Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea
Is a conversion appropriate in this circumstance?
ChabadKahanist:
--- Quote from: muman613 on July 16, 2013, 03:30:02 PM ---I am not an expert in the field of conversion, just am familiar with helping people in my community who have sought this option. I agree that the best course of action for you is to get in contact with an Orthodox Rabbi, while I recommend Chabad for just about everything, any valid Orthodox Rabbi should be able to provide you with the actual resources required.
Conversion to Judaism is not a thing which I think can be done with Online courses alone. Judaism is a communal religion where you must be involved with your community in order to be counted among the Jewish people. This requires you to invest time on Shabbat to learning with your community, taking part in the Sabbath services and Torah reading. Most good Orthodox Rabbi's do a thing called Kiruv (outreach) where they will bring people into their homes on Sabbath in order to provide an environment conducive to Jewish spiritual and intellectual growth.
When I first returned to Judaism I hooked up with a nearby 'progressive liberal' synagogue. But I quickly realized that it was not fulfilling to me to practice a man-made religion (reform) which so obviously did not come from the Torah. Luckily for me there was an Orthodox Rabbi who would come to that shul on occasions and invite members to come to his Shabbatons at his home. He also was the Campus Rabbi for a local college and I got quite involved with that schools Jewish life. Eventually that Rabbi moved away and a Chabad Rabbi took his position, and thus I got more involved with Chabad.
Find yourself a real Rabbi with whom you feel comfortable. We can help you with questions here, but nothing can compare to having a real Rabbi (especially when you really want to convert).
--- End quote ---
This is why I told him to go the United Synagogue www.theus.org.uk (No relation to United Synagogue in the US,the UK United synagogue is Orthodox & includes many Chabad rabbis & is exclusively Orthodox).
United Synagogue in the UK is the synagogue arm of the London Beth Din under the auspecies of the Chief Rabbi & is strictly Orthodox & recognized worldwide including the Israeli rabbanut.
Israel Chai:
You provided me with the wisdom to help immeasurably change my life for the better. You deserve more than words, and I am forever in your debt.
--- Quote from: muman613 on July 16, 2013, 01:35:39 AM ---Shalom LKZ,
I feel honored for your compliment. I hope I can help everyone find a way to get close to Hashem, because the world is a better place when we know him and through this, we know ourselves and each other.
I have an 'Ask muman613' thread in the 'Ask Posters' forum where people, from time to time, ask me questions about Jewish beliefs. I always try my best to provide an answer based on sources which I find and provide links to additional material supporting my explanation. If anyone has any question which you think I could answer then go ahead and post the question in my thread.
Regarding Jewish prayer. The first and foremost 'central' prayer to Judaism is called the Shema prayer. This prayer is central to several Jewish commandments including the commandments of Mezuzah, Tefillin, and Tzit-Tzits. It is these portions which are written on parchment which is inserted in the mezzuzah (case with scroll attached to door-post) and also inserted into the boxes of Tefillin (Phalactyries) and the Tzit-Tzits are the ritual fringes we wear on our four-cornered garment.
The Shema prayer asserts the ABSOLUTE ONENESS of Hashem, the Master of the Universe, and affirms our connection with him.
The first sentence reads:
SHEMA YISRAEL HASHEM ELOKAINU, HASHEM ECHAD!
HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD IS OUR G-D, THE LORD IS ONE!
COMMENTARY:
(of course when I write the word HASHEM we actually say the word A-D-O-N-A-I (which is also not actually the pronunciation of the 'name' but means 'Our Master/Lord') The real name is called the Tetragrammaton (four letter name) which we call Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay (again I use the letter Kay, which should be read Hey). Jews do not openly use the name of Hashem as we lost the actual pronunciation after the Temple was destroyed, and as a means of preventing 'erasing of the name' which the Torah forbids. If someone should print this page and burn it, if the actual name was contained it could be considered 'CHILLUL HASHEM' or desecration of the name.
The next paragraph discusses the commandments of Tefillin and Mezuzah, and also establishes the system of reward and punishment... Here is the transliteration from Chabad
V'a-hav-ta eit A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha,
B'chawl l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chawl naf-sh'cha,
u-v'chawl m'o-de-cha.
V'ha-yu ha-d'va-rim ha-ei-leh,
A-sher a-no-chi m'tsa-v'cha ha-yom, al l'va-ve-cha.
V'shi-nan-tam l'-va-ne-cha, v'di-bar-ta bam
b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-te-cha,
uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech,
u-v'shawch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uk-shar-tam l'ot al ya-de-cha,
v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fot bein ei-ne-cha.
Uch-tav-tam, al m'zu-zot bei-te-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.
You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.
Second Paragraph:
V'ha-ya, im sha-mo-a tish-m'u el mits-vo-tai
a-sher a-no-chi m'tsa-veh et-chem ha-yom
l'a-ha-va et A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem
ul-awv-do b'chawl l'vav-chem, u-v'chawl naf-sh'chem,
V'na-ta-ti m'tar ar-ts'chem b'i-to, yo-reh u-mal-kosh,
v'a-saf-ta d'ga-ne-cha,
v'ti-ro-sh'cha v'yits-ha-re-cha.
V'na-ta-ti ei-sev b'sa-d'cha liv-hem-te-cha,
v'a-chal-ta v'sa-va-'ta.
Hi-sha-m'ru la-chem pen yif-te l'vav-chem, v'sar-tem,
va-a-vad-tem E-lo-him a-chei-rim, v'hish-ta-cha-vi-tem la-hem.
V'cha-rah af A-do-nai ba-chem, v'a-tsar et ha-sha-ma-yim,
v'lo yi-h'yeh ma-tar, v'ha-a-da-ma lo ti-tein et y'vu-la,
va-a-vad-tem m'hei-ra mei-al ha-a-rets ha-to-va
a-sher A-do-nai no-tein la-chem.
V'sam-tem et d'vara ei-leh, al l'vav-chem v'al naf-sh'chem,
uk-shar-tem o-tam l'ot al yed-chem,
v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fot bein ei-nei-chem.
V'li-mad-tem o-tam et b'nei-chem, l'da-beir bam
b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-te-cha, uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech
u-v'shawch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uch-tav-tam, al m'zu-zot bei-te-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.
L'ma-an yir-bu y'mei-chem, vi-mei v'nei-chem, al ha-a-da-ma
a-sher nish-ba A-do-nai la-a-vo-tei-chem, la-teit la-hem
ki-mei ha-sha-ma-yim al ha-a-rets.
And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the L-rd your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated. Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the L-rd's wrath will flare up against you, and He will close the heavens so that there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce, and you will swiftly perish from the good land which the L-rd gives you. Therefore, place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates - so that your days and the days of your children may be prolonged on the land which the L-rd swore to your fathers to give to them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.
Third Paragraph:
Va-yo-meir A-do-nai el Mo-she lei-mor:
Da-beir el b'nei Yis-ra-eil, v'a-mar-ta a-lei-hem
v'a-su la-hem tsi-tsit, al kan-fei vig-dei-hem l'do-ro-tam,
v'na-t'nu al tsi-tsit ha-ka-naf p'til t'chei-let.
V'ha-ya la-chem l'tsi-tsit, ur-i-tem o-to
uz-char-tem et kawl mits-vot A-do-nai, va-a-si-tem o-tam,
v'lo ta-tu-ru a-cha-rei l'vav-chem,
v'a-cha-rei ei-nei-chem
a-sher a-tem zo-nim a-cha-rei-hem,
L'ma-an tiz-k'ru, va-a-si-tem et kawl mits-vo-tai
vi-h'yi-tem k'do-shim lei-lo-hei-chem.
A-ni A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem,
a-sher ho-tsei-ti et-chem mei-e-rets Mits-ra-yim
li-h'yot la-chem lei-lo-him;
A-ni A-do-nai E-lo-hei-chem… Emet
The L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to attach a thread of blue on the fringe of each corner. They shall be to you as tzizit, and you shall look upon them and remember all the commandments of the L-rd and fulfill them, and you will not follow after your heart and after your eyes by which you go astray - so that you may remember and fulfill all My commandments and be holy to your G-d. I am the L-rd your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G-d; I, the L-rd, am your G-d. True.
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/706163/jewish/In-Hebrew.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/706162/jewish/Translation.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/282822/jewish/Transliteration.htm
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rafeli18:
--- Quote from: ChabadKahanist on July 16, 2013, 03:56:27 PM ---This is why I told him to go the United Synagogue www.theus.org.uk (No relation to United Synagogue in the US,the UK United synagogue is Orthodox & includes many Chabad rabbis & is exclusively Orthodox).
United Synagogue in the UK is the synagogue arm of the London Beth Din under the auspecies of the Chief Rabbi & is strictly Orthodox & recognized worldwide including the Israeli rabbanut.
--- End quote ---
I've read their page on the conversion process which goes into great detail about the varying stages before the beth din. Without rushing into things I will eventually contact my nearest shul provided I feel this is the right decision to make which I hope it will be. In the mean time I've signed up for various jewish programmes in London. I was thinking about birthright but I have a feeling i'm not eligible
Israel Chai:
--- Quote from: rafeli18 on July 16, 2013, 07:48:00 PM ---I've read their page on the conversion process which goes into great detail about the varying stages before the beth din. Without rushing into things I will eventually contact my nearest shul provided I feel this is the right decision to make which I hope it will be. In the mean time I've signed up for various jewish programmes in London. I was thinking about birthright but I have a feeling i'm not eligible
--- End quote ---
Pfft birthright lets deform Jews and everyone in. The good thing about the trip is Israel. Nothing can take away from Israel and that proved it to me.
Figure out what's special about Israel, and here's where the spirituality comes in, or you'll just be a tourist in a nice resort.
rafeli18:
--- Quote from: LKZ on July 16, 2013, 08:13:57 PM ---Pfft birthright lets deform Jews and everyone in. The good thing about the trip is Israel. Nothing can take away from Israel and that proved it to me.
Figure out what's special about Israel, and here's where the spirituality comes in, or you'll just be a tourist in a nice resort.
--- End quote ---
Indeed, even from a superficial perspective Israel is breathtakingly beautiful and one could argue that this in itself induces some form of spirituality in the heart. Would you say visiting Israel is essential in terms of conversion?
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