Israel and Humanity - The proselytes of justice

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II.

The proselytes of justice.

We talked earlier about this class of converts, who were fully subject to the law of Moses. Their existence is already adequately proven by this formula so frequently in the Pentateuch and for many precepts purely mosaic tends to gher or a stranger on foot of perfect equality with the Jewish birth: "There will be one law and one ordinance for you and the stranger who dwells among you . We see that the obligation is imposed on the alien to make atonement for breaking, even if unintentionally, one of the precepts mosaics

We leave aside here purposely lessons of history shows us that the converts completely aggregated to the society and the Jewish religion, because it is not so much the fact itself that we are currently reviewing the provisions laws of Scripture. But the Bible, we see, makes no doubt that the doors of Judaism fuse wide open to anyone who wanted to enter. We will demonstrate that the Jewish universalism extends much further, but if he had stopped there, had he known that the proselytes of justice, would it be for this less extraordinary? In truth, what other similar example could be cited in any pagan antiquity? That ancient religion, which was simultaneously a national religion, has opened its doors to all those who asked to be admitted, is what never happened and the thing was simply impossible. Is it conceivable that he could be the power of anybody to be legally recognized by the constituted authorities as a Greek, Roman and Egyptian, with all the prerogatives attached to that title, to enjoy the same rights as the oldest families , to be regarded as the spiritual son of the founders of the nation, as was the case for Jewish converts who were called the children of Abraham, and that by simply profession form of polytheism own in these various states ? Asking the question is to answer it. Only in the ancient world, Buddhism has introduced a similar phenomenon, although he had no tie nation because it was precisely in the rejection of any dependence of this kind and we do not know until how much he deserves the name of religion. But if Judaism was indeed a religion at the highest level and, moreover, a national cult, called or at least accommodated within it the Gentiles of every race, we must ", proclaiming the Jewish universalism just when it seems to make a profession of faith focused. Judaism is neither the heritage of a race or a people, nor the privilege of a sect is an honor or if one prefers, a charge accessible to everyone, whoever wants being Jewish can be. In Israel, the religion does not depend on the state, rather it is the state that is at the service of religion, ie, the state had the means, and religion, purpose, and that one belonged to the Jewish nation which, of whatever race he was, said to be connected to the religion of Israel. No obstacle of origin, nationality or religion of birth could prevent the heathen become, if desired, equal citizens of Israel. Is it possible to imagine in this respect a more frankly universalist?

Adding that the tradition of Jewish character says in the converted pagan also indelible in one who was born to Jewish parents This rabbinic law sheds light on the unexpected election of the Hebrew people. This is not a privilege of birth, Israel is not the chosen people in the direction generally given to these words, he is a chosen nation and his election depends only on its Combined with the free choice of God, that is to say an alliance, a pact made between God and Israel. God chooses the people and the people God chooses to turn and it is absurd to speak of a divine preference for Israel as a Jewish preference for God. Every Gentile, into the bosom of the Jewish Church renews so in particular the entry of Israel into the covenant of the Lord, as the ceremonial of his admission he recalls that the election of the Israelites.

The character of finality of the conversion of pagan is well established by this passage from the Talmud: "When once the proselyte, was baptized by immersion , it becomes the equal of an Israelite. How does one prove this? Because if it eventually comes to renounce Judaism and the wedding ring given to a Jew, his marriage is not valid unless the same title as the apostate Jew "Maimonides drew this conclusion he must be compelled to observe Judaism. Perhaps he meant by that is that the renegade, he likes it or not, subject to the same laws that the Israelites, and in any case, the Talmud says nothing more and we also know that for what is religious precepts positive there, even for the Israelite by birth, no law or inquisitorial coercion to force them out. "Every commandment, says the Talmud, for which the Act promises a reward, beyond the jurisdiction of the court ".

This indelible conversion of the Gentile is based solely on his free choice. The proof is that the father, despite all the authority he has over his minor children, can not prejudge their religion to come though circumcised and baptized by him, they can become major abjure Judaism with impunity. They are free to protest, "said R. Joseph, once they reach their majority .

This last provision of the rabbinic law responds to a critical advance that could send us. We say that religion in Israel at one with the state, conversion to Judaism was a kind of naturalization. To this we reply that although Judaism identify himself with the Jewish nationality, it does not thereby cease to be a religion. Tie will have to consider the question of the hegemony of religion and state and search by example, if in the Jewish conception of the supremacy belonged to it or that. However, we believe the facts just mentioned are already fairly clear solution for the latter hypothesis. But even if we prove that the Jewish religion was subordinate to the state, it detracted anything yet, we believe the value of this extraordinary fact that, by an act of simple faith, the pagan it was a very different race and even a different color, came immediately and automatically in the religious society and politics of Israel, without even the power of anyone to oppose his admission. Ezekiel goes as far as predicting that at the time of the Messiah, the converts will receive a prize, like the Israelites in the territory of Palestine: "You look at them as among the indigenous children of Israel, and they share lots of legacy with you among the tribes of Israel. You give in gher his inheritance in the tribe where he will stay, "said the Lord Jehovah ".