[Avodah] Chiyuv l'kabel gerim

[Michael Makovi]

>From Areivim "L conversion case"

>R MYG wrote:
>This might be for Avodah (so please answer there) but I don't >think that
there is any Chiyuv to be Mekabel Geirim, anyway.
>I'm not replying on Avodah since I do not as yet have the >particulars. Rav
Riskin's topic at his Shabbat Hagadol shiur last >year dealt with the chiyuv
not only to be mekabel gerim, but to >actively encourage gerut.
>Alas, I did not take notes. However, Ohr Torah usually produces >a CD of
the shiur the following year, so, hopefully I can report >back sometime in
Adar II with sources.
>
>David I. Cohen

To actively encourage gerut sounds strange; I'd be fascinated then to hear
what Rabbi Riskin says.

Regardless, there certainly seems basis to say there is a chiyuv to be
mekabel gerim; the Gemara in Yevamot says we don't push them away too much;
I'm not sure, but it seems reasonable that the reason is because once
someone shows an honest and eager desire to join Am Yisrael, we are required
to welcome them with open arms.

However, Rabbi Yehuda Henkin in Equality Lost, page 89, writes:

"Except for the case of a Gentile who repeatedly demonstrates his sincere
desire to convert 11...beit din is under no obligation to convert anyone.12"

11 - "Tosafot, Yevamot 109b, s.v. Ra'ah tachat ra'ah."
12 - "Beit din's obligation to convert commences only after a decision is
reached to accept the candidate; see Bnei Banim, ibid [vol 2]., p. 141."

The body of his text implies there is a chiyuv to be m'kabel; "EXCEPT for
the case" of someone who shows a sincere desire, there is no chiyuv to be
m'kabel, meaning there is a chiyuv to be m'kabel on someone who shows
sincere desire. But according to footnote 12, the chiyuv commences only when
the beit din decides to accept the candidate; if someone shows sincere
desire but the beit din does not accept him (for whatever reason), then
there is no chiyuv to be m'kabel despite his sincere desire.

A possible resolution would be the answer to the question, does a beit din
have the ability to reject a completely worthy candidate? If the answer is
no (i.e. if the beit din has a chiyuv to accept a worthy candidate), then in
effect, there is a chiyuv to be m'kabel, because there is a chiyuv to decide
to accept a worthy would-be-ger, and once that decision is made, there is
a chiyuv to convert him, and these two chiyuvim combine to make a chiyuv to
convert a worthy candidate.

Does anyone have Rabbi Henkin's teshuvot Bnei Banim on hand? My rabbi
probably does (my rabbi's rabbi is Rabbi Henkin himself), but I won't see
him until yom rishon.

Mikha'el Makovi
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