Accepting Sincere Converts to Judaism

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעׇזְבֵ֖ךְ לָשׁ֣וּב מֵאַחֲרָ֑יִךְ כִּ֠י אֶל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֵּלְכִ֜י אֵלֵ֗ךְ וּבַאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּלִ֙ינִי֙ אָלִ֔ין עַמֵּ֣ךְ עַמִּ֔י וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽי׃

But Ruth replied, “Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ־בִּן־נ֠וּן מִֽן־הַשִּׁטִּ֞ים שְׁנַֽיִם־אֲנָשִׁ֤ים מְרַגְּלִים֙ חֶ֣רֶשׁ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְכ֛וּ רְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְאֶת־יְרִיח֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ בֵּית־אִשָּׁ֥ה זוֹנָ֛ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ רָחָ֖ב וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ־שָֽׁמָּה׃

Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, reconnoiter the region of Jericho.” So they set out, and they came to the house of a certain prostitute named Rahab and lodged there.

הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה:

Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah.

מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לִפְנֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְאָמַר לוֹ: נִתְגַּיַּירְתִּי בֵּינִי לְבֵין עַצְמִי. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה:

The Gemara explains: That phrase is necessary to teach that even in Eretz Yisrael, the Jewish people should accept converts, as it could enter your mind to say that it is only for the sake of benefiting from the goodness of Eretz Yisrael, and not for the sake of Heaven, that they are converting, and therefore they should not be accepted. And it could also enter your mind to say that even nowadays, when God’s blessing has ceased and there is no longer the original goodness from which to benefit, one should still suspect their purity of motives because there are the gleanings, the forgotten sheaves, and the corners of fields, and the poor man’s tithe from which they would benefit by converting. Therefore, the verse teaches us that they are accepted even in Eretz Yisrael.

וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת אַל תִּפְגְּעִי בִי לְעָזְבֵךְ לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרָיִךְ (רות א, טז), מַהוּ אַל תִּפְגְּעִי בִי, אָמְרָה לָהּ לֹא תֶחֱטָא עָלַי, לָא תִסְּבִין פְּגָעַיִךְ מִנִּי, לְעָזְבֵךְ לָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרָיִךְ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם דַּעְתִּי לְהִתְגַּיֵּר, אֶלָּא מוּטָב עַל יָדֵךְ וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי אַחֶרֶת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה נָעֳמִי כָּךְ הִתְחִילָה סוֹדֶרֶת לָהּ הִלְכוֹת גֵּרִים, אָמְרָה לָהּ בִּתִּי אֵין דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵילֵךְ לְבָתֵּי תֵּיאַטְרָאוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי קִרְקָסִיאוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם. אָמְרָה לָהּ, אֶל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכִי אֵלֵךְ. אָמְרָה לָהּ בִּתִּי אֵין דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לָדוּר בְּבַיִת שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מְזוּזָה. אָמְרָה לָהּ, בַּאֲשֶׁר תָּלִינִי אָלִין עַמֵּךְ עַמִּי, אֵלּוּ עֳנָשִׁין וְאַזְהָרוֹת.

“Ruth said: Do not entreat me to leave you, to return from following you, as where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people is my people, and your God is my God” (Ruth 1:16). “Ruth said: Do not entreat me to leave you, to return from following you.” What is “do not entreat me”? She said to her: ‘Do not sin to me, do not impose your reservations upon me.’ “To leave you, to return from following you” – in any case, my intention is to convert. It is preferable through you, and not through another. When Naomi heard this, she began arranging the laws of converts for her. She said to her: ‘My daughter, it is not the way of Israelite women to go to theaters and circuses of the gentiles.’ [Ruth] said to her: “Where you go, I will go.” [Naomi] said to her: ‘My daughter, it is not the way of Israel to reside in a house where there is no mezuza.’ [Ruth] said to her: “And where you lodge

שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּגוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לִפְנֵי שַׁמַּאי. אָמַר לוֹ: גַּיְּירֵנִי עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּלַמְּדֵנִי כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ כְּשֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד עַל רֶגֶל אַחַת! דְּחָפוֹ בְּאַמַּת הַבִּנְיָן שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, גַּיְירֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: דַּעֲלָךְ סְנֵי לְחַבְרָךְ לָא תַּעֲבֵיד — זוֹ הִיא כׇּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ, וְאִידַּךְ פֵּירוּשָׁהּ הוּא, זִיל גְּמוֹר. שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּגוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבֵר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְשָׁמַע קוֹל סוֹפֵר שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר: ״וְאֵלֶּה הַבְּגָדִים אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ חוֹשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד״. אָמַר: הַלָּלוּ לְמִי? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. אָמַר אוֹתוֹ גּוֹי בְּעַצְמוֹ: אֵלֵךְ וְאֶתְגַּיֵּיר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיְּשִׂימוּנִי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל. בָּא לִפְנֵי שַׁמַּאי, אָמַר לוֹ: גַּיְּירֵנִי עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּשִׂימֵנִי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל. דְּחָפוֹ בְּאַמַּת הַבִּנְיָן שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, גַּיְירֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: כְּלוּם מַעֲמִידִין מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ טַכְסִיסֵי מַלְכוּת, לֵךְ לְמוֹד טַכְסִיסֵי מַלְכוּת. הָלַךְ וְקָרָא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ ״וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת״, אָמַר לֵיהּ: מִקְרָא זֶה עַל מִי נֶאֱמַר? אָמַר לוֹ: אֲפִילּוּ עַל דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. נָשָׂא אוֹתוֹ גֵּר קַל וָחוֹמֶר בְּעַצְמוֹ: וּמַה יִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָּנִים לַמָּקוֹם וּמִתּוֹךְ אַהֲבָה שֶׁאֲהָבָם קְרָא לָהֶם: ״בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, כְּתִיב עֲלֵיהֶם ״וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת״ — גֵּר הַקַּל שֶׁבָּא בְּמַקְלוֹ וּבְתַרְמִילוֹ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. בָּא לִפְנֵי שַׁמַּאי, אָמַר לוֹ: כְּלוּם רָאוּי אֲנִי לִהְיוֹת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל? וַהֲלֹא כְּתִיב בַּתּוֹרָה: ״וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת״. בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, אָמַר לוֹ: עַנְוְותָן הִלֵּל, יָנוּחוּ לְךָ בְּרָכוֹת עַל רֹאשְׁךָ, שֶׁקֵּרַבְתַּנִי תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה. לְיָמִים נִזְדַּוְּוגוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן לִמְקוֹם אֶחָד, אָמְרוּ: קַפְּדָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל שַׁמַּאי בִּקְּשָׁה לְטוֹרְדֵנוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם, עִנְוְותָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הִלֵּל קֵרְבַתְנוּ תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה.

There was another incident involving one gentile who came before Shammai and said to Shammai: Convert me on condition that you teach me the entire Torah while I am standing on one foot. Shammai pushed him away with the builder’s cubit in his hand. This was a common measuring stick and Shammai was a builder by trade. The same gentile came before Hillel. He converted him and said to him: That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study. There was another incident involving one gentile who was passing behind the study hall and heard the voice of a teacher who was teaching Torah to his students and saying the verse: “And these are the garments which they shall make: A breastplate, and an efod, and a robe, and a tunic of checkered work, a mitre, and a girdle” (Exodus 28:4). The gentile said: These garments, for whom are they designated? The students said to him: For the High Priest. The gentile said to himself: I will go and convert so that they will install me as High Priest. He came before Shammai and said to him: Convert me on condition that you install me as High Priest. Shammai pushed him with the builder’s cubit in his hand. He came before Hillel; he converted him. Hillel said to him, to the convert: Is it not the way of the world that only one who knows the protocols [takhsisei] of royalty is appointed king? Go and learn the royal protocols by engaging in Torah study. He went and read the Bible. When he reached the verse which says: “And the common man that draws near shall be put to death” (Numbers 1:51), the convert said to Hillel: With regard to whom is the verse speaking? Hillel said to him: Even with regard to David, king of Israel. The convert reasoned an a fortiori inference himself: If the Jewish people are called God’s children, and due to the love that God loved them he called them: “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), and nevertheless it is written about them: And the common man that draws near shall be put to death; a mere convert who came without merit, with nothing more than his staff and traveling bag, all the more so that this applies to him, as well. The convert came before Shammai and told him that he retracts his demand to appoint him High Priest, saying: Am I at all worthy to be High Priest? Is it not written in the Torah: And the common man that draws near shall be put to death? He came before Hillel and said to him: Hillel the patient, may blessings rest upon your head as you brought me under the wings of the Divine Presence. The Gemara relates: Eventually, the three converts gathered together in one place, and they said: Shammai’s impatience sought to drive us from the world; Hillel’s patience brought us beneath the wings of the Divine Presence.

בָּעֲיָא לְאִיגַּיּוֹרֵי. בָּאתָה אֵצֶל אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, וְלֹא קִבְּלוּהָ. הָלְכָה וְהָיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ לֶאֱלִיפַז בֶּן עֵשָׂו. אָמְרָה: מוּטָב תְּהֵא שִׁפְחָה לְאוּמָּה זוֹ וְלֹא תְּהֵא גְּבִירָה לְאוּמָּה אַחֶרֶת. נְפַק מִינַּהּ עֲמָלֵק, דְּצַעֲרִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי טַעְמָא? דְּלָא אִיבְּעִי לְהוּ לְרַחוֹקַהּ.

Timna sought to convert. She came before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they did not accept her. She went and became a concubine of Eliphaz, son of Esau, and said, referring to herself: It is preferable that she will be a maidservant for this nation, and she will not be a noblewoman for another nation. Ultimately, Amalek, son of Eliphaz, emerged from her, and that tribe afflicted the Jewish people. What is the reason that the Jewish people were punished by suffering at the hand of Amalek? It is due to the fact that they should not have rejected her when she sought to convert. Therefore, the verse is significant.

וּבַעֲלֵי הַנִּמּוּסִים הָאֲחֵרִים לֹא רָאוּ מִכָּל זֶה מְאוּמָה, אַךְ אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: קַבְּלוּ עֲבוֹדַת מֶלֶךְ הֹדּוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר קִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם הַחֲבֵרִים הָהֵם, וְאַחֲרֵי הַמָּוֶת תַּגִּיעוּ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְאִם לֹא – יַרְחִיק אֶתְכֶם וְיַעֲנשׁ אֶתְכֶם אַחֲרֵי מוֹתְכֶם. וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁאָמַר: לֹא בָא אֵלֵינוּ אָדָם שֶׁיַּגִּיד לָנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי מוֹתוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן אוֹ בְגֵיהִנֹּם. וְרֻבָּם הֵגְבִּירוּ סִדּוּר עִנְיָנָם וְחִבּוּר עֲצָתָם וְקִבְּלוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה וְיִחֲלוּ נַפְשׁוֹתָם בַּמַּצְפּוּן יִחוּל חָלוּשׁ, אַךְ בַּנִּרְאֶה יִחוּל חָזָק וְנֶאֱמָן, וּמִתְגַּדְּלִים וּמִתְפָּאֲרִים עַל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּהֶם בָּאֱמוּנָה.

Now these companions are the Children of Israel, the first traveller is Moses, the later travellers are the prophets, whilst the Indian messengers are the Shekinah and the angels. The precious garments are the spiritual light which dwelt in the soul of Moses on account of his prophetship, whilst the visible light appeared on his countenance. The presents are the two tables with the Ten Commandments. Those in possession of other laws saw nothing of this, but were told: 'Continue in obedience to the King of India as this company of friends, and you will after death become the associates of the king, otherwise he will turn you away, and punish you after death.' Some might say: No one ever returned to inform us whether, after death, he dwelt in paradise or in hell. The majority were satisfied with the arrangement, which coincided with their views. They obeyed willingly, and allowed themselves to entertain a faint hope, which to all appearance was a very strong one, as they commenced to be proud and to behave haughtily towards other people. But how can they boast of expectations after death to those who enjoy the fulfilment already in life?

אַל יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁשִּׁמְשׁוֹן הַמּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ שְׁלֹמֹה מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרָא יְדִיד ה' נָשְׂאוּ נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת בְּגֵיוּתָן. אֶלָּא סוֹד הַדָּבָר כָּךְ הוּא. שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה הַנְּכוֹנָה כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא הַגֵּר אוֹ הַגִּיֹּרֶת לְהִתְגַּיֵּר בּוֹדְקִין אַחֲרָיו שֶׁמָּא בִּגְלַל מָמוֹן שֶׁיִּטּל אוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל שְׂרָרָה שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לָהּ אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַפַּחַד בָּא לְהִכָּנֵס לַדָּת. וְאִם אִישׁ הוּא בּוֹדְקִין אַחֲרָיו שֶׁמָּא עֵינָיו נָתַן בְּאִשָּׁה יְהוּדִית. וְאִם אִשָּׁה הִיא בּוֹדְקִין שֶׁמָּא עֵינֶיהָ נָתְנָה בְּבָחוּר מִבַּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אִם לֹא נִמְצָא לָהֶם עִלָּה מוֹדִיעִין אוֹתָן כֹּבֶד עֹל הַתּוֹרָה וְטֹרַח שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲשִׂיָּתָהּ עַל עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּפְרשׁוּ. אִם קִבְּלוּ וְלֹא פֵּרְשׁוּ וְרָאוּ אוֹתָן שֶׁחָזְרוּ מֵאַהֲבָה מְקַבְּלִים אוֹתָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (רות א יח) "וַתֵּרֶא כִּי מִתְאַמֶּצֶת הִיא לָלֶכֶת אִתָּהּ וַתֶּחְדַּל לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיהָ": לְפִיכָךְ לֹא קִבְּלוּ בֵּית דִּין גֵּרִים כָּל יְמֵי דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה. בִּימֵי דָּוִד שֶׁמָּא מִן הַפַּחַד חָזְרוּ. וּבִימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁמָּא בִּשְׁבִיל הַמַּלְכוּת וְהַטּוֹבָה וְהַגְּדֻלָּה שֶׁהָיוּ בָּהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חָזְרוּ. שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹזֵר מִן הָעַכּוּ"ם בִּשְׁבִיל דָּבָר מֵהַבְלֵי הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ מִגֵּרֵי הַצֶּדֶק. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיוּ גֵּרִים הַרְבֵּה מִתְגַּיְּרִים בִּימֵי דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה בִּפְנֵי הֶדְיוֹטוֹת. וְהָיוּ בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהֶם לֹא דּוֹחִין אוֹתָן אַחַר שֶׁטָּבְלוּ מִכָּל מָקוֹם וְלֹא מְקָרְבִין אוֹתָן עַד שֶׁתֵּרָאֶה אַחֲרִיתָם:

One should not think that Samson who saved the Jewish people, and Solomon King of Israel, who is called "the friend of God," married gentile woman who did not convert. Instead, the matter can be explained as follows: The proper way of performing the mitzvah is when a male or a female prospective convert comes, we inspect his motives for conversion. Perhaps he is coming for the sake of financial gain, in order to receive a position of authority, or he desires to enter our faith because of fear. For a man, we check whether he focused his attention on a Jewish woman. For a woman, we check whether she focused her attention on a Jewish youth. If we find no ulterior motive, we inform them of the heaviness of the yoke of the Torah and the difficulty the common people have in observing it so that they will abandon [their desire]. If they accept [this introduction] and do not abandon their resolve and thus we see that they are motivated by love, we accept them, as [indicated by Ruth 1:18]: "And she saw that she was exerting herself to continue with her and she ceased speaking with her." For this reason, the court did not accept converts throughout the reign of David and Solomon. In David's time, [they feared] that they sought to convert because of fear and in Solomon's time, [they feared] that they were motivated by the sovereignty, prosperity, and eminence which Israel enjoyed. [They refrained from accepting such converts, because] a gentile who seeks to convert because of the vanities of this [material] world is not a righteous convert. Nevertheless, there were many people who converted in the presence of ordinary people during the era of David and Solomon. The Supreme Sanhedrin would view them with skepticism. Since they immersed themselves, they would not reject them, but they would not draw them close until they saw what the outcome would be.