[Avodah] Chiyuv l'kabel gerim

[Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer]

If we believe that Yahadus is emes and that yakiru v'yeid'u kol yoshvei 
teivel that emes, how can we /not/ have a chiyuv to be mekaabel geirim!?

I think the omission from Halacha of the Mechilta forbidding Kabbolas 
Geirim from Amalek is rooted in this logical conclusion.

KT,
YGB

Michael Makovi wrote:
> 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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