Halachic Jews - a religious definition, gradually becoming obsolete after the era of emancipation. Those who fall under it will never lose their right to this nationality and legal status in Israel. However, this phrase still had the greatest weight in the days of the communities.
Who are they
This name is given to people who received Jewishness in accordance with the Halachic law prescribed in the Talmud. It spreads through the maternal side, i.e., it acts for those who were born an Israeli woman or converted to religion according to all the canons.
Earlier in the Bible there were no references to such a definition as Halachic Jews, and belonging to this people was revealed only through paternity. But already in the second century AD e. rebuttals of this point of view began to appear in the Talmud, and soon it ceased to be the only true one.
Possible reasons
One of the well-known Kabbalists and Talmudists later also gives arguments showing that Jewry was transmitted along the maternal side, starting from ancient times, which are discussed in the scriptures. Professor Michael Corinaldi cited several reasons in favor of such an establishment, justifying the existence of such a term as "Halachic Jew". This is a series of biological, sociological and even political explanations, for example:
- Paternity is often questioned, while the mother of a child can only be the woman who endured it. In the absence of DNA tests, this method of determining the origin was the most accurate.
- The main component of Jewish self-identification is the culture that a mother instills in her child in the process of education.
- During the war with the Romans, many Israelis were subjected to violence, which is why local law had to count their children as part of their people.
- Frequent massacres led to a decrease in the number of males, therefore, to raise the demographic level, they took birth from non-Jews.
Thus, the motives for establishing maternal origin are becoming very clear.
How to understand: "not a Jew in Halacha"?
Having dealt with the mechanism of religious law, according to which a person is referred to as representatives of the Israeli people, this expression is easier to understand. So they say about those who inherited paternal Jewishness or were not converted to religion, that is, they did not pass the giyur.
However, according to the laws of the state of Israel, not only halachic Jews, but also their grandchildren on the female or male side, are entitled to repatriation.
Giyur
This is a process of conversion to Judaism with subsequent rituals that complete the adoption of a new faith. Halachic Jews do not need to be carried out, however, the spouse of an Israeli woman in earlier times was required to undergo a giyur, since mixed marriages were not approved by the Talmud.
Despite today's weakening of religion, anyone can still accept Judaism and become part of the people of Israel. This action automatically equates a person with the "descendants of Abraham", actually changing his nationality. Thus, answering the question of what a Halakhic Jew is, one can say that he becomes anyone who has changed their religion to Judaism, regardless of belonging to any ethnic group.
Petition for giyur
The desire of a non-Jew to become a part of the people of Israel must be carefully thought out and balanced, because not only the person himself must be sure of it, but also the communities that solve such issues. A future Jew should be prepared for the fact that after holding Giyur he will have to observe all the commandments and rules of life in a new society.
The thinking process cannot take less than 2 years, otherwise no one will take seriously the desire to radically change the way of life. In addition, knowledge and understanding of the history of the people of Israel, the ability to comply with the laws of the Torah, and a firm awareness of what the "Halachic Jew" is required. It will also be useful to learn Hebrew, otherwise it will not work to repatriate to Israel.
When a person is completely ready for the transition to a “new life," he should file a petition for the giyur to a religious court (beit din). It consists of rabbis authorized to make halachic decisions. Modern beit din consists of three people who do not necessarily have deep knowledge in the Torah, but have undergone special training.
If the candidate for halachic Jews seems appropriate to the court, which will happen in more than one meeting, he will be given any feasible help and support, will not spare the time to arrive, no matter how far he is. When the beit din confirms its decision, the matter will remain small: the study of laws, circumcision (if a man becomes a hero) and bathing in a mikvah, followed by the name of a new name.
Jewish loss
It is generally accepted that such a development is impossible. The Halakhic Jew is the "legitimate" representative of the people of Israel who is not able to officially lose their status. For his sins, he will be expelled from the community, and he may be subjected to a general boycott, but at the same time he will remain a descendant of Abraham. However, in reality this situation only applies to those whose origin is established on the maternal side.
Hera, i.e., people who have passed the giyur, will also be punished for not observing the rules of the Torah, but only if their transition to Jewry was not previously recognized as invalid. If this happened, a person loses his status, but such cases are quite rare in practice.