Save " We are the Ger V'Toshav --  (Chayei Sarah) "
We are the Ger V'Toshav -- (Chayei Sarah)

(א) וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃(ב) וַתָּ֣מָת שָׂרָ֗ה בְּקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥וא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיָּבֹא֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִסְפֹּ֥ד לְשָׂרָ֖ה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ׃(ג) וַיָּ֙קָם֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י מֵת֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵ֖ת לֵאמֹֽר׃(ד)גֵּר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֙בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי׃(ה) וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ בְנֵי־חֵ֛ת אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֥ר לֽוֹ׃(ו) שְׁמָעֵ֣נוּ ׀ אֲדֹנִ֗י נְשִׂ֨יא אֱלֹהִ֤ים אַתָּה֙ בְּתוֹכֵ֔נוּ בְּמִבְחַ֣ר קְבָרֵ֔ינוּ קְבֹ֖ר אֶת־מֵתֶ֑ךָ אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ אֶת־קִבְר֛וֹ לֹֽא־יִכְלֶ֥ה מִמְּךָ֖ מִקְּבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ׃(ז) וַיָּ֧קָם אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְעַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ לִבְנֵי־חֵֽת׃(ח) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יֵ֣שׁ אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁכֶ֗ם לִקְבֹּ֤ר אֶת־מֵתִי֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י שְׁמָע֕וּנִי וּפִגְעוּ־לִ֖י בְּעֶפְר֥וֹן בֶּן־צֹֽחַר׃(ט) וְיִתֶּן־לִ֗י אֶת־מְעָרַ֤ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֣ה שָׂדֵ֑הוּ בְּכֶ֨סֶף מָלֵ֜א יִתְּנֶ֥נָּה לִ֛י בְּתוֹכְכֶ֖ם לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר׃(י) וְעֶפְר֥וֹן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּת֣וֹךְ בְּנֵי־חֵ֑ת וַיַּעַן֩ עֶפְר֨וֹן הַחִתִּ֤י אֶת־אַבְרָהָם֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֔ת לְכֹ֛ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִיר֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃(יא) לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי הַשָּׂדֶה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ לְךָ֣ נְתַתִּ֑יהָ לְעֵינֵ֧י בְנֵי־עַמִּ֛י נְתַתִּ֥יהָ לָּ֖ךְ קְבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ׃(יב) וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י עַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃(יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־עֶפְר֜וֹן בְּאָזְנֵ֤י עַם־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֛ךְ אִם־אַתָּ֥ה ל֖וּ שְׁמָעֵ֑נִי נָתַ֜תִּי כֶּ֤סֶף הַשָּׂדֶה֙ קַ֣ח מִמֶּ֔נִּי וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־מֵתִ֖י שָֽׁמָּה׃(יד) וַיַּ֧עַן עֶפְר֛וֹן אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֥ר לֽוֹ׃(טו) אֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי אֶרֶץ֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵאֹ֧ת שֶֽׁקֶל־כֶּ֛סֶף בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵֽינְךָ֖ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־מֵתְךָ֖ קְבֹֽר׃(טז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָהָם֮ אֶל־עֶפְרוֹן֒ וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤ל אַבְרָהָם֙ לְעֶפְרֹ֔ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֕סֶף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת אַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שֶׁ֣קֶל כֶּ֔סֶף עֹבֵ֖ר לַסֹּחֵֽר׃(יז) וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃(יח) לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְמִקְנָ֖ה לְעֵינֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת בְּכֹ֖ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִירֽוֹ׃(יט) וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֩ קָבַ֨ר אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֶל־מְעָרַ֞ת שְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א הִ֣וא חֶבְר֑וֹן בְּאֶ֖רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃(כ) וַיָּ֨קָם הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה וְהַמְּעָרָ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֛וֹ לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָ֑בֶר מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵי־חֵֽת׃ (ס)

(1) Sarah’s lifetime—the span of Sarah’s life—came to one hundred and twenty-seven years.(2) Sarah died in Kiriath-arba—now Hebron—in the land of Canaan; and Abraham proceeded to mourn for Sarah and to bewail her.(3) Then Abraham rose from beside his dead, and spoke to the Hittites, saying,(4)I am a resident alien among you; sell me a burial site among you, that I may remove my dead for burial.”(5) And the Hittites replied to Abraham, saying to him,(6) “Hear us, my lord: you are the elect of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold his burial place from you for burying your dead.”(7) Thereupon Abraham bowed low to the people of the land, the Hittites,(8) and he said to them, “If it is your wish that I remove my dead for burial, you must agree to intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar.(9) Let him sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, which is at the edge of his land. Let him sell it to me, at the full price, for a burial site in your midst.”(10) Ephron was present among the Hittites; so Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, all who entered the gate of his town, saying,(11) “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and I give you the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”(12) Then Abraham bowed low before the people of the land,(13) and spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you would hear me out! Let me pay the price of the land; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.”(14) And Ephron replied to Abraham, saying to him,(15) “My lord, do hear me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Go and bury your dead.”(16) Abraham accepted Ephron’s terms. Abraham paid out to Ephron the money that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites—four hundred shekels of silver at the going merchants’ rate.(17) So Ephron’s land in Machpelah, near Mamre—the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the confines of that field—passed(18) to Abraham as his possession, in the presence of the Hittites, of all who entered the gate of his town.(19) And then Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre—now Hebron—in the land of Canaan.(20) Thus the field with its cave passed from the Hittites to Abraham, as a burial site.

גר ותושב אנכי עמכם. גֵּר מֵאֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת וְנִתְיַשַּׁבְתִּי עִמָּכֶם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה אִם תִּרְצוּ הֲרֵינִי גֵּר, וְאִם לָאו אֶהְיֶה תּוֹשָׁב וְאֶטְּלֶנָּה מִן הַדִּין, שֶׁאָמַר לִי הַקָּבָּ"ה לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת:

גר ותושב אנכי עמכם I AM A STRANGER AND A SETTLER WITH YOU — A stranger having come from another land, but I have settled down amongst you. A Midrashic explanation is: if you agree to sell me the land then I will regard myself as a stranger and will pay for it, but if not, I shall claim it as a settler and will take it as my legal right, because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, (12:7) “Unto thy seed I give this land" (Genesis Rabbah 58:6).

(לה) וְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ׃(לו) אַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ׃(לז) אֶ֨ת־כַּסְפְּךָ֔ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן ל֖וֹ בְּנֶ֑שֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּ֖ית לֹא־תִתֵּ֥ן אָכְלֶֽךָ׃(לח) אֲנִ֗י יהוה אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (ס)

(35) If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side:(36) do not exact from him advance or accrued interest, but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman.(37) Do not lend him your money at advance interest, or give him your food at accrued interest.(38) I the LORD am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.

(יג) שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־תְפִלָּתִ֨י ׀ יהוה וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י ׀ הַאֲזִינָה֮ אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ כִּ֤י גֵ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י עִמָּ֑ךְ תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב כְּכָל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃

(13) Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my cry; do not disregard my tears; for like all my forebears I am an alien, resident with You.

מיתיבי איזהו גר תושב כל שקיבל עליו בפני ג' חברים שלא לעבוד עבודת כוכבים דברי ר"מוחכ"א כל שקיבל עליו שבע מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נחאחרים אומרים אלו לא באו לכלל גר תושב אלא איזהו גר תושב זה גר אוכל נבילות שקבל עליו לקיים כל מצות האמורות בתורה חוץ מאיסור נבילות

The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita: Who is a ger toshav? It is anyone who has accepted upon himself before three ḥaverim, i.e., people devoted to the meticulous observance of mitzvot, especially halakhot of ritual purity, teruma, and tithes, not to worship idols. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.And the Rabbis say: Anyone who has accepted upon himself observance of the seven mitzvot that the descendants of Noah accepted upon themselves is a ger toshav.Others say: These have not entered the category of ger toshav. Rather, who is a ger toshav? This is a convert who eats unslaughtered animal carcasses, which are not kosher, but who has accepted upon himself to observe all of the mitzvot that are stated in the Torah except for the prohibition against eating unslaughtered carcasses.

(ז) גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב וְהוּא שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ יֵינוֹ אָסוּר בִּשְׁתִיָּה וּמֻתָּר בַּהֲנָיָה. וּמְיַחֲדִין אֶצְלוֹ יַיִן וְאֵין מַפְקִידִין אֶצְלוֹ יַיִן. וְכֵן כָּל עַכּוּ''ם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד עַכּוּ''ם כְּגוֹן אֵלּוּ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים יֵינָן אָסוּר בִּשְׁתִיָּה וּמֻתָּר בַּהֲנָיָה. וְכֵן הוֹרוּ כָּל הַגְּאוֹנִים. אֲבָל אוֹתָם הָעוֹבְדִים עַכּוּ''ם סְתַם יֵינָם אָסוּר בַּהֲנָיָה:

(7) A Ger Toshav -- He who has accepted the Seven Mitzvot of the sons of Noah, as we have explained -- it is prohibited to drink his wine, but it is permitted to derive benefit from it. And one may leave wine with him briefly, but not for a long time. And so too any Gentile who does not worship the stars and the constellations, such as the Ishmaelites, their wine may not be drunk, but one may derive benefit from it. And such instructed all the Geonim. But those who worship the stars and the constellations, one may not derive benefit from their wine.

Chidush (new learning) from Rabbi Arik Ascherman
(Israeli Reform Rabbi, Co-founder of "Haqel-Jews and Arabs in Defense of Human Rights," former Dir. of Rabbis for Human Rights)
In the Torah, time after time we are taught that we must not oppress the non-Jew living among us because we were strangers in the land of Egypt. However, we can already learn sensitivity to those without power or position in our societies from the experience of our foremothers and forefathers in the Book of Genesis. In this week’s Torah portion, Khayei Sarah, Abraham says of himself when purchasing a burial plot for Sarah, “I am a ‘ger v’toshav,'” a resident who is not a part of your society. Abraham is an outsider among the people with whom he lives. Throughout the Genesis, our ancestors must find a way of coexisting with those who have power over them....
In later Jewish tradition, “ger v’toshav,” Abraham’s “I am both an outsider and a resident,” became the halakhic category of “ger toshav,” a resident alien. The “vav (and) was taken out. Sometimes we try to use the halakhic category of ger to help us think about how we are to treat non-Jews today in Israel and in the Occupied Territories. However, many have commented on how insulting and dangerously misleading it is to say that Israel’s minorities and occupied Palestinians are gerim. How dare we look at those who lived here way before the State of Israel as foreigners? When the “vav” is put back in, the connotations become different. With the vav, Abraham is essentially saying, “Yes, I am an outsider. However, I also live in this land, just as you do.”
Let us resolve to put the vav back in to our relationships with non-Jews living together with us.
Rabbi Mark Washofsky, Jewish Living: A Guide to Contemporary Reform Practice pp.208-209
Some proposals have been raised in Reform circles to designate the non-Jewish spouse or other relative of the synagogue member as a "ger toshav." The contention is that we would thereby reflect the reality within our congregations, where non-Jewish relatives are not outsiders but play an active social role and feel very much "at home." Reform responsa do not accept this suggestion, for two reasons. First, the term is largely meaningless. Since "ger toshav" can apply today to any person who adheres to a monotheistic religious faith, whether or not that person is related to a Jew, it conveys no special status for non-Jewish relatives that most other non-Jews do not already possess. Second, to create a special status called "ger toshav" might imply that this individual is a "virtual Jew" who enjoys the right and the obligation to participate with Jews on an equal basis in religious services and in the leadership of the congregation. Yet these rights and obligations flow from full membership in the Jewish community; they are restricted to Jews, who are bound with God in a covenantal relationship. While we welcome the non-Jewish relative into the fellowship of the congregation, he or she can properly gain full participation in the community by becoming a Jew. We invite - indeed, we actively encourage - him or her to take this step. In the meantime, until they are ready to make this choice, we would not establish a special status for non-Jewish family members which might serve as a disincentive for them, ultimately, to choose conversion.
​​​​​​​Ger Toshav Certificate
by Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael
The concept of “ger toshav” (technically, “resident alien”) originated in the Torah. Today we would refer to such members of the Jewish community as “fellow travelers,” people who are not Jewish but who are committed to supporting the Jewish people and being an ally. Below is a document that can be used to affirm one’s identity as a ger toshav. More information on this topic can be found at: http://www.shechinah.com/ger-toshav.html.
On the _____ day of ________ in the year five thousand seven hundred and _______ since the creation of the world, according to the reckoning of the Jewish people, corresponding to the _________ day of ___________, __________, here in _____, _______, in the United States of America, ________ came before us and said:
I give thanks for the loving relationship with the Jewish people that ______________ brings to my life. I come today to formalize that relationship and to take on the status of Ger Toshav/Giyoret Toshevet, an “Affiliate of the Tribe.”
As a sign of that relationship, I take the Hebrew name:
______________________________________________________________
I see myself as an ally to the Jewish people and am willing to respect and help sustain the traditions. As an ally, I will also stand up to anti-Semitism, and acknowledge the special relationship to the State of Israel. May I learn and grow from this association. May this be a blessing and good for us, for all Israel.
We pray that the Creating One, the Spirit of all Life, bless _________________________ and sustain her/him. Oh God, whose house is truly a house of prayer for all people, bless us by the light of your Presence and Teaching. All that we saw and heard and that occurred before us we have written and attested to with our signatures here today, and it is all valid and binding.
Ger Toshav/Giyoret Toshevet
________________________________________________________
Rabbi:
________________________________________________________
Witness: ________________________________________________________
Witness: ________________________________________________________