The Experience Of Kedusha Before and After the Churban
- Rabbi Hanan Balk
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Machshava:Holidays:
- Duration: 51 min
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Author: False == 1 ? Anonymous : Scott Edelman &##44;
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Please comment on the following Thanks!</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">from <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">RAV JOSEPH B. SOLOVEITCHIK AS <em>POSEK</em> OF POST-MODERN ORTHODOXY</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">By Walter S. Wurzburger</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" align="center"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">This article originally appeared in <em>Tradition</em> Volume 29, 1994</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 14.2pt; margin: 0in 56.1pt 0pt 56.7pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The Rav's opposition to moves which threatened the unity of the Jewish community also manifested itself in his attitudes towards non-Orthodox groups. He counselled against denying Conservative or Reform Rabbis the right to use communal <em>mikva'ot</em> for conversions. Moreover, he once instructed me that Reform conversions that were accompanied by circumcision and immersion in a <em>mikve </em>had to be treated as a <em>safek</em> <em>giyur,</em> (Accordingly, a <em>get</em> would be required to dissolve a marriage in which one of the partners previously underwent a Conservative or Reform conversion which conformed to the requirement of <em>mila</em> and <em>tevila).</em></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 14.2pt; margin: 0in 56.1pt 0pt 56.7pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">SHIUR HARAV SOLOVEICHIK ZTL ON RUS V'INYANEI GAYRUS<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gayrus.00<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shiur HaRav Soloveichik ZT"L on Rus V'Inyanei Gayrus<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Shiur date: 5/24/68. Tape #5285)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ramban says (Issurei Biah 13:14) that we should not think that Shimshon and Shlomo married non‑Jewish women. The Rambam explains (Sod Hadavar Kach Hu) it in terms of a major revelation, a strange terminology for the Rambam. When the prospective convert comes we must investigate his motives carefully. If he has no ulterior motives, we explain to him the difficulties of keeping the Torah and Mitzvos. If after all the attempts to dissuade him he still wants to convert<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we accept him, as it says that Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to convert, so she refrained from further attempts to dissuade her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Rambam defines a Ger Tzedek as one who accepts Judaism out of love of Judaism and Hashem while a regular Ger, like Gerei Dovid V'Shlomo and Mordechai and Esther, converts out of fear or because of marriage, are considered [plain] converts. If both Geirei Tzedek and Geirei Dovid and Shlomo are considered converts, what is the difference between them? The Rambam says that Beis Din Hagadol suspected them (non‑geirei tzedek types) yet they did not chase them away (Lo Dochin) but neither did they welcome them (Lo Mkarvan). Despite the fact that the Beis Din Hagadol refused to convert them, there still were many converts who converted for many reasons at the time of Dovid and Shlomo. They were not considered Geirei Tzedek but were still considered converts. Even though the wives of Shlomo are referred to as Nashim Nochriyos, they were still converts but were not considered Geirei Tzedek. Even though they are called Nochriyos they were still considered converts. Why does the Navi refer to them as Nachriyos?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Rambam says that a convert who is circumcised and had Tvila who returns to worship idolatry is considered like a Jew who worships idolatry whose Kiddushin is still valid. From the Rambam we see that the difference between Gairei Tzedek and regular converts (as in the time of Dovid and Shlomo) is represented by their acceptance of Mitzvos. If they came to Judaism with ulterior motives their Kdushas Yisrael is incomplete. That is why the Rambam split up the laws od Geirei Tzedek and those of Dovid and Shlomo and combines the converts of Dovid and Shlomo with the converts that we must observe and investigate to ascertain their actions. Even though they are circumcised and underwent Tvila but did so before 3 Hedyotos (non‑experts in Jewish law), such converts are lacking in Kabbalas Hamitzvos, hence they require observation. And if they act inappropriately, then they do not attain the status of full Kdushas Yisrael, and we limit their interaction with the Jewish community via restricting their marriage into the Jewish community at large.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>>From the Rambam we derive that there are 2 halachos in Geirus. 1) a convert created through Milah and Tvila 2) a convert created through Milah, Tvila and Kabbalas Hamitzvos. From the Rambam it appears that Lchatchila, according to the fullest intent of the law,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a convert who is lacking a valid Kabbalas Hamitzvos and Kdushas Yisrael cannot marry a Jew. He has to keep all the Mitzvos and we have to return his lost items, however he is lacking as far as Yichus is concerned. A convert requires Milah, Tvila and Korban. The Rambam says that a convert requires Korban because until he brings his Korban he is lacking Kdushas Yisrael, he is Mchusar Kapporah, and cannot enter the Mikdash. The Kdushas Yisrael is lacking. The Rambam (Mchusrei Kapporah 1:2) says that a convert that had Milah and Tvila but did not bring Korban is<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prevented from eating Kodshim because until he brings his Korban he is not the same as the rest of Bnay Yisrael. Just like you require full Kdushas Yisrael for Achilas Kodshim which is attained through bringing his Korban to complete his conversion, so to full Kdushas Yisrael is required for marriage into the Jewish community. If that is the case how do we accept converts today when there is no Korban? How can a Ger marry into the community today? So the Gemara answers that there is a special Gzeiras Hakasuv to allow it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>>From the Rambam it would appear that Lchatchila oneshould not allow such incomplete converts to marry into the community. The Rambam says that the converts in the time of Shimshon and Dovid and Shlomo gave the impression that they were Geirei Tzedek. Only afterwards did they reveal their true intentions. According to the Rambam these converts did not have full Kdushas Yisrael because they were lacking in Hischayvus Bmitzvos. The Rambam says that since they had Milah and Tvila they are no longer non‑Jews. Once the women converted, even though they were not Geirei Tzedek, Shimshon and Shlomo married them as they were subject to Kdushin at that point, even though according to the Rambam Lchatchila they should not have been allowed to marry into the Jewish community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">What is the status of a convert who converts for marriage or financial reasons and later keeps all the Mitzvos correctly and for the proper reasons, what is his status? Is he a Ger Tzedek or a plain Ger with an incomplete Kabbalas Hamitzvos? The Rav said that when he starts to keep the Mitzvos for the appropriate reasons he creates the full Kdushas Yisrael at that time, even though at the time of his conversion he was lacking in Kdushas Yisrael, Kdushas Yisrael that can only come together with the appropriate keeping of Mitzvos. The moment he starts to keep the Mitzvos correctly he consummates the Kdushas Yisrael and becomes a Ger Tzedek. </span></em></span></strong><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It makes no difference when he starts to keep Mitzvos correctly, even though at the time of the conversion he was lacking. The conversion applies even to someone who is lacking Kabbalas Hamitzvos and remains as such until he acts appropriately and graduates to the status of Ger Tzedek. Even though Shlomo's wives later revealed themselves as idolatrous they retained the status of Geirim. Even if the convert returned to his idolatrous ways he has the same status as a Jewish Mumar who is still considered a Jew.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></em></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Copyright 2000, Josh Rapps and Israel Rivkin, Edison, NJ. Permission to reprint this Shiur, with this notice, is granted. To subscribe to this service, send email to [email protected] with the following message: subscribe mj‑ravtorah firstname lastname.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>________________________________________________ </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 14.2pt; margin: 0in 56.1pt 0pt 56.7pt;"> </p>