תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: גֵּר שֶׁבָּא לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: מָה רָאִיתָ שֶׁבָּאתָ לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר? אִי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה דְּווּיִים, דְּחוּפִים, סְחוּפִים וּמְטוֹרָפִין, וְיִסּוּרִין בָּאִין עֲלֵיהֶם? אִם אוֹמֵר: יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי, וְאֵינִי כְּדַאי — מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד. וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ מִקְצָת מִצְוֹת קַלּוֹת וּמִקְצָת מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת, וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עֲוֹן לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעְשַׂר עָנִי. וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עׇנְשָׁן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאתָ לְמִדָּה זוֹ, אָכַלְתָּ חֵלֶב — אִי אַתָּה עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת. חִלַּלְתָּ שַׁבָּת — אִי אַתָּה עָנוּשׁ סְקִילָה. וְעַכְשָׁיו, אָכַלְתָּ חֵלֶב — עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת, חִלַּלְתָּ שַׁבָּת — עָנוּשׁ סְקִילָה. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמּוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עׇנְשָׁן שֶׁל מִצְוֹת, כָּךְ מוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: הֱוֵי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֵינוֹ עָשׂוּי אֶלָּא לְצַדִּיקִים, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל
The Sages taught: A convert who comes to convert, in the present time, they say to him: What did you see that caused you to come to convert? Don’t you know that Israel, at the present time, is anguished, suppressed, despised, and harassed, and hardships are visited upon them? If he says: I know, and I am unworthy, they accept him immediately. And they inform him of some of the light mitzvot and some of the heavy mitzvot, and they inform him of the sin of neglecting gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corner of the field, and about the poor man’s tithe. And they inform him of the punishment for transgressing the mitzvot. They say to him: Be aware that before you came to this status, had you eaten forbidden fat, you would not be punished by karet. Had you profaned Shabbat, you would not be punished by stoning. But now, if you have eaten forbidden fat you are punished by karet, and if you have profaned Shabbat, you are punished by stoning. And just as they inform him about the punishment for transgressing the mitzvot, so too, they inform him about the reward granted for fulfilling them. They say to him: Be aware that the World-to-Come is made only for the righteous, and Israel, at the present time, are not able to receive --
לֹא רוֹב טוֹבָה וְלֹא רוֹב פּוּרְעָנוּת. וְאֵין מַרְבִּין עָלָיו, וְאֵין מְדַקְדְּקִין עָלָיו. קִיבֵּל — מָלִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד. נִשְׁתַּיְּירוּ בּוֹ צִיצִין הַמְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַמִּילָה — חוֹזְרִים וּמָלִין אוֹתוֹ שְׁנִיָּה. נִתְרַפֵּא — מַטְבִּילִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד. וּשְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים עוֹמְדִים עַל גַּבָּיו וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ מִקְצָת מִצְוֹת קַלּוֹת וּמִקְצָת מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת. טָבַל וְעָלָה — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְכׇל דְּבָרָיו. אִשָּׁה — נָשִׁים מוֹשִׁיבוֹת אוֹתָהּ בְּמַיִם עַד צַוָּארָהּ, וּשְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים עוֹמְדִים לָהּ מִבַּחוּץ, וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתָהּ מִקְצָת מִצְוֹת קַלּוֹת וּמִקְצָת מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת. אֶחָד גֵּר, וְאֶחָד עֶבֶד מְשׁוּחְרָר. וּבִמְקוֹם שֶׁנִּדָּה טוֹבֶלֶת, שָׁם גֵּר וְעֶבֶד מְשׁוּחְרָר טוֹבְלִין. וְכׇל דָּבָר שֶׁחוֹצֵץ בִּטְבִילָה, חוֹצֵץ בְּגֵר וּבְעֶבֶד מְשׁוּחְרָר וּבְנִדָּה.
neither an abundance of good nor an abundance of calamities. And they do not overwhelm him, and they are not exacting with him. If he accepts, then they circumcise him immediately. If there still remain on him shreds that invalidate the circumcision, they circumcise him again a second. When he is healed, they immerse him immediately, and two scholars stand over him and inform him of some of the light mitzvot and some of the heavy mitzvot. Once he has immersed and emerged, he is like a born Jew in every sense. A woman -- women seat her in the water up to her neck, and two scholars stand outside, and they inform her of some of the light mitzvot and some of the heavy mitzvot. The procedure applies for both a convert and an emancipated slave. And in the same place that a menstruating woman immerses, there a convert and an emancipated slave also immerse. And anything that interposes with regard to immersion interposes for a convert, and for an emancipated slave, and for a menstruating woman.
אָמַר מָר: גֵּר שֶׁבָּא לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: מָה רָאִיתָ שֶׁבָּאתָ לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר? וּמוֹדִיעִים אוֹתוֹ מִקְצָת מִצְוֹת קַלּוֹת וּמִקְצָת מִצְוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת. מַאי טַעְמָא? דְּאִי פָּרֵישׁ — נִפְרוֹשׁ. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ: קָשִׁים גֵּרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּסַפַּחַת, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְנִלְוָה הַגֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִסְפְּחוּ עַל בֵּית יַעֲקֹב״. וּמוֹדִיעִים אוֹתוֹ עֲוֹן לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעְשַׂר עָנִי. מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בֶּן נֹחַ נֶהֱרָג עַל פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה — וְלֹא נִיתָּן לְהִשָּׁבוֹן. (וּמוֹדִיעִים אוֹתוֹ עֲוֹן שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה) וְאֵין מַרְבִּים עָלָיו וְאֵין מְדַקְדְּקִים עָלָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מַאי קְרָאָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַתֵּרֶא כִּי מִתְאַמֶּצֶת הִיא לָלֶכֶת אִתָּהּ וַתֶּחְדַּל לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיהָ״. אֲמַרָה לַהּ: אֲסִיר לַן תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת — ״בַּאֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכִי אֵלֵךְ״. אֲסִיר לַן יִחוּד — ״בַּאֲשֶׁר תָּלִינִי אָלִין״. מִפַּקְדִינַן שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִצְוֹת — ״עַמֵּךְ עַמִּי״. אֲסִיר לַן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה — ״וֵאלֹהַיִךְ אֱלֹהָי״. אַרְבַּע מִיתוֹת נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין — ״בַּאֲשֶׁר תָּמוּתִי אָמוּת״. שְׁנֵי קְבָרִים נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין — ״וְשָׁם אֶקָּבֵר״. מִיָּד, ״וַתֵּרֶא כִּי מִתְאַמֶּצֶת הִיא וְגוֹ׳״
The Master said in the baraita: A convert who comes to convert -- they say to him: What did you see that caused you to come to convert? And they inform him of some of the light mitzvot and some of the heavy mitzvot. What is the reason? So that if he is going to withdraw, let him withdraw, as Rabbi Ḥelbo said: Converts are as hard to the Jewish people as a scab [sappaḥat], as it is written: “And the convert shall join himself with them, and they shall cleave [venispeḥu] to the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 14:1). And they inform him of the sin of neglecting gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corner of the field, and about the poor man’s tithe. What is the reason? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because a gentile is executed even on account of stealing less than the value of a peruta, and an item that a gentile steals is not subject to being returned. And they inform him of the sin of neglecting gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corner of the field. And they do not overwhelm him, and they are not exacting with him. Rabbi Elazar said: What is the verse from which this ruling is derived? As it is written: “And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking with her” (Ruth 1:18). Naomi said to her: On Shabbat, it is prohibited for us to go beyond the Shabbat limit. Ruth responded: “Where you go, I shall go” (Ruth 1:16). Naomi said to her: It is forbidden for us to be alone together. Ruth responded: “Where you lodge, I shall lodge” (Ruth 1:16). Naomi said to her: We are commanded to observe six hundred and thirteen mitzvot. Ruth responded: “Your people are my people” (Ruth 1:16). Naomi said to her: Idolatrous worship is forbidden to us. Ruth responded: “Your God is my God” (Ruth 1:16). Naomi said to her: Four types of capital punishment were handed over to a court. Ruth responded: “Where you die, I shall die” (Ruth 1:17). Naomi said to her: Two burial grounds were handed over to the court. Ruth responded: “And there I shall be buried” (Ruth 1:17). Immediately following this dialogue, the verse states: “And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded she left off speaking with her” (Ruth 1:18).
קִיבֵּל — מָלִין אוֹתוֹ מִיָּד. מַאי טַעְמָא — שַׁהוֹיֵי מִצְוָה לָא מְשַׁהֵינַן.
***
וּשְׁנֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים עוֹמְדִים עַל גַּבָּיו. וְהָא אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גֵּר צָרִיךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה! הָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְתַנָּא: תְּנִי, שְׁלֹשָׁה. טָבַל וְעָלָה הֲרֵי הוּא כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְכׇל דְּבָרָיו. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? דְּאִי הָדַר בֵּיהּ וּמְקַדֵּשׁ בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשׁוּמָּד קָרֵינָא בֵּיהּ, וְקִידּוּשָׁיו קִידּוּשִׁין.
If he accepts, then they circumcise him immediately. What is the reason? We do not delay a mitzva.
***
And two Torah scholars stand over him. But didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said that a convert requires three? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to the tanna reciting the mishna: teach three. Once he has immersed and emerged, he is a Jew in every sense. With regard to what halakha? That if he reverts back, and so if he betroths a Jewish woman, although he is considered to be an apostate Jew, his betrothal is a valid betrothal.
רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אִיקְּלַע לְגַבְלָא. חֲזָא בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּמְעַבְּרָן מִגֵּרִים שֶׁמָּלוּ וְלֹא טָבְלוּ, וַחֲזָא חַמְרָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּמָזְגִי גּוֹיִם וְשָׁתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַחֲזָא תּוֹרְמוֹסִין דְּשָׁלְקִי גּוֹיִם וְאָכְלִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא אֲמַר לְהוּ וְלָא מִידֵּי. אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: צֵא וְהַכְרֵז עַל בְּנֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם מַמְזֵרִים, וְעַל יֵינָם מִשּׁוּם יֵין נֶסֶךְ, וְעַל תּוֹרְמוֹסָן מִשּׁוּם בִּישּׁוּלֵי גוֹיִם, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן בְּנֵי תוֹרָה.
עַל בְּנֵיהֶן שֶׁהֵם מַמְזֵרִים — רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְטַעְמֵיהּ. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לְעוֹלָם אֵין גֵּר עַד שֶׁיָּמוּל וְיִטְבּוֹל. וְכֵיוָן דְּלָא טָבֵיל, גּוֹי הוּא. וְאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גּוֹי וְעֶבֶד הַבָּא עַל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל — הַוָּלָד מַמְזֵר. וְעַל יֵינָם מִשּׁוּם יֵין נֶסֶךְ — מִשּׁוּם: ״לֵךְ לֵךְ, אָמְרִין נְזִירָא, סְחוֹר סְחוֹר, לְכַרְמָא לָא תִּקְרַב״.
וְעַל תּוֹרְמוֹסָן מִשּׁוּם בִּשּׁוּלֵי גוֹיִם — לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָן בְּנֵי תוֹרָה. הָא בְּנֵי תוֹרָה שְׁרֵי? וְהָאָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: כָּל הַנֶּאֱכָל כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא חַי — אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם בִּשּׁוּלֵי גוֹיִם. וְהָא תּוֹרְמוֹס אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא חַי, וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם בִּשּׁוּלֵי גוֹיִם! רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּאִידַּךְ לִישָּׁנָא סְבִירָא לֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: כֹּל שֶׁאֵין עוֹלֶה עַל שׁוּלְחַן מְלָכִים לֶאֱכוֹל בּוֹ אֶת הַפַּת — אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם בִּשּׁוּלֵי גוֹיִם, וְטַעְמָא דְּאֵינָן בְּנֵי תוֹרָה, הָא בְּנֵי תוֹרָה שְׁרֵי.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba once happened to come to Gavla. He saw Jewish women there who had become pregnant from converts who were circumcised but had not immersed; and he saw wine of Jews that gentiles were pouring, and Jews were drinking it; and he saw lupines that gentiles were cooking, and Jews were eating them; but he did not say anything to them. Later, he came before Rabbi Yoḥanan. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Go and make a declaration concerning their children that they are mamzerim, and concerning their wine that it is forbidden because it is like wine poured as an idolatrous libation, and concerning their lupines because they are food cooked by gentiles -- because they are not well-versed in Torah.
Concerning their children that they are mamzerim, Rabbi Yoḥanan conforms to his standard line of reasoning: As Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One is never considered a convert until he has been circumcised and has immersed. And since he had not immersed, he is considered a gentile. And Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: A gentile or a slave who engaged in intercourse with a Jewish woman -- the offspring is a mamzer. And concerning their wine -- because it is like wine poured as an idolatrous libation due to the maxim that: Go, go, we say to a nazirite, go around and go around, but do not come near to the vineyard.
And concerning their lupines -- because they are food cooked by gentiles, because they are not well versed in Torah. Were they students of the Torah, would they be permitted? Didn’t Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak say in the name of Rav: Any food that is eaten as it is -- raw -- is not subject to the prohibition of food cooked by gentiles? But a lupine is not eaten as it is -- raw -- and therefore it is subject to the prohibition of food cooked by gentiles. Rabbi Yoḥanan holds in accordance with the other version of what Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak said in the name of Rav: Any food that does not appear on the table of kings to eat bread with it is not subject to the prohibition of food cooked by gentiles. And consequently, the only reason to make a declaration prohibiting the residents of Gavla from eating them is because they are not well versed in Torah. To those well versed in Torah, it is permitted.
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