Halachic Jews - who is this? Accepting Jewry in Halacha

Halachic Jews are a religious definition, gradually becoming obsolete after the onset of the era of emancipation. Those who fall under it will never lose their rights to this nationality and legal status in Israel. However, this phrase still had the greatest weight in the time of the communities.

Who are they?

Such a name is worn by people who have acquired Jewishness according to the halachic law prescribed in the Talmud. It spreads on the maternal line, that is, it acts for those who were born to an Israelite or converted to religion according to all canons.

Earlier in the Bible there were no references to such a definition as Halachic Jews, and belonging to this people was revealed only through paternity. But already in the second century AD. E. The Talmud began to appear refutations of this point of view, and soon it ceased to be the only true one.

Possible reasons

One of the well-known Kabbalists and Talmudists later also gives arguments showing that the Jewishness was transmitted through the maternal line, from ancient times, which are referred to in the scriptures. Professor Michael Corinaldi gave several reasons in favor of such an establishment, justifying the existence of such a term as a "halachic Jew". This is a series of biological, sociological and even political explanations, for example:

• Paternity is often questioned, while the mother of the child can only be the woman who took it out. In the absence of DNA tests, this method of determining the origin was the most accurate.
• The main component of Jewish self-identification is a culture that mothers are taught to their children in the process of upbringing.
• During the war with the Romans, many Israeli women were subjected to violence, because of which local legislation had to count their children as part of their people.
• Frequent slaughter led to a decrease in the number of male population, therefore, to raise the demographic level, they were born from non-Jews.

Thus, the motives for determining the origin of the maternal line become extremely clear.

How to understand: "not a Jew in halakha"?

Having dealt with the mechanism of religious law, according to which a person is referred to representatives of the Israeli people, this expression is easier to understand. So they say about those who inherited Jewry on the paternal line or was not converted to religion, i.e., did not go through giyur.

However, according to the laws of the State of Israel, not only halachic Jews have the right to repatriate, but also their grandchildren by the female or male line.

Giyr

This is the process of conversion to Judaism with subsequent rituals, which complete the adoption of a new faith. Halachic Jews do not need it, but the spouse of an Israeli woman in earlier times was required to undergo a giyur, since mixed marriages were not approved by the Talmud.

Despite today's weakening of religion, anyone can still accept Judaism and become part of the people of Israel. This action automatically equates a person with "descendants of Abraham", in fact changing his nationality. Thus, when answering the question of what a halachic Jew is, one can say that he becomes anyone who has changed his religion to Judaism, regardless of belonging to any ethnic group.

Application for Guilt

The desire of a non-Jew to become a part of the people of Israel must be carefully thought out and weighed, because it must be sure not only the person himself, but also the communities that decide such questions. The future Jew should be prepared for the fact that after Guiyur he will have to observe all the commandments and rules of life in the new society.

The process of thinking can not take less than 2 years, otherwise no one will seriously take the desire to change the way of life so radically. In addition, knowledge and understanding of the history of the people of Israel, the ability to observe the laws of the Torah and a firm grasp of what "halachic Jew" means is mandatory. It is also superfluous to learn Hebrew, otherwise it will not turn out to be repatriated to Israel.

When a person is fully ready for the transition to a "new life", he should apply for a gyur in a religious court (beit-din). It consists of rabbis, authorized to make halakhic decisions. Modern beit-din consists of three people, not necessarily having deep knowledge in the Torah, but who have undergone special training.

If a candidate for halakhic Jews appears suitable to the court, which will happen not in one meeting, he will be provided with all possible assistance and support, will spare no time to come, no matter how far away he is. When beit-din approves his decision, the matter will remain for a small one: studying the laws, circumcision (if the hero becomes a man) and bathing in the mikvah, after which the naming will be followed by a new name.

The loss of Jewry

It is generally accepted that such a development of events is impossible. A halachic Jew is a "legitimate" representative of the people of Israel, who can not officially lose his status. For his sins he will be expelled from the community, and he may be subjected to a general boycott, but at the same time he will remain a descendant of Abraham. However, in practice this situation applies only to those whose origin is established on the maternal line.

HERA, that is, people who have passed giyur, will also be punished for non-observance of the rules of the Torah, but only if their conversion to Jewishness was not previously recognized as invalid. If this happens, a person loses his status, but such cases are quite rare in practice.