If people don’t need to convert to Judaism to be saved, why should anyone convert to Judaism?
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Conversion to Judaism is the
Conversion to Judaism is the formal acceptance of the mitzvot with certain ceremonial aspects. This is much like a marriage is usually entered into by a special wedding ceremony. For the Jewish people, this ceremony consists of brit milah or circumcision for males, immersion, and a sacrifice if the temple is standing.
The Torah portion of Yitro, or Jethro in English, is full of meaning to the Jewish convert. Yitro is named after a Jewish convert, who was also the father-in-law of Moshe or Moses. Midrash, or Jewish legend, states that Yitro was a priest of Midyan converted to Judaism through the witness of Moshe of the One True God of Israel. Midrash also states that he went back to his people to convert them also.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, in Likutei Moharan states,
And Jethro the Priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that G-d had done for Moses and for Israel, His people…" (Exodus 18:1). Because he was the father-in-law of Moses, he heard and converted. For everything Moses worked to accomplish, during his life and now, after his death, was only to make converts to bring all humanity back to G-d and His Torah."
The Torah portion of Yitro also has the famous story of the giving and receiving of the Ten Words, or Ten Commandments, at Mt. Sinai. In Judaism this is understood as the moment when all of Israel formally converted to the faith that is centered on Torah, which is now called Judaism. Shemot or Exodus 19:10 states, “The Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments.” In Judaism this sanctification and washing of clothes is an allusion to immersion. This is where the practice of immersion for conversion comes from.
Many believe that the Ten Commandments were written with half on one tablet and the other half on the other. However another opinion is that it was written like an ancient marriage contract, with both tablets having exactly the same words, one copy was for the bride, Israel, and the other was for the groom, which was Hashem. The cloud of smoke above the mountain was like the wedding canopy or chuppah as Jewish weddings traditionally have.
Midrash also states that the revelation of Torah at Mt. Sinai was spoken in the 70 languages of the world. The number 70 in Judaism represents all the nations of the world. That is why the there are 70 bulls offered on Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Israel offers these 70 bulls to Hashem for the nations. This is also why in Zechariah 14 prophesies a future time when all nations will come up to observe the feast of Sukkot or else they will receive no rain. Midrash says that Hashem spoke the Torah in the 70 languages of the world, but only Israel accepted.
In Devarim / Deuteronomy 4:6-8, Moshe says to Israel concerning the commandments in the Torah,
“You shall keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, "Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people. " For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is at all times that we call upon Him? And which great nation is it that has just statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, which I set before you this day?”
So although only Israel accepted the Torah, there certainly remains an open invitation to all people to enter into the covenant of Torah and become one with the people of Israel.
Midrash Tanchuma, Hamfo’ar states, “God gave Torah to Israel in order that they should bring it to the Nations.”
The Torah portion of Yitro, or Jethro in English, is full of meaning to the Jewish convert. Yitro is named after a Jewish convert, who was also the father-in-law of Moshe or Moses. Midrash, or Jewish legend, states that Yitro was a priest of Midyan converted to Judaism through the witness of Moshe of the One True God of Israel. Midrash also states that he went back to his people to convert them also.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, in Likutei Moharan states,
And Jethro the Priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that G-d had done for Moses and for Israel, His people…" (Exodus 18:1). Because he was the father-in-law of Moses, he heard and converted. For everything Moses worked to accomplish, during his life and now, after his death, was only to make converts to bring all humanity back to G-d and His Torah."
The Torah portion of Yitro also has the famous story of the giving and receiving of the Ten Words, or Ten Commandments, at Mt. Sinai. In Judaism this is understood as the moment when all of Israel formally converted to the faith that is centered on Torah, which is now called Judaism. Shemot or Exodus 19:10 states, “The Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and they shall wash their garments.” In Judaism this sanctification and washing of clothes is an allusion to immersion. This is where the practice of immersion for conversion comes from.
Many believe that the Ten Commandments were written with half on one tablet and the other half on the other. However another opinion is that it was written like an ancient marriage contract, with both tablets having exactly the same words, one copy was for the bride, Israel, and the other was for the groom, which was Hashem. The cloud of smoke above the mountain was like the wedding canopy or chuppah as Jewish weddings traditionally have.
Midrash also states that the revelation of Torah at Mt. Sinai was spoken in the 70 languages of the world. The number 70 in Judaism represents all the nations of the world. That is why the there are 70 bulls offered on Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Israel offers these 70 bulls to Hashem for the nations. This is also why in Zechariah 14 prophesies a future time when all nations will come up to observe the feast of Sukkot or else they will receive no rain. Midrash says that Hashem spoke the Torah in the 70 languages of the world, but only Israel accepted.
In Devarim / Deuteronomy 4:6-8, Moshe says to Israel concerning the commandments in the Torah,
“You shall keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, "Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people. " For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is at all times that we call upon Him? And which great nation is it that has just statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, which I set before you this day?”
So although only Israel accepted the Torah, there certainly remains an open invitation to all people to enter into the covenant of Torah and become one with the people of Israel.
Midrash Tanchuma, Hamfo’ar states, “God gave Torah to Israel in order that they should bring it to the Nations.”
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در تاریخ 1401/12/03 منتشر شده
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