[Avodah] Chiyuv l'kabel gerim

Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer ygbechhofer at gmail.com
Sun Jan 6 14:41:49 PST 2008


I see no evidence from these sources for your position.

Daniel Eidensohn wrote:
>  From the following sources - is seems that any possible mitzva to 
> accept converts - is balanced out by a strong awareness that most are 
> deleterious for the Jewish people. Thus Rashi simply states if they are 
> dissuaded from converting it is of no concern to us. Or to put it 
> another way it seems that even if there is a kiyum of a mitzva to accept 
> geirim but there is no chiyuv that non-Jews be converted.
>
> *Yevamos[1] <#_ftn1>(47b): *The Master said: If a non‑Jew wants to 
> convert he is told:”What is the reason that you have decided to 
> convert?” He is informed of some of the minor and some of the major 
> mitzvos. What is the reason for this? In order that if he wishes to 
> withdraw let him withdraw. This is because of the words of R’ Chelbo: 
> “Converts are as difficult for Israel as a sore.” This is refected in 
> the language of Isaiah (14:1): “and foreigners shall be joined with 
> them, and they shall cleave [same root as sore] to the house of Yaakov..”* *
>
>   
All that this Gemara indicates is that we must make a potential convert 
aware of the complexity of Judaism, for those who convert without such 
awareness are a source of difficulty.
>  *Rashi[2] <#_ftn2>(Yevamos 47b): If he withdraws * - and doesn’t become 
> a convert *Let him withdraw – *and it is of no concern of ours.
>
>   
That is because he clearly was not interested in the full scope of Judaism.
> *Yevamos[3] <#_ftn3>(109b)*: R’ Yitzchok said what is the meaning of 
> Mishlei (11:15): He that is a surety for a stranger will suffer for it? 
> That means evil upon evil comes to those who accept converts... That 
> those who accept converts bring evil upon themselves is learned from R’ 
> Chelbo who said: Converts are as difficult for Israel as a sore on the skin.
>
> *Rashi[4] <#_ftn4>(Yevamos 109b): Converts are as difficult for Israel – 
> *because they are not knowledgeable in the details of the mitzvos and 
> Israel learns from their incorrect conduct*. As a sore – *This is the 
> language of the verse (Yeshaya 14:1):”… and foreigners shall be joined 
> with them, and they shall cleave [same root as sore] to the house of 
> Yakov..* *
>
>   
Once more, we are speaking about converts who undertake Judaism without 
recognizing its full scope and breadth.
> *Rambam[5] <#_ftn5>(Hilchos Issurei Biah 13:18): *Because of this* 
> *[that even if they relapse they are still Jews] our Sages have said 
> that converts are as difficult for Israel as a skin disease because the 
> majority of them relapse and they lead Israel astray. It is difficult to 
> avoid their influence after they have converted. Look what happened in 
> the Wilderness concerning the Golden Calf as well Kivros HaTaavah. In 
> addition concerning the majority of the trials the Mixed Multitude were 
> involved at the start.
>
>   
Ditto.

It would be patently absurd for the Torah to command us so many times to 
love geirim if we were not meant to facilitate the process. Chazal's 
precautions require us to notify a potential Ger of the full extent of 
his undertaking.

KT,
YGB



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