וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר אוֹ אֲשֶׁר-בְּתוֹכְכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, וְעָשָׂה אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ-נִיחֹחַ, לַיהוָה--כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ, כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה. טו הַקָּהָל, חֻקָּה אַחַת לָכֶם וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, כָּכֶם כַּגֵּר יִהְיֶה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה. טז תּוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִשְׁפָּט אֶחָד, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, וְלַגֵּר, הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם
If, throughout the ages, a ger has taken up residence with you or who lives among you…. There shall be one law for you and for the resident ger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the ger shall be alike before God; the same ritual and the same rule shall apply to you and to the ger who resides among you.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
What is the overall attitude of these texts toward how we are supposed to treat gerim? What are some of the underlying reasons for why we’re supposed to behave this way?
What protections, rights, and privileges did the Bible envision for gerim? What rights or protections might these translate into in contemporary American society? How might American (or Israeli) society look different if we made more policy decisions based on the Jewish values expressed in these texts?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)