every prophet: acknowledge your guilt, turn from your ways, seek His face, obey His voice, come near to the Torah, come near to the people of the Torah.
Judah is not perfect. Judah has wounds, pride, and failures. But Judah has preserved avodah. Judah has preserved prayer, confession, Sabbath, the moedim, Torah study, and the memory of return. If Ephraim is returning to the field, he must be humble enough to learn from the brother who has been laboring there. Not to be absorbed. Not to lose his own identity. But to receive instruction from a brother who kept the field while Ephraim was in exile.
Ruth shows us what return can look like. She does not enter the field demanding ownership. She enters humbly, gleaning behind the reapers, receiving instruction, showing loyalty, binding herself to Naomi's people and Naomi's G-d. She says: "Your people shall be my people, and your G-d my G-d." That humility placed her in the line of David. Ephraim should pay attention to Ruth.
Stop waiting passively for rescue. Israel cried out before the Exodus. Ephraim must cry out before the Second Exodus. Not with vague longing, but with teshuvah, confession, obedience, and return.
Return is not just a feeling. Return is not just a prayer. Return is a direction. And the direction is toward G-d, toward His Torah, and toward His people.
Returning Ephraim to the field means returning to avodah — to service, to the labor of covenant living. The field is not a comfortable place. It is the place of work. But the King is in the field. And He is waiting.
Return to your Maker. Return to your Father. Return both as an individual and as a member of the lost house of Israel — still in exile, still waiting to come home.
Kol Tuv — Matti Kahana
Part One of this teaching: ← The King Is in the Field