You’re in the mikvah. You have your dips in the water and officially cross over into the obligation in mitzvot. What happens once you get dressed? First mitzvah/bracha. This should not happen in the mikvah because you shouldn’t say a bracha while nude. I think some people hear about the “here, have a candy!” bracha […]
Immediately After Conversion, What Needs to Be Done? Read Post »
If you’re going to convert, you need to understand a key distinction. There’s a lot of talk since 2006 about nullifying conversions. While a few nullifications have occurred, the general problem is questioned conversions. Nullified conversion: the conversion is void. It was invalid at the time the conversion was performed. The person was never halachically
Nullifying Conversions vs. Questioning Conversions Read Post »
This has been a surprisingly contentious issue. What do you say to someone upon finishing their conversion? Congratulations in English is a simple, easy way to do convey all the possible emotions. Out of the 200+ congratulations I’ve received in person and online, almost all people said “mazal tov!” to me, and I think that’s
How Do You Congratulate a New Convert? Read Post »
I’m reading an interesting book I plan to review on the blog soon. The book describes a halachic issue that never occurred to me before: Can a man convert if a medical condition prevents him from getting a circumcision? Apparently, according to most authorities, no. In fact, at least one great Rabbi (Rabbi Yehiel Yaakov
Is a Circumcision Absolutely Required for Male Conversion? Read Post »
You’re a smart cookie, so you already know that the laws of taharat hamishpacha require a married woman to go to the mikvah after a waiting period that comes after the period ends or a certain number of days. So that means you have to plan your conversion mikvah date equally carefully, right? Not necessarily.
UPDATED: Menstrual Cycles and the Mikvah Read Post »
So you’ve heard of the mikvah because a conversion requires it. But did you realize there are different kinds of mikvahs?? The women’s mikvah, of course. That’s where most conversions happen, female or male. It’s the nicest and usually also the cleanest. It’s made for single-person use and is primarily used for taharat hamishpacha reasons.
I’m sure the topic of this post confuses you. Of course you can’t use a computer on Shabbat! That’s right. But there are still some computer issues that could create the appearance of using a computer on Shabbat, and that might just get a conversion candidate in hot water with a rabbi or beit din.
Conversion Issues: Computer Use on Shabbat Read Post »
Today’s question comes straight from a Google search term that lead to my site. Someone wanted to know if orthodox Jews are required to only wear black, navy blue, and white (and presumably cream, based on personal observations). This is not true. You can wear other colors and not be in violation of tznius. Of
Is It Forbidden to Wear Colors Other than Black, White, and Navy Blue? Read Post »
I have a big rallying point that I try to drive home in the born-Jewish community: Conversion candidates are the canaries in the mine of Judaism. If you don’t know the analogy, here’s what Wikipedia has to say: “Canaries were once regularly used in coal mining as an early warning system. Toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, methane
Judge Favorably, But Don’t Ignore Red Flags Read Post »
In short: Just pick one. Your options: A full 6 hours 5 hours and one minute 3 hours 1 hour (Almost no one does this, and you better be able to say you’re Dutch or in a Dutch community. I have a Dutch name, I really should have considered this option.) I believe there is
How to Choose a Waiting Time Between Meat and Milk Read Post »