Hot answers tagged gerut-conversion
18
There is a tradition, recorded in various sources, that the prophet Ovadiah was an Edomite convert. This tradition is born of the fact that there is nothing within his short (one chapter) oracle that concerns Judeans or Israelites; the entire thing is an oracle about the Edomites instead.
Sources:
Sanhedrin 39b;
Tanchuma, Tazria 8.
See also Rashi and ...
12
A convert can:
Judge a case as part of a beis din that has been accepted by the Yisrael
Force a judgment on another convert
Force a judgment even on a Yisrael if the converts mother or father was born of a Yisrael
A pure convert cannot:
Force judgment on another Yisrael
These laws are based on the double language of שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ, ...
12
A non-Jew certainly may wear tefillin (in other words, there is no law against them doing so), but they will not be fulfilling a mitzvah. From that perspective, they might be viewed in the same way that one views a Jewish woman who lays tefillin: the Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chaim 38:3) exempts her but allows her to wear them if she wishes. Note, however, that ...
12
Shemaya and Avtalyon, two great rabbis from the 1st century BCE, are identified in the Talmud (Gittin 57b) as converts. So it seems that converts can become rabbis, and even important ones. I know of no sources that imply the law on this matter was different before that point.
See also this question: Can a convert be a prophet?
11
Rabbi Chaim Clorfene writes in his popular (and heavily annotated) book, The Path of the Righteous Gentile (p. 42), that B'nei Noach should learn parts of the Torah relevant to their service of God, as well as to the Torah's view on God. He adds that this can be broadly applied, as many areas of Torah "can bring one to greater knowledge concerning the ...
11
Shevet HaLevi 6:245:2 rules that he would have to tovel them with a bracha. He doesn't distinguish if they were toveled already beforehand and I fail to see why that would make a difference.
Tzitz Eliezer 22:49 rules that they should be toveled without a bracha, reasoning that perhaps the tevillah of the person works to 'elevate' him along with all his ...
9
The Gemara in Yevamos 101: mentions that Rav Shmuel the son of Yehuda reports about himself: ואנא גר אנא (“I am a convert”), yet he is named בר יהודה (son of Yehuda), Rashi explains, that this is since his natural father converted together with him.
8
The way a local Orthodox rabbi explained it to me is this:
Being Jewish is harder than being a gentile, and (for gentiles) it's totally optional. Gentiles do not need to become Jews to merit a good life and olam haba.
However, once someone does become a Jew he has greater obligations. Doing (or not doing) certain things now is a sin where it was ok ...
8
From the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) conversion FAQ:
The amount of time for a convert to be prepared for conversion varies
from case to case, depending upon the level of knowledge and
experience that preceded the quest for conversion and many other
factors. A minimum of two years of study and experiential growth is
generally recommended ...
8
Regarding conversion to Judaism in general, the answers to this question (mentioned by DoubleAA in the comments here) provide ample coverage. I recommend that you read them all, but here are some main points:
Jewish Law provides a mechanism for people who are not members of the Jewish Nation to become members - conversion. It's not easy, and it's actually ...
8
Your question implies that when a new religion shows up everyone switches to it like it's the latest new technology.
That is NOT the case. Some people did convert (a notable example is Yitro AKA Jethro), plus some Egyptians (the erev rav) and Canaanites. But the vast majority of the world did not convert.
And on top of that, Judaism does not ask them to. A ...
7
To answer your more specific question: no, a Gentile who studies Torah in a forbidden way is still not stoned. The Rambam rules (Milchamot 10:9 and English)
ואם עסק בתורה, או שבת, או חידש דבר--מכין אותו ועונשין אותו, ומודיעין אותו שהוא חייב מיתה על זה; אבל אינו נהרג.
If a gentile studies the Torah, makes a Sabbath, or creates a religious practice, ...
7
It's not surprising that if someone's lifestyle is being evaluated, that a higher standard is expected. This has been frustrating for many a convert (as well as born Jews who've affiliated with a more-observant lifestyle).
In theory, conversion is instant and irreversible. One second before converting, the would-be convert could eat pork all s/he likes. One ...
7
I am a convert and have learned both opinions. My late Rav, Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer, zt'l, held in accordance with the Rema. I did not sit shiva for my father or say the kaddish for him. However, Rabbi Yitzhok Breitowitz, shlita, told me that because there are "chashuvah" poskim who hold otherwise, e.g. Rav Ovadiah Yosef, the response should be based on ...
7
The Shulchan Aruch rules in YD 269:1 that a convert is permitted to marry his mother (who has since also converted) according to Biblical law, but it is prohibited rabbinically. Additionally, in 269:5 he rules the same way regarding marrying a female convert and her daughter. I'm not sure exactly what your test is for 'halachik parentage', but certainly as ...
7
No such "switch" happened. According to the simplest understanding of Jewish history, Judaism started with one man, Avraham, who recognized the creator of the world. He came to this realization himself, independent of anyone else. G-d blessed him that his descendants would be numerous, and they were. Several hundred years later, his descendants stood at ...
7
Provided the conversion was valid, the person is considered a Jew forever. If they "revert" to something other than Judaism, they may be sinning, but that is between them and G-d now.
As far as punishment, they are no different than any other Jew. That is to say, Jewish courts today no longer have the power to punish people for sins against G-d.
7
The Gemara at Megillah 14b says that she converted, married Joshua, and that eight prophets who were also kohanim descended from her: Neriyah, Baruch, Serayah, Machsiyah, Yirmeyahu, Chilkiyah, Chanma'el and Shalom. According to the Gemara, Rachav and Joshua had no sons, but they did have daughters.
Given that history alone, the stain of her ...
7
The issue here is essentially one of lowest common denominator. A conversion will only be accepted by Group X if they think that Group Y, who oversaw the conversion, did so appropriately and successfully, following all the relevant laws as understood by Group X. Otherwise, Group X will continue to view the potential convert as a gentile with all that ...
6
Yes.
Israel's Law of Return says that
Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh.
and defines "Jew" as
a person who was born of a Jewish mother or has become converted to Judaism and who is not a member of another religion.
(emphasis mine)
6
In his Igerret Hashmad he teaches that Jews forcibly converted to Islam are not automatically or necessarily heretics. However he also limits this to the case presented to him and says that even in that situation martyrdom or fleeing is an option.
http://thejewishchronicles.com/maimonides-iggeret-ha-shemad/
...
6
Don't forget Unkelos - another Sage who was a convert. His translation of the Torah is found in every Observant Jewish home.
Nowadays, I know of several prominent rabbis who are converts, but I will not name them here for fear of lashon hara.
In other words, there is absolutely no impediment to a convert becoming a rabbi or Jewish leader.
5
Gentiles can certainly attend synagogue services on Shabbat (or at any other time). I know many converts and all of them were required by their rabbis to start doing this fairly early on in the process. Conversion is in part about joining a community, so you'd better get to know it. Also, while you can practice prayers on your own, you need the experience ...
5
To start: For some excellent tips on someone starting conversion, see this question and its answers:
First steps for someone considering conversion
As DoubleAA noted in his comment, studying conversion is something that is usually, but not always, done at a personal level. That being said, there are many classes one can go to about Judaism that are given ...
5
It is prohibited for a man to live with his wife without ketubah. This is so even when there had been one that was lost or destroyed, such a situation requires another ketubah to be prepared prior to continuing to live together as man and wife (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 66:3). That a couple had been together without a Ketubah does not obviate the need, ...
5
A convert actually immerses three times, according to Rabbi Maurice Lamm here:
There is one exception to this general practice of placing the blessing before the
mitzvah--the immersion of a convert. The convert needs to recite the blessing after the immersion, not before. The reason is simple: One cannot declare "God commanded us"
if one is not ...
5
A kesubah is a shtar -- a binding legal document under Jewish law -- and must meet the criteria required of all shtars. If a kesubah is found to have a mistake, it can be corrected with a kesubah dimishtakich bei ta’usa, a kesubah in which a mistake was found, that is used in these circumstances and signed by witnesses. See ...
5
According to R. Yehudah Halevi, a convert cannot be a prophet. The question on R. Yehudah Halevi's view is that Chazal say Ovadiah was a convert. This question, which was raised by the commentators on the Kuzari, is addressed by R. Yitzchak Sheilat who suggests that R. Yehudah Halevi's view depends on a possible dispute in the Gemara about whether Ovadiah ...
5
Bruce, may you live and be well to 120, but I'm reminded here of someone's definition of a "Jewish question": someone gets up and makes a big statement, then just raises the pitch at the very end so it sounds like a question.
I don't know what you mean by "predator", I don't know what the allegations are, I don't care. Let's talk theory here. Rabbi Moshe ...
5
I'm going to more or less echo Kordovero and Double AA, but put it succinctly.
Yes, there is a difference, and it will matter.
If a person converts by any standard that is not universally recognized, then that person will not be regarded as Jewish by those with stricter standards.
Orthodox conversion requires more than Conservative or Reform conversion. ...
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