Questions for rabbi??

Question

I'm supposed to meet with my new rabbi on Thursday regarding converting to Judaism. I've been studying for years and minored in Jewish History. What would be some great things to bring up to him during our meeting?

By the way, the last time we met he said that the goal was that when I felt that when people asked me what relgiion I was/or said something about the Jewish people, that I would feel on a gut level that I am Jewish. Should I say that to him if he asks again, or would that be rude? It would be the truth, but I don't want to cause offense!

I haven't believed that Jesus was the messiah in over 10 years, if I ever did.

Martin, why would I ask him questions that I can answer myself?

The funny thing is that I'd say the same thing to someone who was interested in converting, but I feel like it's something I'm being "pulled" to do.

Answer 1

Why don't you ask him to give you the interpretation of these verses?

JPS Isaiah 9:6 (9:5) For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele- joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom; 7 (9:6) That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth perform this.

Psalms 2:7 I will tell of the decree. The LORD said to me, "You are my son. Today I have become your father. 8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 10 Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

HNV Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message? and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we didn't respect him.

4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought our shalom was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn't open his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn't open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who [among them] considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the disobedience of my people to whom the stroke [was due]?

9 They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Micah 5:2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from ancient days.

EDIT: Why would you ask him something you can answer your self? Can you?

Isaiah 6:8 I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!" 9 He said, "Go, and tell this people, 'You hear indeed, but don't understand; and you see indeed, but don't perceive.' 10 Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed."

Zechariah 12:9 It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Yerushalayim. 10 I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.

Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Yisra'el, and with the house of Yehudah: 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says the LORD.

33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisra'el after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: 34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

Answer 2

Don't worry about asking the "right" questions, just ask him the questions that you want answered. If there is anything you want to say or ask that you don't think of at the time, you can always do it later.

And tell him the truth, or there is really no point to the meeting.

Relax! He's not grading you.

Answer 3

If you believe in Jesus Christ you cannot be a Jew....you would be a Messianic Jew, and those are not accepted by fellow Jews as being Jews.

Answer 4

as a jew, i find it very hard to understand why anyone would want to convert into judaism.

personally...id advise against it