[Avodah] Pre-Sinaitic conversions

Michael Makovi mikewinddale at gmail.com
Sat Feb 23 12:05:40 PST 2008


>  There are many sources that conversion took place prior to Sinai.

But this doesn't help us. The pasuk us, "Love the ger because you were
gerim in Egypt".

Did we convert to Judaism in Egypt? Either a person was a Jew the
moment he came out of his pre-Sinai mother's womb, or he converted at
Sinai. Either way, what does Egypt have to do with anything? And why
should I love this newcomer to Judaism - how does my being a blood
descendant of Avraham (chronologically before Sinai) give me a reason
to love the shmuck who comes after Sinai and crashes the party?

Rather, because we were foreigners, aliens, immigrants, in Egypt, love
the foreigners, aliens, immigrants in our own land. We know what it's
like, so use that experience educationally. See Rav Hirsch to Shemot
1:14.

The question is, what does halacha say (with detailed sources please;
I've got my Smartscroll for quickie facts!) about these love the ger
pesukim, between ger tzedek and ger toshav. And I know we have a
mitzvah to love the ger toshav, so what is its source and how does it
compare to loving the ger tzedek and the neighbor?

Mikha'el Makovi



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