Conversion: Difference between revisions
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→Conversion for Marriage
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#Initially a bet din may not convert for marriage but after the fact it is acceptable.<ref>Yevamot 24b</ref> | #Initially a bet din may not convert for marriage but after the fact it is acceptable.<ref>Yevamot 24b</ref> | ||
#Even in a circumstance where it is permitted to convert for marriage, the Bet Din should be vigilant in checking and ensuring that the convert for marriage accepts the mitzvot completely.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:159 notes that since many who convert for marriage don't really accept mitzvot one should be very weary of accepting such a convert. He says that the majority of converts for marriage in the 1950s in America are invalid because they didn't actually accept mitzvot.</ref> | #Even in a circumstance where it is permitted to convert for marriage, the Bet Din should be vigilant in checking and ensuring that the convert for marriage accepts the mitzvot completely.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:159 notes that since many who convert for marriage don't really accept mitzvot one should be very weary of accepting such a convert. He says that the majority of converts for marriage in the 1950s in America are invalid because they didn't actually accept mitzvot.</ref> | ||
#The din should investigate why the convert is converting and only accept him if his intentions are pure or bet din can assess that they will become pure.<ref>Achiezer 3:27 explains that the halacha that we check for the intentions didn't stop applying. The bet din has to decide if he's doing it for pure intent or for marriage or any other reason in which case they shouldn't accept him. If they can assess the situation and think that he will eventually accept Torah for pure intent it is acceptable to accept him even if his original intentions aren't pure. | #The din should investigate why the convert is converting and only accept him if his intentions are pure or bet din can assess that they will become pure.<ref>Achiezer 3:27 explains that the halacha that we check for the intentions didn't stop applying. The bet din has to decide if he's doing it for pure intent or for marriage or any other reason in which case they shouldn't accept him. If they can assess the situation and think that he will eventually accept Torah for pure intent it is acceptable to accept him even if his original intentions aren't pure. Achiezer 3:26:2 suggests that if it is evident to the bet din that his intent isn't pure then they can't accept the convert initially. However, if it isn't clear even after investigation then they can.</ref> | ||
Achiezer 3:26:2 suggests that if it is evident to the bet din that his intent isn't pure then they can't accept the convert initially. However, if it isn't clear even after investigation then they can. | #Some poskim hold that it isn't considered for marriage if either way they're going to continue to stay married even though she remains non-Jewish.<ref>Achiezer 3:26:7</ref> | ||
#Also, according to the decision of the bet din it is possible to accept a convert for marriage if the consequences are that potentially the husband might be turned away if his "wife" can't convert.<ref><ref>Achiezer 3:26:7 based on Rav Shlomo Kluger</ref> | |||
==Milah for Baby Mistakenly Assumed to Be Jewish== | ==Milah for Baby Mistakenly Assumed to Be Jewish== | ||
#The Mohel himself is not trusted to say that the milah was done for conversion, he would need witnesses for that.<ref>Igrot Moshe 2:128 writes that the mohel isn't trusted to say it was for gerut. He needs another witness so that there's at least two witnesses. Anyway, there should be three for a bet din. He doesn't rely on a safek safeka of the Rach and maybe the mohel did it for conversion.</ref> Anyway, a bet din of three is necessary.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 268:3. Igrot Moshe YD 2:126 implies that the three people constituting the bet din need to be aware that they're watching a process of conversion and not thinking it is just a regular milah. However, they don't need to formally think that they're doing the conversion as the bet din.</ref> | #The Mohel himself is not trusted to say that the milah was done for conversion, he would need witnesses for that.<ref>Igrot Moshe 2:128 writes that the mohel isn't trusted to say it was for gerut. He needs another witness so that there's at least two witnesses. Anyway, there should be three for a bet din. He doesn't rely on a safek safeka of the Rach and maybe the mohel did it for conversion.</ref> Anyway, a bet din of three is necessary.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 268:3. Igrot Moshe YD 2:126 implies that the three people constituting the bet din need to be aware that they're watching a process of conversion and not thinking it is just a regular milah. However, they don't need to formally think that they're doing the conversion as the bet din.</ref> | ||
