0

I just read that the Rogatchover Gaon ruled that a Noachide can become a Ger Toshav on his own, without Rabbinical approval (which is otherwise impossible until the yovel is declared), by simply accepting the Sheva Bnei Noachide laws. Razin d'Orayta, p. 97, §33.

However, Chabad of all people seems to take an opposite approach to non-converts:

One may not invite a non-Jew to a Yom Tov meal unless Shabbat coincides with that Yom Tov. The reason for this is that one may inadvertently cook for the non-Jew on Yom Tov, which is forbidden. On Shabbat when one may not cook in any case, it is permitted to invite a non-Jew. If the non-Jew comes without being invited, one may feed him on a regular Yom Tov as well but may not cook or heat up food for him. There is no distinction between the Pesach Seder and other Yom Tov days in this regard. Orach Chaim 512:1, Shulchan Aruch HaRav ibid, 2.

I tried halachapedia and I consulted Divine Code but couldn't find anything. They all wrote the same thing, that a goy/Goya is prohibited to participate in holidays as they weren't commanded to, unless they were invited, they acted duplicitously, or it was Shabbat. Nothing about a Giyoret Toshavah or a Giyoret Tzedeket. Obviously, an aku"m can't make new holidays, and I can see why nachrim would be prohibited as they are actively refusing to get with the picture, maybe the Chasidei Umot Ha-olam or even the Chochmei Umot Ha-olam, as these people are technically stam goyim, but once a Noachidess goes the extra step as a Toshavah but doesn't want to convert to a full blown Tzedeket, don't they have enough of a yiddisher neshamah to participate in Pesach?

Improve this question
9
  • 1
    The reason one is not allowed to invite a not Jewish person to a Yom Tov meal has nothing to do with a judgement of their choices. It is biblically forbidden to perform melachot (work) on Yom Tov unless it is to feed someone who has an obligation of Yom Tov. (In which case, it is considered preparing for Yom Tov which is allowed.) Thus a ger toshav might be the greatest tzaddik of his generation, but it would still be forbidden to cook for him on Yom Tov. The rabbinic prohibition of inviting a gentile is a safeguard against violating the biblical prohibition.
    – Loewian
    Apr 10, 2019 at 5:04
  • Not talking about a stam gentile, but rather a Ger Toshav. While a akum, nachri, or goy would not know the halachot about cooking on a yom tov, a Ger would and wouldn't come to cook for the Jew.
    – Kfir
    Apr 10, 2019 at 5:04
  • 2
    A ger toshav is not biblically commanded with Yom Tov, therefore one cannot cook for him/her on Yom Tov. Thus, the rabbinic decree would still reasonably apply as well.
    – Loewian
    Apr 10, 2019 at 5:05
  • @Loewian: this year, the first seder in on Shabbos, so there is no cooking for anyone. The rabbinic legislation you mention is only when the holiday is on a weekday.
    – Micha Berger
    Apr 10, 2019 at 5:49
  • 2
    I feel you mix up many terms that are probably irrelevant as in those Halochos we [mostly/only] differentiate between the Jews and all the others. THe fact that he does not kill or steal does not promote him to a half-Jew, I think.
    – Al Berko
    Apr 10, 2019 at 10:16

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

The piece you quoted from Chabad.org has the answer. The reason it's forbidden to invite a non-Jew to a yom tov meal is because it's forbidden to cook for them on yom tov as the allowance to cook is for the purpose of fulfilling the mitzvah of seudas yom tov (which doesn't apply to someone who isn't Jewish). The rabbis were concerned that in the process of preparing the meal, some of the cooking will be done for the non-Jew, violating a prohibition.

This applies regardless of whether the person is a ger toshav, oveid avodah zarah, or somewhere inbetween. They are not permitted to be invited to the seder. This even applies to someone who is in the process of becoming a ger tzedek (convert to Judaism). Such a person cannot be invited to a yom tov meal the normal way either. Technically, there are loopholes that allow a non-Jew to participate in a yom tov meal, which we take advantage of for potential converts. But the basic halacha is that non-Jews cannot be invited to these meals.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .