In doing research I came across an article that I've been meaning to read, “Can Converts to Judaism say ‘God of our fathers’?” by Shaye J.D. Cohen in Judaism 40, 4 (1991) 419-428. We are going to ask Dr. Cohen's permission to include this article on the site, which means that I can't put it up here now.
Although I haven't gotten to it yet, I wonder if it includes sections from today's Daf. Here, Rav Ashi says that that a convert does not have to recite a blessing when he brings his first fruits (bikkurim) to God because he would have to say that God made a promise to "our fathers." Because he can't say this (because God didn't promise his father) he is exempt from this blessing.
Artscroll has an interesting note that speaks to the history of this trepidation to say "our fathers." We first see this idea appear in Bikkurim 1:4:
THESE BRING [BIKKURIM] BUT DO NOT MAKE THE RECITAL: THE PROSELYTE, SINCE HE CANNOT SAY: WHICH THE LORD HATH SWORN TO OUR FATHERS, TO GIVE UNTO US’. IF HIS MOTHER WAS AN ISRAELITE, THEN HE BOTH BRINGS BIKKURIM AND RECITES THE DECLARATION. WHEN HE PRAYS PRIVATELY HE SHALL SAY:’O GOD OF THE FATHERS OF ISRAEL’; BUT WHEN HE IS IN THE SYNAGOGUE, HE SHOULD SAY: ‘THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS’. BUT IF HIS MOTHER WAS AN ISRAELITE WOMAN, HE SAYS: ‘THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS’.As it happens, Jewish law doesn't follow this statement. According to a host of sources, Abraham is considered a father to "a multitude of nations" and therefore a convert is allowed to say "God of our fathers" because his father might have been Abraham.
What was interesting about this answer was that I think there is an easier way (legally, although I would take the above answer when dealing with a real person's feelings). Yevamot 22a says that a convert is like a newborn baby. In that case, one who convert renounces their former father and is born anew. Who is their new father? The Jewish people are. Therefore, God is truly God of their fathers. Although I didn't see it, maybe someone at some time made this connection.
I think this debate is a very important one. How people who choose to convert to Judaism relate to issues like Jewish suffering, the Holocaust, the promise of Israel and other aspect of historical memory and connection are interesting. How much should we push a convert to embrace their "fathers" even if it seems unnatural?
Maybe Cohen addresses these question in his essay. Looks like I have some reading to do.
I learned from a Jew-by-choice: Rambam says, in a letter to Ovadia Ha-Ger, that a born Jew's lineage goes back to Abraham, but a convert's lineage goes directly to God.
ReplyDeleteAlso, isn't there a teaching about not calling out a convert? Wouldn't requiring different blessings do just that?
Interesting. I think the "not calling" was limited to reminding him of his "heathen" past (Bava Metzia, 58b) not on questioning his Jewish practice. I'll make sure to take at look at the Rambam's letter.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there's a difference between questioning practice and bringing up the past? Also, do the Rabbis make that distinction? I ask because it seems like one would lead to the other.
ReplyDelete