[Avodah] IDF Conversions

[T613K at aol.com]

From: Hankman _salman at videotron.ca_ (mailto:salman at videotron.ca) 



While the concept of "zera Yisrael," of partial Jewish parentage  is
not new to me.... I know, some in kiruv find a special imperative to  be
"mekarev" such "zera Yisrael" to geirus. But I know of no such  halachic
notion for consideration in geirus. I would appreciate any  broadening of
my horizons in this regard that anyone can offer from sifrei  rishonim,
achronim or tshuvot. Did you ask your Rav the source for this point  of
view? If he could clarify the basis of the idea that would be great.  Is
this another demographic, social etc. reason to follow the meikil as  we
have heard before? Or is there some hidden mystical notion at play  here
of retrieving some sort of "hidden kedusha" in the "zera  Yisrael"?

Kol Tuv
Chaim Manaster

 
>>>>>
 
My father told me that the rule about initially discouraging would-be  
converts does not apply to the children of Jewish fathers.  If the latter  
express any interest in converting, they are to be encouraged and  mekareved.  I 
regret that it did not occur to me at the time to ask for  sources or 
reasons.  But there is not a doubt in my mind that if he said  it, he had sources 
and reasons.
 
BTW I must add that even though gerus is encouraged and welcomed in  such a 
case, my father still did not approve of Mickey Mouse  conversions.  A real 
gerus requires the acceptance of Torah  observance.  I don't consider my 
father's position -- encourage gerus,  but insist that it be genuine -- to be 
"meikil."
 
 

--Toby Katz
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