Gerim

1 If a man wants 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 punishments come on them and they bury their children and grandchildren, that they are slaughtered for observing circumcision, immersion and the other commandments of the Torah and cannot hold up their heads like other peoples?”

2 If he says, “I am not worthy,” they dismiss him and he leaves.

3 If, however, he commits himself to becoming a proselyte, they take him down to the place of immersion, cover him in water up to his waist, and tell him some of the details of the commandments. He is informed that he is accepted only on condition that he will give gleanings, forgotten sheaves, the corner of the field and tithes.

4 As they say this to a man, so they say to a woman that she is accepted on condition that she will carefully observe the laws of niddah, ḥallah and lighting the Sabbath lamp.

5 When he has bathed and come up out of the water, they offer him words of kindness and comfort saying, “To Whom are you joining yourself? How fortunate you are! You are joining yourself 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.”

6 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 Rabbi Eliezer, but Rabbi Akiva said: The lack of bathing is also a barrier.

7 Anyone who becomes a proselyte for the sake of marrying a Jewish woman, or out of fear, or love is not a proselyte. Similarly Rabbi Judah and Rabbi 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 fear of the Jews had fallen on themEsther 8:17.” Anyone who is not converted from purely religious motives is not a proselyte.

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

9 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. Rabbi Akiva said: If it is forbidden to others, surely it is forbidden to him! 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, if an ʿam ha-ʾareẓ commits himself to becoming a ḥaber, and he has food which should be in a state of ritual purity and says, “I am positive that it has been prepared in ritual cleanliness,” it is permitted to him and forbidden to others. Rabbi Akiva said: If it is forbidden to others, it is all the more forbidden to him! But if he said, “It was prepared in ritual cleanliness in the presence of So-and-so who is a ḥaber,” he is believed.

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

11 What is the law? If a firstborn son was born to him before he was converted, he is exempt. But if the son was born after his conversion, 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.

1 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 he was born after his mother underwent immersion, he is circumcised at eight days old.

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

3 Rabbi Mattiah ben Heresh said in the name of Rabbi Ishmael: The House of Shammai and the House of Hillel did not differ on the question of a proselyte who was already circumcised or a child who was born circumcised. What did they differ about? On a child who was born circumcised on the Sabbath. The House of Shammai said: We override the Sabbath for him to draw blood of the covenant from him, and the House of Hillel said that this is not necessary.

4 If a slave underwent immersion before his master he becomes free. It is told 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 those who underwent immersion before her were free, but those who underwent immersion after her were still enslaved.

5 Just as Israel were initiated into the covenant by three commandments, so proselytes are initiated by circumcision, immersion and a sacrifice. Omitting the first two prevents him from becoming a proselyte, but omitting the third does not prevent him. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob said: Omitting the sacrifice is also a barrier. This was the ruling of Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob: A proselyte who becomes a convert is required to set aside a quarter of a dinar for his sacrifice of birds. But Rabbi Simeon says that he is not required to do so.

6 Proselytes are punished for their sins before conversion in the opinion of Rabbi Yose. Rabbi Judah said: He is not punished but is like a newborn child.

7 Rabbi Hanina ben Gamaliel said: Why are proselytes afflicted? Because they calculate a year before or two years before their conversion, saying, “I will become a proselyte when I have collected my debts and when I have finished what I have to do.” Rabbi Yose 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 severe diseases and punishments come on them. Why are they afflicted? Because of their transgression of the seven commandments which were given to the descendants of Noah.”

1 What is a “resident proselyte”? Whoever undertakes to abstain from idolatry, in the view of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah said: Whoever undertakes not to eat flesh that has not been ritually slaughtered.

2 His spittle, his seat, his couch and his urine are unclean. His bread, his oil and his wine are clean. The prohibitions “you must not wrong himLeviticus 19:33,” “you must not oppressDeuteronomy 24:14” and “the wages of a hired servant must not remain with you all nightLeviticus 19:13” apply to him.

3 We do not marry him to a Jewish woman or marry women from his people. We do not lend to him or borrow from him at interest.

4 We do not settle him on the frontier or in an unhealthy district, but in a pleasant district in the center of the Land of Israel, where he can have opportunities to practice his occupation, as it is stated, “He must live with you in your midst, in a place he chooses in one of your towns. You must not wrong himDeuteronomy 23:16.”

5 Every incestuous marriage which is forbidden to Israel under penalty of death imposed by a court is forbidden to proselytes.

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

7 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.

8 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 taking possession.

9 Rabbi Eliezer said: Immovable property is acquired only by taking possession. 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.

10 If one man comes from the south and another from the north, each one acquires the part which he walks across. This is the view of Rabbi Eliezer. But the Sages said: Neither acquires until he has taken possession.

11 If a proselyte died while liable for his wife’s ketubah 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 ketubah,” she is entitled to the whole. If she says, “This part is due to me under my ketubah and this part belongs to me,” she is entitled only to her ketubah.

12 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.

13 If he had slaves tending 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.”

1 “You must not wrong a stranger ger or oppress himExodus 22:21.” You must not wrong him in speech or oppress him in money dealings. Do not say to him, “Yesterday you were worshiping Bel, Kores and Nebo, and until now pig’s flesh was between your teeth, and now you stand up and speak with me!” And how do I learn not to wrong him? He can reply, “For you were strangers in the land of EgyptExodus 22:21”? That is why Rabbi Nathan used to say: Do not taunt your neighbor with the fault you yourself have.

2 Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob said: Because the proselyte’s original nature was evil, Scripture gave many warnings about him, as it is stated, “You must not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a strangerExodus 23:9.” So because his original nature was evil, Scripture gave many warnings about him.

3 Proselytes are loved by God, for Scripture everywhere uses the same descriptions for them as for Israel. As it is stated, “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosenIsaiah 41:8.” The term “love” is applied to Israel, as it is stated, “I have loved you, says the LordMalachi 1:2,” and the term “love” is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, “And He loves the stranger, giving him food and clothingDeuteronomy 10:18.” Israel are called “servants,” as it is stated, “For the children of Israel are servants to MeLeviticus 25:55,” and proselytes are called “servants,” as it is stated, “To be His servantsIsaiah 56:6.” The term “acceptable” is used of Israel, as it is stated, “It must always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before the LordExodus 28:38,” and the term “acceptable” is used of proselytes, as it is stated, “Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altarIsaiah 56:7.” The term “keeping” is applied to Israel, as it is stated, “The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade at your right handPsalms 121:5,” and the term “keeping” is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, “The Lord protects strangersPsalms 146:9.” The term “ministering” is applied to Israel, as it is stated, “But you will be named the priests of the Lord. People will call you the ministers of our GodIsaiah 61:6,” and the term “ministering” is applied to proselytes, as it is stated, “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to serve HimIsaiah 56:6.” Proselytes are loved since our father Abraham did not circumcise himself when he was twenty or thirty years of age, but when he was ninety-nine years old. For 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, because of His righteousness, to make the teaching great and gloriousIsaiah 42:21.” Our father Abraham called himself a ger, as it is stated, “I am a stranger ger and a temporary resident with youGenesis 23:4.” Similarly David, king of Israel, called himself a ger, as it is stated, “For I am a stranger ger with YouPsalms 39:12,” and likewise it states, “For we are strangers before You1 Chronicles 29:15.” The Land of Israel is loved 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. The Land of Israel is loved because it atones for sins and transgressions, as it is stated, “The inhabitant will not say, ‘I am sick.’ The people who live there will be forgiven their sinIsaiah 33:24.” And so you find in the four classes that stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated, “One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of IsraelIsaiah 44:5.” “One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’Isaiah 44:5”—this refers to one who belongs entirely to the Omnipresent and has no trace of sin. “Another will call himself by the name of JacobIsaiah 44:5”—this refers to the proselytes of righteousness. “Another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s’Isaiah 44:5”—this refers to those who repent. “And name himself by the name of IsraelIsaiah 44:5”—this refers to those who fear Heaven.