Could someone shed some lights on these questions about Judaism?

Question

I've always been surprised by the reduced ammount of Jews around the world, compared to the other religions.
And I recently, I read on this board that Jews don't try to convert others. Why is that?
Supposing I wanted to convert to Judaism, wouldn't I be allowed to become Jewish?

I would also like to pose another question.

From what I've read, Jesus does not play any role at all in Judaism.

Since Jesus is known for having abolished some Mosaic laws, then I assume that Judaism must be as intolerant as Islam in some issues, and the punishment for adultery might be stoning.

Am I right?

And is this applied?

By the way, does religion have any influence on Israel's national laws? (Is Israel a secular state?)

Answer 1

I will follow up on baryisrael's and gratvol's comments:

1) The size of a court that could mete out capital punishment was 71 judges, and at that time it was decreed that a court which sentenced even one person to death in a generation was being too strict.

2) Yes, you would absolutely be allowed to convert to Judaism. All branches of Judaism welcome converts. We do not actively proselytize because that was never part of the Jewish faith.

Judaism does not to convert those not of the religion because that would imply that everybody needs to be Jewish in order to make a relationship with God, participate in the Torah's vision of repairing the world, and "get to heaven." Yet this is not so.

The Jewish idea is that the Torah of Moses is a truth for all humanity, whether Jewish or not. The Torah presents seven mitzvot--seven laws--for non-Jews to observe. These seven laws are the pillars of human civilization, and are named the "Seven Laws of Noah". They are:

1) Do not murder.
2) Do not steal.
3) Do not worship false gods.
4) Do not be sexually immoral.
5) Do not eat the limb of an animal before it is killed.
6) Do not curse God.
7) Set up courts and bring offenders to justice.


We believe that any human being who faithfully observes these laws earns a proper place in heaven.

3) You are correct, Jesus plays no part in Judaism. We recognize him as a rabbi, a teacher, and nothing more.

4) As with all religions, some extremists take things too far. Judaism has its share as well, although as far as I know even among the ultra-conservative Jews death sentences are not meted out for sins such as adultery.

5) Yes, religion has a significant influence on Israel's national laws.

Answer 2

The answer for why we do not try to convert people is long and complicated, but in a nut shell its because we believe that a person dose not need to practice Judaism and he can still receive reward, unlike Christianity that teaches non believers will be damned to hell.

As such a person can convert to Judaism its just Jews will not try to push him into doing it. He will do so only if he really wants.

Death penalty punishments are complicated in Jewish law and for several reasons they have not been in use for the last several hundred years.

oh and yeas religion dose have an influence in the laws of the state of Israel. Though it mostly has to do with things like marriage and divorce and kosher certification.

Answer 3

1. Small Number of Jews?
Unlike most other religions, Judaism doesn't teach "join us or be damned!" On the contrary, Judaism says it's better to be a good non-Jew than to become a Jew, become bound by a much greater number of commandments, and fail to obey them.
A good discussion of what Judaism considers G-d's commandments to the non-Jew can be found in Chaim Clorfene and Yakov Rogalsky's book "Path of the Righteous Gentile" -- it's in print, but also available online starting from http://moshiach.com/action/morality/in-depth.php
Interested in converting? Then you have to learn the laws Judaism has for Jews, and go to a Jewish religious court (generally made up by three rabbis) to request conversion -- which may or may not be granted, depending on individual circumstances.

2. Punishment in Jewish Law?
In theory, there are many sins for which a Jew could be sentenced to death. In practice, the requirements for doing so under Jewish law are *extremely* strict (e.g. the sinner must be warned by witnesses that he is about to commit a capital crime and verbally acknowledge that he knows that -- otherwise a court cannot sentence him to death), and I don't think an actual death sentence has been handed down for at least 2000 years. In fact, Jewish courts gave up the right to impose death sentences at that time. (And I've forgotten whether the court for a capital crime had to have 23 judges or 71 judges, but in either case there was only one such court in all Israel.)

3. Religion in the State of Israel?
Jewish religious courts have jurisdiction over Jewish marriages and divorces. Marriages performed overseas, whether by rabbis or civil authorities, are legally recognized by the state of Israel, which is secular.

Hope this helps!

Bar Yisrael

Answer 4

Judaism accepts converts who come of their own free will but does not seek out converts.
Jesus does not play any role in Judaism. Modern Judaism does not follow the Bible literally (as in stoning in punishment for adultery) but rather as it is interpreted by the Oral Law and Rabbis throughout the generations.
Religion does have some influence on Israeli law in matters of personal status (marriage, divorce, etc.) For non-Jews these matters are conducted according to Islamic or Christian law, not according to Judaism. Criminal and other civil law is not based Jewish law.

Answer 5

Man, do you have a lot of questions! I only have a few answers.

Some religions just don't go around trying to convert other people to their religions. The Jewish faith is one of these.

If you want to convert to Judaism, yes, you can convert.

Jesus was Jewish, but had different ideas on what Jewish people should be doing. Jewish people do not believe he is "the Messiah" they are waiting for, so he doesn't figure into Judaism.

And that's all I know. Someone else will need to answer your other questions.

Answer 6

I have been to Synagogue and and was accepted as a possible convert. Orthodox Jewish worshipers won't try to convert you,you have to be born Orthodox. It all depends on the Rabbi.

Answer 7

I be brief on this one


CAN YOU LIVE BY THE LAWS OF ISLAM OR JUDAISM

AND NOT GO TO JAIL IN ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD


NOOOOO

Public stoning without court is refuted everywhere and if not

it's a 3rd world country so impoverished that many are

praying to die....