תלמוד בבלי, יבמות מז.
תנו רבנן גר שבא להתגייר בזמן הזה... ומודיעין אותו מקצת מצות קלות ומקצת מצות חמורות ומודיעין אותו עון לקט שכחה ופאה ומעשר עני ומודיעין אותו ענשן של מצות אומרים לו הוי יודע שעד שלא באת למדה זו אכלת חלב אי אתה ענוש כרת חללת שבת אי אתה ענוש סקילה ועכשיו אכלת חלב ענוש כרת חללת שבת ענוש סקילה.
Our Rabbis taught: If at the present time one desires to become a convert… That person is given instruction in some of the minor and some of the major commandments. They are informed of the sin [of neglecting the commandments of] gleanings, the forgotten sheaf, the corner and the poor person's tithe. They are also told of the punishment for transgressing the commandments. Furthermore, they are addressed thus: “Be it known to you that before you came to this condition, if you had eaten suet you would not have been punishable with karet, if you had profaned Shabbat you would not have been punishable with stoning; but now were you to eat suet you would be punished with karet; were you to profane Shabbat you would be punished with stoning.”
[Soncino translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What seem to be the most important mitzvot for a convert to learn? What does this tell us about where our priorities as Jews should be?
2. What does this text teach us about the role of religion in the world? Is religion fulfilling this role today?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)