[Avodah] Love the ger - who?

[Michael Makovi]

>  The gemora Rashi cites is clearly talking about proselytes
>
>  *Bava Metzia[1] <#_ftn1>(59b): *It has been taught: R' Eleazar HaGadol
>  said: Why did the Torah warn in 36 places – while others say in 46
>  places – against wronging a convert? It is because he has a strong
>  inclination to evil [Rashi Horios 13a]. What is the meaning of the verse
>  (Shemos 22:20): "You shall not upset a ger (outsider), nor oppress him;
>  for you were gerim (outsiders) in Egypt?" It has been taught: R' Nosson
>  said that one should not ridicule another with the blemish you yourself
>  have. This idea is expressed in the folk expression "If someone had a
>  family member who was hanged one should not say to him, 'Hang up this
>  fish for me.'"

This Gemara would apply most to ger tzedek, but I see no reason why it
cannot apply to a ger toshav. The ger toshav is a polytheist/idolater,
comes to Israel, and converts to non-613 monotheism. Why can't he be
liable to relapse as much as a ger tzedek? And if we say it is because
you shouldn't mock someone for what you once were, well, weren't we
once idolaters in Egypt?

The Gemara definitely never says it is davka ger tzedek, and it
doesn't necessarily imply it either.

Rather, it could very well be that most gerim were of the tzedek
variety, and/or that most of the toshav varieties eventually became
tzedek varieties, or certainly their descendants.

Mikha'el Makovi