The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 110:b) explains that “The Ten Tribes are not destined to return, as it states (Devarim 29:27), ‘And I will cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ In the same way that once a day is over it is finished, never to return, so too have [the Ten Tribes] departed, never to come back.” This is the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. However, Rabbi Eliezer maintains that, “Just as the day darkens and lightens with the dawn, so too will the Ten Tribes, whose sun has seemingly set, illuminate yet again.”Let’s go back to Rabbi Akiva, who maintains that the Ten Lost Tribes are lost forever. At first glance, this approach seems to contradict an explicit prophecy of Yechezkel (this week's haftorah). How can Rabbi Akiva say that in the future, the Jewish people will consist of only two tribes, Yehudah and Binyomin, when Yechezkel talks about the reunification of “the stick of Joseph” and “the stick of Yehudah”? Yechezkel also specifically mentions the apportionment of the newly-reunited Land of Israel among thirteen tribes. Is it possible R. Akiva didn't know Yehezkel?
Surly not, given his well-known statement:
"Rabbi Akiva said: you have no more obvious sign of the end of days than that of Yechezkel (ibid.): ‘But you, overmountains of Israel, shall yield your produce and bear your fruit for My Nation Israel, for their return is near’”
So if you're super yeshivish maybe you'll say yechezkel is shver ;) But for the modernish among us I thought to link a few answers
Abarbanel in light of parshas Nitzavim
Ran in light of olam habah
Tiferes Yisroel in light of shmirat hamitzvot
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