Jewish Scene
Rabbi says deaf 'ineligible for conversion'
Rivkah Luvitch
Published: 27.05.08, 15:30
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1. Deaf ?
David ,   Toulouse, france   (05.27.08)
I think that these rabbis are not only deaf, but also blind.
2. what a load of old cow droppings
Simon ,   TA Israel   (05.27.08)
The woman in qusetion should go to cyprus get married and not get involved in such religious nonsense.
3. Scandalous!
Patricia Goldberg   (05.27.08)
This is scandalous! That is what the Jewish faith teaches!!!! I have converted many years ago - although i am not deaf - i do not keep shabbath, i eat meat and milk together, I enjoy seafood . I am a Jew but today I am not proud to be one. Patricia
4. Rav Ovadia held the exact opposite
Besalel ,   Kew Gardens, NY   (05.27.08)
so who is Rabbi Avraham Sherman anyway?
5. Deaf or deaf-mute? There's a difference
Karen R ,   USA   (05.27.08)
Consult Dr. Abraham's excellent books on medical halachah. There is a difference between one who is deaf and one who is deaf-mute. It is assumed that one who is deaf-mute and cannot communicate has received no Jewish education and therefore has the status of a minor, who is exempt. One who is simply deaf is only excused from Shofar, as one who is blind is excused from lighting Hanukah candles. There is a great deal of controversy now over whether "speak" refers strictly to oral speech or includes competent communication in sign language. I strongly suspect that the Rabbis' objections had more to do with her wanting to convert to marry her Jewish partner - a conversion which would not be for the sake of faith, but conditional (what if she broke up with him, would she stay Jewish?), and the deafness was an excuse. Don't be shaken - check with reliable halachic authorities as to what the current status is for the deaf, deaf-mute, and deaf speaking sign language. Also, be aware that rabbinic courts in Israel and in the diaspora sometimes rule differently because in Israel being Jewish has concrete benefits which being Jewish in the diaspora doesn't.
6. Wow
Baruch ,   Toronto   (05.27.08)
You would think that this court would want people to convert to Judaism. I would recommend that this woman find a denomination of Judaism that will be accepting.
7. what a load of bullshit
zionist forever   (05.27.08)
You can only fufill mitzvot based on your bodies capabilities. If you loose both your arms you cant do tefilin but your not considered to be breaking religious laws because your not doing tefilin. If your in a wheelchair then you dont have to stand when you do prayers like Amidah ( the standing prayer ) or when the Torah is taken out of the ark. If your not very healthy and fasting on Yom Kipur will be bad for your health then you must eat forget the fast. Conversion isnt about saying some prayers or keeping kosher etc its about what you WANT to do if your phusical health makes it impossible for you to fufill certain mitzvahs that doesnt mean you dont belive that you should and would if you could. If your born jewish but you have a disability that prevents you doing certain mitzvot does this mean you should be condemed for it and told your jewish in name only because thats how you were born but your not jewish in practise because no matter how much you want to your physicialy unable to fufill mitzvot. There is no reason at all that somebody who is deaf or hard of hearing should not be able to convert if they take it seriously. The ones who are not fufilling the mitzvot here are the rabbis who are refusing to convert because they say that the person cant convert because of their physical disability. The only real disability that would make conversion impossible would be if your mentaly ill and your dont really know what you want. If you know what you want and your mental attitude is I will fufill anything I am capable of then thats what being jewish is about not the physical mitzvot.
8. Great! Those who aren't bnei Israel aren't Jews
Antonio ,   Haifa   (05.27.08)
Down with the conversion perversion!
9. This is wrong, this is not Torah values
Johnny ,   Stockholm Sweden   (05.27.08)
10. wrong :-/
(05.27.08)
a "mizva" means turning an egoistic desire into an altruistic one. it's a 125 steps of hard "inner" work that leads to spirituality. and it's not the spirituality you're thinking about :-) learn kabbalah, it explains it all. kab.tv good luck
11. tech question on essence
justayid   (05.27.08)
Lets say a woman is born to two jewish parents, and she is deaf. She is exempt from the mitzvahs. Now say she has a child. that child is a hearing child. Would anyone that deny the deaf womans child is both A. Jewish and B. Subject to the mitzvahs? Assuming all agree, isnt it true that the aforementioned deaf woman passed on the obligation to perform the mitzvahs, even though not obligated herself? In which case mustnt one say that she DOES possess the "essence of Jewishness" which CANNOT reside in the obligation to perform mitzvohs?
12. The Deaf may listen to God very well ...
Gr ,   USA   (05.27.08)
13. Where does Israel find such dumb rabbis?
Sidney ,   USA   (05.27.08)
14. Dearest Patricia
El-Nakam ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (05.27.08)
Patricia, you are no more a Jew than I am a 52" Plasma TV. Even if I say I am, I'm not. And neither are you.
15. #3 Was you conversion done by an Orthodox Rabbi?
Miriam ,   Israel   (05.27.08)
16. Whether deaf or not
Miriam ,   Israel   (05.27.08)
she may not be converted in order to marry a Jew.
17. If Moshe Rabbeinu himself tried to convert today...
Aharon   (05.27.08)
The disgusting corrupt Rabbis that have hijacked Judaism in Israel would probably turn him away because of his speech impediment!
18. #8 I've got news for you
Chaim ,   TA   (05.27.08)
Every single Jew in Israel today has, to some extent, non-Jewish ancestry. Even if our ancient roots can be traced back to a Middle-Eastern population, there is no doubt that a degree of intermarriage ocurred in the Galut - hence the radically different physical characteristics of Jews from Eastern Europe compared to Jews from, say, Yemen. Not one of us is a pure line from the ancient Jews - and by the way, the ancient Israelites absorbed dozens of other ethnic groups, so the idea that the Jews were originally a homogeneous group is in itself erroneous. Sorry to burst your bubble, but none of us are pure beni yisrael.
19. The Rabbis need to read their Bible again. Physical defects
Rivkah   (05.27.08)
prevent a person from being eligible for the Levitic PRIESTHOOD, not conversion. My God, Rahab was a HARLOT with a lot of flaws to her vagina from being a HARLOT and SHE was allowed to convert. Ears are sacred, too, since the Bible warns people to be careful what they hear. So the deaf are protected from hearing wrong things and should be eligible for conversion. Salvation is of the Jews, but for the deaf, they will have to go with the covenant with Yeshua since these "learn-ed" Rabbis deny conversion under the covenant with Abraham.
20. wow
Ruchamah ,   USA   (05.27.08)
I guess HaShem is wrong for looking on the inner man, not the outer man. Maybe this Rabbi should inform HaShem of his error.
21. Patricia
Patricia ,   Tel Aviv   (05.27.08)
Good thing you don't live here babe or they'd unconvert you in a heartbeat and declare any and all of your children born after you converted to be non-Jews. They might even strip your halachically born husband of his status as a Jew. If you think I'm joking, think again --this same Rabbi Sherman and his friends recently did exactly that to a Jewish family here 15 years post-conversion.
22. rabbi says deaf ineligible for conversion
G-d gives   (05.27.08)
the religion of love says if you are deaf we don't want you. lady luvitch don't be sad and don't be dishearten love who you are and the G-d of Abraham and believe a way will be found for you G-d bless you.
23. DISGUSTING..
(05.27.08)
My G-d, it shouldn't get any crazier with those Rabies, who live like 2000 years ago. Isn't there a law that should protect dissabeled people against discrimination? I hope this rabi Sherman will go deaf very soon!!! SEPARATE RELIGION & STATE NOW!!!!!
24. This rabbinical court is deaf and dumb!
(05.27.08)
25. Hmm....
Jim ,   Iowa   (05.27.08)
And I thought matters like this were matters of the heart, not the ears. /end sarcasm.
26. 11, well said
(05.27.08)
27. The rabbi is just being stupid.
David ,   Hartford USA   (05.27.08)
Probably when this halacha was codified, many (if not most) of the non-Jewish population was illiterate, so if you were deaf and you couldn't read, you were just plain out of luck if you wanted to convert. But today everyone can read and I dare say that there is such a body of Jewish writings available, that it is entirely possible to become a wonderful, practicing Jew without ever listening to a rabbi in person. Shame of Rabbi Sherman. His mother should give him a frosk in the pisk!
28. MANY YEARs AGO ? Now it is 2008 ! STILL a PROBLEM ?
YITZAK BEN SHLOMO   (05.27.08)
Ok the conversion is for her to marriying a JEW, Not bad ! Not bad. Emmm...:) very Noble of that Jew to marry that deaf woman. But the poit is he want to do it right. I think they should have allowed..... the STATEMENT : "... Anyone inflicted with a severe hearing and speech impediment cannot undergo Jewish conversion.." VERY ANNOYING INDEED to my EARS ! BUT the HALAKAH excempts such applicants SO WHAT IS THE FUSS ? If a family want to adopt a deaf child , it falls within the rule >> " one who is young " ? Two classes of PROBLEM here; 1. deaf lady ( adult) 2. adoption of a deaf child However, the rabbinate could be lenient, thi sit 2008. I suppose the old lady wa snot applying to be a matahari listening post job in the Mos /FBi? pentagone ! ; -) he he heee :)))))))
29. Rabbi Shlomo Dichovsky RIGHT Rabbi Sherman WRONG
Claire ,   Vancouver Canada   (05.27.08)
Rabbi Sherman should go back and study the Torah. His interpretation is wrong. Shame on him.
30. Conversions
NYC Girl   (05.27.08)
When we have all these self-hating Jews like Norman Finkelstein, Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe, just to name of fraction of them, Rabbi Sherman ought to be thankful there are people who would willingly embrace Judaism. But instead, these fanatics seem to be doing their best to turn them away.
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