Posted on 11/07/2014 10:38:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The most common reason why people convert to Judaism today, I would guess, is because they want to marry a Jewish spouse. Such conversions are a sign of the amazing acceptance that Judaism enjoys in America, compared to the stigma it labored under for most of Western history. For a Christian to marry a Jew in medieval Europe meant stigmatization, isolation, perhaps even violence, as it does in many parts of the Muslim world today. For us, it is simply a personal choice, even a laudable demonstration of spousal loyalty.
It was surprising to learn in this week’s Daf Yomi reading, then, that according to the Talmud, converting out of love is actually forbidden. “Both a man who converted for the sake of a woman and a woman who converted for the sake of a man,” we read in Yevamot 24b, “they are not converts.” (The Koren Talmud’s notes make clear, however, that this is not how conversions are actually regulated in practice today; as often, the law has evolved significantly since the Talmud was written.)
The Talmud’s logic seems to be that conversion must not be undertaken for the sake of any personal advantage or reward, but strictly out of belief in the truth of Judaism. That is why the rabbis list converting for love alongside other kinds of compromised conversions, such as “one who converted for the sake of the king’s table”—that is, in order to receive financial support or career advancement from a Jewish government.
The same holds true of those who convert to escape punishment.
(Excerpt) Read more at tabletmag.com ...
**The most common reason why people convert to Judaism today, I would guess, is because they want to marry a Jewish spouse.**
Well, there is the whole shiksappeal thing.
There’s not enough guilt already to go around?
Interesting.
I would think a Jewish woman would have to ask herself if a guy was willing to renounce his professed Lord and Savior, how long until he’s throwing her under the bus too.
RE: I would think a Jewish woman would have to ask herself if a guy was willing to renounce his professed Lord and Savior, how long until he’s throwing her under the bus too.
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” ( 1 John 2:19 )
One of the best movies I’ve ever seen.
Or perhaps they are the lucky ones who have two souls.
Would Mike and Crow agree?
I thought that serious Jews didn’t accept converts anyway (because their relationship with God was specific to certain bloodlines).
So true.
If faith is THAT important, then one ought to stay with his/her own faith.
Also, when one is strong in one's faith, s/he USUALLY evolves over the decades, gaining more insight, tolerance AND belief in that faith.
SOMETIMES people simply grow up and finally realize what is TRULY important in life: God, faith, family, friends, country and so on.
Huzzah!!
RE: because their relationship with God was specific to certain bloodlines
Would Moabites and Jericho-ites be considered acceptable blood lines?
Is converting for the sake of children allowed?
(Seriously)
I don’t know; I’m not Jewish. I had been told by a Jewish person that they didn’t seek converts for the reason I outlined.
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