The Halachot of Conversion

(13) And He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs for 400 years. They will be enslaved and oppressed. (14) But I will finally bring judgment against the nation who enslaves them, and they will then leave with great wealth. (15) You shall join your fathers in peace, and you will be buried at a good old age. (16) The fourth generation will return here, since the Amorite's sin will not have run its course until then." (17) The sun set, and it became very dark. A smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between the halves of the animals. (18) On that day, G-d made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the Egyptian River as far as the great river, the Euphrates;

You shall not wrong a stranger ("ger") or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

When a proselyte dwells among you in your land, do not taunt him. The proselyte who dwells with you shall be like a native among you, and you shall love him like yourself., for you were aliens in the land of Egypt- I am HASHEM, your God.

(19) You must also show love toward the foreigner ("ger"), since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

(20) כי גרים הייתם FOR YE WERE STRANGERS — If you annoy him he can annoy you back by saying to you: “You also descend from strangers”. "Do not reproach your fellow-man for a fault which is also yours" (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:20). Wherever "Ger" occurs in Scriptures it signifies a person who has not been born in that land (where he is living) but has come from another country to sojourn there.

Because you were a stranger in [the Egyptian's] land. This, too, is the form of the sensitive soul that repays good and is never ungrateful or ever called a scoundrel. This is why the Al-mighty accustomed us in this mitzva:

(15) So [Naomi] said, “See, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Go follow your sister-in-law.” (16) But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. (17) Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the LORD do to me if anything but death parts me from you.”

No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted into the congregation of the LORD; none of their descendants, even in the tenth generation, shall ever be admitted into the congregation of the LORD... You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land. Children born to them may be admitted into the congregation of the LORD in the third generation.

Gerim are difficult- because they are not familiar with the details of the mitzvot and born Jews learn from their actions

(1) A convert that enters to join to [the] jewish people is obligated in circumcision. If he was already circumcised when he was a Idol worshipper or he was born circumcised (the Tur quoting the Rosh), its necessary to draw blood from it and not bless on it (the circumcision).And If the organ was destroyed , [the fact that] there isn't circumcision [does not prevent him] from converting and its enough for him [to convert] through immersion [alone]. [If] he immerses before he is circumcised, it is effective, that afther the fact he was immersed and there are those who say that he [the convert] doesn't have to immerse [due to the circumstances].

(1) A convert that enters to join to [the] jewish people is obligated in circumcision. If he was already circumcised when he was a Idol worshipper or he was born circumcised (the Tur quoting the Rosh), its necessary to draw blood from it and not bless on it (the circumcision).And If the organ was destroyed , [the fact that] there isn't circumcision [does not prevent him] from converting and its enough for him [to convert] through immersion [alone]. [If] he immerses before he is circumcised, it is effective, that afther the fact he was immersed and there are those who say that he [the convert] doesn't have to immerse [due to the circumstances].

(2) When a person comes to convert, say to him, "What did you see that motivated you to come to convert? If you know that Israel, in this time, that the Jewish people are oppressed, eroded, (The words are from "Why is your strong one overthrown?" -Jer. 46:15) insane, and suffering. If he says, I know this and I will still become a part of your people, receive him immediately and tell him the principles of the faith, that God is one and idol worship is forbidden, and tell him a lot about this, and teach him a few of the lighter mitzvot and a few of the more stringent mitzvot, and teach him about some of the punishments of the mitzvot, as it says, "Before you came to learn this, if you ate the forbidden fat, you would not be punished with excommunication, you transgressed Shabbat and you were not punished with stoning; but now, if you eat forbidden food, you will be punished with excommunication; and if you transgress Shabbat you will be punished with stoning." Don't say too much about this, and don't get too specific either. And when you teach him about the punishment of the mitzvot, also teach him about the rewards of the mitzvot and teach him that in the doing of certain mitzvot that will merit life in the world to come. There isn't a complete righteous person, rather a master of wisdom, that does the mitzvot and understands them. And say to him: "You should know that the world to come is hidden from the righteous, who are Israel. As for what you see that Israel is in distress in this world, because it is not granted them to receive the abundance of good things in this world like other peoples, lest their hearts should be indulged loftily and they should go astray and squander the reward of the world to come. But God didn't bring to them too much destruction, so that they would not observe. Rather, all of the idolators stand. And you explicate this idea so that he feels the dearness of it. If he receives this, circumcise him immediately and wait until he is fully healed, and afterwards, immerse him without a barrier. (Some say that you cut or shave his hair and you cut his fingernails and his toenails before immersion.) And three learned scholars stand at his back and teach him some of the light mitzvot and some of the more stringent mitzvot a second time, and he stands in the water. And if it is a woman, women sit her in the water up to her neck and the beit din is outside and they teach her some of the easy mitzvot and some of the more stringent mitzvot and she sits in the water and afterwards, she immerses before them and they turn their faces and leave in order that they do not see her when she is getting out of the water, and they bless the immersion after she comes out of the water. And once he has immersed, it is as if he is a Jew, but if he goes astray, he is like an apostate Jew - he is still sanctified, and his marriage is sanctified.

(3) All matters of the convert from making known to them the mitzvot, receiving them, the circumcision and the immersion, it must be with three who are fitting to judge, and during the day. But after the fact if he only was circumcised or immersed at night or in front of [the convert’s] relatives [which is invalid], or even if one did not dunk with the intention of conversion, rather a man who dunked for a seminal emission, or a woman who dunked for menstruation, they are still converts and he is permitted to [marry] an Israelite woman. So this all applies to the immersion and the circumcision but it does not apply to receiving the mitzvot, which prevents [conversion] unless it was during the day and in front of three [witnesses]. However, the Rif and the Rambam [say that] even after the fact [one who] immersed or was circumcised before two [witnesses] or at night prevents [conversion], and [marrying] an Israelite woman is forbidden. But, if he is married to an Israelite woman and she has borne him a son, we do not invalidate him [the son].

(4) Since the ritual of immersion of a convert needs a beis din of three, do not immerse him on Shabbat and not on yom tov and not during the night. But if he immerses [during these times], indeed this [individual] is a [proper] convert.

(5) One who circumcises a convert blesses, “Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who sanctifies us with Your mitzvot and commands us to circumcise converts.” And afterwards bless, "Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who sanctifies us with Your mitzvot and commands us to circumcise converts and to draw from the blood of the covenant.” Were it not for the blood of the covenant the heaven and earth would not be able to stand, as it says “Were it not for my brit, day and night, I would not have placed the laws of heaven and earth.” (Jeremiah 33:25)

(6) [If] a non-Jewish woman comes to convert and she is pregnant, her child does not need to be immersed [after the child is born].

(7) A minor who is an idol worshipper, if he has a [living] father, the father can convert him [i.e. present him to be converted]. And if he does not have a father and he comes to convert, or if his mother brings him to convert, a beit din can convert him, because it’s a merit to him, and we can give a merit to [the child] outside of his presence [because he is a minor and has no legal capacity]. Whether he is a minor who is converted on behalf of his father, or whether he was converted by a beit din [in the absence of a father], when he is older he can protest his conversion - he don’t treat him the way we would treat an adult convert- he is not like an apostate Jew, rather like an idol worshipper.

It was taught: R. Nathan said, There is not a single precept in the Torah, even the lightest, whose reward is not enjoyed in this world; and as to its reward in the future world I know not how great it is. Go and learn this from the precept of tzitzit. Once a man, who was very scrupulous about the precept of tzitzit, heard of a certain harlot in one of the towns by the sea who accepted four hundred gold [denars] for her hire. He sent her four hundred gold [denars] and appointed a day with her. When the day arrived he came and waited at her door, and her maid came and told her, ‘That man who sent you four hundred gold [denars] is here and waiting at the door’; to which she replied ‘Let him come in’. When he came in she prepared for him seven beds, six of silver and one of gold; and between one bed and the other there were steps of silver, but the last were of gold. She then went up to the top bed and lay down upon it naked. He too went up after her in his desire to sit naked with her, when all of a sudden the four fringes [of his garment] struck him across the face; whereupon he slipped off and sat upon the ground. She also slipped off and sat upon the ground and said, "By the Roman Capitol, I will not leave you alone until you tell me what blemish you saw in me."By the Temple," he replied, "never have I seen a woman as beautiful as you are; but there is one precept which the Lord our God has commanded us, it is called tzitzit, and with regard to it the expression ‘I am the Lord your God’ is twice written, signifying, I am He who will exact punishment in the future, and I am He who will give reward in the future. Now [the tzitzit] appeared to me as four witnesses [testifying against me]’. She said, ‘I will not leave you until you tell me your name, the name of your town, the name of your teacher, the name of your school in which you study the Torah’. He wrote all this down and handed it to her. Thereupon she arose and divided her estate into three parts; one third for the government, one third to be distributed among the poor, and one third she took with her in her hand; the bed clothes, however, she retained. She then came to the Beth Hamidrash of R. Hiyya, and said to him, ‘Master, give instructions about me that they make me a proselyte’. ‘My daughter’, he replied; ‘perhaps you have set your eyes on one of the disciples?’ She thereupon took out the script and handed it to him. ‘Go’, said he ‘and enjoy your acquisition’. Those very bed-clothes which she had spread for him for an illicit purpose she now spread out for him lawfully. This is the reward [of the precept] in this world; and as for its reward in the future world I know not how great it is. ...

(9) A non-Jew who busied himself with Torah is liable with his life¹¹²From Heaven, because others will see him perform Mitzvohs and being engaged in Torah and will be deceived. They will think him a practicing Jew and err after him.. He must involve himself in their Seven Commandments only. Similarly, a non-Jew who “rested” as one would on Shabbos, even on a weekday, is liable with the death penalty. There is no reason to mention (that he is culpable) if he invented his own holiday. The principle here is that we do not permit them to make a new religion and create new commandments for themselves based on their own reasoning. They may only become Righteous Converts and accept upon themselves all the Commandments, or they must observe their own (Seven) Laws only, and not add or detract from them. If a non-Jew busied himself with Torah or made Shabbos or made up something new, we give him lashes and punish him and tell him that he is liable with the death penalty for doing this. But he is not executed.

(10) A non-Jew¹¹³One who had accepted the Seven Commandments, i.e. a Resident Convert. who wishes to perform another Torah Commandment¹¹⁴Other than learning Torah or observing Shabbos. (merely) in order to receive a reward is not prevented from so doing in the Halochically correct way. Thus, if he brings the Olah (burnt) offering, we accept it from him. If he gives charity, we accept it from him. It appears to me, however, that we give these monies to the Jewish poor since he (the Resident Convert) is sustained by Israel, and they have a commandment to keep them (the Jews) alive. However, if a non-Jew¹¹⁵One who didn’t accept the Seven Commandments. gives charity, we take it and give it to the non-Jewish poor¹¹⁶We take for the “sake of peace”, but give it back to them since it is a disgrace for Jews to have to receive charity from non-Jews..

(3) The members of the generation of the flood have no share in the World-to-Come and will not stand in judgment at the end of days, as it is stated: “My soul shall not abide [yadon] in man forever” (Genesis 6:3); neither will they stand in judgment [din] nor shall their souls be restored to them. The members of the generation of the dispersion have no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And the Lord scattered them from there upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:8), and it is written: “And from there did the Lord scatter them upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:9). “And the Lord scattered them” indicates in this world; “and from there did the Lord scatter them” indicates for the World-to-Come. The people of Sodom have no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (Genesis 13:13). “Wicked” indicates in this world; “and sinners” indicates for the World-to-Come. But they will stand in judgment and they will be sentenced to eternal contempt. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Both these, the people of Sodom, and those, the members of the generation of the flood, will not stand in judgment, as it is stated: “Therefore the wicked shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalms 1:5). “Therefore the wicked shall not stand in judgment”; this is referring to the generation of the flood, about whom it is written: “The wickedness of man was great upon the earth” (Genesis 6:5). “Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous”; these are the people of Sodom, about whom it is written: “And the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners” (Genesis 13:13). The Sages said to Rabbi Neḥemya: They will not stand in judgment for resurrection in the congregation of the righteous, but they will stand in judgment in the congregation of the wicked. The spies who spread an evil report of their visit to Canaan have no share in the World-to-Come, as it is stated: “And those men who spread the evil report about the land died by plague before the Lord” (Numbers 14:37). “And…died” indicates in this world; “by plague” indicates for the World-to-Come. The members of the generation of the wilderness have no share in the World-to-Come and will not stand in judgment, as it is stated: “In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die” (Numbers 14:35). “They shall be consumed” indicates in this world; “and there they shall die” indicates for the World-to-Come; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Eliezer says: The members of the generation of the wilderness were essentially righteous, and about them the verse says: “Gather My pious together to Me, those that have entered into My covenant by offering” (Psalms 50:5). It is they who entered into the covenant with God and they will certainly be rewarded in the future. The assembly of Korah is not destined to arise for resurrection, as it is stated: “And the earth closed upon them” (Numbers 16:33), meaning in this world, and also: “And they perished from among the assembly” (Numbers 16:33), meaning in the World-to-Come; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Eliezer says: About them the verse says: “The Lord kills and makes alive; He lowers to the grave, and raises” (I Samuel 2:6), indicating that the assembly of Korah has a share in the World-to-Come. The ten tribes are not destined to return to Eretz Yisrael, even during the messianic era, as it is stated: “And He cast them into another land, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 29:27). Just as the day passes never to return, so too, the ten tribes go into exile and do not return; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Eliezer says: “As it is this day,” meaning just as the day darkens and then the sky brightens the next day, with regard to the ten tribes as well, although it is dark for them now, so it is destined to brighten for them.

Rab Judah said in the name of R. Assi: If at the present time a heathen betroths [a daughter in Israel], note must be taken of such betrothal since it may be that he is of the ten tribes. But, surely, anything separated [from a heterogeneous group] is regarded as having been separated from the majority! — [R. Assi's statement refers] to places where they have settled;… When I mentioned the matter in the presence of Samuel he said to me, 'Theydid not move from there until they had declared them to be perfect heathens; as it is said in the Scriptures, They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten strange children