A question to Jews?

Question

I understand Jewish people are God's chosen people, and I respect the Jewish religion greatly. Yet one thing I don't understand is why this religion is so secluded. It seems like they don't want any people in their religion, only the ones that are born Jewish. I know you can be Jewish and not be born Jewish, but you have to go through so much more if your not born Jewish to just be considered one. Why do they do this, why can't they just accept people from all walks of life into their religion. This is what confuses me.

Answer 1

Jews don't go looking for converts as do some Christians and all Muslims. Jews make conversion to Judaism hard to make sure it doesn't done for mundane reasons- such as converting just because you spouse is Jewish, etc.

Answer 2

Actually it's kind of the opposite. It's not the Jews that don't want people in their religion, but the Christians who try and force people into theirs.

Jews simply give people the free will that they deserve and if anyone wants to convert, than they can be free to do so. The fact that we believe that someone isn't Jewish unless he was born Jewish doesn't have anything to do with being secluded; it's just plainly true. However, if someone who just converted marries a Jewish women and then she has kids then they are considered Jewish.

Answer 3

Good question. I'm Jewish and I will try to explain in detail:

First, the "G-d's chosen people" concept as people usually think of it is not a Jewish concept, it is a Xtian one. In Judaism, that we're G-d's "chosen" only means that we chose to accept the Torah (most traditions say that G-d threatened to bury us under a mountain if we didn't, but we still made the choice.) Therefore, being G-d's "chosen" only means that we have more rules to follow than everyone else. It does not mean we are in any way better than any other people.

Secondly, this religion is secluded because we don't believe that people need to be Jewish to get anywhere in life. They don't need to be Jewish to get into paradise. We don't seek converts for this reason. Anyone can get into Paradise--non Jews only have to follow 7 commandments, whilst Jews have to follow 613.

Thirdly, as to why you have to go through so much to become a Jew: this is actually a really simple answer. One Jew affects the outcome of the whole. One Jew bears responsibility for all Jews. Many times in the Bible G-d says that Israel as a nation sinned--even today, many say that all of Israel observing one Shabbat perfectly will bring on the coming of the messiah. Judaism is not just a religion, it's a lifestyle. Once you become Jewish, your whole life changes, from what you wear to what you eat to what's the first thing you do in the morning to how you spend your days and vacation time. So, it's very easy to "mess up." When a person converts, we want to make sure they're 1) absolutely sure that this is what they want to do, since once they're Jewish there's no turning back 2) completely serious about it. We do not want to convert someone who is going to be all serious about it in the beginning and then halfway through say "I don't feel like being Jewish anymore. Besides, I'm only a convert." Because there is no "I'm only a convert." There is NO difference between a person who is born a Jew and one who converts. They are both Jews. Both equally responsible in the eyes of the L-rd.

We do accept people from all walks of life into our religion; rich, poor, black, white, purple, whatever, as long as they are willing to uphold our religion and commit themselves to it.

When you think about it that way, it's not so much to ask, is it?

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email or IM me.

Peace,
L.S.

Answer 4

Ok- hopefully this explanation is clear:

Converting others to Judaism is actually a massive responsibility for the person who is doing the conversion- and an activity which can lead them to erring and sinning themselves! Why? There is a commandment "Do not place as tumbling block before the blind" Its easy enough to understand at a literal level, but at a deeper level it also means to not do something that will cause another person to err and thus be worse off than they were before.

Where this comes into play is as follows: Everyone, regardless of religion, has a path to righteousness and a place in the world to come. For the non-Jews, if they behave in a manner that is in line with the 7 Noahide laws, then they will be righteous and merit a place in the world to come- for Jews, it is through the 613 commandments.

So, coming back to the first point- what is easier, to follow 7 laws or 613 laws? Its a no brainer- 7 laws are much easier to follow. So, when we convert somebody, we are giving them an additional 606 laws that previously did not apply to them previously. Its not just a stumbling block- its a concrete barrier across the road! The person doing the conversion has to educate the convertee well enough that they will know enough about the laws to undertake to follow them, and know how to do so at a practical level- if they don't, the person is going to err and thus the teacher is in violation of the commandment!

So making sure someone is serious about conversion is imperiative. If the person is not serious, and the teacher has not tested them, the teacher is in violation of the commandment and, additionally, has caused another person to sin. If the person is serious- then it is a massive mitzvah to bring them into Judaism.

So we do not evangelise- we have no desire to cause peopel to sin, or to sin ourselves. Since non-Jews can be righteous without being Jewish, we are happy to let them go their own way.

Answer 5

Well think of it like a job interview.

The person is only going to hire someone if he really wants to work there and he is committed in what he will be doing.

Judaism only wants sincere converts that are in it for the long haul. The reason for this is because according to Judaism once someone becomes Jewish they are always Jewish regardless of what happens latter.

As such you only want someone who is really committed. The only way to show that is if the person is willing to stick with a long process, which shows them what is like to practice Judaism and what they will be getting themselves into.

That way they can make an informed decision if they want to convert.

Answer 6

I don't know much about other religions, but Judiasm believes that conversion should be very difficult. Rabbis often turn people down two or three times before consenting to teach them, in order to be sure the person truly wishes to convert. If you aren't going to follow the religion and believe in it, what's the point of converting? That's how most Jews think.

Answer 7

first, they are G-d's chosen people only that G-d chose them to follow the Torah, that is it. Second, anyone can convert to Judaism as long as they are sincere and are willing to follow the Torah. Judaism is looking for quality, not quantity.

Answer 8

To correct "uzi commando":
Islam does not go out to look for converts, Such is prohibited in the Holy Qur'an.
The vast majority of converts to Islam began by reading the Holy Qur'an or a translation of the same, learning about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the teachings of Islam and then they converted.
No Muslim will come to your door unless invited to do so. they do not stand on street corners and tell every passerby that he or she will go to hell unless they convert, nor do they put religious tracts on the window of your car.

Ma'a salaam.

Answer 9

Converts have always been accepted in Judaism. Ruth was the first convert.

Non-Jews are bound by only the 7 Noahide laws. Those who wish to "sign on" to the Jewish Covenant (contract/testament) must agree to follow 613 commandments with no special rewards. Why would we try find more signatories for the Jewish covenant when it's not necessary for "salvation." All the righteous of the nations have a share in the world to come.

The Chosen People
by Rabbi Shraga Simmons
Appreciating an often-misunderstood idea.
The Jewish nation is often referred to as "the Chosen People."
Many people (including Jews) are uncomfortable with this idea. They perceive the concept of a "Chosen People" as racist and mindful of the Nazi concept of a supreme "Aryan" nation. It appears to contradict the accepted Western ideal of all people being equal before God.
Is the Jewish concept of choseness racist?
When the Torah refers to the Jewish people as "chosen," it is not in any way asserting that Jews are racially superior. Americans, Russians, Europeans, Asians and Ethiopians are all part of the Jewish people. It is impossible to define choseness as anything related to race, since Jews are racially diverse.
Yet while the term "Chosen People" (Am Nivchar) does not mean racially superior, choseness does imply a special uniqueness.
What is this uniqueness?
Historically, it goes back to Abraham. Abraham lived in a world steeped in idolatry, which he concluded was contradicted by the reality of design in nature.
So Abraham came to a belief in God, and took upon himself the mission of teaching others of the monotheistic ideal. Abraham was even willing to suffer persecution for his beliefs. After years of enormous effort, dedication and a willingness to accept the responsibility to be God's representative in this world, God chose Abraham and his descendents to be the teachers of this monotheistic message.
In other words it is not so much that God chose the Jews; it is more accurate that the Jews (through Abraham) chose God.
Choseness was not part of God's "original plan." Initially all of humanity was to serve the role of God's messengers, but after the fall of Adam, humanity lost that privilege, and it was open for grabs. Only Abraham chose to take the mantel. If others would have (and they were offered the choice), they too would have joined in this special covenant which was sealed upon the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
If a privilege is offered to everyone willing to pay the necessary price, nobody can protest that those willing to make the extra effort are being shown favoritism. For example: It is reasonable that an employee who agrees to work overtime, attend training seminars, and manage special projects, should be entitled to a performance bonus -- particularly if each employee was given the same opportunity.
The essence of being chosen means responsibility. It is a responsibility to change the world -- not by converting everyone to Judaism, but by living as a model community upheld by ethics, morals and beliefs of one God. In that way, we can influence the rest of mankind, a "light unto the nations" (Isaiah 42:6).
Judaism is Universal
Further, Judaism is not exclusionary. A human being need not to be Jewish to reach a high spiritual level. Enoch "walked with God," and Noah had quite a high level of relationship, though neither were Jewish. Our tradition is that all of the 70 nations must function together and play an integral part in that "being" called humanity.
According to Judaism (Talmud - Sanhedrin 58b), any person can achieve a place in the World to Come by faithfully observing the seven basic laws of humanity. These seven laws are named the "Laws of Noah," since all humans are descended from Noah:
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.
Torah is for all humanity. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, he specifically asked God to heed the prayer of non-Jews who come to the Temple (1-Kings 8:41-43). The Temple was the universal center of spirituality, which the prophet Isaiah referred to as a "house of prayer for all nations." Non-Jews were welcome to bring offerings to the Temple as well. In fact, the service in the Holy Temple during the week of Sukkot featured a total of 70 bull offerings, corresponding to each of the 70 nations of the world. In fact, the Talmud says that if the Romans would have realized how much they were benefiting from the Temple, they never would have destroyed it!
Most other religions say that non-believers are condemned to eternal damnation. Even the calendar systems of Christianity and Islam reflect an exclusionary philosophy; each begins with the birth of their respective religion. The Jewish calendar, on the other hand, begins with the creation of Adam, the first man, teaching us the intrinsic value of every human, even though the Jewish religion was not yet born.
For this reason, Jews do not proselytize in search of converts. One can still merit a place in heaven, no conversion necessary.
Conversion
An important component of Judaism's non-exclusionary approach is that any person -- regardless of national or racial background -- can choose to accept the Torah and become part of the Jewish nation. Indeed, some of the greatest names in Jewish history - Ruth, the ancestor of King David, and Onkelos the Talmudic Sage -- were converts to Judaism.
According to the Code of Jewish Law (the "Shulchan Aruch"), there are three requirements for a valid conversion (paralleling the Jewish experience at Mount Sinai):
1) Mitzvot - The convert must believe in God and the divinity of the Torah, as well as accept to observe all 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah. This includes observance of Shabbat, Kashrut, etc., as detailed in the Code of Jewish Law, the authoritative source for Jewish observance.
2) Milah - Male converts must undergo circumcision by a qualified "Mohel."
3) Mikveh - All converts must immerse in the Mikveh, a ritual bath linked to a reservoir of rain water.
All of the above must be done before a halachically-valid rabbinical court of three Jewish men who themselves believe in God, accept the divinity of the Torah, and observe the mitzvot.
Author Biography:
Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He has worked in the fields of journalism and public relations, and is now the Co-editor of Aish.com in Jerusalem.
http://tinyurl.com/y2tymh
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Answer 10

Because of thir ego