If a man wishes to become a proselyte he is not accepted at once but they say to him, ‘Why do you want to become a proselyte? Do you not see that this people are debased, oppressed and degraded more than all other peoples, that diseases and chastisements come upon them and they bury their children and children’s children, that they are slaughtered for [observing] circumcision, immersion and the other precepts [of the Torah] and cannot hold up their heads like other peoples?’

If he says, ‘I am not worthy’, they dismiss him and he goes his way.

If, however, he undertakes [to become a proselyte], they take him down to the place of immersion, cover him in water up to his middle, and tell him some of the details of the precepts. [He is informed that he is accepted only] on condition that he will give gleanings, forgotten sheaves, the corner of the field and tithes.

As they say this to a man, so they say to a woman that [she is accepted] on condition that she will be particular in regard to niddah, ḥallah and the kindling of the Sabbath lamp.

When he has bathed and come up [out of the water], they speak to him words of kindness and comfort [saying], ‘To Whom are you cleaving? Happy are you! [You are cleaving] to Him Who spoke and the world came into being, blessed be He; for the world was created only for the sake of Israel; only Israel are called “sons of God”, and only Israel are [described as] “beloved of God”. All the things we have said to you we have said only to increase your reward’.

If a proselyte has been circumcised but has not yet bathed [he is a proselyte]; if he has bathed but not yet been circumcised [he is not yet a proselyte]; everything depends on the circumcision. This is the view of R. Eliezer, but R. ‘Aḳiba said: Also [the lack of] bathing is a bar.

Anyone who becomes a proselyte for the sake of [marrying a Jewish] woman, or out of fear, or love is not a proselyte. Similarly R. Judah and R. Nehemiah said: All [the Gentiles] who were converted in the days of Mordecai and Esther were not genuine proselytes, as it is stated, And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them. Anyone who is not converted from purely religious motives is not a proselyte. [60b]

A man gives immersion to a man, and a woman to a woman but not to a man.

If a man became a proselyte who had vessels of wine in his possession and he says, ‘I am positive that none of it has been poured out as a libation’, the wine is permitted to him and forbidden to others. R. ‘Aḳiba said: If it is forbidden to others, surely it is forbidden to himself! If he says, ‘[The wine has been made] in a state of purity in the presence of So-and-so who is a ḥaber, he is believed’.

Similarly should an ‘am ha-’areẓ take upon himself to become a ḥaber, and he had food which should be in a state of ritual purity and said, ‘I am positive that it has been prepared in ritual cleanliness’, it is permitted to him and forbidden to others. R. ‘Aḳiba said: If it is forbidden to others, all the more it is forbidden to himself! But if he said, ‘It was prepared in ritual cleanliness in the presence of So-and-so who is a ḥaber’, he is believed.

If an Israelite lends money to a Gentile or a Gentile lends money to an Israelite and he became a proselyte, he collects the principal but not the interest. R. Judah said: If before conversion he turned the whole into a loan, he collects the whole.

How [is the law]? If a first-born son was born to him before he was converted, he is exempt; but if after he was converted he is liable; in case of doubt he is exempt. If he had dough ready for baking and a field ready for reaping, until he is converted he is exempt but from the time he is converted he is liable. If there is doubt he is exempt.

2

There is a proselyte who is circumcised at eight days old. How is this? If he was born before his mother [who became a convert] underwent immersion he is circumcised at a day old, but if after his mother underwent immersion at eight days old.

If a proselyte was already circumcised, or if a child was born circumcised, it is necessary to draw from him blood of the covenant, according to Beth Shammai; but Beth Hillel say that it is not necessary.

R. Mathia b. Ḥeresh said in the name of R. Ishmael: Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel did not differ on the question of a proselyte who was already circumcised or a child who was born circumcised. On what did they differ? On a child who was born circumcised on the Sabbath. Beth Shammai said: We override the Sabbath on his account to draw from him blood of the covenant, and Beth Hillel said that this is not necessary.

If a slave underwent immersion before his master he becomes free. It is related of Queen Valeria that some of her slaves underwent immersion before her and some after her, and when the case came before the Sages they said that they who underwent immersion before her were free, but they who underwent immersion after her were still enslaved.

Just as Israel were initiated into the covenant by three precepts, so proselytes are initiated by circumcision, immersion and a sacrifice. [The omission of] the first two debars him [from becoming a proselyte], but [the omission of] the third does not debar him. R. Eliezer [b. Jacob] said: The omission of the sacrifice is also a bar. This was the ruling of R. Eliezer b. Jacob: A proselyte who becomes a convert is required to set aside a fourth part [of a dinar] for his sacrifice of birds; but R. Simeon says that he is not required to do so.

Proselytes are punished [for their sins before conversion] in the opinion of R. Jose; R. Judah said: He is not punished [61a] but is like a new-born child.

R. Ḥanina b. Gamaliel said: Why are proselytes afflicted? Because they calculate a year before or two years before [their conversion], saying, [‘I shall become a proselyte] when I have collected my debts and when I have finished what I have to do’. R. Jose said to him, ‘If they were to lose money [only as a punishment] you would be right; but they [sometimes] bury their children and grandchildren and sore diseases and chastisements befall them. Why are they afflicted? Because of their [transgression of] the seven commandments which were given to the descendants of Noah’.

3

What is a ‘resident proselyte’? Whoever undertakes to abstain from idolatry, in the view of R. Meir; R. Judah said: Whoever undertakes not to eat flesh that has not been ritually slaughtered.

His spittle, his seat, his couch and his urine are unclean; his bread, his oil and his wine are clean. The prohibitions thou shalt not do him wrong, thou shalt not oppress and the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night apply to him.

We do not marry him [to a Jewess] or take to wife women from him. We do not lend to him or borrow from him on interest.

We do not settle him on the frontier or in an unhealthy district, but in a pleasant district in the centre of the Land of Israel, where he can find scope for his occupation, as it is stated, With thee he shall dwell in thy midst, in a place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, thou shalt not wrong him.

Every incestuous marriage which is forbidden to Israel under pain of death at the hands of a Beth Din is forbidden to proselytes.

How is this? If he was married to the sister of his mother and her sister from the [same] mother, R. Meir says that he must dismiss her, but the Sages say that he may keep one of them.

An Israelite who has had intercourse with the daughter of a Gentile is to be tried according to the non-Jewish law, but a Gentile who has had intercourse with the daughter of an Israelite is to be tried according to Jewish law.

If a proselyte died leaving a son or daughter who became a convert with him, his property is ownerless and his slaves regain their freedom. If the slaves were minors they are acquired by ‘drawing’, because [the Sages] said that movable property is acquired by ‘drawing’ and immovable property by seizure.

R. Eliezer said: [Immovable property] is acquired only by seizure; but if someone was walking in the field [of a proselyte who died] and a man came up to him to whom he said, ‘The field is mine’, the field is his; but the Sages say that he does not acquire the property until he has taken possession of it.

If one man comes from the south and another from the north, each one acquires the part which he traverses. This is the view of R. Eliezer; but the Sages said: Neither acquires until he has taken possession.

[If a proselyte died] while liable for his wife’s kethubah and [the claim of] a creditor and she says, ‘This part of the property belongs to me and this part is due to me under my kethubah’, she is entitled [to the whole]. If she says, ‘This part is due to me under my kethubah and this part belongs to me’, she is entitled only to her kethubah.

Similarly, if a creditor says, ‘This part belongs to me and that part is for my debt’, he is entitled [to the whole]; but if he says, ‘This part is for my debt and that part belongs to me’, he is entitled only to his debt.

If he had slaves pasturing a flock and someone came and said, ‘These slaves and the flock are mine’, they are his; but if the slaves are shrewd they can say, ‘We are free men and the flock belongs to us’.

4

And a stranger [ger] shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him: you shall not wrong him in speech or oppress him in money dealings. Do not say to him, ‘Yesterday you were worshipping Bel, Ḳores and Nebo, and till now pig’s flesh was between your teeth, and now you stand up and speak with me!’ And whence [do I learn] [not] to wrong him? He can retort, For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt? Hence R. Nathan used to say: Do not taunt your neighbour with the blemish which you yourself have.

R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: Because [the proselyte’s] original nature was evil, Scripture gave many warnings in connection with him, as it is stated, And a stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him; for ye know the heart of a stranger. Hence because his original nature was evil, Scripture gave many warnings concerning him.

Beloved are proselytes [by God], for [Scripture] everywhere uses the same epithets of them as of Israel; [61b] as it is stated, But thou, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen. The term ‘love’ is applied to Israel, as it is stated, I have loved you, saith the Lord, and the term ‘love’ is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, And He loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Israel are called ‘servants’, as it is stated, For unto Me the children of Israel are servants, and proselytes are called ‘servants’, as it is stated, To be His servants. The term ‘acceptable’ is used of Israel, as it is stated, And it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord, and the term ‘acceptable’ is used of proselytes, as it is stated, Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar. The term ‘keeping’ is applied to Israel, as it is stated, The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand, and the term ‘keeping’ is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, The Lord preserveth the strangers. The term ‘ministering’ is applied to Israel, as it is stated, But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord, men shall call you the ministers of our God, and the term ‘ministering’ is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, Also the aliens, that join themselves to the Lord, to minister unto Him.

Beloved are proselytes seeing that our father Abraham did not circumcise himself when he was twenty or thirty years of age, but when he was ninety-nine years old; since if he had circumcised himself when he was twenty or thirty years old, no Gentile would have become a proselyte when he had passed the age of twenty or thirty. The Holy One, blessed be He, kept putting it off until he had reached ninety-nine years, so as not to close the door in the face of proselytes, [and to allow more days and years so as to increase the reward of those who do His will, as it is stated, The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness’ sake, to make the teaching great and glorious].

Our father Abraham called himself a ger, as it is stated, I am a stranger [ger] and a sojourner with you. Similarly David, king of Israel, called himself a ger, as it is stated, For I am a stranger [ger] with Thee, and likewise it states, For we are strangers before Thee.

Beloved is the Land of Israel because it makes proselytes fit [to be received]. If a man says in the Land of Israel, ‘I am a proselyte’, he is accepted at once, but outside the Land of Israel he is not accepted unless his witnesses are with him. Beloved is the Land of Israel because it atones for iniquities and transgressions, as it is stated, And the inhabitant shall not say: ‘I am sick’, the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

And so you find in the four classes that stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated, One shall say: ‘I am the Lord’s’; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. One shall say: ‘I am the Lord’s’—this alludes to one who belongs wholly to the Omnipresent and has no admixture of sin. Another shall call himself by the name of Jacob—this alludes to the proselytes of righteousness. Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord—this alludes to those who repent. And surname himself by the name of Israel—this alludes to those who fear Heaven.

Conversion Requirements According to the Shulchan Oruch with Rabbi Shlomo Nachman.

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