Giyyur 002

6:
In the previous shiur we saw how the conversation between Ruth and Naomi in the biblical story became, in the thought processes of the sages, a paradigm regarding ideal motives for conversion. But the sages were also quite realistic and they were well aware that not every would-be convert was motivated with the fire and determination that motived Ruth the Moabitess. There is a modern assumption that no non-Jew should be permitted to join the Jewish people for any reasons that are not completely altruistic. (In the modern State of Israel we have recently reached a pass in which the established ultra-orthodox rabbinate requires extreme religious altruism and a level of religious dedication to which a very small percentage of native-born Jews can ever hope to aspire, rejecting all levels of commitment that are not consonant with extreme ultra-orthodoxy.)

7:
The sages, however, recognized no such assumption. We can see this clearly in the following midrash [Yalkut Shim'oni, Bemidbar 745]:

We shall continue our study of this midrash in a moment, but let us pause here to note that the first of the three types of convert described in this midrash makes no effort at all to observe Judaism! His home is not at all kosher. He has been drawn to Judaism for what we might call social reasons (or possibly even culinary reasons). He wants to be part of the people of Israel so that he can socialize with them: he will eat in their house and they will eat in his on their sabbaths and festivals. Obviously, such a motivation is far from the rabbinic ideal we discussed in the previous shiur, yet because this person 'forced himself' to go through the conversion process he is to be accepted, and even though he retains his former customs and habits (and possibly never even left them) there is hope that something may happen in his life that will restore him to Judaism. Therefore, the sages emphasize, he must be treated with loving consideration as the Torah commands.

8:
Now let us continue our reading of the midrash as we come to the second of the three types of convert. But before we do so we must clarify a major point. The Hebrew word Ĥamor means an ass or a donkey. But this is not the derogatory meaning that the word has in our present context. The Ĥamor of the midrash is a person who is referred to in the Torah [Genesis 34:1-17]. Here is the gist of the story:

Thus, in the context of this midrash Ĥamor represents someone who wants to convert to Judaism for matrimonial reasons. After this clarification we can continue our reading of the midrash:

Once again we see that although this convert became a Jew for an ulterior motive he is accepted as a full convert. He does not convert to Judaism because he "sees the light", but because he has set his eyes upon marriage with a Jewish woman – and if conversion is the price he has to pay, like the people of Shekhem, he will pay that price.

9:
The Midrash continues:

It is not quite clear whether this third convert is truly altruistic as was Ruth. It seems that it is not becoming one with the Jewish people and the Jewish religion that motivates him but rather he seeks the security of divine protection because all the peoples of the world tell him that the Jews enjoy heaven's special protection. But, he too, must be accepted as a full Jew in every sense of the word.

If you would like to read the full Hebrew text of this midrash please click here.

10:
From this midrash – which is not unique in its tenor – we see that the sages recognised that non-Jews who completed all the ritual requirements of conversion to Judaism were to be regarded as full converts even if their motives were considerably less than ideal. Of course, it might be claimed that a midrash is designed for spiritual "uplift" and therefore may not accurately reflect the more sober halakhic views of the sages. But the midrash we have studied in this shiur certainly does reflect their halakhic thinking, as we shall see, God willing, in the next shiur.

To be continued.