Parshat Yitro is one of the most famous sections of the entire Tanach, for it describes the giving of the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai, the most basic foundation of Jewish belief. However, I would like to focus on a different, perhaps more relevant topic briefly discussed in this week’s Parsha: Jewish conversion. Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, is perhaps the first biblical example of a convert to Judaism, also known as a ger (I will discuss later why the distinction between “convert” and “ger” is in fact an important one). The two main halachot regarding conversion to and from Judaism are: 1. Non-Jews who convert to Judaism become full Jews, and 2. Jews themselves can never leave Judaism. One of the most puzzling questions asked about the Jewish religion is the seeming paradox that these two present.

On the surface level, in terms of classifying Judaism with regard to conversion, there are two elementary options: either Judaism is a religion or it is a race. On the one hand, if Judaism is a religion, then the key for citizenship must be belief. This complements the path of converting into Judaism, filled with scrutinizing tests to ensure the genuineness of converts’ belief of the Jewish faith. However, this classification would imply that if there were someone already Jewish who stops believing in the Jewish faith, he would no longer be considered a citizen of the nation of Israel. This is a direct contradiction to the second law of conversion stated above.

The second option, Judaism being a race, is similarly troubled. If Judaism were to be classified a race, then the key for citizenship would be Jewish birth. This would mean that someone born Jewish will always be Jewish, and can never consider himself to not be a Jew. Just like a Chinese man can never deny the fact that he is Chinese, so too a Jewish person could never deny his Judaism. The Zohar Hakadosh tell us that each human soul differs in its spiritual appearance like bodies do in their physical appearances. Jewish souls are unique from birth and therefore they can never opt out of their uniqueness. This explains the second rule of conversion, that the Jewish soul will eternally remain Jewish. Nevertheless, with this logic, no non-Jew would ever be able to convert into Judaism. This is contradictory with the first rule of conversion as stated above!

Believe it or not, the answer lies in mistranslation. (Side note: One of the reasons why we fast on the 10th of Tevet is because the Torah was translated into Greek. Some people are stunned at this idea, because they feel that the Torah had become more accessible to those who were inadequate in Hebrew. Especially today, when Hebrew is so uncommonly spoken among Jews living outside of Israel, you would think that translation of Torah would be a blessing. However, as good as it is to spread Torah knowledge to all denominations of Judaism, when you translate something out of Hebrew, you lose much of the original meaning and value of the words). The words “religion” and “race” are both inaccurate descriptions, and instead the more appropriate term brit is the preferred way to describe the acceptance of the Jewish faith. Brit literally means a covenant. What sets a covenant apart from a standard promise is that while a promise can be made from one party to second, a covenant must be a two-way deal. The significance of a two-way deal is the following: If it takes both sides to make the deal, then it takes both sides to break it as well. Jews, upon the circumcision at the age of 8 days, enter this two-way deal between themselves and God (It is no coincidence that the circumcision is referred to as a brit). This means that even if at any point in their life they want to leave Judaism, they are not able to do so without God’s approval. (I’ll let you onto a little hint: God is not going to approve the request). This explains why Jews can never opt out of their Judaism.

In order to fully understand non-Jews becoming Jews, we must also drop the English word “convert,” and instead switch to the Hebrew lexicon. The word in Hebrew is ger, which is derived from a phrase meaning “sojourning among us.” A ger is literally someone who has left one place to live in a brand new place. The word sojourn evokes temporariness, which is exactly what it is. A person who wants to join any “religion” must adhere to that religion’s rules and tenets. However, someone who becomes Jewish is only temporarily considered non-Jewish. After a short period of conversion time, this ger is in fact no longer a sojourner, but rather he/she is now “among us.” This individual must not only adhere to all of the beliefs of Judaism, but the ger must become a Jew. This is completed by entering the brit, and getting circumcised. The ger’s past is no longer a non-Jewish past; rather it is transformed into a Jewish one.

Finally, we can now understand the initial question. Though the ins and outs of Judaism seem like a paradox or a dichotomy, in essence the reasons for the Halachot stated above are one and the same. Judaism is neither a religion nor a race, but it is a covenant. To be part of a covenant means you give and you receive. On a concluding note, we should all be thankful to be part of this covenant, for God certainly does His part more than we do ours. We should all strive to emulate God, for he is the greater one in our partnership. Remember to identify with this eternal agreement, for it is the essence of your identity on a moral, spiritual, and Halachic foundation, Shabbat Shalom!

At the time of this writing, Jonathan is a Senior at La Jolla Country Day School. He is a member of West Coast NCSY’s Regional Board and an active member of San Diego NCSY’s LEAD Program. With God’s help, he will be attending Yeshiva in Israel in the fall.