UnYeshiva - Choosing the Tribe: Jewish Conversion, Past, Present, Future (Part 1)

(5) Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan,

(17) For your God יהוה is God supreme and Lord supreme,*God supreme and Lord supreme Lit. “the god of gods and the lord of lords.” Heb. ’adon (“lord”) normally denotes a man in a position of authority. Here it is used to claim that Israel’s God is beyond the men who sit atop the social hierarchies of rank and gender. the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe, (18) but upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing food and clothing.— (19) You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (20) You must revere יהוה: only your God shall you worship, to [God] shall you hold fast, and by God’s name shall you swear.

(8) When Elisha, the agent of God, heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you rent your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” (9) So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the door of Elisha’s house. (10) Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be pure.” (11) But Naaman was angered and walked away. “I thought,” he said, “he would surely come out to me, and would stand and invoke the ETERNAL his God by name, and would wave his hand toward the spot, and cure the affected part. (12) Are not the Amanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? I could bathe in them and be pure!” And he stalked off in a rage. (13) But his servants came forward and spoke to him. “Sir,”bSir Lit. “[My] father.” they said, “if the prophet told you to do something difficult, would you not do it? How much more when he has only said to you, ‘Bathe and be pure.’” (14) So he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, as the agent of God had bidden; and his flesh became like a little boy’s, and he was pure. (15) Returning with his entire retinue to the agent of God, he stood before him and exclaimed, “Now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel! So please accept a gift from your servant.” (16) But he replied, “As GOD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept anything.” He pressed him to accept, but he refused. (17) And Naaman said, “Then at least let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will never again offer up burnt offering or sacrifice to any god, except GOD. (18) But may GOD pardon your servant for this: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow low in worship there, and he is leaning on my arm so that I must bow low in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow low in the temple of Rimmon, may GOD pardon your servant in this.” (19) And he said to him, “Go in peace.”When he had gone some distance from him,

(38) in any prayer or supplication offered by any person among all Your people Israel—each of whom knows their own affliction—when they spread their palms toward this House, (39) oh, hear in Your heavenly abode, and pardon and take action! Render to that individual according to their ways as You know their heart to be—for You alone know every human heart. (40) Thus may Your peoplejYour people Lit. “they.” revere You all the days that they live on the land that You gave to our ancestors. (41) “Or if a foreigner who is not of Your people Israel comes from a distant land for the sake of Your name— (42) for they shall hear about Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm—and thus comes to pray toward this House, (43) oh, hear in Your heavenly abode and grant all that the foreigner asks You for. Thus all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and revere You, as does Your people Israel; and they will recognize that Your name is attached to this House that I have built.

(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.

(16) “Turn back, my daughters, go, as I am too old to be with a husband. If I were to say: I have hope, even were I to be with a husband tonight, and also were I to bear sons” (Ruth 1:12).“Turn back, my daughters, go” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yudan bar Rabbi Ḥanina: In three places it is written here: “Turn back” (Ruth 1:8), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:11), “Turn back” (Ruth 1:12), corresponding to the three times that one rejects a convert. If he insists beyond that, one accepts him. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “A stranger shall not stay the night outside” (Job 31:32). A person shall always reject with the left and accept with the right.113Rejection should be performed weakly, while the subsequent acceptance should be undertaken powerfully. “As I am too old to be with a husband […were I to be with a husband tonight]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper conduct, that one engages in marital relations at night and not by day. That is what is written: “In the evening she would come and in the morning she would return” (Esther 2:14), and it is written: “Were I to be with a husband tonight.”

(17) And in every province and in every city, when the king’s command and decree arrived, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land professed to be Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

(1) Converting to Judaism. Converting to Judaism.

(1) Thus said GOD:Observe what is right and do what is just;For soon My salvation shall come,And my deliverance be revealed. (2) Happy is the mortal who does this,The one who holds fast to it:Who keeps the sabbath and does not profane it,And holds back from doing any evil. (3) Let not the foreigner say,Who is joined to GOD,“ GOD will keep me apart from this covenanted people”;And let not the eunuch say,“I am a withered tree.” (4) For thus said GOD:“As for the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths,Who have chosen what I desireAnd hold fast to My covenant— (5) I will give them, in My HouseAnd within My walls,A monument and a nameBetter than sons or daughters.I will give them an everlasting nameThat shall not perish. (6) As for the foreignersWho are joined to GOD,To render service,And to love GOD’s name,To be devoted servants—All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it,And who hold fast to My covenant— (7) I will bring them to My sacred mountAnd let them rejoice in My house of prayer.Their burnt offerings and sacrificesShall be welcome on My altar;For My House shall be calledA house of prayer for all peoples.”

Thus said GOD of Hosts: In those days, ten people from nations of every tongue will take hold—they will take hold of every Jew by a corner of their cloak and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

(14) “Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot, son of his brother, and all their property that they had acquired, and the people that they had made in Ḥaran; they departed to go to the land of Canaan and they came to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 12:5). “And the people that they had made in Ḥaran” – Rabbi Elazar bar Zimra said: If all the inhabitants of the world were to assemble, to create even a single gnat, they would be unable to inject a soul into it, and yet you say: “The people that they had made?” The explanation is that this refers to the proselytes that they converted. If so, [it should have said] “that they converted”; why “that they made”? It is to teach you that anyone who draws an idol worshipper near and converts him, it is as though he has created him. Let it, then, say: “that he made”? Rav Huna said: Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women.

R. Simeon the son of Lakish declared: A proselyte is more precious in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He, than those who stood at the foot of Sinai. Why is this so? If those who stood at the foot of Mount Sinai had not experienced the thunder, the flames, the lightning, the quaking of the mountain, and the sound of the shofarot, they would not have accepted the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven upon themselves, whereas the proselyte, who witnessed none of these things, makes himself acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He, and receives upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there anyone more precious than this?!

(9) "Another interpretation: 'And each man shall have his holy things for himself' (Leviticus 27:21). This is what is written (Psalms 128:1): 'Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.' It does not say 'Happy is Israel,' 'Happy are the priests,' or 'Happy are the Levites,' but rather 'Happy is everyone who fears the Lord.' These are the converts who are God-fearing, and they are included in the term 'Happy.' Just as it is stated about Israel (Deuteronomy 33:29): 'Happy are you, O Israel,' so it is stated about them: 'Happy is everyone who fears the Lord.' And concerning which convert is it stated 'Happy'? It is a convert who is a righteous proselyte, not those Kutim, as it is written about them (2 Kings 17:33): 'They feared the Lord, but they also served their own gods.' Rather, it refers to a convert who fears the Holy One, blessed be He, and walks in His ways, as it is written: 'Who walks in His ways' (Psalms 128:2). 'When you eat the labor of your hands' (Psalms 128:2), this refers to the convert who does not have the merit of the Patriarchs. In order for him not to say, 'Woe is me, I have no merit of the Patriarchs,' all the good deeds that he performs, he should say, 'I have no reward for them except in this world.' Therefore, the verse brings good tidings to the converts that through their own merit, they will eat in this world and in the World to Come. This is what is written: 'When you eat the labor of your hands.' These are the good deeds that one toils for in this world. As it is said (Job 3:17): 'There the weary are at rest.' And it says (Ecclesiastes 9:10): 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.' And regarding their reward, it says (Psalms 128:2): 'Happy are you, and it is good for you.' 'Happy are you' in this world, and 'it is good for you' in the World to Come. 'Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine' (Psalms 128:3), even though his wife converted with him and is not from the daughters of Israel, she is considered like the daughters of Israel. This is what is written: 'Like a fruitful vine,' these are the daughters of Israel, as it is said (Psalms 80:9): 'You brought a vine out of Egypt.' 'She will bear sons within your home' (Psalms 128:3), when she conducts herself in her own right in Jewish observance, which is modesty, she merits to have sons who are experts in Scripture, experts in Mishnah, experts in giving and taking, sages, discerning individuals, and those who possess knowledge at the right time. This is what is written (Psalm 128:3): "Your children are like olive shoots." What is the purpose of this olive? Some olives are for eating, some for drying, and some for oil. Its oil burns beautifully and is superior to all other oils, and it does not spoil either in sunny days or in rainy days. Similarly, the children of converts come. Among them are those who are masters of Scripture, masters of Mishnah, masters of dialectics, some are wise, some are understanding, and some have knowledge of the appropriate response in a timely manner. And they have a lasting seed forever. (Psalm 128:3) "All around your table, your sons will stand, your righteousness." Because of your table, your sons will merit to great achievements. 'Behold, so will the man be blessed who fears the Lord' (Psalms 128:4). For so we found with Abraham and Sarah, who were converts, and Abraham, who feared the Lord, was blessed in this matter. And so shall all the converts who conduct themselves in accordance with their practice be blessed."[]“May the Lord bless you from Zion…” (Psalms 128:5) This comes to teach that the Holy One blesses them from the place that He blesses Israel. And from where do we learn that the blessings come out from Zion? As it says “As the dew of Hermon which runs down on the mountains of Zion…” (Psalms 133:3) and it says “May the Lord bless you from Zion, and see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.” (Psalms 128:5) May you merit to see the good of Jerusalem in the time to come. (Psalm 128:6) "May you see children born to your children upon Israel," and is because a convert sees children born to his children that peace comes upon Israel? Rather, the verse speaks specifically about a righteous convert, one who marries his daughter to a priest, and his sons serve as priests. They are the children of his children, who are priests and bless Israel, saying (Numbers 6:24-26), "May the Lord bless you... May the Lord cause His face to shine upon you... May the Lord lift His face to you." Therefore, it says, "Peace upon Israel." Just as we found regarding Rahab the harlot, who brought the spies into her house and saved them, the blessed God rewarded her as though He Himself had done it and gave her reward. Similarly, it says (Joshua 2:4), "And the woman took the two men and hid them," and it is not written here, "And she hid them," but rather, "And she hid him." (See Midrash Tanchuma, Sh'lach 1:1) And what reward did she take? That her daughters married into the priesthood, and they bore sons who stood and served at the altars. They would enter the sanctuary and bless Israel with the explicit name of God, saying, "May the Lord bless you... May the Lord illuminate for you... May the Lord lift His face to you." Therefore, it says, "Peace upon Israel." Moses alludes to this in the Torah as well, that after the incident of the theft of the proselyte's property, it is written (Deuteronomy 14:29), "And the Levite... and the proselyte shall come and eat." This teaches that a proselyte who converts for the sake of Heaven is rewarded that sons will come forth from his sons who will be their holy ones. And it further states (Deuteronomy 10:18), "And He loves the proselyte to give him bread and garment." Aquilas the proselyte entered the presence of Rabbi Eliezer and said to him, "Behold, all the praise of a proselyte and one who loves proselytes to give him bread and a garment." Rabbi Eliezer said to him, "Is it light in your eyes that a matter that the elder [Jacob] said of himself (Genesis 28:20), 'And He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear,' and this one comes and hands it to him on a reed?!" He entered the presence of Rabbi Yehoshua, who comforted him with words. "Bread" refers to the Torah, as it says (Proverbs 9:5), "Come, eat of my bread," and "garment" refers to the tallit. A person who merits Torah merits mitzvot, and not only that, but his daughters will be married into the priesthood, and his grandsons will offer sacrifices on the altar. This bread refers to the Showbread, and the garment refers to the high priest's garments. Now, in the sanctuary, within its borders, where do we find this bread? It is the Showbread, and where do we find this garment? It is the first shearing of the wool. That is why it is said: "And every man shall sanctify his holy things for himself; they shall be holy to him" (Leviticus 27:21), in the context of the portion regarding the convert.

The baraita continues: Once he has immersed and emerged he is a Jew in every sense. The Gemara asks: With regard to what halakha is this said? It is that if he reverts back to behaving as a gentile, he nevertheless remains Jewish, and so if he betroths a Jewish woman, although he is considered to be an apostate Jew, his betrothal is a valid betrothal.

(1) There were ten categories of lineage, with varying restrictions on marriage, among the Jews who ascended from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael with Ezra before the building of the Second Temple. They are as follows: Priests; Levites; Israelites; priests disqualified due to flawed lineage [ḥalalim]; converts, and emancipated slaves; mamzerim; Gibeonites, i.e., the descendants of the Gibeonites who converted in the time of Joshua; children of unknown paternity [shetuki]; and foundlings. The mishna proceeds to detail their halakhot: With regard to priests, Levites, and Israelites, it is permitted for men and women in these categories to marry one another. With regard to Levites who are not priests, Israelites, ḥalalim, converts, and emancipated slaves, it is permitted for men and women in these categories to marry one another. With regard to converts, and emancipated slaves, mamzerim, and Gibeonites, children of unknown paternity [shetuki], and foundlings, it is permitted for all of the men and women in these categories to marry one another.

As Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “He who serves as a guarantor for a stranger shall suffer evil; but he who hates those who shake hands is secure” (Proverbs 11:15)? This means: Evil after evil will befall those who accept converts, and Sheltziyyon guarantors, and one who confounds himself in matters of halakha. The Gemara clarifies. Evil will befall those who accept converts: This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ḥelbo. As Rabbi Ḥelbo says: Converts are difficult for the Jewish people like a leprous sore on the skin.

§ The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to a potential convert who comes to a court in order to convert, at the present time, when the Jews are in exile, the judges of the court say to him: What did you see that motivated you to come to convert? Don’t you know that the Jewish people at the present time are anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships are frequently visited upon them? If he says: I know, and although I am unworthy of joining the Jewish people and sharing in their sorrow, I nevertheless desire to do so, then the court accepts him immediately to begin the conversion process.

And Rabbi Elazar said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, exiled Israel among the nations only so that converts would join them, as it is stated: “And I will sow her to Me in the land” (Hosea 2:25). Does a person sow a se’a of grain for any reason other than to bring in several kor of grain during the harvest? So too, the exile is to enable converts from the nations to join the Jewish people.