Professional Documents
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PERSPECTIVES ON CONVERSION
Special Symposium Shavuot 5777
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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series Shavuot 5777
of Shabbat, kashrut, tzniut, tefilla. Experiencing these events have been covenant and this imprecation, but with
He then asks about her commitment and continue to be among the most whoever is here, standing with us today
to Jewish community: living in a inspiring experiences of my life. As before Hashem, our G-d, and with
Jewish community and being actively Rabbi Romm asks the young women whoever is not here with us today.
involved in a community that is to agree to a lifelong commitment Devarim 29:13-14
committed to Torah Judaism and to Torah and mitzvot, I find myself The Torah is a gift from G-d and
halacha. He asks if she is committed directing the very same questions to is ours for the taking, even if we
to raising her future children in a me. And as she agrees after each one, werent actually at Har Sinai. Just as
Jewish community conducive to I find myself agreeing silently, noting Moshe urges the next generation to
Torah growth and sending those that over the course of my life no one take ownership of their Torah after
children to Jewish schools that ever asked me those questions. they leave the supernatural bubble
embody those values. He asks about Moshe tells Bnei Yisrael at the of the midbar and enter the Land of
her commitment to her fellow man beginning of Sefer Devarim: Israel, we too must take ownership
and her commitment to mitzvot bein of our portion in Torah. It makes
adam lachaveiro, interpersonal mitzvot .
no difference whether we grew up
like tzedaka and chessed. Each loaded
with Torah or we didnt, whether
question begins with the identical .
our knowledge of Torah was taught
wording, By immersing at this time Hashem, our G-d, sealed a covenant
as the Old Testament or even if we
do you agree to And after each with us at Horeb. Not with our
learned the new one, at some point
question there is a pause, and the forefathers did Hashem seal this
in our lives each one of us must try to
woman responds with, I agree. The covenant, but with us we who are
reflect, take ownership of our Torah
questions culminate with the woman here, all of us alive today.
and commit ourselves actively, not
immersing herself in the waters of Devarim 5:2-3
just passively. Naaseh vnishma, we will
the mikva with the help of the female Toward the end of the Sefer Devarim, do and we will listen, is not confined
mikva attendant as the rabbis leave the he repeats this idea: to the national unilateral response
room. A few minutes later when she at Har Sinai over 3,000 years ago.
emerges Rabbi Romm gives her a mi
. Nobody is asking us the questions that
sheberach blessing and like any new the convert is asked before entering
Jewish neshama born into the Jewish
. the mikva, but our naaseh vnishma
people, she receives her Jewish name. can be manifested even in a silent I
Not with you alone do I seal this
agree, more than 3,000 years later. It
is most apropos to dedicate a Shavuot-
It makes no difference whether we grew up with themed publication to the topic of
Torah or we didnt, whether our knowledge of geirut. As we celebrate zman matan
Torateinu, the period of receiving the
Torah was taught as the Old Testament or even Torah, there is no better way to glean
inspiration than to look at those who
if we learned the new one, at some point in truly accepted the yoke of Torah in a
our lives each one of us must try to reflect, take very personal and profound way. On
this Shavuot, may we all experience
ownership of our Torah and commit ourselves our own matan Torah individually and
actively, not just passively. proactively.
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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series Shavuot 5777