(לז) וַיִּסְע֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵרַעְמְסֵ֖ס סֻכֹּ֑תָה כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֧לֶף רַגְלִ֛י הַגְּבָרִ֖ים לְבַ֥ד מִטָּֽף׃ (לח) וְגַם־עֵ֥רֶב רַ֖ב עָלָ֣ה אִתָּ֑ם וְצֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֔ר מִקְנֶ֖ה כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
(37) The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand fighting men on foot, aside from noncombatants. (38) Moreover, a mixed multitude went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.
(א) וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃ (ב) וַתָּ֣מׇת שָׂרָ֗ה בְּקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥וא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיָּבֹא֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִסְפֹּ֥ד לְשָׂרָ֖ה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ׃ (ג) וַיָּ֙קׇם֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י מֵת֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵ֖ת לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ד) גֵּר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֙בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי׃
(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.”
(לה) וְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ׃ (לו) אַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ׃ (לז) אֶ֨ת־כַּסְפְּךָ֔ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן ל֖וֹ בְּנֶ֑שֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּ֖ית לֹא־תִתֵּ֥ן אׇכְלֶֽךָ׃ (לח) אֲנִ֗י ה׳ אֱלֹ֣קֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹקִֽים׃ {ס} (לט) וְכִֽי־יָמ֥וּךְ אָחִ֛יךָ עִמָּ֖ךְ וְנִמְכַּר־לָ֑ךְ לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֥ד בּ֖וֹ עֲבֹ֥דַת עָֽבֶד׃ (מ) כְּשָׂכִ֥יר כְּתוֹשָׁ֖ב יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֑ךְ עַד־שְׁנַ֥ת הַיֹּבֵ֖ל יַעֲבֹ֥ד עִמָּֽךְ׃
(35) If your kin, being in straits, come under your authority, and are held by you as though resident aliens, let them live by your side: (36) do not exact advance or accrued interest, but fear your God. Let your kin live by your side as such. (37) Do not lend your money at advance interest, nor give your food at accrued interest. (38) I ה׳ am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. (39) If your kin under you continue in straits and must be given over to you, do not subject them to the treatment of a slave. (40) Remaining with you as a hired or resident laborer, they shall serve with you only until the jubilee year.
(ט) וַיִּשְׂמְח֤וּ הָעָם֙ עַל־הִֽתְנַדְּבָ֔ם כִּ֚י בְּלֵ֣ב שָׁלֵ֔ם הִֽתְנַדְּב֖וּ לַֽה׳ וְגַם֙ דָּוִ֣יד הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׂמַ֖ח שִׂמְחָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃ {פ} (י) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ אֶת־ה׳ לְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗יד בָּר֨וּךְ אַתָּ֤ה ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָבִ֔ינוּ מֵעוֹלָ֖ם וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יא) לְךָ֣ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּ֨ה וְהַגְּבוּרָ֤ה וְהַתִּפְאֶ֙רֶת֙ וְהַנֵּ֣צַח וְהַה֔וֹד כִּי־כֹ֖ל בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ לְךָ֤ ה׳ הַמַּמְלָכָ֔ה וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂ֖א לְכֹ֥ל ׀ לְרֹֽאשׁ׃ (יב) וְהָעֹ֤שֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד֙ מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּה֙ מוֹשֵׁ֣ל בַּכֹּ֔ל וּבְיָדְךָ֖ כֹּ֣חַ וּגְבוּרָ֑ה וּבְיָ֣דְךָ֔ לְגַדֵּ֥ל וּלְחַזֵּ֖ק לַכֹּֽל׃ (יג) וְעַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹקֵ֔ינוּ מוֹדִ֥ים אֲנַ֖חְנוּ לָ֑ךְ וּֽמְהַלְלִ֖ים לְשֵׁ֥ם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃ (יד) וְכִ֨י מִ֤י אֲנִי֙ וּמִ֣י עַמִּ֔י כִּי־נַעְצֹ֣ר כֹּ֔חַ לְהִתְנַדֵּ֖ב כָּזֹ֑את כִּי־מִמְּךָ֣ הַכֹּ֔ל וּמִיָּדְךָ֖ נָתַ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃ (טו) כִּֽי־גֵרִ֨ים אֲנַ֧חְנוּ לְפָנֶ֛יךָ וְתוֹשָׁבִ֖ים כְּכׇל־אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ כַּצֵּ֧ל ׀ יָמֵ֛ינוּ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְאֵ֥ין מִקְוֶֽה׃
(9) The people rejoiced over the freewill offerings they made, for with a whole heart they made freewill offerings to the LORD; King David also rejoiced very much. (10) David blessed the LORD in front of all the assemblage; David said, “Blessed are You, LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity. (11) Yours, LORD, are greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty—yes, all that is in heaven and on earth; to You, LORD, belong kingship and preeminence above all. (12) Riches and honor are Yours to dispense; You have dominion over all; with You are strength and might, and it is in Your power to make anyone great and strong. (13) Now, God, we praise You and extol Your glorious name. (14) Who am I and who are my people, that we should have the means to make such a freewill offering; but all is from You, and it is Your gift that we have given to You. (15) For we are sojourners with You, mere transients like our forefathers; our days on earth are like a shadow, with nothing in prospect.
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 Ger v'toshav anochi imachem I AM A RESIDENT ALIEN AMONG 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).
גר ותושב Ger v'toshav. And what is a תושב toshav? One who has undertaken not to worship idols (i. e. one who has been converted to the fundamental tenet of Judaism) but eats carrion (does not care for the other commandments of the Torah) (Sifra, Behar, Section 5 1).
איזהו גר תושב כל שקיבל עליו בפני ג' חברים שלא לעבוד עבודת כוכבים דברי ר"מ וחכ"א כל שקיבל עליו שבע מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח אחרים 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 מייחדין אצלו יין ואין מפקידין אצלו יין ואפי' בעיר שרובה ישראל אבל מייחדין אצלו יין ואפי' בעיר שרובה עובדי כוכבים
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.
The baraita continues: Whatever the definition of a ger toshav, the following halakhot apply to him: One may leave him alone with wine briefly without Jewish supervision with no concern that he might use it for a libation, thereby rendering it forbidden to Jews, as he is not an idol worshipper. But one may not deposit wine with him for an extended period of time, lest he exchange it with the wine of a gentile, which is forbidden. And this applies even in a town that has a Jewish majority. But one may leave him alone with wine briefly without Jewish supervision even in a town with a majority of gentiles.
This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.
However, if he fulfills them out of intellectual conviction, he is not a resident alien, nor of 'the pious among the gentiles,' nor of their wise men.
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.
- Biblical and rabbinic texts implicitly respond to a need for a halachic category for people who are part of the Jewish community but are not Jewish themselves. Today, do you see a need for an explicit status for non-Jewish community members? Why or why not?
- What are the implications, both in synagogue management and in community feeling, of having (or not having) a designated liminal status?
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: ________________________________________________________