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Abir (Hebrew:אַבִּיר) is a the name of the fighting techniques taught by Yehoshua Sofer in Tel Aviv. Sofer claims to have a family tradition of the fighting techniques, passed down to the Jews of Habban by their ancestors since the time of the 1st Israelite Commonwealth.

Origin of the name

Abir is a Hebrew word meaning powerful, a warlord, palace guard, protector of royalty, warrior, bodyguard, or a defender. It is derived from the three letter Hebrew root א-ב-ר‎, which means to soar above protectively. Abir is sometimes also called Qesheth, since according to Sofer, it is derived from the fighting system of the ancient Hebrews and Israelites, mentioned in the Sefer Ha-Yashar.

Abir Philosophy on Israelite Martial Arts

Much of Abir's origins are derived from interpretations of various Judaic sources concerning the fighting style of the Hebrews and the Israelites is referred to as either Qesheth or Kele Milchamoh (Implements of War). According to the tradition of the Sofer family, Abir's origins began with the Hebrew patriarch Abraham. The Sefer Ha-Yashar, describes how Abraham's father, Terach, was the warlord of King Nimrod of Babylon. The fighting system of Terach was then passed on to Abraham's descendants, who in time became the 12 Tribes of Israel. These group of techniques were used by the various Hebrew patriarchs and the early Israelites to fight the Emorite army that gathered to fight against Jacob and his sons. Besides the biblical account of Jacob's son Joseph being a viceroy to the Egyptian Pharaoh, the Sefer Ha-Yashar states that Joseph lead several Egyptian military units in battle against the armies of Tarshish. Further, Joseph's son Menashe is recorded to have used an traditional Israelite strike in order to defeat Shimon in hand to hand combat, as well as displayed a form of Israelite test of strength against Yehudah. Both of which, Shimon and Yehudah note these techniques could not have been learned from the Egyptians and were from the "house" of their father Ya'aqov.

The Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) as well as other extra biblical sources, details a number of wars that the Israelites fought against the Canaanites, the Philistines, Midyonites, and the Amorites. During a battle with the Amorites, the Israelite Judge Qenaz is recorded to have been a master swordsman defeating a much larger Amorite army with a smaller fighting force. The Israelite military leader Gideon and his army of 300 fighting men. After being assured of victory with a unit of only 300 men, the Sefer Ha-Khatzinunim records the response of Gideon’s army as Swords for Hashem, and for Gideon. It is also stated that during the youth of King David when he was a shephard, he defeated numerous Midyonite soldiers.

Various Rabbinc sources further describe the methods that the ancient Israelites used in warefare, as well as self-defense.

The Talmud records the following discussion concerning how a Jew was to react by being being attacked by a pagan.

Rav Yisrael taught that a pagan happened upon him on the road. He (Rav Yisrael) handled him [by maneuvering] to his right side. Rav Yishma`el, son of Rav Yohanan ben Beroqah says, "[when he comes at you] with a sword, you handle him [by maneuvering] to his right side; [when he comes at you] with a club you handle him [by maneuvering] to his left side.

These Biblical, Talmudic, and Midrashic stories compose much of the philosophy concerning the origins of the Abir martial system. They are also a major part of the Abir teaching system for learning the techniques, with some techniques being ascribed to Midrashic interpretations of the stories.

Origins of the System

There are several legends that place Israelite soldiers settling in Arabia forty-two years before the destruction of the First Temple. It is said that under the prophet Jeremiah some 75,000 Israelites, including priests and Levites, traveled to Yemen. The Jews of Habban in southern Yemen have a legend that they are the descendants of Judeans who settled in the area before the destruction of the Second Temple. These Judeans supposedly belonged to a brigade dispatched by King Herod to assist the Roman legions fighting in the region.

In 1165 to 1173 a historical journey to visit far-flung Jewish communities was undertaken by Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela that crossed and tracked some of the areas that are today in the geographic area of Yemen. Tudela (twelfth century) found an independent Jewish warrior tribe living in the district of Tehama in Yemen.

In 1912 Zionist emissary Shmuel Yavnieli came into contact with Habbani Jews who ransomed him when he was captured and robbed by eight Bedouin in southern Yemen. Yavnieli wrote about the Jews of Habban describing them in the following way.

The Jews in these parts are held in high esteem by everyone in Yemen and Aden. They are said to be courageous, always with their weapons and wild long hair, and the names of their towns are mentioned by the Jews of Yemen with great admiration.

Unlike the Jews of northern Yemen the Habbani Jews wore a Jambiyya or curved knife, Matznaph (turban) and Avne`t (sash). It was also common for sultans in Arabia to use Habbani Jews as soldiers in their armies or as personal guards. Habbani Jews sometimes served as mercenaries; Abdullah I of Jordan, who preferred Circassian and other non-Arab bodyguards, had a number of Habbani Jewish guardsmen, including Sayeed Sofer and his brothers Salaah and Saadia.

After 1948 bands of Habbani Jews made their way to Aden, sometimes fighting hostile Arab tribes along the way. From there they were airlifted en masse to Israel as part of Operation Flying Carpet. Due to the rising fears and suspicions of the Arabs that the Jews were leaving in order to help the Zionists to fight against the Arabs in Palestine, the Jews needed to leave Habban in secret.

Describing the route followed by most Habbanis who participated in the Israeli airlift, Operation Magic Carpet:

The way [to the airfield] was generally in the direction of IHwar. In IHwar they would stay for some time, collecting food, money, and afterwards continue from there to Sheikh `Uthman and `Aden, to the camp Hashid—and from there they would wait their turn for the airplane to the Land [of Israel]. The problem was getting to camp Hashid, for they [the locals] wouldn’t always allow entry, and not to everyone. Therefore the first emigrants remained a relatively long time in Sheikh `Uthman. And when the pogrom in `Aden happened, they were in danger.

Eyewitnesses Gamar bath Hassan `Adeni, Sa`id bin Yusuf and Sa`id bin Musa Mif`i, who were present and participated at the time of the uprising, and presently live in Salame [Kfar Shalem] – Tel Aviv, recount the might of those Habbani Jewish individuals who fought with bravery and strength, and that they killed a great number of Arabs. And with what weapons did they fight? Like axes, pickaxes, knives, and iron bars and wooden bats, and the like.”

According to Rabbi Yoseph Maghori-Kohen:

The Habbanis were mighty heroes. I heard a lot from elders in my youth about the Habbanis, about their wars, how they would fight ‘according to names’. What does it mean ‘according to names’? –the letters: They would make the shape of the [Hebrew] letters with their hands, and by this they would be victorious. Also the Shar`abim–from the city of Shar`ab–were strong, but not to the same degree as the Habbanis. Once in Yemen there was a wild tribe of murderous Arab warriors that conquered town after town, slaughtering whomever they found. Thus they moved forward from settlement to settlement: killing, destroying–may their names by blotted out–until they approached a city of Jews, 13,000 Jews roughly. Everyone felt hopeless-even the Arabs among them put up their hands, searching for a place to escape. Suddenly ten [Jewish] Habbanis arrived and waged war with them–ten against a thousand–and vanquished all of them. Not even one of those warriors was left alive, and not one of the ten fell.

Abir Grandmaster (Aluf Abir) Yehoshua Sofer

Yehoshua Sofer is founder of the Abir Warrior Arts Association of Israel. He began to publicly teach his family's tradition of Abir in 2002, initially in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. Prior to publicly teaching Abir, Sofer began studying various martial arts, such as Tang Soo Do, a Korean version of Karate, under Chuck Norris In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked as a bodyguard and a sparring partner for kickboxers. In 1989, he moved to Israel and became the regional director and sole representative of Kuk Sool Won in Israel. In the past, Sofer has also served as a self-defense instructor for numerous I.D.F. and Israeli governmental agencies. He also became a recording artist of reggae, known by his stage name Nigel Admor, while practicing Orthodox Judaism.

Sofer's Abir martial art form is based on fighting techniques that he learned from his grandfather Nachman Sofer, also known by his Arabic name Brihim bin Hassan Ma`atuf-Doh, who was a Habbani Jew. Members of the Sofer family moved between Jerusalem and Habban in eastern Aden to cities such as Baidha. While in Israel, Nachman Sofer and his youngest son, Ya`aqov Mosha, also known by his Arabic name Awad bin Brihim, left the region for Jamaica following the Chevron (Hebron) massacres of 1929. From Jamaica the Sofer family moved to the United States and later back to Israel. During this time they continued to privately train in Abir.

Abir Associations and Recognitions

Abir is recognized by the Wingate College of Sport Sciences in Netanya, Israel. In August of 2008, the Abir/Qesheth course produced an initial class of 15 certified Abir instructors, trained by the Yehoshua Sofer. Several Israeli rabbis, including Rabbi David Karduri and Rabbi Avraham Yerachamiel Rebinowitz, recognize Abir as an ancient and authentic Jewish tradition.

Techniques and principles

Abir's movements are based on elements of Judaic principles and symbolic elements. The Abir approach is made up of a combination of the following elements.

• Judaic symbols
• The Ancient Hebrew and Modern Hebrew alphabets.
• Jewish dances from various exotic or ancient communities, which are believed to have been a part of an ancient Abir combat system.

Many of these techniques derive from the Biblical 12 Tribes of Israel.

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Abir ha-Ro'im Ya`aqov Moshe (left) demonstrating an Asher technique on his son, the Aluf Abir Yehoshua Sofer (right)

• The Tribe of Shimon - The symbol for these movements is a sword. Motions relating to Shimon are characterized by slashing motions along a wide or narrow circular axis with the "blades" of the hands or feet.
• The Tribe of Asher - The symbol for these movements is a tree. Movement of one part of the body must include a cooperative or supportive movement by the remainder of the whole body.
• The Tribe of Reuven - The symbol for these movements is a flower. The waving and twisting motion of the torso like a flower is essential in massaging the internal organs. Reuven training is a relaxing low-impact form of exercise and training activates the limbs subliminally by virtue of the motion of the hips and torso (the shaft or stem of the flower).
• The Tribe of Gad - The symbol for these movements is the tent. Movements are based on balancing one leg while the other leg is free to rotate along a circumference allowing the practitioner to position themselves at any point along 360 degrees.
• The Tribe of Zevulon - The symbol for this movement is a ship in the water. Movements are based on retaining balance and footing. Made up of swift forward motions without hesitation.
• The Tribe of Yoseph - The symbol for these movements is the bull. Uses power to drive through an opponent by utilizing bodyweight to knock them over with a quick burst of external power. Also entails the use two hands like a bulls horns to deter attacks and to strike an opponent's defenses out of the way for subsequent attacks.
• The Tribe of Naftali - The symbol for these movements is the deer. Techniques based on speed, spring like moves, and not making unnecessary movements.
• The Tribe of Dan - The symbol for these movements is a snake. Made up of controlled flurries of arm strikes as well as open hand strikes.
• The Tribe of Yissachar - The symbol for these movements is the donkey. Utilizes back kicks, throws, and absorption of blows.
• The Tribe of Benyamin - The symbol for these movements is the wolf. This particular set of techniques involve a philosophy of attack that disables an opponent's weak areas such as eyes using fast or soft motions.
• The Tribe of Yehudah - The symbol for these movements is the lion. Movements in this form are swift powerful lunging stabs, slaps, palm heel strikes, elbows, knees, shoving, and shoulder strikes.
• The Tribe of Levi - The symbol for these techniques is the Hoshen (The Priestly Breastplate). This represents taking the total amount of Abir techniques and putting them together in needed sequences and using the techniques to adapt to a differences in the opponent's techniques.

Aleph Bet Attacks

The Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 consonants and five word ending letters bringing them to a total of 27 letters. In Abir, the Hebrew letters, both ancient and modern, are used to assign movements into 7 special categories of choking, locking, throwing, take downs, primary initiated attacks, secondary responsive attacks, and combinations of the first six categories.

Recoil principle

This Abir concept maintains that every action of a limb returns toward the torso with greater speed and the least amount of stress. This is done in direct opposition to the same limbs energy employed to launch an attack directed away from the torso.

Haetz-Lula’ah (Arrow-loop)

The Haetz-Lula'ah techniques use full-circle striking with the arms or legs.

18 Khai Rikudim

Abir also employs 18 choreographed fighting dances that tie together movements associated with the 12 Tribes of Israel. There are 12 weaponless and 6 weaponized forms based on these group of techniques.

Video Clips About Abir

• Abir Warrior Arts (English video)[22]
• Abir Warrior Arts on prime-time cable news(Arutz10) [23]
• Abir Warrior Arts, The Rav Zamir Cohen clip [24]