THE INCOMPLETE CONVERSION

Solomon B. Freehof

QUESTION: A young lady who is studying in preparation for conversion to Judaism must leave the city to join her husband-to-be at an army camp. The rabbi decided that even though the course of instruction has not yet been completed, he would convert her immediately and marry her Jewishly, provided she will accept the responsibility of completing her training under the guidance of the rabbi of the city where the army camp is located. Does this decision comport with the spirit of Jewish law?(Rabbi Allen H. Podet, Seattle , Washington .)*

ANSWER: Although the Shulhan Arukh(Yoreh Deah 268) gives complete and detailed description of the method of converting a Gentile to Judaism , nevertheless it is evident that there is considerable doubt as to whether conversion necessarily requires the completion of the entire process described. If it does not necessarily require the entire process, then at which point in the uncompleted process may the candidate be considered to be a proselyte?

It is noteworthy that even at the early stage of the

development of the law there was some dispute on basic parts of the process. The law is that a candidate for conversion has to be circumcised and take the ritual bath and bring a sacrifice to the Temple. The latter requirement is still mentioned by Maimonides (Yad, Hil. Issurei Biah 13:5) who considers that the proselyte still owes the sacrifice, to be given when the Temple is rebuilt. But as for the other two elements, there is a dispute in Yevamot 46a between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Joshua. Rabbi Elazar says that if circumcised but not ritually bathed, he is a complete proselyte. Rabbi Joshua says that if bathed but not circumcised, he is

nevertheless a full proselyte.