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Hilchot Gerim (הלכות גרים): A Guide for Learning
Ratings:
209 pages1 hour
Summary
Becoming a Ger or Giyoret is a major decision for a person one that cannot be taken lightly. Throughout Jewish history there have been many converts who have done both great things and unfortunately sad things. The shiurim will explore the sources of the halachot of conversions from the Tanach, Gemaras through the Tur, Beit Yosef, Shulchan Aruch and related commentaries to give an overall appreciation of the requirements for conversion. Additionally, we will explore some of the post conversion Halachot involving areas in Orchic Chaim, Yoreh Deah, Even HaEzer and Chosen Mishpat.
These shiurim are intended as a guide in your learning process. Be sure to have the sources right in front of you. As you learn these pages go inside the sources yourself and see what Chazal is telling us. This will help you as you learn other areas of Halachot.
Publisher: Lulu.comReleased: Feb 22, 2016ISBN: 9781329252394Format: book
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Hilchot Gerim (הלכות גרים) - Rabbi Reuven Kohr
Hilchot Gerim (הלכות גרים): A Guide to Learning
Table of Contents
Hilchot Gerim (הלכות גרים): A Guide to Learning
About….
Preface
Introduction
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 1
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 1 – How one converts a Ger and Giyoret and the laws of sanctity of a Ger.
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 2
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 2 – When one comes to convert…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 3
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 3 – All of the matters of conversion…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 4
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 4 – Immersion requires a Beit Din…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 5
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 5, 6 – Blessings made…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 6
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 7 – A non-Jewish minor…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 7
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 8 – A non-Jewish minor does not act…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 8
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 9 – A non-Jew comes to cut his foreskin…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 9
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 10 – A male or female non-Jew…I was converted…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 10
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 11 – Someone presumed to be Jewish…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 11
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 268 Se’if 12 – When someone comes to convert…
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 12
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 1, 2 – Issurei of forbidden relations for Ger
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 13
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 3 – Issurei of forbidden relations for Ger continued
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 14
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 4, 5 – Two brothers who are twins. He marries a Giyoret and her daughter
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 15
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 6, 7 ,8 – He marries a Giyoret and she dies, he marries two sisters, women do not have prohibition
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 16
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 9, 10 – Ger who converts with his wife, and regarding testifying about his brother
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 17
Mareh Mekomot
Siman 269 Se’if 11 – In matters of DIN a Ger is Kasher to judge
Review Questions
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 18
Mareh Mekomot
Orach Chaim – Day to day Halachot that affect Geirim
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 19
Mareh Mekomot
Yorah Deah – Kashrut, etc.
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 20
Mareh Mekomot
Even HaEzer – Marriage
Hilchot Geirim Lesson 21
Mareh Mekomot
Chosen Mishpat – Judging
About….
Rabbi Reuven Kohr, Author
Rabbi’s Kohr’s Talmudic training began with Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim. He received Yoreh Yoreh Smicha from HaRav Daniel Channen, HaRav Dovid Ostroff, HaRav Aharon Schenkolewski and Dayan HaRav Yitzchak Tzvi Oshinsky. He completed in depth halachic study in Issur V’heter, Shabbos, Eruvin, Niddah, Kiddushin, Gittin and Aveilus. He has been with the YPS program since 2002. A long-time resident of Houston, TX, he resides there with his family and continuing his studies and working as an engineer.
Rabbi Shlomo Littman, Editor - Rosh Kollel/Dean of the Houston Kollel
Monsey native, Rabbi Littman's in-depth Talmudic training began at Yeshivas Mir in Brooklyn, after which he studied under HaRav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik at the Brisk Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He then continued his studies at Beth Medrash Govoha, in Lakewood, NJ, where he originally settled with his wife, Esti (nee Nierenberg) of Flatbush. The Littmans relocated to Houston in 2010, when the Kollel was first established. Rabbi Littman's breadth of Torah knowledge is a true resource for the whole community.
ISBN #: 978-1-329-25239-4
Content ID: 16881811
Copyright 2015 Houston, TX
Preface
First and for most, my gratitude is to Ha-Shem for giving me the ability to learn his Torah. Secondly, to all the Rabbanim who assisted me in my learning and growth in Torah. Thirdly to my long time chavrusa, Rabbi Joseph Radinsky. Last but not least, to my Rebbitzin, sons and daugther in-law who have also been my motivation and support for my learning. This sefer is meant as a learning guide. As one who came from a background of little knowledge, the shiurim that were provided to me from my Rabbaim guided me in being able to learn the untranslated sources inside. By diligently increasing my vocabulary with their help, I was able to complete this work. Additionally, much HaKoras HaTov to Rabbi Littman who not only is a Talmid Chacham but a driving force in the Torah world for his assisting me in this endeavor by completing the structural and conceptual editing of this sefer.
The key to using this sefer, is to have in front of you the original sources like the Gemara, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, etc. as the purpose of this sefer is to assist you in translation and in the structure of these beautiful sources. My hope is that you will find this translation of classic laws and commentary on this subject will assist you in your learning growth. So that we may one day merit the ending of our exile, bring the one and only Mosiach to guide us closer to Ha-Shem and to build the final Beit Hamikdash in our Capital Yerushalayim.
Introduction
Becoming a Ger or Giyoret is a major decision for a person one that cannot be taken lightly. Throughout Jewish history there have been many converts who have done both great things and unfortunately sad things. First let’s look at the word Ger, where does it come from, what does it mean? There are many verses in the Tanach which give us insights to the answers. First There was a famine in the land and Avram went down to Egypt and
sojourned there
(Bereishet 12, 10). Ger is sometimes translated as sojourned which means to dwell. In the Tanach, one who dwells is defined as someone from outside the land of Israel. And it happened in the days of the Judges when the Judges judged, that there was a famine in the land, a man went from Bethlehem in Judea, to live (sojourn) in the fields of Moav.
(Ruth 1, 1).
Basically the word Ger was established more or less to mean other people, other than Jews. But later in the Chumash, its significance changed. When a Ger sojourns among you he must make a Pesach offering …. He is to be like a native born of the land
(Shemot 12, 48). So what changed?
In the Tanach, there are referenced two types of Geirim, toshav and tzedek. There is a mitzvah in the Torah that states, When a Ger amongst you dwells in the land, do not taunt him.
The Ger who dwells with you shall be like a native among you, and you shall love him like yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt…
(Vayikra 19, 33-34). This is a Ger Tzedek, one who converted to Judaism.
A Ger Tzedek is called by this name but he is not called Israel (במשנת הזוהר ח"א צות א), although on the surface he is attached to God and the nation. He is called Ger because he leaves his mother and father from another land. However, he is from the seed of his father, like one who was resident in another land and not from the source in this case the native born (Jew). In reality all of the Patriarchs were Geirim, as it states in Bereshit: as with his father Avraham, Yitzchak followed in his footsteps and he also sojourned in the land. While Yaakov settled the land and he sojourned in the land of his father. We find that the righteous are also considered Geirim as they reside in this world only temporarily from the language of sojourning.
Geirim are considered a protected class as indicated in these verses: When you reap the harvest… do not remove completely the corners…you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest; they are for the poor and the Ger shall you leave them…
(Vayikra 23, 22). Further, You shall not cheat a poor or destitute hired person amongst your brethren or a Ger who is in your land.
(Devarim 24, 14).
There is a unique connection between God and a Ger. …and loves the Ger to give him bread and a garment. You shall love the Ger for you were
Geirim in the land of Egypt
. (Devarim 10, 18). It says in Tehillim 146, 9: God guards the Geirim…
. How long shall the wicked exalt...the widow and the Ger they kill…?
(Tehillim 94, 3-6). Even during the time of Zechariah, he warns Do not oppress the widow, and the orphan, the Ger and the poor…
(Zechariah 7, 10).
Who then is a Ger Toshav? They are individuals who reside in the land and retain their heritage; some even completed the physical parts of conversion (circumcision and/or immersion) but did not accept upon themselves the yoke of Torah and Mitzvot.
What is the reason a Ger is called a Ger? There is a hint in the laws of Israel involved with positive attributes of גומלי חסדים, רחמנים , meaning acts of kindness and mercifulness. For a native born Jew, these attributes are inherited from the father. However there is another trait called shame (בושה) which was accepted by the Jews at the time of Matan Torah. The Gemara Yevamot 79a: Saul says to the Gibeonites, this nation (Israel) is distinguished by 3 attributes, one being shame (הבושה). This third attribute is hinted at when God gives over to Moshe the 13 attributes and in doing so passes before him wrapped in a tallit, (Rosh Hashanah 17b). This is a hint for the attribute of shame (הבושה). A few say that from these Gemaras, any Jew that lacks a sense of being ashamed and embarrassed casts doubt as to whether his father stood at Har Sinai. Thus a Ger lacks this attribute as his father did not stand at Har Sinai. However, when he converts he is imbued with the other two attributes of acts of kindness and compassion. The third attribute comes in time through learning and coming closer to God. If we take the first letter of these two words,ג מלנים, ר
חמנים, we obtain the word Ger (גר), (קרן לדוד, כי תצא).
We discussed earlier that when travels from his city to another city, he is called a Ger. If he is from the people (of another nation) and he converts to Judaism then he comes under the wings of the Divine Presence (שכינה) he is called Ger Tzedek. If he does not accept the yoke of Torah and dis-continues his service of Avodah Zora (idol worship), he is called a Ger Toshav (resident). The concern is, he may return to his old ways. Who were some famous Gerei Tzedek?, of course there were Yitro and Ruth. Many of the Halachot of conversion are hinted at/or sourced in Megillah Ruth. Who was the first Ger?, that was Avraham Avienu. He was the father of Geirim. As it says in Bereshit 39, 21: Avram converted the men and Sari converted the women. However, were Geirim always accepted into the community of Israel? If not why was that the case?
The answer is no. To understand this we must look at the Gemara Yevamot 47b, it states R’ Chelbo: Geirim are difficult for Israel like ספחת (psoriasis of the skin). Another situation is in Yevamot 109b, R’ Yitzchak stated evil after evil comes on those who accept Geirim…that those who receive Geirim (bring evil upon themselves) in accordance with R’ Chelbo. For R’ Chelbo stated: Geirim are hurtful to Israel as a sore on the skin.
So given the verses that state directly from God we are to love a Ger, provide him food and clothing and not oppress him, where does this mind set come from?
Throughout Jewish history there were times of increased conversions and outright bans. During the time Moshe we had the
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