{"id":55983,"date":"2019-05-22T22:04:50","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T19:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=55983"},"modified":"2020-04-24T13:54:37","modified_gmt":"2020-04-24T10:54:37","slug":"ruth-and-contemporary-conversion-lessons-in-ahavat-hager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/ruth-and-contemporary-conversion-lessons-in-ahavat-hager\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth and Contemporary Conversion: Lessons in Ahavat HaGer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[337],"acf":{"old_id":"55983","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":56010,"related_cahpter":"225","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"As we count up to Shavuot we are excited to share new, exclusive content  from a collection of essays: \u201cGleanings: Reflections on Ruth\u201d edited by Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern of YU, published by Maggid\/Koren. We\u2019re grateful to be able to share selected excerpts from a wide array of writers, leading up to Shavuot and the reading of the Megillah.","content":"<p>I believe the primary conversion-related lessons to be drawn from the Book of Ruth have less to do with the convert\u2019s embrace of Judaism and more to do with the Jewish community\u2019s embrace of the convert.<\/p>\n<p>It is striking \u2013 and profoundly moving \u2013 to contemplate how Ruth is welcomed into the Jewish community with warmth and love. The Midrash (Ruth Rabba 2:14) teaches us that Megillat Ruth was composed to teach us \u201cthe reward given to those who perform acts of kindness.\u201d The kindness shown to Ruth is meant to impress upon those of us who are born Jewish how much responsibility we bear to create a seamless transition for converts into the Jewish fold.<\/p>\n<p>More often than not, public discourse within the Orthodox com\u00admunity on the topic of conversion tends to focus on the halakhic and political dimensions of conversion standards. While these discussions are important, discussing standards exclusively can potentially objectify the convert. In contrast, speaking about <em>ahavat hager <\/em>humanizes the convert, reminding the rest of the community that conversion is not only about the obligations the convert has to God and Torah but also includes the obligations the Torah community has toward the convert.<\/p>\n<p>On a public level, we need to remind our constituents that we pray explicitly for the welfare of converts three times a day in <em>Shemoneh Esreh<\/em>. Indeed, we mention converts in the same breath with \u201cthe righ\u00adteous, the pious, and the elders of the Jewish people.\u201d We need to pub\u00adlicly share stories about the nobility and self-sacrifice of converts \u2013 both past and present \u2013 and describe how our great leaders went out of their way to show honor and respect to those who had made the courageous decision to join the Jewish people.<\/p>\n<p>A seemingly innocuous activity which has made many a con\u00advert \u2013 and <em>baal teshuva <\/em>\u2013 squirm is the favorite Orthodox pastime known as \u201cJewish geography.\u201d For those who grew up or have spent many years in the Orthodox community, Jewish geography is a fun way to instantly establish a connection between two people. For a convert, it can be torture. If the convert desires \u2013 as is his or her right \u2013 to keep the facts of his or her life pre-conversion private, \u201cJewish geography\u201d forcibly \u201couts\u201d the convert and compels him or her to reveal a non-Jewish background. We should be very careful when hosting to stay away from questions about the person\u2019s past; if such questions come up around a Shabbat table, we should do our best to redirect the conversation.<\/p>\n<p>In the Book of Ruth, the pinnacle of the concern Naomi shows toward Ruth is manifest in her successful effort to help her remarry. In the contemporary world, as well, the ultimate display of <em>ahavat hager <\/em>is to help converts marry and build observant Jewish families.<\/p>\n<p>The sensitivity shown to Ruth ultimately paved the path to the birth of King David. May our sensitivity to converts in the contemporary community also yield blessed results.<\/p>\n","image":{"ID":55486,"id":55486,"title":"judges-ruth-gleanings3","filename":"judges-ruth-gleanings3.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/judges-ruth-gleanings3.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/struggles-storytelling-and-salvation\/judges-ruth-gleanings3\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"judges-ruth-gleanings3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":55288,"date":"2019-05-14 13:26:00","modified":"2019-05-14 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