Dixie Yid

Very interesting story I once heard from Rav Baruch Rappaport, shlita, an example of the sort of thing that the Steipler “saw.”

Once, a bachur who had been learning in Bnei Brak came to the Steipler for a berachah. The young man had just become a chasan and he wanted his engagement blessed.

The Steipler looked at the young man and, instead of giving a berachah, told him to go and bring his rosh yeshivah. The boy was obviously distressed and shortly returned as requested. He was instructed to wait outside while the Steipler Gaon spoke to the rosh yeshivah.

The rosh yeshivah was astonished when the Steipler asked him, “Vi macht ir a shidduch mit a Yiddishe meidel and a goy? How do you come to sanction a match between a Jewish girl and a non-Jewish boy?”

The rosh yeshivah was dumbfounded. He protested that the boy was a Jew. He had personally known the boy’s parents in America for many years. They, like him, were very fine people. The boy was a talmid chacham possessed of good middos.

The Steipler was unimpressed and insisted that the young man was not Jewish. Inquiries were made, and indeed the Steipler was proved right. There had been a conversion that was in reality no conversion at all. The conversion occurred three generations before, through the maternal line. The parents were unaware of it, as was the bachur.

I never heard the conclusion of the story, but if he was as exceptional as his rosh yeshivah described, it would be easy to assume that an authentic conversion followed.
I did, however, hear of the question that the much surprised rosh yeshivah put to the Steipler Gaon after the truth had come out.

“How did you know?”

That was a very reasonable question indeed. The boy’s “genetic” makeup was overwhelmingly Jewish. He looked Jewish. He spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, and probably Yiddish, too. He learned well.

The Steipler was perplexed by the question and replied, “Er hot nicht gehat a neshamah! He had no neshamah.”

The word neshamah is usually translated as “soul.” That is not accurate. Every human being has a soul. A neshamah might be best translated as “super-soul.”

When I am teaching my students, I always draw an analogy with a truck. When the truck is empty, you will see one of the double sets of wheels at the back, raised off the road. When it is fully loaded, these extra wheels are lowered to help carry the heavy weights the truck has to transport.

Since Jews have an extra spiritual burden to carry - more mitzvos than non-Jews - they are given an extra spiritual component to bear it. That is a neshamah. The Steipler “saw” that the bachur who had come to seek a blessing did not have one.

A Simple Jew pointed out a couple of interesting Torahs relating to Gerim that he found in the second Chelek of Mei Hashiloach from the Izbitzer. I translated the first piece (below), but I'm not sure of how to explain it other than what it says on its face, which is fine. I'd settle for having my "ceiling" being the level of Tzadik, though the teaching is still somewhat disconcerting. The pshat may just be that not everything is bunnies and puppies and I just need to learn the truth for what it is. After this teaching, I wanted to point out another one which serves as an interesting counter-point. I'm interested to understand more deeply how the two pieces shtim.

Mei Hashiloach Beis, Parshas B'ha'alosecha, D"H "Vayomer al na ta'azov osanu"

This requires explanation. Moshe did not need Chovev (Yisro) to be his guide. And why did he tell him "You shall be eyes for us." The idea here is as the Gemara in Bava Basra 75a, which says "ואמר רבה א"ר יוחנן עתיד הקב"ה לעשות שבע חופות לכל צדיק וצדיק שנאמר (ישעיהו ד) וברא ה' על כל מכון הר ציון ועל מקראיה ענן יומם ועשן ונוגה אש להבה לילה כי על כל כבוד חופה מלמד שכל אחד ואחד עושה לו הקדוש ברוך הוא חופה לפי כבודו עשן בחופה למה אמר רבי חנינא שכל מי שעיניו צרות בתלמידי חכמים בעולם הזה מתמלאות עיניו עשן לעולם הבא ואש בחופה למה אמר רבי חנינא מלמד שכל אחד ואחד נכוה מחופתו של חבירו "

"Raba said in the name of Rav Yochanan, in the future, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will make seven chuppahs for each and every tzadik, as the pasuk says (Yeshaya 4:5 - "וּבָרָא ה עַל כָּל-מְכוֹן הַר-צִיּוֹן וְעַל-מִקְרָאֶהָ, עָנָן יוֹמָם וְעָשָׁן, וְנֹגַהּ אֵשׁ לֶהָבָה, לָיְלָה" 'And Hashem created on every dwelling place... because he dwells above every chuppah.'" This teaches that Hakadosh Baruch Hu makes a chuppah for every individual according to his kavod. Why does there have to be "smoke in the chuppah"? Rabi Chanina said that anyone who looks with suspicion at Talmidei Chachamim in this world will have his eyes full of smoke in the world to come. And why is there "fire in the chuppah"? Rabi Chanina says that this teaches that every individual will be burned by his friend's chuppah." And chuppah primarily means that which is written in the same pasuk that according to each person's kavod is his chuppah.

This means that each person will be honored according to what he acquired in this world and he will be honored by comparison to his friend who is lower than him. But even the lowest Jew will feel honored relative to the greatest of the Gerim. And therefore it must be there there should be Gerim in the world to complete the greatness and the kavod of Klal Yisroel to show them to their eyes that relative to the kavod of the Ezrach (born-Jew) and of the root of Yisroel, it is impossible for any creature, even after great avodah, who is not of the seed of Yisroel to attain that level of kavod. And even though, in truth, the Ger has done a great thing to enter under the wings of the Divine Presence, nevertheless, the Zohar says (Yisro 87a) "The convert is called 'righteous' (Ger Tzedek), but nothing more." And this is what Moshe meant when he told Yisro " And you shall be eyes for us." As the pasuk said in Yeshaya (66:21) And even from them (Gerim) I will take as Kohanim and as Levi'im." Meaning that even though Gerim may attain the level of "Avodah," they can never reach the root of Yisroel in the garment of Gerim, as the Zohar has already said (Saba Mishpatim 95b).

Then, the Mei Hahsiloach says in the last piece in Vayikra in the second chelek that just as a born-Jew, through is minus, i.e. longing against the ratzon Hashem, can distance himself from his root, so too, a Ger, even though he is not from the seed of Yisroel, can become planted in Yisroel through his desire and longing.

Looking at these two pieces together, is the Izbitzer saying that the default level of the Ger is lower than an "Ezrach" as he described in the piece in B'ha'alosecha, but that through great Tshuka, desire, the Ger can replant himself as part of "Zera Yisroel?" Or is that understanding belied by his statement that even after great avodah, the Ger cannot reach this level? Or is that statement referring only to a case where the Ger works in the bechina of avodah (alma d'bechira, l'umas alma d'yedia), but where he tries to reach the level of shoresh Yisroel through tshukah, then he can attain that level?

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Introduction:

In the Torah portion of this Shabbos, Moshe begins to review with the people before they enter the Promised Land some of the history of their journey through the wilderness. He also mentions some of the difficulties he had leading them, and he reminds them of the following statement that he had said to them during an early stage of their journey:

“How can I alone carry your trouble, your burden, and your quarrels?” (Deuteronomy 1:12)

“Your quarrels” – They quarreled one with the other. (Commentaries of Ibn Ezra and Rabbeinu Bachya)

Dear Friends,

As we discussed, a convert joins our people through accepting the responsibility to fulfill the Covenant of the Torah. Just as all Israel became the people of the Covenant by proclaiming at Mount Sinai, “Everything that Hashem has spoken, we will do and we will hear” (Exodus 24:7), so too, the convert joins our people by making a similar commitment. The spiritual journey of the convert therefore leads to Mount Sinai.

Regarding the arrival of our people at Mount Sinai, the Torah states:

“They journeyed from Rephidim and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness; and Israel encamped there, opposite the mountain.” (Exodus 19:2)

“And Israel encamped there, opposite the mountain.” Unlike the previous verbs in this section which are written in the Hebrew plural form, the verb “encamped” in this phrase, which refers to their encamping at Mount Sinai, is written in the Hebrew singular form. The classical commentator, Rashi, therefore explains this change in the following manner:

Israel encamped there as one person with one heart, but the other encampments were made with complaints and argumentations.

Rashi’s statement is based on the “Mechilta” – a midrashic work on the Book of Exodus. The Mechilta points out that whenever the Torah previously states “they journeyed” and “they encamped,” it uses the plural form of the Hebrew verb, for they were not yet united as one, for “they would journey with arguments and encamp with arguments.” When they arrived at Mount Sinai, however, the Torah uses the singular form of the verb when it states, “Israel encamped there, opposite the mountain.” This teaches us that when they arrived at Mount Sinai to receive the Divine Teaching, they achieved a state of unity and were of “one heart.”

It seems that their readiness to receive the Teaching of the Unifying One made them aware of their own unity. An allusion to this idea is found in the following words of a song that is sung at the Shabbos table during the first Shabbos day meal:

“And they came into the Covenant united, ‘we will do and we will hear,’ they said as one. And they opened their mouths and responded, ‘Hashem is One!’ Blessed is the One Who gives strength to the weary.” (Yonah Matsa Vo Manoach)

In a deep sense, converts connect to the unifying experience at Sinai through their own personal acceptance of the Covenant. Many converts are therefore shocked and dismayed when they discover that our people are badly divided through various arguments which often lead to distorted views of individuals and/or groups. Although converts learn to appreciate the fact that the Jewish people have a noble tradition of discussing and debating ideas, they are greatly troubled when this leads to the development of distorted stereotypes and hatred.

The following comments by David Starr-Glass, a convert from Scotland who moved to the Land of Zion, can serve as an example of this concern. These comments appear in David’s book about his spiritual journey titled “Gathered Stones” – a literary gem which inspires the soul. David writes:

“We know that the yezter ha-ra, the evil inclination which an individual has, is commensurate with the yetzer ha-tov, his good inclination. In a similar way, it seems that our central mission of unifying God’s Name and Presence is shadowed by a tendency to do just the opposite.”

David adds: “One of the main roots of the problem lies in making assumptions about external clues, rather than groping for internal values.”

I will conclude this letter about the need for Jewish unity by introducing you to the Kaliver Rebbe, a Chareidi leader who has become a unifying figure within the Land of Zion. He is an elderly Chassidic Rebbe – a Holocaust survivor – who has devoted his life to helping all segments of our people to rediscover the internal spiritual values of our heritage which form the basis of our unity. Under his leadership, the Kaliver Chassidim sponsor classes and lectures which enable Jews of diverse backgrounds to study Torah. The Kaliver Rebbe himself travels all over the Land to speak to diverse Jewish communities and groups. He often sings for them one of the soul-stirring nigunim – melodies – of the Kaliver Chassidim.

At the end of each talk, he calls upon everyone to join together and chant “Shema Yisrael” – our ancient proclamation of the Divine Oneness and Unity:

“Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One!” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

An especially moving talk of this Chareidi leader was his address to the students of Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav – a major yeshiva of the Religious Zionist movement. It was a week after a Palestinian Arab terrorist murdered several boys from the high school of the yeshiva when they were studying in the school library. The Rebbe spoke to a crowd of nearly 1,000 people in Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, in memory of the young holy martyrs. The Rebbe spoke for nearly an hour, in order to strengthen the mourning students of the yeshiva. With heavy sobs, the Rebbe concluded his talk by standing up together with all the students, and he led them in the chanting of “Shema Yisrael.”

During World War II, when the Rebbe was in a concentration camp, the Nazis brought him to the crematorium. Facing death, the Rebbe said to Hashem:

What will my last “Shema Yisrael” add to You? Give me life and save me, and I will bring You “Shema Yisrael” to many.”

The Rebbe’s prayer was answered. Somehow, the plans were changed, and the Rebbe was spared. The Rebbe kept his promise. He is bringing the unifying message of Shema Yisrael to many.

This Tuesday night is the beginning of the Jewish month of Av. It is also the beginning of the nine days of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples. May we be blessed with a month of renewed unity, and may our words and deeds lead to this goal.

Shalom Al Yisrael – Peace and Harmony upon Israel,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

Related Comments:

1. To hear the Kaliver Rebbe chant a slow and moving nigun composed by the Rebbe who founded the Kaliver dynasty in Hungary, visit: http://www.avakesh.com/2007/12/kaliver-rebbe-s.html . The Rebbe sings without the accompaniment of musical instruments.

Most of the words of this poetic song are in Hungarian, with some Hebrew words at the end. The song expresses the yearning of our exiled people for the dawn of the messianic age and the rebuilding of the Temple. The following is an English translation of this song:

The rooster crows,
Dawn brightens the sky
In the green forest, in the verdant meadow
A little bird skips around.
Who are you, little bird?
Who are you, little bird?
Of golden beak and golden feet
That waits for me.
Just wait, dear little bird!
Just wait, dear little bird!
If G-d destined you for me,
I will be one with you.
The rooster sings his morning song,
The sun is slowly rising--
Yibaneh hamikdash, ir Tzion temalei
(May the Temple be rebuilt, the City of Zion replenished)--
When, O when will it be?
Vesham nashir shir chadash uvirnana naaleh,
(There shall we sing a new song, with joyous singing ascend),
It’s time, O let it be!

2. To view photos of the Kaliver Rebbe’s visit to Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, click here and click on the photos to enlarge them.

Hazon – Our Universal Vision

Picture courtesy of M2M

[埋込みオブジェクト:http://www.youtube.com/v/mdT2wuRqKhk&hl=en&fs=1&]

As a follow up on this post... HT to Mark Creeker.

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We posted on this also here and here. Click here to get Dixie Yid in your e-mail Inbox or here to subscribe in Google Reader.

My Search for the Soul of Zion – 66

Converts and the Soul of Zion:

Introduction to the Next Segment of Our Series:

Dear Friends,

At the beginning of the series on the “soul” of Zion, we mentioned that the term “Zion” has several meanings. The following references serve as examples:

1. Although the term “Zion” refers to Jerusalem’s Mount Zion, south of the Temple Mount, it can also refer to the Temple Mount itself, as when the Temple was destroyed, the Prophet Jeremiah lamented: “For this our heart was faint...for Mount Zion which lies desolate” (Lamentations 5:17,18).

2. “Zion” can refer to Jerusalem, as it is written: “And they shall call you the city of Hashem, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 60:14).

3. “Zion” is a term for the Land of Israel; thus, the Prophet Isaiah conveyed the following Divine promise regarding the renewal of the Land: “For Hashem will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her ruins; He will make her desert like Eden, and her wasteland like a garden of Hashem; joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of music” (Isaiah 51:3).

4. “Zion” also refers to the People of Israel, and this reference is found in the following Divine proclamation: “And to say unto Zion, ‘You are My people!’ ” (Isaiah 51:16)

During the past year, we have begun to explore the “soul” of Zion – the inner spirit that reveals the raison d’etre of Zion. The above definitions of Zion remind us that when we discover the soul of Zion, we discover the inner spirit that reveals the raison d’etre of the Temple, Jerusalem, the Land of Israel, and the People of Israel.

In the previous letters, we discussed how the Torah – the Divine Teaching – is the soul of Zion. We also discussed how the mitzvos – the Divine mandates within the Torah – reveal the raison d’etre of Zion. With the help of Hashem, the Compassionate and Life-Giving One, we will now begin to discuss the important role of converts in helping us to gain a deeper understanding of Zion’s soul and raison d’etre.

We will also discuss why sincere converts who join our people through accepting the Covenant of the Torah have a special connection to the Land of Zion. For example, the Prophet Isaiah conveyed to these sincere converts the following Divine reassurance and promise:

“Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Hashem, speak, saying, ‘Hashem will utterly separate me from His people’… The foreigners who join themselves to Hashem to serve Him and to love the Name of Hashem to become servants unto Him, all who guard the Sabbath against desecration, and grasp My Covenant tightly – I will bring them to My sacred mountain, and I will gladden them in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:6,7).

“The foreigner” – This term is referring to the converts, those who are known as gerei tzedek – converts for righteousness. (Commentary of Ibn Ezra)

Last, but not least, the next segment of our series will help to prepare us for the approaching Festival of Shavuos, when we celebrate the giving of the Torah. As we shall discuss, converts have a special and honored connection with this festival. We are reminded of this connection when we read on Shavuos the Book of Ruth – the story of the righteous convert, Ruth, who moved to the Land of Zion and merited to become an ancestor of the future Messiah.

Shalom,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

An archive of most of the letters in our series appears on our website:

Hazon – Our Universal Vision

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I asked Yoseph Robinson, who Gruntig recently posted about, to write a guest post about his journey and how he discovered Yiddishkeit. It is an interesting introduction. Feel free to ask Yoseph any questions you have about his fascinating journey.

In Hollywood you would think we had it all, and in a manner of speaking, we did. I lived in Beverly Hills, I alternated between driving a Hummer, Bentley and a Jaguar convertible, and went to the wildest party scenes. I mean I went to Jamie Fox's house, I double dated with Jay Z, I met Shakheil O'neal, Kobe Bryant, Usher, Steve Harvey, and many, many others.

Holywood life, however, and the music industry included, could be summed up in one word: plastic. The stereotypes are accurate. The hip-hop music culture centers on money, girls, drugs, cars, money, jewelry, money, and EGO. I was leading a life of unabashed and unfettered self-indulgence. It was all-consuming and it was pointless.

We felt our talent and creativity entitled us to all the pleasures of the world and then some. Sure, we also worked hard but our arrogance and sense of entitlement knew no bounds. I'm a contemplative person by nature, and the hedonistic lifestyle was wearing me down psychically, and even physically. In addition, tensions in my music company were brewing and the loyalty of those closest to me were suspect.

I decided to leave the world of Hollywood behind and the only option was to make a total break from my previous life. I would say discovering Judaism was merely coincidental, but Hakadosh Baruch Hu, it seems, had a plan for me. The story is quite simple.. I walked into a book store and asked to buy a Bible. It turns out, I was in a Judaica store and I bought a Hirsch English edition of the Chumash. I was immediately hooked. I was moved, I was inspired, and I felt connected to something deeper and greater than anything I had ever encountered in my entire life.

I took Judaism classes for a period of two and a half years at Toras Hashem and the conversion itself was conducted by the Beis Din of North Hollywood headed by Rabbi Zvi Block. I live in Brooklyn, New York and I daven at the Agudas Israel of Ave L.

I am currently writing a memoir. It starts with my childhood in Jamaica, my street life in Brooklyn and then in Philly, my move to LA, and my journey to Judaism, which is ongoing. I hope my story can entertain, as well as inspire. I also hope that my circumstance can help facilitate communication and sensitivity between all races, cultures, and religions.

Thanks for reading and I hope you come along for the ride!

Yoseph Robinson

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A commenter on my AD/HD post from yesterday (which I will probably follow up on tomorrow) pointed out a lecture given by a very famous giores (convert), Ahuvah Gray, a couple of weeks ago. She was an ordained minister in California before converting to Judaism. In the speech, she tells over the story of how she got attracted to Judaism and went through her conversion in Israel, even with such an unusual background.

At the end of the shiur, there is a very interesting question and answer session where the students she is speaking to ask her about everything from the election of Barack Obama, how to respond to truth-seeking people who have left observance to how she felt emerging from the Mikvah in her first few moments as a Jew. Very interesting!

CLICK HERE to watch the lecture at TorahAnytime.com.

You can also her newest book, Gifts of a Stranger, here. In it, she starts off with the story of a girl who she originally met after this young lady had gone "off the derech," and told how she (Ahuvah Gray) inspired her to come back to the fold.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of TorahAnytime.com)

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Hashgacha Pratis is awesome. You may recall yesterday's discussion about the status of a Ger's soul before conversion. One comment in particular, made by Alexander, from the V = I·R blog, quoted an idea in Lessons in Tanya (Ch. 1), that “[i]t should be noted that among the nations of the world there are also to be found those whose souls are derived from kelipat nogah [just like Jewish nefesh ha’bahamis]. Called ‘the pious ones of the nations of the world’, these righteous individuals are benevolent not out of selfish motives but out of a genuine concern for their fellow.”

I found this particularly interesting because it seemed to contradict the teachings of the Gemara Bava Basra 10b on the pasuk in Mishlei 14:34 which says , "וחסד לאומים חטאת כל צדקה וחסד שאומות <עובדי כוכבים> {העולם} עושין חטא הוא להן שאינם עושין אלא להתגדל בו ." "[And the verse,] 'the kindness of the nations is a sin' means that all of the charity and kindness that the nations do is a sin because they only do it for the prestige."

The line in Lessons in Tanya, quoted above, was commenting on the first chapter of Tanya where the Alter Rebbe says the following in regard to this topic:

כי בישראל נפש זו דקליפה היא מקליפ' נוגה שיש בה ג"כ טוב ... משא"כ נפשות אומות עובדי גלולים הן משאר קליפות טמאות שאין בהן טוב כלל כמ"ש בע"ח שער מ"ט פ"ג וכל טיבו דעבדין האומות עובדי גלולים לגרמייהו עבדין וכדאיתא בגמרא ע"פ וחסד לאומים חטאת שכל צדקה וחסד שאומות עובדי גלולים עושין אינן אלא להתייהר

In the Jewish people, this soul [the animalistic soul] comes from Klipas Nogah, which also has some good... This is not the case with the souls of the nations, [whose animalistic souls] come from Sha'ar Klipos temeos, which have no good in them at all, as it says in Eitz Chaim, 49th Gate, 3rd chapter, 'and all good things that the nations do, they do for their own sake, as it says in the Gemara [referenced above] on the verse 'And the kindness of the nations is a sin,' that the nations act, but only to aggrandize themselves.

Amazingly, this morning, only the day after this whole discussion about this topic that we had yesterday, I went to a shiur by my rebbe on Mevo Hashe'arim (found at the end of Hachsharas Ha'avreichim, by Reb Klonymous Kalman Shapiro, the holy Aish Kodesh. On page 243 (I think), he was discussing this exact topic in a footnote! I used the opportunity to as my rebbe the question I had based on this seeming contradiction between what the Lessons in Tanya said (presumably in the name of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt"l) and what the Tanya its self brought down from the Gemara and sefer Eitz Chaim.

I asked him, "I heard in the name of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that there are exceptions to the general rule, and that there are some goyim whose nefesh habahamis comes from Klipas Nogah, and that they are able to do pure chesed for the sake of others. Did I misunderstand what I heard?"

He answered that no, I did not misunderstand. But that this was a major topic in Kabbalah and that he wasn't capable, nor were we, without that background, capable of understanding the inyan properly right now. But as a rosh perek, headline, he said that the Lubavitcher Rebbe was speaking with regard to something found in the Kisvei Ari z"l, who brought down that there are indeed individuals from certain nations, who have a certain kind of relationship with Klal Yisroel, and Goyim who will become Gerim, who are outside the regular category of a goy, and therefore have a nefesh habahamis rooted in Klipas Nogah, like a Yisroel. He said that lu yitzuyar, it is as if they are not totally goyim (though they aren't Jewish either, obviously).

I found it interesting that this came up right after our whole discussion yesterday. Thanks Yitz and Alexander especially for your comments, and I hope this post clarifies that one point at least from the discussion.

Gut Shabbos, and if you live within driving distance of the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, (corner of Broadway and Cedar Ave. in Cedarhurst), that you won't want to miss the Piaczena Hillulah with Rav Weinberger and Yosef Karduner at 8:30 this Motzoi Shabbos (10ドル suggested donation & there is a women's section)!

-Dixie Yid

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About a year before I converted, I was talking to a local educator back in Dixie, and I asked him, "I feel Jewish already. Could it be that I already have a Jewish soul, but that it is just in a non-Jewish body right now?" He answered me that he didn't think so, but that when a person converts, he gets a new Jewish neshama.

A Simple Jew pointed me toward an interesting footnote (Page 2, footnote 6) in the English Translation of Sefer Baal Shem Tov on Parshas Lech Lecha AVAILABLE HERE, which was quoting a piece in the Degel Machaneh Ephraim. The translator of the sefer and author of the footnotes, Rabbi Eliezer Shore, wrote that "before their [converts') conversion, their souls are trapped in a gentile body." ***

This seems to be a source for the idea that Gerim have a Jewish soul before they convert, but that it is hidden, or trapped, in a gentile body until that point. Does anyone out there know if this is a chidush or is it an accepted principal? Personally, I felt that this was true before my conversion, but hey, what do I know about the deeper spiritual aspects of reality!? Thanks for any insights!

UPDATE 10/31/08: See my follow up post with more detials on the nature of the non-Jewish soul (both preceeding conversion and not).

-Dixie Yid

*** ASJ found the Sefer Baal Shem Tov's source online. The Degel Machaneh Ephraim that it quoted is available HERE, D"H "Oh Yomar."

(Picture courtesy of dkimages)

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I just learned (from my rebbe) of sources that indicate that Yiddishkeit not only welcomes sincere gentiles who want to convert to Judaism, but even indicates that we out to encourages it.

In the Parsha of Hakhel (the gathering of the entire Jewish people during the Sukkos after the Shmita year, just like this Sukkos) in Parshas Vayelech, the Torah says that one of the kinds of people who must be brought to Hakhel are "gercha asher b'sha'arecha," "strangers in your gates." I always understood this to refer to Gerim, converts to Judaism. However, many meforshim learn that this refers to Gerei Toshav, Bnei Noach, gentiles who have committed to observing the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach. This, alone, is interesting enough. It's not just that a Ger Toshav has a special status in that they are gentiles who are allowed to continue living in the land of Israel. They are even invited to come to Hakhel, the once-every-seven-years gathering of the Entire Jewish people to listen to the King of Israel read Mishna Torah, Deuteronomy, which is an experiential reenactment of the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai!

But this is not all. The Ibn Ezra there says that the reason why Bnei Noach are encouraged to attend Hakhel is so that they will be so impressed with this re-experiencing of the receiving of the Torah that "Ulai Yisyaheid," "hopefully they will convert!"

I had always heard that we welcome converts but never engaged in any activities to attract converts. Here, there's an example right in the Torah of the fact that we are commanded in the Torah a certain mitzva for the purpose of encouraging Bnei Noach to take it to the next level!!

-Dixie Yid

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My answer to a Q&A at A Simple Jew is up and available for your reading pleasure. In it, I discuss some of the issues of leading a Pesach seder and keeping the minhagim of Pesach as a Baal Teshuva. So click on over!

A Simple Jew asks:

Do you have an easy time relating to Pesach? How has your understanding and appreciation of this yom tov evolved over time?

Dixie Yid Answers ...

-Dixie Yid

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We find on today's daf (Pesachim 91b) that one may not assemble a chaburah entirely of converts; their meticulousness in mitzvah observance might lead them to disqualify the korban unnecessarily. ("אין עושין חבורה שכולה גרים שמא ידקדקו בו ויביאוהו לידי פסול") Rav Tzaddok HaKohen zt"l (Machshavas Charutz pg. 85a & 84b) explains that this why both the written and oral Torah were built on the foundation of converts. Ma'amad Har Sinai is recounted in Parshas Yisro, and Yisro was the "father" of all future converts; similarly, Rabbi Akiva who was the descendant of converts is the foundation of the oral Torah. The ger personifies absolute self-sacrifice for Hashem and His Torah from pure love, for he has freely chosen to abandon a carefree worldly existence for the demands of fulfilling the Will of Hashem.

After coming into contact with the Torah and sincerely devout Jews in France, young Count Potocki became convinced that he could no longer remain a Catholic. He studied with great devotion, and eventually went to Amsterdam and converted; in time, he assumed the name Avraham ben Avraham. After some travel, he settled outside of Vilna, but one day he was informed upon to the authorities. He had long been sought for the "crime" of conversion, and was quickly arrested; the entreaties of his mother and friends failed to induce him to abandon the Torah. After a long imprisonment and a trial for heresy, he was left to await execution. The Vilna Gaon zt"l sent a message to him secretly:

"I am prepared to save you through a mofes, a miracle brought about by manipulating the Divine Name. Will you allow me to do it for you?"

Avraham ben Avraham sent his bold response back to the Gaon: "I do not wish to be saved—I accept the Will of Hashem, and I will gladly die for the sake of His Name!" The ger tzedek of Vilna was burned at the stake on the second day of Shavuos. Like Rabbi Akiva, he left this world filled with joy to do the Will of his Creator—both living examples of the greatness of converts!

-Micha Golshevsky

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When I spoke with the Sudilkover Rebbe, thanks to A Simple Jew, last week, we talked about my desire to better understand the Meor Einayim's statement that the Ohr ShebaTorah is not accessible to Gerim, who are not [biological] children of the Avos.

One of the things he said was that the explanation is that an eved of the King, no matter how intimate his relationship is with the King, will never have the same closeness that the child of the King has. Therefore, there is an aspect of the illumination within the Torah that is accessible to literal children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov (b'ni bechori Yisroel).

He also said that Gerim all called "Tachas Mikanfei Hashechina," "under the wings of the Divine Presence." However, children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are "l'ma'aleh mi'kanfei Hashechina," above the wings of the Shechina." Although both are one with the Shechina, they are that way at different "levels" within the Shechina, and therefore the "Ezrach B'Yisroel" has access to some higher aspects that the Ger does not have access to.

Some of these explanations may not sit well with people who seek more apologetic explanations for concepts which are difficult for modern minds to understand. However, I much prefer understandings which are true to the sources, are are not apologetic approaches to understanding difficult topics.

All of that being said, he said that with Ratzon, desire, a Ger can break through that boundary and access the same intimacy with Hashem through the Torah that any other Jew can. (As Rabbi Golshevsky alluded to HERE on the same question)

He shared a teaching from the Baal Shem Tov (which I also saw in Tzidukus Hatzadik) that the nisayon of Elisha ben Avuya (A.K.A. "Acher") was not to listen to the heavenly voice when it said, "Shuvu banim shovavim, chutz me'Acher," "Return all wayward children, except for "Acher." Even though Elisha ben Avuya heard a heavenly voice explicitly tell him that he was not welcome back, Hashem's will was that he say, like the man from the airport that the Sudilkover talked about, "What you mean I shouldn't come back!? I am a Jew and I'm returning to You, Hashem! I don't care what You say!"

This is what Hashem wanted from him, for him not to listen to Hashem's message that he wasn't welcome. That was his nisayon and that was why Hashem sent him that message, davka so that he should not listen to the message.

This is also the message from Likutei Moharan 48, where Rebbe Nachman says that when you feel that in Shamayim, they are pushing you away and don't want to let you into the gates of holiness, the ikar is not to be discouraged and not to be afraid. Rather, Hashem is sending that message to you to get you to push harder to be closer to Hashem.

This is also like (l'havdil) what Randy Pausch (not Pauche) said over and over again in his "Last Lecture." "Brick walls are not there to stop you. They are they to make you prove how much you want it."

May we all merit to break through the barriers Hashem has placed before us to make us prove that we really want to get closer to Him!

-Dixie Yid

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I would like to share one of the most inspiring things I ever learned about geirim.

The Gra (Maaseh Rav Hachadash [seif #29]) said, "A Ger is higher than a Yisrael. That a Yisrael is greater than an angel we learn from the fact that an angel says Hashem's name after first saying three words, "Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Hashem," while a Yisrael says Hashem's name after only two words. "Shema Yisrael Hashem... A Ger however ,says Hashem's name after only one word, as we find in the verse, "And Yisro said, 'Boruch Hashem.'

Rav Moshe Sternbuch commented on the above, "Clearly a convert has been granted a holy neshamah, is on a very elevated spiritual plane (ma'alah elyonah) and can draw closer to Hashem than a Jew."

(I asked Rabbi Golshevsky if he had any insight on my question here, and this is what he responded:)

There are several ways to explain this question. I will give you one.
Once someone came to the Chazon Ish for advice, "I don't know what to do! My learning is coming along fine boruch Hashem, but my davening doesn't seem to progress at all. Please tell me how I can attain a good daveining."

The Gadol responded, "Since you are having such a difficult time davening with concentration despite having worked on this for so long without any progress, it is clear that this this avodah is not your tikkun. It is enough for you to daven as you can. However, there is a level which Mekubalim call Ibur. This means that one merits to have the neshamah of a tsaddik join ones own neshamah. If you keep working despite the crushing difficulty you will find that you will merit to daven with intense concentration. You will be sent an ibur and attain this in merit of your toil."

There are many similar stories, where someone has a virtually impossible time learning and then everything opens up.Such people make up a percentage of the greatest and include the Maharam Shich, and the Rikanti.

The same is true, it seems to me, regarding gerirm. Although the Zohar says many seemingly uncomplimentary statements, this is only because they come from such a far place. However, if they toil and work, the distance they start from becomes an asset and they change the yeridah to an aliyah. Just like the story of the Chazon Ish and the many stories of various gedolim who merited to expand their neshamos. It is true that it is harder for a ger and that most do not expand their neshamos since what they cannot naturally access is not their tikkun. However, if they want bedafkah they can do it.

As the famous quote goes, "אין דבר עומד לפני הרצון"

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