Is a Convert Surrendering His True Self?
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Question:
I saw in the Daily Dose:
But when you make your goal in life to be someone you are not, or to be part of a people that are not your own, that is the ultimate surrender. There is no greater captivity, for your essence and being have been locked away in a dark cell.
Can this also be seen as a shot across the bow directed towards a potential convert?
Response:
If I can divert just a bit, that will help to answer your question: The Talmud never talks about a "gentile that comes to convert" but "a convert that comes to convert." In English that makes no sense—how could you be called a convert even before you have converted?
But in Hebrew, the concept is entirely different. The word is "ger," and it does not imply being converted or transformed from one person into something else. Rather, a ger is simply one who comes from another people to live amongst us. Simply put, a ger is someone who comes to join the Jewish People.
So now, the language of the Talmud makes sense: It means, "A ger who comes to live amongst you." This is who he always was—always someone who did not fit in. He did not fit into the place from whence he comes, and now he comes from there to fit in among us. Eventually, he will be absorbed and become completely one of us—for, like himself, we are the people that never fit in amongst the nations. Perhaps it is for this that we are enjoined repeatedly not to remind the ger of his past and to accept him with no distinctions. For he was truly always one of us.
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Latest Comments:
Dear Erika in Dallas, I am like you a convert to Judaism since 1991. And like you I also seen the change in some people, not all, when I say I am a convert. I have come to the conclusion that the difficulty some Jews have to accept us as equals says more about them than about Us. I figure that when we converts come along we are challenging other Jews own experience and understanding of being jewish. Of course not nearly everybody and as a whole I feel welcome and completely at home. Can just agree with the writing of the Rabbi, that it is not a change to convert, it is coming home.
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I'm a convert, and when I tell other Jews this little fact about me, they look at me in a completely different light, and essentially don't take me seriously. Why is it so highly frowned upon to be a convert within some Jewish communities?
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To Anonymous, Melbourne
I was so happy to read your post, and want to say, "baruch habah", welcome, to you and your very special and precious family. About your neshama,as far as I know, what Shoshanah, Jerusalem, wrote (see above Dec.2010) is correct, and it could be that your Jewish neshama was already within you .
As to your question about your nehama being a vehicle for another, as far as I know that is NOT the case with converts, and your neshama has a spark of Avraham and Sarah, a neshama created by them.
As for the rest of us, there is something called "gilgul", which I think is what you are referring to. This means that if, G-d forbid, I did not complete my purpose here my first time around I will be given a second chance and even a third, to complete it, and I will have my same neshama back again. This is something we all hope will not happen but YOU do not have to concern yourself with this because you, as a convert,have your own new neshama.
With best wishes
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If you are ridiculing your own self (from within), you are questioning your decisions, which is A DECIDEDLY JEWISH trait. We all do that. Smile, and enjoy. You're one of us.
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I am 52yrs old and converted with my husband and 6 of our 8 children. each one of us had our free choice. I knew from the time I was born that I was born outside of my family, that I was a square peg forced to try and fit into a round hole. It was very painful. I have always been different and could never find a place to fit I was always an outsider., I have felt there was something inside me yearning and searching. Even my daughter who didn't convert who once told me, "mom give up, its not real you will never find what you are looking for", has said to me, "you found it, you raised us with what you had inside that didn't come from the way you were raised". I just read an article that explained that my neshama given me to be an interface for another blemished soul. Is my own neshama JUST a vehicle for another. It is a difficult painful journey through life to find one's true place of belonging. I am at peace, finally at home.Please can you explain?
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"I am facing a lot of ridicule from within and without." Please explain, my dear, what you mean. Who is making fun of you and for what? I don't get it.
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Perhaps you would like to know a very beautiful fact, that when a person converts he is given a new neshama (soul) , a Jewish soul, and this is why he feels such a holiness and closeness to G-d. And from where does this soul come? From Avraham and Sarah.
Of course, this refers only to REAL converts who accepted upon themselves Torah law, because conversion without the Torah that was given to us at Mt.Sinai is not a valid conversion at all.
With best wishes to all of you and welcome to Am Yisrael, the Jewish People!!!!!!!
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i'm notified of all recent comments concerning this. As a Gentile in conversion I appreciate everyone who has commented and reaffirmed my conviction and beliefs. Thank you all.
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Dear natasha Steyn,
Could you explain what you mean:
"Seems those around you can see it too but no one is saying what the difference is but boy do they react to it.".
Something just happend when I read this....I hope that you will react.
Thank you very much
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I have heard that most Rabbis try to discourage conversion because it is NOT easy to be Jewish. You will have people not liking you because you're Jewish and no other reason. If you can take the discouragement and rise above it, you'll make it totally! Welcome to the fold.
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