The following is an except from a letter I received from a gentleman in Canada.

“What is a Noachide allowed to study? I have heard about three answers to this question. I have read the greater part of the book ‘The Path of the Righteous Gentile,’ in which the author states that a Noachide is allowed to study all of the Written Torah but only parts of the Oral Torah. Apparently this views states that only those sections that deal directly to the seven Noachide laws are permitted for study. Halachah would then be off limits.

“The second view I have heard is that Noachides are only to study the first eleven chapters of Genesis. Anything after that is given specifically for the Jewish people.

“The third view is that Noachides are allowed to study all materials that are available to Jews. The only difference being that a Noachide may not study anything ‘simply for it’s own sake.’

“If I were allowed to have a preference I would vote for the third view. However, I suspect that view number one is the correct one. I could provide you with links to where I found these various views stated on the Internet.

“I have been ... Read More >>]]> Righteous Gentiles

The following is an except from a letter I received from a gentleman in Canada.

“What is a Noachide allowed to study? I have heard about three answers to this question. I have read the greater part of the book ‘The Path of the Righteous Gentile,’ in which the author states that a Noachide is allowed to study all of the Written Torah but only parts of the Oral Torah. Apparently this views states that only those sections that deal directly to the seven Noachide laws are permitted for study. Halachah would then be off limits.

“The second view I have heard is that Noachides are only to study the first eleven chapters of Genesis. Anything after that is given specifically for the Jewish people.

“The third view is that Noachides are allowed to study all materials that are available to Jews. The only difference being that a Noachide may not study anything ‘simply for it’s own sake.’

“If I were allowed to have a preference I would vote for the third view. However, I suspect that view number one is the correct one. I could provide you with links to where I found these various views stated on the Internet.

“I have been in contact with an Orthodox Rabbi who stated that view number one is correct but was unable (though not unwilling) to specify which parts of the Written and Oral Torah were approved for study by a Noachide.

“Another question. In what areas or ways in Conservative Judaism deficient? My understanding is that the Conservative movement sees the Oral Laws as being dynamic and not static. The Conservatives seem to believe that the Oral Law is more of a guideline than a law per se. Is it lawful for a Noachide to attend a service at a Conservative synagogue?

“Anyway, I will stop with these few. In the future I would like to move on a gaining a clearer understanding of a few texts from the Written Torah, especially those that are most relevant to dealing with Xtianity.”

I am presenting this letter for comments from visitors to the blog. I would like opinions, preferably with sources, regarding the limitations that apply here. But more important, I would like to know what our obligation is to people like this. Is a simple answer sufficient or should I reach out to him as I would to a Jewish corespondent? What are, or should be, our attitudes to the gentiles in general and to the Noachides, meaning those that seek to fulfill the Sheva Mitzvos, in particular?

My comment about NATO bombing us was tongue in cheek. In any case, Israel will not expel the Arabs, and if it does, the United States will not support the action. I think talk about population transfers is devarim beteilim, pure wishful thinking and a waste of time.

The mission statement of the Pesach Seder is, I think all would agree, the “Avadim Hayinu” response to the Four Questions. It encapsulates the essence of the ritual. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. The Almighty miraculously brought us forth to freedom. In recognition, we spend the night discussing the wonders and glory of the Almighty.

There is another bit of information embedded in this mission statement. We declare that if the Almighty had not extracted us from Egypt we would still be there to this very day. This is certainly interesting and important, but why does it belong in the mission statement? Why is it so central to the essence of the Pesach Seder?

About twenty years ago, I had an argument with my father zecher tzaddik livrachah. I claimed that the Soviet Union would eventually fall and that the two Germanies would be reunited. He claimed it would never happen. I ... Read More >>]]> In a few days, I will be going away for two weeks, and Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein asked me to make a contribution to the blog before I go. Reb Yitzchak, your wish is my command. This is in response to some of the opinions recently expressed on the blog.

The mission statement of the Pesach Seder is, I think all would agree, the “Avadim Hayinu” response to the Four Questions. It encapsulates the essence of the ritual. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. The Almighty miraculously brought us forth to freedom. In recognition, we spend the night discussing the wonders and glory of the Almighty.

There is another bit of information embedded in this mission statement. We declare that if the Almighty had not extracted us from Egypt we would still be there to this very day. This is certainly interesting and important, but why does it belong in the mission statement? Why is it so central to the essence of the Pesach Seder?

About twenty years ago, I had an argument with my father zecher tzaddik livrachah. I claimed that the Soviet Union would eventually fall and that the two Germanies would be reunited. He claimed it would never happen. I insisted that in the history of the world there has never been an empire that did not eventually crumble under its own weight. Even empires that provided services to their colonies, such as the British and Roman, eventually collapsed. Certainly then, an empire such as the Soviet Union that only sucked its colonies dry could not last very long. And when it collapsed, nothing would keep the Germanies from being reunited. My father, who spent some time in the Soviet Union during the Second World War, disagreed. “I was there!” he said. “With terror you can keep it up forever! And they will never allow the Germanies to reunite.”

Well, history has borne me out simply because I, never having experienced the fright of Soviet oppression, could see things objectively. My father was too emotionally involved.

Oppression cannot be sustained forever. Nevertheless, the Baal Haggadah tells us, our bondage in Egypt would have endured until today, something that has never happened in history. How could such a thing be? Because our bondage was through and through. Physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual. No inner seed of independence remained. This was the bondage from which the Almighty extracted us.

Apply this concept to the West Bank and Gaza. It is clearly impossible to keep these people subservient forever. Regardless of the quality of life we might provide for them, we cannot hold them against their will indefinitely. It is historically impossible. (Imagine if the Russians occupied Appalachia and provided jobs for the unemployed. The hill people would still come after the Russians with shotguns.)

Either we annex the West Bank and give them the vote, which we would never do, or we must withdraw from the occupation. I believe we have no choice. And the demographic clock is ticking fast. It is estimated that within twenty years or so, the Israeli Arabs will constitute 40% of the population, what with the extremely high Arab birth rate and the low Israeli birth rate combined with high rates of emigration and abortion. At that point, the Arabs could conceivable take control of the government by forming a coalition with some of the extreme parties. If such a thing should happen, Heaven forbid, where would we be?

And what can we do to stop it? Sterilize all the Israeli Arabs? Drive them all out in a campaign of ethnic cleansing as in Kosovo? I do not see Jewish soldiers dragging Arab mothers from their homes and throwing them into trucks. And besides, NATO would probably bomb us.

So what are we to do? I think we have to prepare for such a possibility in a generation or two. We must work toward ensuring that if there will be a transition to a multi-national state, it should happen without bloodshed. Therefore, it is critical that we arrest the curve of violence right now, so that the Arabs of that time will not have grown up as stone-throwers.

I do not advocate a stupid peace. I think we need to revive some of the skills of the much-maligned ghetto Jew who knew how to negotiate with wisdom and cunning. We need to make the Arabs feel that every inch that is returned tears out another piece of our heart, which it does. Furthermore, any peace that is negotiated would have to be a vigilant peace, perhaps supported by a strong presence of American troops. But something has to be done. Inaction invites disaster.

The Israelis want to live in peaceful coexistence with the Arabs, but the Arabs view our presence in the Middle East as the Naqba, the Disaster; they would love to drive us into the sea. That will never change. Nonetheless, we need to find an accommodation that will reduce their bloodlust. It can be done, and it must be done.

The situation in the Middle East presents us with a good analogy for the internal situation of the Jewish people. The liberal streams seek pluralism. They want peaceful coexistence with the Orthodox. But for the Orthodox, the Conservative and Reform are our Naqba. It is an unmitigated disaster for the Jewish people that these ersatz creeds occupy large swaths of Jewish ideological territory. And much as the people that profess adherence to these creeds are our dear and beloved brothers and sisters, we want nothing more than to drive these creeds into the sea.

Fortunately for us, the conflicts within Judaism are without bloodshed in the literal sense, and therefore there is no need for an accommodation. There is no justification for ever agreeing to peaceful coexistence. Thousands of outreach people are working tirelessly to rescue our brothers and sisters from the ideological foe. We are engaged in an ideological war with the forces of heresy, and we will not be satisfied until we have achieved complete victory.

Yes, we want to bring down the citadels of Conservative and Reform. They are an affront and a travesty. It does not matter that people are perhaps more likely to return to Judaism through these streams than if they had been completely secular. It is not our role to play G-d. These usurpers are occupying sacred ground, and we must expel them. The Jewish people will be far better off when there will be only Orthodox on the Jewish ideological landscape. I do not know exactly how it would work itself out, but I have no doubt that it is true.

N.B. Some may wonder why I co-authored One People, Two Worlds if I feel strongly about the evils of pluralism. First of all, the book was a battle rather than a dialogue, as a number of Reform rabbis lamented. But there is much more to it. I think I have written more than enough this time. If readers are interested, I will gladly offer my perspective on the book and the controversy at another time.

The following is the rest of the exchange from which I quoted last week:

“I agree,” I began, “that Yishmael would be inappropriate, since Yishmael is a traditional enemy of the Jewish people. It is true that there was a great Tanna named Rabbi Yishmael, but that is just the exception that proves the rule. In fact, one cannot help but wonder why indeed he had such a name. There must be a story to it.

“I would recommend instead Elishama, who was the prince of ... Read More >>]]> Last week, under the title “Conversions and Hebrew Names,” I posted an edited selection from my archive of correspondence with my readers, in which I presented the remarks of one correspondent and invited comment. This week I am posting my response. The idea of posting correspondences was well-received by visitors to the site and by fellow contributors, and I will gladly offer more selections in the future. Names of correspondents will, of course, be omitted. I have decided to name the archive One People, Many Voices, so that I will not need to explain what I am doing in the future. I will just begin by saying, “Here is another selection from One People, Many Voices.”

The following is the rest of the exchange from which I quoted last week:

“I agree,” I began, “that Yishmael would be inappropriate, since Yishmael is a traditional enemy of the Jewish people. It is true that there was a great Tanna named Rabbi Yishmael, but that is just the exception that proves the rule. In fact, one cannot help but wonder why indeed he had such a name. There must be a story to it.

“I would recommend instead Elishama, who was the prince of the tribe of Ephraim (see Numbers 7:48). It means essentially the same thing and has no negative overtones. I would also recommend ben Abraham, the traditional patronymic for converts. Why not honor the spiritual father of all converts? Elishama ben Avraham. What do you think?

“About non-Orthodox conversions, let me just say that I cannot look at you as a young Jewish boy, since I do not recognize a conversion that does not conform with Halachah. But I do look at you as a righteous gentile who has a yearning to be Jewish, and who knows where this yearning may lead him one day? Shemayah and Avtalion were converts. Onkelos was a convert. Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Akiva were descended from converts. That is good company.

“I have a friend in Indianapolis who is a convert. As a gentile, he married a Jewish woman. Later, he converted Reform. Later, he converted Conservative. Later, he converted Orthodox. Next year, Daf Yomi will complete its seven-year cycle of learning the complete Talmud. The occasion is usually celebrated in Madison Square Garden with hookups to other sites. My friend will be in attendance at Madison Square Garden as one of the completers. He already has tickets for himself and his whole family. I believe it will be the high point of his life, and rightly so. So you see, I perceive you as taking a step in the direction of Judaism but not quite yet Jewish.

“I think you should give much thought to an Orthodox conversion, even if you are not yet ready to take the step. I think it would be unfair to you and your future children that you should not be considered Jewish by the Orthodox community.

“If you would plot the Jewish people on a piece of paper, you would have a series of concentric circles, like a target. You would logically put the Orthodox at the center, not necessarily for ideological reasons but because we represent the faithful continuation of the ancestral religion and the dependable fountainhead for the future; in other words, the solid connective link between the past and the future. Then you would have the Modern Orthodox, who are really just a variation of the Orthodox. Then you would have the Conservative, then the Reform, then the Reconstructionist, then the secular, then those converted to (to, not from) other religions. The Jewishness fades and intermarriage and assimilation increase as you progress to the outer rings.

“It seems to me that in order for a person to be considered Jewish, he or she would have to be accepted by the group in the center circle, regardless of its demographic percentage. It is inconceivable to me that someone accepted by only an outer ring could be considered an authentic Jew. I think, therefore, that you should explore the option of an Orthodox conversion, if not for now then for some future time.

“I know it is not an easy thing to convert, and I hope I have not caused you unnecessary heartache. Please accept my best wishes for your future.”

My correspondent responded:

“I sincerely thank you for your kind words and do not feel disheartened by them at all. On the contrary, I feel encouraged and welcomed by them because although I may not be considered ‘quite Jewish’ yet, you have taken the time to support me. My conversion will be accepted by the Conservative branch, and I consider it as the beginning of my journey. I agree with you; who knows where it may lead? I may yet some day stand in Madison Square Garden…

“Also, thank you for the suggestion of Elishama ben Avraham. Your attention to these emails and the suggestion of an alternate name are touching, considering you only know me as a reader of your book.

“I also wish you all the best.”

I wrote back before Rosh Hashanah:

“I was wondering about the end of the story. What did you decide to do?
In the meantime, I wanted to wish you and yours a sweet and happy new year. May the Almighty bless you with health, happiness, success in all your endeavors and clarity in the important issues of life.”

My correspondent responded:

“It was a very nice surprise to receive your email and touching to know that you thought of me. I also wish you and yours a sweet and happy new year. I hope that this next year brings more peace in the world.

“I took your suggestion for the name Elishama ben Avraham. Thank you very much for helping me. It is an uncommon name, and I often have to explain how I came by it.

“May peace of mind and heart always be yours.”

A little while ago, I received the following email from a gentleman whose name I shall not disclose.

“I am currently reading and enjoying your book One People, Two Worlds. It is extremely helpful to my growth in Judaism.

“I am thirty-eight and am going through a non-Orthodox conversion. I have come to this decision after two years of study, contemplation and prayer. Raised in a different religion, I stopped practicing at the age of twenty. Two years ago, I joined a friend at Yom Kippur services and, particularly during the Kol Nidre, had a sense for the first time in years that God was ... Read More >>]]> When I was asked to sign on as regular contributor to this Website, I was honored, pleased and also a little baffled about which topics to address. Most pieces that appear here are current events-driven. But since I am more inclined to read books than newspapers, by the time I hear about an issue it has more often than not long since passed away. Instead, I thought it might be interesting to share some of the email correspondences I have conducted with numerous readers over the last two years covering a wide range of topical Jewish issues.

A little while ago, I received the following email from a gentleman whose name I shall not disclose.

“I am currently reading and enjoying your book One People, Two Worlds. It is extremely helpful to my growth in Judaism.

“I am thirty-eight and am going through a non-Orthodox conversion. I have come to this decision after two years of study, contemplation and prayer. Raised in a different religion, I stopped practicing at the age of twenty. Two years ago, I joined a friend at Yom Kippur services and, particularly during the Kol Nidre, had a sense for the first time in years that God was reaching out to me. I’m not sure how else to explain it.

“After that, I began studying Torah and following mitzvot. I have a long way to go and am probably about at the level of a seven-year-old boy, but I am continually welcomed and encouraged by all members of the Jewish community that I meet. That is my story in short.

“Now for my question. I need to pick a Hebrew name. Can you see any serious problem in these turbulent times with a convert to Judaism taking the name Yishmael ben Zion? Yishmael means ‘God will hear.’ I believe that and connect to it strongly. God will hear me when I call. God hears the Jewish people when they call. Anyone who thinks of the survival of the Jewish people after a few thousand years of hardships can conclude, I believe, that God has heard them. And God will hear us as we pray and work for peace in Israel.

“Two rabbis have commented that, given the association of the name Yishmael with Muslims, that people may construe taking this name as some kind of leftist political statement. The wife of a rabbi suggested adding ben Zion to make it clear that, above all, I consider myself a son of Zion and that my lot is with the Jewish people, that ‘wherever you go, I shall go.’

“I am so very grateful that you have taken the time to read my emails. I realize that you may have opinions about non-Orthodox conversions and converts, but I write in the hope that you will look on me as a young Jewish boy that must be taught to follow mitzvot and study Torah.

“Thank you again for your time and I wish you all the best.”

This, except for some minor editing for brevity, is the email I received. Before I post my response, which was written and sent some time ago, I would like to hear from others regarding the points this man has raised. How do I, as an Orthodox rabbi, view this obviously sincere man and his non-Orthodox conversion? And what do I think of the name Yishmael ben Zion?