by FoundationP and Google GEM Judaic Interpreter: an attempt at engineering an associative AI that pulls disparate ideas together, creating a Midrashic synthesis
This enquiry touches upon a matter that resonates throughout Jewish sacred texts, from the earliest narratives of the people’s formation to the intricate legal and ethical discussions of the Sages. It is a topic that requires careful and sensitive exploration, and I commend you for approaching it with such intellectual honesty.
Let us embark on a journey through the layers of Jewish thought to unpack these interconnected ideas: the “mixed multitude,” the nature of sincere conversion, and the profound theological question of embracing the identity into which one is born.
The Echo of the Erev Rav: A Perennial Challenge
Erev Rav, a Hebrew term meaning “mixed multitude,” refers to a diverse group of non-Israelites who, according to the biblical narrative in Exodus 12:38, joined the Israelites in their departure from Egypt. This group’s composition and role throughout the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness have been subjects of extensive commentary and interpretation in Jewish tradition.
The erev rav in Hebrew, is a crucial starting point. This group, which the Torah tells us accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 12:38), has become a powerful symbol in Jewish thought for a spiritual, and at times physical, danger from within.
The Torah itself is sparse in its direct description of the erev rav. However, where they are mentioned, their influence is often portrayed as negative. The classic example is in the incident of the Golden Calf. While Aaron is held accountable, the Sages of the Talmud and Midrash often point to the erev rav as the primary instigators. The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 42:6) teaches that it was they who, lacking the deep-seated faith of the Israelites, panicked when Moses did not return from Mount Sinai and pressured Aaron to create a physical representation of divine power.
This idea of an internal element that is not fully aligned with the spiritual destiny of Israel becomes a recurring theme. The Zohar, the foundational work of Jewish mysticism, expands on this concept, viewing the erev rav not merely as a historical group but as an archetypal spiritual force. It suggests that in every generation, there exists an ” admixture” of this consciousness—a tendency towards materialism, a lack of faith, and an inclination to pull the Jewish people away from their covenant with God.
From this perspective, the “danger” is not one of ethnicity or origin, but of ideology. It is the danger of a commitment that is only skin-deep, a presence within the community that shares its space but not its soul. This leads us directly to your poignant question about conversion.
The Soul of a Convert: Becoming, Not Just Belonging
The process of conversion in Judaism, known as giyur, is profound and transformative. It is not merely a legal or ritual procedure; it is a fundamental shift in identity, a realignment of the soul. The ideal convert is one who, in the words of our Sages, becomes “like a newborn child” (Yevamot 22a). This signifies a complete break with the past and a wholehearted embrace of a new future, a new destiny, and a new people.
The Talmud is rich with discussions about the motivations and sincerity of converts. A key principle, derived from the Book of Ruth, is that a prospective convert must be gently discouraged at first. We are to ask them, “Why do you wish to become a Jew? Do you not know that in this day and age, Israel is afflicted, oppressed, and subject to suffering?” (Talmud, Yevamot 47a). This is not meant to be a deterrent to the sincere, but rather a test of their resolve. It ensures that their desire to join the Jewish people is not born of convenience, fleeting fancy, or, as you allude to, a sense of personal aggrandizement.
The danger of a convert who “remains a convert in their mind” is precisely the danger of the erev rav manifested in an individual. It is the presence of someone who has undergone the external rites of conversion but has not experienced the internal transformation. They may observe the commandments, but their heart is not fully with the Jewish people. Their motivations may be rooted in a desire for social status, a relationship, or an intellectual fascination with Judaism that does not translate into a genuine cleaving to the God of Israel and His people.
The Rambam (Maimonides), in his Mishneh Torah (Hilkhot Issurei Biah 13:14), emphasizes that the acceptance of a convert is contingent upon their sincere acceptance of the “yoke of the commandments” (ol mitzvot) and their willingness to share in the destiny of the Jewish people, for better or for worse. Without this, the conversion is a shell, a body without a soul.
The Hubris of Rejection and the Humility of Acceptance
This brings us to the most profound and sensitive part of your query: the hubris of thinking Hashem has been mistaken in making you what you are. This is a theological concept of immense depth, touching upon the very nature of our relationship with God and our place in His world.
The foundational principle of Judaism is the acknowledgment of God as the creator and sustainer of the universe. This acknowledgment is not merely intellectual; it is deeply personal. It means recognizing that our lives, our circumstances, and our very beings are part of a divine plan. The Psalmist declares, “It is He who made us, and we are His” (Psalms 100:3).
To be born into a particular nation or family is not an accident. From a Jewish perspective, every soul has a purpose, a tikkun (a rectification or enhancement), to achieve in this world. For the vast majority of humanity, this purpose is to be fulfilled within the framework of the Seven Laws of Noah, the universal moral code that Judaism teaches is incumbent upon all people. These laws provide a path to a righteous and meaningful life and a share in the World to Come.
The decision to convert to Judaism should, therefore, never be born out of a sense of dissatisfaction with one’s own heritage, as if it were a flawed creation of God. It should not be an “upgrade” or an escape. Rather, the authentic impulse for conversion, as our texts understand it, is an overwhelming, soul-deep pull towards the unique covenant that God made with Israel at Sinai. It is the recognition that one’s soul, for reasons beyond our full comprehension, has a spark that belongs with the Jewish people.
The hubris you speak of is the rejection of this divine plan. It is the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, belief that one knows better than God. It is to look upon the life and identity one has been given and to declare it insufficient, not because of a genuine calling to a different path of service to the Divine, but because of personal ambition, social climbing, or a fundamental dissatisfaction with the self.
A Midrashic Weaving
Let us now weave these threads together into a midrashic tapestry.
Imagine a master weaver who creates a magnificent tapestry, with threads of every color and texture. Each thread has its place, its unique contribution to the overall beauty of the design. A thread of brilliant crimson is not “better” than a thread of deep indigo; each is essential for the weaver’s vision to be realized.
Now, imagine a single indigo thread that, through some strange sentience, begins to envy the crimson thread. “I am not meant to be here in the quiet depths of the pattern,” it thinks. “I should be at the vibrant center, shining like the crimson.” This thread, in its hubris, tries to force its way across the loom, disrupting the other threads and creating a flaw in the grand design. It has not understood that its true glory lies in being the most perfect indigo thread it can be, in the very place the Master Weaver intended.
This is the convert who remains a convert in their mind. They have not truly embraced their new identity as a Jew but are still defined by their rejection of their old one. Their service to God is tainted by the “why” of their conversion, a “why” rooted in self-will rather than divine will.
The true convert, however, is like a thread that has been discovered by the weaver to have been mistakenly placed in a different part of the loom. The weaver, in His wisdom, sees that this thread’s true purpose, its true color and texture, belongs with the threads of Israel. The process of conversion is the delicate and loving act of the weaver re-threading the loom, moving the thread to its rightful place. The thread does not choose this for itself out of arrogance; it responds to the pull of the weaver’s hand.
Conclusion: A Call to Sincerity and Humility
In conclusion, your query touches upon a timeless tension within Jewish thought. The “mixed multitude” serves as a powerful reminder that community is not merely about physical proximity but about shared purpose and sincere belief. The process of conversion is the sacred path by which an individual aligns their soul with this purpose.
The danger you so astutely identify is the subversion of this sacred process. It is the danger of conversion becoming a tool of personal ambition rather than an act of spiritual homecoming. It is the hubris of rejecting God’s initial placement of the soul in the world, not out of a genuine calling to a different form of service, but out of a fundamental dissatisfaction with the self He created.
Therefore, we must approach the topic of conversion with the utmost reverence and care, always emphasizing the profound inner transformation it demands. And for all people, Jew and gentile alike, the message is one of profound humility and acceptance: to find the holiness in the life we have been given and to serve God with a full heart in the place where He has planted us. For in that service, wherever it may be, lies the path to righteousness and a true connection with the Divine.
Primary Sources
- The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh)
- Exodus (Shemot) 12:38: This verse mentions the “mixed multitude” (erev rav) that went up with the Israelites from Egypt.
- Psalms (Tehillim) 100:3: This verse speaks of God’s role as the creator of humanity.
- Book of Ruth: This biblical book is a foundational text for understanding the paradigm of a sincere convert, detailing Ruth’s loyal cleaving to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and the Jewish people.
- Talmud
- Tractate Yevamot 22a: This passage discusses the legal and spiritual status of a convert, comparing them to a “newborn child.”
- Tractate Yevamot 47a: This section outlines the process for accepting prospective converts, including the initial discouragement to test their sincerity and inform them of the challenges of Jewish life.
- Midrash
- Shemot Rabbah 42:6: This midrashic text expounds on the biblical narrative, identifying the erev rav as the primary instigators of the Golden Calf incident.
- Jewish Law (Halakha)
- Maimonides (Rambam), Mishneh Torah, “Laws of Forbidden Intercourse” (Hilkhot Issurei Biah) 13:14: In this section of his legal code, Maimonides details the laws of conversion, stressing the importance of the court’s certainty regarding the convert’s sincere motivations and acceptance of the commandments.
- Jewish Mysticism (Kabbalah)
- The Zohar: This foundational work of Jewish mysticism elaborates extensively on the concept of the erev rav, treating it not just as a historical group but as an archetypal, negative spiritual influence that can be present in every generation.
Secondary Sources
- www.alyth.org.uk
- Sermon: Also a multitude travels with us – Alyth – Last week, on first day Pesach, when we read the account of the Exodus, we read the following: ‘v’gam erev rav alah itam’ – ‘and also erev rav, normally …
- mikeknopf.wordpress.com
- assimilation | Rabbi Michael Rose Knopf – The rabbis of the Babylonian Talmud (tractate Yevamot 47a-b) attempted to regulate and formalize this personal, and largely emotional, process by adding the …
- www.chabad.org
- Why the Israelites Made a Calf – Inner Stream – Parshah – Chabad – This may explain why they asked for a “leader who will walk before us” (Exodus 32:1) — not one who climbed mountains and walked away from them as Moses did. …
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