בראשית, פרק י׳, פסוק ג׳

The division of the early family of nations presents the descendants of Gomer, representing various tribes that were considered branches of this race or dependent upon it [קאסוטו]. The first of these groups, Ashkenaz, has been identified in several ways throughout history. Ancient Assyrian records suggest they were Scythian tribes originating from the north. Because the book of Jeremiah lists them alongside Ararat and Minni as a kingdom summoned to attack Babylon, some place this nation in the region of Armenia [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. Early rabbinic sources linked this group to Asia, a name that originally referred to a specific city before expanding to describe the entire eastern part of the world [אם למקרא]. In later generations, a strong traditional connection was established, linking Ashkenaz with the land of Germany [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The second branch, Riphath, poses a greater mystery, as there is general agreement that their exact identity is hard to determine [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. In the book of Chronicles, their name is spelled with a 'd' instead of an 'r', though some ancient manuscripts preserve the original spelling [רד״ק, שד״ל, קאסוטו]. Suggestions for their historical location vary widely. Some place them in the Armenian region, associating them with mountain ranges or rivers in Kurdistan [שד״ל]. Others identify them with Phrygia in France [רד״ק], while some connect them to the region of Adiabene [אם למקרא].

The final group, Togarmah, is firmly rooted in the north. Ancient Hittite records mention a northern province bearing their name, and the book of Ezekiel describes them as dwelling in the far north and maintaining trade relations with Tyre [קאסוטו]. Historically, the people of Armenia referred to themselves as the house of Togarmah [שד״ל]. Midrashic sources, however, identified their location as Germanicia [אם למקרא]. In more recent generations, some have linked them to Turkey, though this connection remains uncertain [ביאור שטיינזלץ].