Some authorities were more lenient in regard to ulterior motives,so Hillel (Shab. 31a) readily accepted a convert who stated that he wished eventually to become a high priest. R. Hiya accepted a woman who wanted to marry one of his students(Men. 44a). In modern times, although most Orthodox authorities would reject converts who seek to join us for the sake of marriage, some would accept them in order to avoid the conversion by Reform rabbis (Mendel Kirshbaum, Menahem Meshiv#9), because civil marriage has preceded or because the couple is living together(Yoreh Deah 85). Similar arguments have been advanced by Meshullam Kutner in Uketorah Yaasu, Mosheh Feinstein(Igerot Mosheh, Even Haezer, Vol. 1,#27). However, the greatest number of Orthodox authorities have rejected these arguments(Joseph Saul Nathenson, Jacob Ettlinger , Yehiel Weinberg). Their rejection was based upon ulterior motivation and the likelihood that they would not accept all the commandments especially as they are not generally observed in the modern Jewish community and probably not kept by the Jewish partner(Isaac Herzog , Hekhal Yizhaq, Even Haezer, Vol. 1, #20; Meir Arak, Imrei Yosher, Vol. 1,#176; Abraham Kook , Daat Kohen,#154; Mosheh Feinstein, Igrot Mosheh Yoreh Deah, Vol. 1, #157, 160; Even Haezer 111,#4).
I have quoted all of these modern Orthodox authorities to show that our future path in this matter should not be based on the false assumption of bringing grater unity to the Jewish community. The Orthodox would, in any case, not accept a liberal conversion; they would consider our Bet Din invalid and would certainly feel that our converts have not accepted the yoke of the commandments.
As we view the rite of conversion from a Reform point of view, we should note that the Reform movement has stressed careful instruction with more attention to intellectual rather than ritual requirements. The Central Conference of American Rabbis,
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