Leonid asks:
Dear Michael Laitman, I recently learned that many great Jews were not originally Jewish. For example, the most famous Rabbi Akiva was not born Jewish, but became the leading teacher of the Jewish people.
King David, the greatest king of Israel, had a grandmother Ruth, who was not Jewish. The well-known Torah commentator Onkelos was a Roman who converted to Judaism and translated the Torah into Aramaic; his translation is the most famous. My question is: how is this possible, and is there an explanation for it in Kabbalah?”
Answer: I do not know the explanations. I just know that it does not matter. A person who wants to be closer to the Creator accepts all the laws stated in the Torah, and thus becomes Jewish.
“Yehudi” comes from the word meaning “connecting with the Creator,” “drawing closer to the Creator.”
Question: Does “Yehudi” mean more like “Jew”?
Answer: Yes, so it doesn’t matter.
That is why we welcome, respect, love, and honor these people.
Question: So it is like there is a navigator—if I want to be closer to the Creator, I get closer to the Torah?
Answer: Yes, of course because the Torah speaks about how to be closer to the Creator.
Question: So initially there is this desire “I want to be closer”?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Who instills this desire in a person?
Answer: The Creator.
Question: So it turns out that He is the one who calls upon a person?
Answer: Of course.
Question: Are these selected individuals? Leonid mentions selected individuals like Rabbi Akiva, Onkelos, Ruth?
Answer: Yes.
Question: So there are certain people whom the Creator calls and they come to the Torah?
Answer: Yes and they come to the laws and conditions stated in the Torah.
Question: Next Leonid asks: “What does it mean to go through the conversion process and become a Jew?”
Answer: It means accepting the obligation to fulfill the conditions for drawing closer to the Creator.
Question: Is that what it means to “go through conversion”?
Answer: Yes.
Remark: He asks: “Why is it so difficult to go through conversion today? I know from my own experience.”
Answer: It depends on the time, of course. But mostly, it depends on bureaucracy.
Question: So there are such barriers?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Is it good that there are barriers?
Answer: Yes, it is good.
Question: So it is good that they initially push you away and make it difficult?
Answer: If it is within reasonable limits, then yes, of course.
Comment: We know that it was easier for King David’s grandmother. She said, “This is my people; I want to be with my people.” And that was called conversion.
My Response: Yes.
Comment: Today that would not happen.
My Response: A lot of time has passed, and people have become much more complex.
Question: It turns out that someone who goes through conversion can even become a leader of the generation, higher than those born Jewish. Doesn’t this offend Jews?
Answer: Not at all. This person who has gone through conversion is 100 percent Jewish and even a bit more. Because he came from outside and made an effort.
Question: So in principle, it turns out that someone who truly goes through conversion and becomes a Jew is even higher than a natural-born Jew?
Answer: Of course.
Question: So a true Jew, who is that, what is that, and how is that? If you could summarize it once more?
Answer: A Jew is a person who desires to draw closer to the Creator. That is it.
Question: Such a simple formula?
Answer: Yes. “Yehudi” comes from the word “Yichud“(bringing together).
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 5/13/24
Related Material:
Anyone Can Become A Jew
How Can One Become A Jew?
Why Did The Great Kings Of Israel Come From Non-Jews?
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