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On matrilineal descent in Judaism

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Yaakov Mendel:

--- Quote from: edu on June 27, 2011, 03:57:25 PM ---If you look at Ezra 10:3 the focus is on the fact that the children had non-Jewish mothers. No mention is made in the verse of idol worship and no exception is made for children too young to have committed idol worship.
But on a deeper issue, it was given over to the Sanhedrin to interpret the Tanach and if they interpret that the children of non-jewish mothers aren't Jewish, that is Jewish Law.
Someone who is not on the Sanhedrin and who also has a vested interest as you wrote in another thread, certainly does not have the authority, to interpret the Tanach differently on Halachic issues.

--- End quote ---

Of course I don’t have the authority. I am just thinking and debating with people who are interested in Judaism. I am not saying I am the new Sanhedrin. I don’t claim to define new rules for Judaism on my own, that would be ridiculous.

Yaakov Mendel:

--- Quote from: Zelhar on June 27, 2011, 05:10:43 PM ---Look if someone is given a Jewish education from birth, then he/she could easily convert If they really want to be Jewish.

--- End quote ---

Orthodox conversions are not easy at all. It's like they want to punish the father through the child. Let there be no misunderstanding : I am not at all in favour of easy conversions and I fully understand that true motivation should be tested. But I prefer the conservative Judaism way : while the Massorti make sure that the conversion process is demanding as it should be, they don't treat the child of a Jewish father who has been imbued with Jewish culture and tradition like a complete stranger or even as a hostile, as orthodox Rabbis often do.

edu:
Yaakov Mendel wrote:

--- Quote ---Orthodox conversions are not easy at all. It's like they want to punish the father through the child.
--- End quote ---
On the contrary, the Rabbis are doing the child a big favor. Because as a non-Jew he or she only has to perform 7 commandments while a Jew has to keep many many more.
So for example, while the child is a non-Jew there's no problem with him or her lighting a fire on the Sabbath, while it's a serious prohibition for a Jew.
What chance does the child convert have of being a good Jew if his or her parents aren't keeping the commandments.
You might be interested in reading the book the Bamboo Cradle, which describes how a secular family wanted to have an Orthodox conversion for their young adopted asian baby. Some Rabbinical Beit Din, agreed to go ahead with the conversion, if the parents would commit themselves to observing the halacha. They agreed, because they knew that non-orthodox conversions were phoney and they were willing to make the sacrifices, in order to have a Jewish child.

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