There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you.
Background Information - What is a Ger (גר)?
In the Talmud, Rabbi Eliezer counts thirty-six times that our Tanach mentions the ger (גר) and our responsibilities, as Jews, towards this category of people. The Hebrew word ger (גר) is difficult to translate precisely. It comes from the Hebrew root גור which means "to dwell," but in the Torah at least it refers to someone who dwells in a place as a foreigner. For this reason, the word ger (גר) is often translated as: sojourner, stranger, or alien. The word definitely refers to someone who was not born in the area, and therefore does not have a history there and, therefore again, is unlikely to have the support usually provided by family or community. Today, we might use the word migrant or even immigrant to describe this category of people.
In many of our texts, the word ger (גר) has a stigma attached to it, as the ger (גר) is compared to other marginalized, vulnerable people such as orphans and widows. The Tanach reminds us several times to be kind and generous to the ger (גר) and not to oppress, cheat, or exclude him; therefore, we can also assume that the ger (גר) is, without oversight, often subject to neglectful or harsh treatment.
- Why would there be separate laws for citizens and non-citizens?
- How are the groups treated differently in today's society?
- According to this text, what kind of public policy should we put in place in our country in respect to non-citizen residents?
You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, I will heed their outcry as soon as they cry out to Me, and My anger shall blaze forth and I will put you to the sword, and your own wives shall become widows and your children orphans.
(לג) וְכִֽי־יָגוּר אִתְּךָ֛ גֵּר בְּאַרְצְכֶם לֹא תוֹנוּ אֹתֽוֹ׃ (לד) כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר ׀ הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ כִּֽי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲנִי יי אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃
(33) When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. (34) The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I, Adonai, am your God.
- What could happen to the ger (גר) that would wrong or oppress him?
- What other vulnerable people is the ger (גר) compared to? What do they have in common?
- What does it mean to love the ger (גר) as yourself?
- Whose responsibility is it to protect these vulnerable people? Why?
OK, Now What?
Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were reclining in the loft of the house of Nit’za in Lod, when this question was asked of them: Is study greater or is action greater? Rabbi Tarfon answered and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered and said: Study is greater. Everyone answered and said: Study is greater, but not as an independent value; rather, it is greater as study leads to action.
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי:
Rabbi Hillel used to say: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, then when?
- What is meant by "study?" What is meant by "action?"
- How does this text relate to Jewish social justice?
- What do the rabbis want us to do with our knowledge?
- Answer Rabbi Hillel's questions. What type of person do you want to be? How can you accomplish this?
Emma Lazarus (USA, 1849-1887)
Excerpt from the poem The New Collossus as inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty
Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me -
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
- What does this tell us about how we should treat the ger?
- How can you "lift the lamp?"