Gerus Guide

The Step by Step Guide to Conversion to Orthodox Judaism together with Syllabus for
Conversion

Rabbi Aryeh Moshen

ISBN 978-0-557-62896-4

Second Edition, 2017

Copyright ©2008, 2010, 2017 by Rabbi Aryeh Moshen.

All rights reserved.

Dedication

To Faigie, for our over thirty years together.

To our three sons who gave up their rooms and shared their father with strangers in order
to bring Torah to Baaley Teshuvah and Gerim.

As for those who have converted to Judaism, I offer the following quote from the Book of
Isaiah (Yishayahu):

“I shall bring them to My holy mountain. I shall make them happy in My

house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their peace offerings shall be
accepted on My altar. Then My house shall be called the House of Prayer
for all nations1."

1
56:7

Page |3
Introduction

My profound thanks to those who have helped me reach out to Gerim and Baaley
Teshuvah. To Rabbi Nisan Alpert z”l, Rabbi Belsky z”l, Rabbi Eliezer Milstein z”l, and to
Rebbitzen Anna Milstein and, ibodlu l’chaim, Rabbis Moshe Tendler, Zevulun Charlop,
Zalman Dachs, Yoseph Wikler, Moshe Milstein, Shmuel Milstein, Yerachmiel Milstein,
among my other rebeim and many others who are too numerous to name. Also, to my in-
laws who have supported me in these efforts. Special thanks to Levi for his fine example
of Mesiras Nefesh and dedication to Torah and Mitzvos. I would have liked to include my
correspondence with Levi in this work; however I lost it several years ago.

Special thanks go to my fellow moderators on Orthodox Conversion to Judaism, Steve

Albert2, and, Tibadelnah l’chaim, Avigayil Hall, and Malka Esther Lennhoff. It would be
very difficult for me to remember each and every one of the Gerim whose questions and
comments are reflected in this Sefer, members of OCJ and non-members. Many of our
conversations have influenced this work. My thanks are also extended to those who
reviewed this composition and helped me improve it.

❖ Rabbi Yosef Eisen

❖ Rabbi Ari Ribowsky
❖ David Rosenfield
❖ Clark Valberg

I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. David Kenigsberg who helped me stay alive
so that I can publish this work.

There is one thread that is consistently found in Gerim and Baaley Teshuvah. None of
them do anything looking for a reward. They are motivated solely by Ahavas Hashem3
and the desire to be as close to Hashem as they can be. The concepts of “reward” and
“punishment” are foreign to them. This is especially true of Gerim. Many have told me
that they could never be content with the Seven Noahide Mitzvos. Even when I told them
that all they have to do is to live by these seven Mitzvos, most refused to consider
anything but a full conversion, even though it would take years for some to convert.
Nothing less than Avodas Hashem4 was acceptable to them, even knowing how hard it
would be to learn and fulfill all their requirements.

Many frum5 Jews can misquote the Gemara6, “Converts are more difficult than skin
disease.” I have heard this and sometimes pointed out the various comments the Baaley

2
This work was started when Steve Albert, of blessed memory, was still alive. He is sorely missed by all of
us who knew him and especially by the numerous Baaley Teshuvah and Gerim whom he helped.
3
Love of God; “Hashem” (The Name) is often used to refer to God.
4
Serving God
5
observant
6
Talmud

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Tosafos7 have offered, all of which apply. Regarding those who are not very sincere and
do not study, there is the possibility that they might lower the standards of the Jews and
bring some of the idle down to their low standards. Regarding the majority, they make
the Jews-by-birth look bad by their dedication to Torah, Mitzvos8, and Chesed9.

I further hope that future Jews-by-Choice will read this book and learn that they are not
alone. They will join OCJ (a yahoo group, orthodoxconversiontojudaism) and see their
questions asked and addressed. They will learn that there are support groups for Gerim10,
where they will not meet with a Beis Din but with others who are in the same boat. These
groups are important because the Gerus process is one with which not every one of us is
familiar. For many, it is a roller coaster as the Ger decides that s/he is not satisfied with
the role of the Noahide but would rather become part of the Jewish faith. This future Jew
may be living in a city with a high Orthodox population or in a country with no synagogues.
He may be able to continue with his life as is or may have to move to a new city, perhaps
changing his entire lifestyle. For hundreds of these non-Jews, that Nisayon11 is just one
of many. For others, it is and they drop out. For those who drop out, we wish them well
and hope that they continue to live according to the Seven Noahide Mitzvos. For those
who continue, there will be more Nisyonos. There will be more growth. Eventually, for
those who persevere, there will be Gerus with a kosher Beis Din.

The most famous Ger in the past millennium was Count Valentine Potocki (the ‘c’ is
pronounced like a ‘ts’ in English), who was burned at the stake in 1749. We know him as
"The Ger Tzedek of Vilna" or "Avraham ben Avraham of Vilna". There were others in the
same time, including his friend Boruch ben Avraham who left Poland and settled in Israel.
We are fortunate that Gerim no longer have to take steps to prevent their being burned
by their former church. There are tens of thousands of Gerim in our midst and tens of
thousands more who are interested in Judaism.

I have learned much from my students. This is especially true when it comes to Levi
(“Jorn”) Weiss and Yisrael Meir (“Jeff”) Blumstein. While different paths brought them to
Judaism, they each were able to teach me how to facilitate the transformation of a gentile
to a Talmudic scholar. Special thanks to Clark Valberg who talked me into rewriting Gerus
Steps into this work and made many suggestions as to how we can streamline it while
maintaining its mission.

I would also like to thank Joseph Fisher, a non-Jew who at one point had considered
conversion. He introduced me to the OCJ group and had it not been for him, I would not
have written this composition.

7
Talmudic commentaries from the 12th thru 13th centuries.
8
Commandments
9
Kindness
10
Converts
11
Challenge (pl: Nisyonos)

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One fear I have is that this work will be taken by someone and he will use it to figuratively
hit someone else over the head with it. That is definitely not my intention. I have no
claim to infallibility and do not want anyone to think that everyone must follow guidelines
that I am setting in this work. I am certain that some will feel that my work is too stringent
and demanding while others will feel that it is too lenient and easy. It is by no means
meant to be the bible of conversion to Orthodox Judaism. It is meant to help both
converts and their mentors.

There is a second fear that I have when it comes to converts. There are times when
converts consider all [practicing] Jews to be experts in Judaism. While the vast majority
of practicing Jews may know more than you do, not all of them are experts in Judaism and
not all of those may be able to communicate their expertise to you. When you hear
something, verify it. Write yourself a note and discuss what you’ve heard with your
mentor and or local orthodox rabbi. Please believe me that there have been many times
when a candidate for conversion “told” me something that I found incredible.

My youngest son remarked to me that I have written a Sefer and not a book. Sefer is
Hebrew for book. He meant that this composition should be read carefully and reviewed.
It should not be read like a novel. It is meant to take the reader through her/his process
of learning about Judaism and applying that knowledge. I have tried to avoid reinventing
the wheel. Rather than include everything you should know, I reference several Sefarim
(books, plural of Sefer) that I would like you to read. These are important text books and
I would like you to purchase them, using them over and over again. Feel free to write
notes in their margins and to highlight important parts. Those who can’t afford to
purchase should borrow them from a library. If your library doesn’t have them, perhaps
it would be able to borrow them from another library for you.

One of my friends, a rabbi with over 30 years’ pulpit experience, commented to me that
this work is a bit academic. My apologies to those whose who consider this to be too
much of a textbook and not have enough of a soul. This work is not meant to discourage
those who do not have a strong academic background from converting. Many converts
will do better copying (mimicking) the behavior of Orthodox Jews. They learn Judaism by
being part of a vibrant Orthodox community with a rabbi who will spend time teaching
them the practices of Judaism. Their conversion is just as valid as someone with a strong
academic and intellectual commitment to Judaism.

Many of those reading this composition have heard that a rabbi must turn down the
request of a potential convert three times. While the number of times is not cut in stone,
it is the rabbis’ duty to determine that the convert cannot be dissuaded. Those who can
read this composition and not be dissuaded need not worry about what your rabbi will
try to say to you. Some of the pages have bullets that ask you if you still want to convert.
Each of the bullets and paragraphs contains an implicit question, “Do you really want to
commit?”

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I wrote this book because there is none like it. While other books will talk about the
institution of conversion and give nice stories of those who became Jewish, none of them
tell you how to become Jewish. None of them are cookbooks. This book is written in a
step-by-step format so that someone who is interested in Judaism will know exactly what
to do to convert to Judaism. I have tried very hard not to reinvent the wheel. As such, I
ask you to purchase some very important books (Sefarim) as you study Judaism. There
are a few redundancies in the actual steps. This is done to remind those who are working
on their conversion that a previously-mentioned item should be completed before
reaching this level.

Shvat 5769

Aryeh Moshen

Comments added in 2017 (second edition):

I have made a few changes in the text of the components however this work is primarily
a combination of the original Gerus Guide. The “weekly” studies reflect using Shaarey
Halachah but one could just as well use The Concise Code.

The ideal Gerus program consists of two main parts each having several sections,
academic and acclimation and practice. While the general requirements do not differ,
certain details may be practiced at a different level when one navigates through the
Haredi and Modern Orthodox Batey Din. For example, a Beit Din may excuse someone
(usually elderly) who cannot learn how to read Hebrew from that requirement providing
s/he can recite the blessings, prays in the vernacular language, and can navigate the
synagogue services.

Comments added in 2021:

I have made only a few changes to the content. I have, however, reformatted some of
the text, including breaking some items into sub-paragraphs. You will find that the pages
are a bit different in this version. When I have deleted an entire item I [usually] kept its
number and just show “deleted” in order to keep the numbering the same as in the
second edition.

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The Academic Requirements generally include:
1. Able to read Hebrew (no vocabulary requirements);
2. Has read up on and can discuss basic Jewish beliefs (the extent depends greatly
on the individual Beit Din). These usually start with:
a. Belief in The Deity;
b. Maimonides 13 Principles;
c. The Oral Law;
d. Other areas that your Beit Din or Rabbi wishes to discuss;
3. Has studied one (or more) of the Halachah books and can pass a thorough test of
more than six hundred questions in:
a. Daily living (these differ according to gender);
b. The Sabbath;
c. The Jewish Calendar;
d. Holy Days;
e. Basic laws of Kashruth;
f. Family purity (children converting with their parents and the elderly are
usually taught the basics and only learn the details if/when they apply).
Acclimation and Practice requirements are not as clear cut and differ from one Beit Din
to the next but generally include:
1. Living in an Orthodox Community (The definitions of minimum requirements to
qualify as an Orthodox Community vary from one Beit Din to another. The
minimum is a synagogue that conducts services weekly and on all holidays);
2. Living according to the list above that you cover in your studies;
3. Being financially stable enough to afford to live as an Orthodox Jew;
4. Having Orthodox friends to whom you can turn;
5. Able to follow services on weekdays (men only), Shabbath, and holy days;
6. Having developed a relationship with the Local Orthodox Rabbi (LOR) who certifies
that you are ready to finalize your conversion.
Whilst virtually all Halachah books written in English are more stringent that their authors
are in “real life” I endeavored to write to the lowest common denominator and therefore
your LOR and/or Beit Din may want you to follow stricter opinions.

I assume that all those reading this work have already started working on their conversion
and have decided that being a Noahide is not enough for them. They may have further
been vetted by a rabbi and found to be serious about their conversion. I need not ask
you if you want to be Jewish. You will answer that question by your work and studies.

This plan can be used to complete conversion prerequisites in one year12. It is possible
that you may want to work on your conversion faster or slower. That is fine providing

12
Can someone do it in less than a year? yes. Most will take a year or more to complete the requirements.

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you give yourself enough time to learn the material and to internalize its practice it is
possible to convert in the speed that you can handle. This book is also limited in its scope.
It is merely academic. Some candidates, especially those who live in areas with a very
limited outreach center but without a community may feel that they are ready to convert.
That is not true. There is more to conversion to Judaism than learning how to read
Hebrew, memorizing details. Judaism is something that must be lived, all aspects must
be experienced. Your Local Orthodox Rabbi and your mentors will help you but you must
make the conversion happen.

If you have cannot read Hebrew or have trouble reading Hebrew, please learn how to do
so immediately / study to improve your Hebrew reading skills as soon as possible. There
are some individuals who will not be able to learn how to read Hebrew but for the most
this will be a requirement for conversion.

In addition to the studies, it is important to learn the Hebrew cycle of months and
holidays, understanding the rituals that are involved in each. Since you may start the
cycle of study at any point, the calendar and holidays are not part of the published
schedule you may find it advisable to pause the regular studies for one or two weeks
before the major holidays so that you can read up on the holidays.

Please obtain the following:

1. To Be a Jew;
2. ArtScroll Siddur or Tehilot Hashem;
3. ArtScroll Chumash or the Chabad Chumash;
4. The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology (both volumes);
5. Permission to Believe;
6. Permission to Receive;
7. A washing cup;
8. If male – a Kippah (Yarmulke);
9. A Jewish calendar13.

13
Our calendar starts with the month of Tishrei which will always start in the month of September or the
first few days of October. Our calendar is lunar with corrections for the solar year by adding a month
every two to three years (you need not know the exact sequence at this point).

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Sections of this Composition

This composition contains the following sections:

Main Section

❖ Introduction – words of blessing

❖ Becoming a Noahide – The seven Noahide commandments and certain

other details by which a non-Jew can get into heaven. This section is
not meant to be detailed instructions as per how a Noahide must live
but rather does contain the general principles of Noahide life. The first
step in conversion is to become a Noahide, a non-Jew who fulfills all
the requirements of a human being. This section is not meant to
include all the details that Noahides may follow but rather how one
transition to Noahide status as a potential Ger.

❖ Introduction to Judaism – The first steps that someone who is

interested in conversion to Judaism should take. From this point on,
you should be able to check off each of the numbered steps as you
have read them and mastered them, if necessary. Be prepared to
explain that you really want to convert to Judaism as we are required
to warn converts that Judaism is not easy. The assignments in this
section include most of the background that Orthodox Jews take for
granted.

❖ Begin the Conversion Process – How one might begin the conversion
process. You will begin to purchase items that you will need in the
conversion process and learn how to write your personal statement.
You will begin to make the change from gentile to Jew.

❖ Implement the Conversion Process – The next steps in your conversion.

You continue to learn how to be live as a Jew. From this point on,
people who don’t know you will think that you are already a Jew. You
get comfortable identifying yourself with the Jewish Nation and in your
observance of Judaism.

❖ Getting Ready – When you have crossed this milestone you will have
reached a critical point in your conversion. If you get here, you should
no longer be asked if you want to convert except by your Beis Din14.

❖ Going to the Mikveh – Mikveh preparation

14
The court that will convert you

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Sections of this Composition

❖ After the Mikveh - post-conversion details.

Appendices

❖ The Thirteen Principles of Faith – You should read this before you begin the
conversion process. If you have any problems with any points, discuss them with
your mentor.

❖ Personal Statement Template – While not all rabbis or Batey Din will require you
to write one, it is a good item to have on hand.

❖ Kashrus Steps – How to evolve from a gentile to one who observes kashruth.

❖ Steps to Sabbath Observance – Evolution from gentile to Sabbath-observant Jew.

❖ Historic Issues

❖ Aspects of the Sabbath – Positive aspects of the Sabbath.

❖ Summary of the Thirty-nine Sabbath Prohibitions – This is only an introduction to

the concepts of the thirty-nine prohibited actions and their derivatives. I mention
the names of the books that I suggest you use to study the Sabbath Laws in detail
in the main text of this composition.

❖ Questions based on the assignments of this composition.

❖ A Second Gerus Test

❖ Words you are likely to hear. A spreadsheet of common Hebrew, Aramaic, and
Yiddish words that are commonly used in Judaica and by many Orthodox Jews in
their everyday speech.

❖ The Laws of Niddah – an introduction to the laws of family purity. This is meant
to be read following Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan’s Waters of Eden. It is not meant to be a
thorough discussion of the laws of Niddah but supplements Rabbi Kaplan’s work
with a foundation of the actual laws (but not the details). I expect all converts
who are or expect to be married to study the laws of Niddah with an experienced
tutor and/or their Local Orthodox Rabbi. This introduction is not meant to give a
Code version of the laws but merely an introduction. Please do not consider it a
source from which you can learn practical Halachah.

❖ Typical Shabbos Checklist – list of activities that a family might want to perform as
part of getting ready for Shabbos.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

Do you believe in God? Do you believe that He revealed Himself to the Jewish Nation at
Mount Sinai and gave them a Torah? If so, I have news for you. You are on your way to
becoming one of the Righteous of the Nations and you have only six negative and one
positive commandments to keep15. These are listed in the first step of your conversion.
If you do, then we will meet in heaven. If, however, these seven are not enough to you,
you are welcome to convert to Judaism. We’ll make it hard. We’ll try to convince you to
stay within the category of Righteous of the Nations. But, if you are very, very serious,
you may become a Jew. The average convert takes about two years of study to prepare
her/himself for conversion. It may take you more or less. Some people have taken over
15 years to convert, having taken many detours but never quite satisfied with anything
but Judaism. If you are in the UK, you will most likely work with the London Beis Din.
They have their own rules and regulations. Fill out an application and be prepared to do
everything that they tell you.
There are no “wrong” sequences. Gerim16 should take a slow and sure approach to
Judaism, not trying to do everything at once. I prefer the candidate to have read a bit and
have an idea of what s/he must do before speaking to the local Orthodox Rabbi. Others
would prefer a, “Hello, I am…and I am interested in Gerus17. Which books should I buy…”
up front as not every rabbi agrees on the specific books to use in Gerus preparation. I
firmly believe that no future Jew-by-choice should go up to a rabbi and introduce himself
until he has written a personal statement showing that he is serious about his conversion.
This should include both information on why you want to convert and what you have
done to prepare yourself for living as a Jew. Rabbis are very busy and may not fully
appreciate how serious you are unless you prepare yourself with the intention to make a
very good first impression. Orthodox Rabbis never have any spare time. Time that is not
involved in their pulpit and other requirements is spent at study. To give you an example,
the Talmud has roughly 5400 pages and many of us study them in a 7 ½ year cycle18. Each
page has commentaries and super-commentaries. If you have a bit more time when
studying, then you review the page a bit better or open one of the commentaries and
study what he wrote. It is possible to spend weeks on a single page, when studying
intensively. We read the Pentateuch every year, divided into weekly portions. It is our
duty to read each portion twice in Hebrew and the Aramaic translation19 once each week.
If one has more time, there are many commentaries to read. And that is just the surface.
A rabbi must also spend some time developing his weekly lectures and answering

15
We usually use the term “Noahide” to refer to righteous non-Jews. They will be discussed later in this
composition. Technically speaking, about 66 of the 613 commandments apply to Noahides. Of the non-
Temple based commandments, a Noahide observes close to half of all negative commandments that are
required of Jews.
16
Converts. Ger=ms, Giyores or Giyoret=fs.
17
Conversion.
18
This is called “Daf Yomi”; Daf is Hebrew for a folio, two pages in English. In Talmudic pagination, the
folios are numbered with a suffix of ‘a’ or ‘b’ to refer to the sides.
19
The official Aramaic translation is published in all Jewish Bibles. It was written by a Roman convert.
Many read an English translation in lieu of the Aramaic.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

questions from his congregants. There are times when he may spend hours reviewing a
single question to give the congregant the correct response.
For Orthodox Jews, Judaism is a way of life. It is much more than a religion that requires
you to attend services once a week, or even once a day. It will involve every single action
you take. If you choose to become Jewish, it will dictate what you eat, where you live,
what you wear, and make demands on you that no Xan20 could tolerate. You will pray
three times a day21, often in synagogues. You will recite blessings before and after you
eat. You will be expected to devote some time every day to study. The rabbis you meet
in the Rabbinical Court (Beis Din) will not be content with their own level of practice and
devotion to study, so don’t expect them to be jumping for joy if you tell them that you
study one or two hours every week. You will be expected to make a commitment to
constantly improve your relationship with your Father in Heaven. By the way, the average
rabbi does not own a television. Most don’t listen to the radio either.
There is a line, “unless you are independently wealthy” in this document. While money
can help, time is a much more valuable commodity. Those who are serious and can
devote several hours of the day to their conversion preparations will be able to move
faster than others. Those who work 8-5, spend two to three hours traveling each day,
and have children at home might proceed at a slower pace.
There are many Gerim who have taken several years to convert. One of my favorites took
15 years. Some have considered Judaism, but were in the wrong location or had other
good reasons to not convert. If you decide to opt-out, that is your decision. There is
nothing wrong with remaining a non-Jew. We Jews believe that you can get into heaven
without being Jewish22. If you remain non-Jewish, you must follow the Seven Laws of
Noahides23 to do so.
There are times when it might appear that I am redundant. Please forgive me for
appearing to be so, it is usually intentional. There are also times when I seem to ramble
to make a point.
There are thousands who have converted to Judaism in the past 40 years 24. Thousands
more are considering conversion. Even so, most Orthodox Jews are unaware of their
numbers. Most Orthodox Jews don’t believe that they ever met a Ger. Those who have

20
Jews do not want to write anything that refers to a religion as being followers of our anointed king. We
don’t believe that the man whom they follow and after whom they name their religion was our king, our
messiah. As the first initial in the Greek translated of the messiah is the Chi (X), I use Xan to refer to a
follower of this religion, just as you will find adds for “Xmas”.
21
Most women pray twice a day.
22
This is a fundamental difference between the Xan religions and Judaism. We view a conversion to Judaism
as taking someone with seven basic commandments that are easy to observe and giving her/him close to 600
more commandments. If you are not prepared, it would be detrimental to convert you.
23
Next chapter.
24
One web site claims that there are 200,000 Gerim in North America. It did not provide any footnote. I am
unsure as to how many of these are Orthodox converts.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

may think that the one they met was the only one there is. Many rabbis have never
mentored a Ger. This will change, but it will take time.
The typical Orthodox Jew thinks of Ruth when he thinks of a Ger. Ruth was a Moabite
princess. She gave up life in the palace to live the life of a poor Jew. She gave up her
prestige, her social position, and her wealth. On one hand, she set a great example. On
the other hand, she set the bar very high. If someone hesitates to relocate to convert, we
think of Ruth and say to ourselves, “Ruth left a palace and her servants; she gave up an
annuity to convert, and what exactly is your problem?” If you find that conversion is too
difficult, that is fine. If you choose to continue with conversion, your reward will be
great25.
There are certain concepts in which Judaism differs greatly from your previous religion,
for example, the term “Torah”. The Hebrew Bible26 consists of Torah, Neviim, and
Kesuvim that is the Torah – the Five Books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings.
All the above is called “The Old Testament” by Xan churches27. However, Judaism
considers the first five books of the Testament as unique. Unlike the works of the
prophets, the Torah was dictated by Hashem28 to Moses. Jews believe that each word,
indeed every letter29, was dictated by Hashem. Not so the prophets. Their words are
their own. They received prophecy and wrote parts of their prophecies to be read for
generations but their words are not part of the Torah. There are times when we derive
certain laws from the Prophets, some of them rabbinic commandments issued by them.
But, the Prophets and the Writings are neither part of the written Torah nor the Oral
Torah on their own. These are parts of the Nacho. They have holiness but are not at the
same level as the Torah.
Another concept that is unique to Judaism is, “The Seventy Facets of the Verse.” By this,
we mean that a given verse may have more than one legitimate interpretation. Multiple
correct meanings may be drawn. The verse may be explained in four different levels, the
simple, a hint, homiletic, and Kabalistic30. These are not mutually exclusive but rather
complement each other.

25
While non-Jews can make it into heaven, Jews can obtain a higher position than most non-Jews. Of course,
even a bleacher seat in heaven is wonderful.
26
We call the Bible the Tnach, an acronym of Torah, Neviim, and Kesuvim. The order of the books of the
Bible differs. If you are used to the King James, you will find initially have trouble locating some of the
books you are used to find. On the other hand, we usually use the Xan chapter system within the books of
the Tnach.
27
We have differences in the order in which the books appear and certain Xan cannons include books that
we do not include in our Tnach. When a Xan asks me a question and hands me his Bible, it is sometimes
hard for me to find the place as their books are not in what would be for me the correct order.
28
God.
29
While this might sound difficult, Hebrew is written without vowels. We have 22 consonants in Hebrew.
The vowels as well as the punctuation are considered part of the Oral Law and not the Written Law.
30
This is called “Pardes” by its Hebrew acronym.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

We also believe that Hashem gave us an oral law in which He defined the details that were
not spelled out in the written law. This oral law was studied without being written down
until the year 180CE when Rabbi Judah the Prince (president of the Sanhedrin) authored
an outline for the Oral Law. This outline is called the Mishnah. The Talmud developed
from the Mishnah. There have been many who have read “The Old Testament” and felt
that they knew Judaism and were ready to become a Jew. Few statements could be
farther from the truth. Reading the Torah will give you an idea, but it will not be able to
tell you all the details of Judaism and you might miss some very important points. For
example, the “eye for an eye” is not taken literally. The Torah does not mean that one
physically removes the eye of a person as his punishment. It means that we require the
guilty party to give the full value of the eye’s loss, which is different from the value of a
tooth’s loss, etc. When the Torah says, “You shall cut off her hand31” it does not mean
that we chop off the hand of an offending woman. It means that we shall impose such a
fine that the woman would think twice before she considered the possibility of repeating
her offence. Many non-Jews believe that the Torah prohibited all mixtures of cloths, such
as wearing garments of cotton and polyester. This is not true. The only mixture in cloths
that is forbidden is one of wool and linen, called Shaatnez32. Therefore, it is often
necessarily for one to “unlearn” much to begin to learn about Judaism.
You will find some other differences between your former religion and Judaism, for
example, The Ten Commandments. We both list ten statements, but most of the Xans
consider our first two commandments to be one and they divide the last one into two.
With the exception of the Sabbath, we believe that non-Jews should observe these, as
they are reflected in the Seven Mitzvoth of Noahides, except for honoring parents which
is a good practice for the entire world, even if it is not one of the specific Mitzvoth given
to all Noahides. In fact, when the Talmud talks of how much honor one should give his
parents, it uses a case of a non-Jew33 as the example.
There are many times when I meet a non-Jew and s/he has very strong opinions of what
the Mitzvoth should be and where they could stand in the Noahide – Jew line.
Unfortunately for them, this is not where we stand. Xanity teaches that the Torah and all
its details are available to all the people of the world, however, as the Mitzvoth are too
difficult, Hashem provided J for the world to vicariously “fulfill” all Mitzvoth for all people
and that they, the Xan, are part of the “New Israel” whilst the Jews are merely a small
part of the “Old Israel”, a religion made obsolete by J’s arrival and subsequent crucifixion.
This is rubbish. To start off, the Mitzvoth are not all that difficult to keep. Yes, one must
be disciplined to be able to keep them, but most of us Orthodox Jews actually enjoy
Mitzvoth and look forward to being able to perform each one of them. Secondly, while
one might want to sympathize with the early Xan church that reached out to the gentile
population and brought them belief in the living God, they tarnished their souls with an

31
Deut. 25:12
32
Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11.
33
the story of Dama can be found in Kedushin, 31a

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

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impure vision of God and what He wants of the human race. Think of the entire human
race as in one great assembly hall. Each one is at his workstation in this hall. Each one
has his tasks. The tasks of the gentiles include to work and make the world a better place.
The gentiles are told to be civil and to live moral lives. The Jews are given a different task.
The Jews are given the task of providing the raison d’etre of the world. To accomplish
this very important task, they study Torah, conduct public prayer services, observe the
Sabbath, etc. The gentiles are not given the Sabbath. They may rest. They may take
vacations34. These are important so that they can live good lives. But their main purpose
is to be civil.
When a gentile decides on his own to perform Mitzvoth that he does not have and to
observe the Sabbath as a Jew, he may be guilty of crossing the line35. Just as no Israelite
or Levite may not offer sacrifices in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, so too a non-Jew may
not function as a Jew. Only if one is converting may he cross the line and his eventual
appearance at a Mikveh with a Beis Din will grant him the right to serve Hashem as a Jew.
As we grow in quality and quantity we will be able to accomplish more good. However,
we must never compromise our quality just to add to our quantity.
We are required to reach out to Jews who are not practicing Judaism and enlist them to
fulfill their destiny. When it comes to those who wish to convert, we are faced with
questions regarding the candidate. Will this candidate be able to contribute to the world
with her/his Mitzvoth? We are aware that some of our converts find that life as a Jew is
too difficult and may fall off the path. Is this candidate strong enough to remain on the
path even when confronted by obstacles? Will this candidate’s contact with the general
population cause them to think positively of all Jews or will this candidate create a
desecration of Hashem’s holy name? How can this candidate make the transition to be a
Jew?
At a certain point, our role vis a vis the conversion candidate changes. We are no longer
required to warn the candidate of the pitfalls of joining the Jewish nation but rather we
are required to help the candidate convert.
Certain points may be difficult to understand. The general population’s view of the city of
Sodom identifies it with homosexuality. The Torah’s view differs tremendously. The
residents of Sodom are portrayed as rich misers. They enacted laws to prevent outsiders
from sharing their wealth. They were destroyed not for their homosexuality36, but rather

34
Holidays in British English
35
There are opinions that disagree with this. They hold that Gentiles may accept commandments. If they
do, then these will be just as binding on them as on Jews. This can be very dangerous because these
commandments will remain binding on them even if they were to choose to remain non-Jewish. As such,
they are setting themselves up for a very difficult position. On a similar level, Jews are told by the Talmud
to avoid taking oaths, as these requirements are not only not necessary but present people with stumbling
blocks they do not need.
36
Homosexual intercourse is illegal both for Noahides and Jews. However, their crime was worse. Similarly
in the flood, the rabbis pointed out that God did not destroy mankind for its sexual perversions (and the rabbis
said that there were many guilty of this) but rather because of their violence.

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Introduction – Words of Blessing

because of the following story. A young girl took pity on a stranger and threw him a loaf
of bread. She was condemned to death for this terrible crime. She was tied to an anthill
and covered with honey. They ants came and devoured her with the honey. Her cries
reached heaven and moved God into issuing an order to destroy them. The Medrash 37
has several stories of their cruelty.
The Ethics of Fathers38 has the following to say about one’s attitude. There are four
characteristics among people: One who says, "Mine is mine and yours is yours," that is
the mark of the average person; some say that is the mark of Sodom. One who says "Mine
is yours and yours is mine," is an ignorant person. He who says, "Mine is yours and yours
is yours," is a godly person. One who says, "Yours is mine and mine is mine," is an evil
person." The Jewish definition of Sodomite is therefore one who refuses to share.
If you want to convert, you must be exposed to and understand these concepts. Multiple
correct answers, the Medrash, and the Oral Torah are all new to you and you will have to
learn to navigate these new seas.
Xans claim that the Torah and Mitzvoth are too difficult for anyone to observe properly.
We disagree. We observe all the Mitzvoth that we are required to do. While there are
613 Mitzvoth in the Torah, not all apply to any one person. In fact, there are many39 that
apply only to the Holy Temple Service. Others apply only under certain circumstances.
For example, it is a Mitzvah to divorce your wife40. This Mitzvah only applies when it is
impossible for you to live together as a married couple. It is one Mitzvah I don’t intent to
fulfill. I certainly hope that I will never be in the circumstances where this Mitzvah would
apply to me. It is also a Mitzvah to slaughter an animal properly. Most of us have never
performed this Mitzvah and don’t even know how to do so. As long as we eat only kosher
meat, we do not violate this commandment. We are not required to learn how to
slaughter animals and do so on a regular basis. There are hundreds of trained Shochatim
who perform kosher slaughter for us. There are many negative commandments that we
keep without even paying close attention to our observance of them41. This includes all
the relatives whom we may not marry. In fact, I can’t think of any Mitzvah that is too
difficult to keep.
There are many Mitzvoth that you must fulfill yourself. There are others that you can
fulfill through an agent, called a Shaliach in Hebrew. There is a Mitzvah for a man to
circumcise his sons when they are eight days old. When each of my three sons was born,
I appointed an agent42 to circumcise him for me. Thus, I fulfilled the command to
circumcise them through this agent. A woman normally lights candles43 before the

37
Rabbinical works published in the 2nd century, CE.
38
One of the Tractates of the Mishnah
39
Over 200.
40
Divorce is legal in Judaism.
41
We should pay attention to them.
42
A man who is trained in performing circumcisions is called a Mohel.
43
This is a Rabbinic commandment.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

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Sabbath. One who is ill can appoint her husband or children to light them for her.
However, you may not appoint an agent to pray for you44 or to say grace for you. These
are things each Jew must perform on his own.
If you do not live in a community with other Jews, you will be asked to move. The exact
requirements of where you live depend on your personal status and the Beis Din that
oversees your conversion. A young family will be expected to establish their residency in
a city that has Yeshivas for their children or expected children. An older couple could
make their home in a retirement community if it has an Orthodox Synagogue and source
of kosher food. A single may be asked to move to a location where s/he can find other
Orthodox singles, or perhaps a spouse. The London Beis Din requires those who undergo
conversion under their auspices to live with an Orthodox family for a certain amount of
time. While this might be difficult, there aren’t enough words to describe how wonderful
it is. If you are able to do so, no matter where you live, try to live with an Orthodox family.
Converting without this is like taking a science course but skipping the laboratory classes.
If you are a minor and your family is not joining you in your journey to Judaism, then it
may take you a while longer than others. Rabbis are unwilling to create discord in a non-
Jewish family45 and therefore will not want to work with you unless you were to have the
support of your family and both parents give their permission46. Feel free to read this
book but please do not start to do anything that will result in any friction. There will be
plenty of time for you to learn about Judaism after your eighteenth birthday. If your
parents support your decision, bring at least one to meet with the Local Orthodox Rabbi
and discuss what you will learn and how much Judaism you will practice. Your rabbi may
decide that he does not want you even begin to keep kosher at home. On the other hand,
if your parents don’t mind, then the entire family may go partly kosher. If they are
vegetarians, then this should not be an issue; however do not confuse vegetarianism with
Kashruth as there are many differences. Be aware that kosher food is more expensive
than the same food purchased from non-kosher stores. This is especially true in smaller
communities where there might be only one retailer who must pay his rent and make a
living from a small number of patrons.
I wrote this composition to help Gerim in their process of learning about Judaism and
their mentors to help them prepare the prospective Jew for conversion. This is not meant
to be an all-inclusive book and I mention some of the books (Sefarim in Hebrew) that I
suggest. I have included a couple of tests in the appendices. Please don’t expect to get a

44
One who is too ill to pray (for example one in a coma) is exempt from praying. It can be assumed that
one who is healthy enough to eat is healthy enough to recite grace after the meal.
45
As Jews believe that non-Jews can make it into heaven, there is no theological benefit to converting a
minor. If you truly believe in Judaism, there is plenty of time for you to convert after you become an adult.
Shalom Bayis, domestic peace, is a very important item in Judaism and we would not want to disturb the
domestic peace of anyone, Jew or non-Jew unless there is a compelling reason.
46
I know of at least one Beis Din that will not convert anyone under 21 and others who will not convert
anyone in college.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

perfect score on them. Many Orthodox Jews who have lived an Orthodox life for 20 years
cannot achieve a perfect score on these.
Also, don’t feel that you can read this composition and appear before an Orthodox Beth
Din (court) for conversion knowing all the answers. This is not a cheat-sheet for
conversion. This is a means for you to learn the essentials. Your Beth Din should be able
to tell what a legitimate response is and what a canned response that you have already
prepared is. If you choose to convert, don’t go with canned answers. Go with a desire to
impress them with your sincerity. You have the desire to enter a room and they have the
keys. You desire their help. They, on the other hand, will consider you. Will you make a
good Jew? Are you prepared to do what they will request? Will you be able to live the
rest of your days as a religious Jew? How pure are your motives? We have a line in the
penitential prayers before the High Holy Days, “We knock on Your door, do not turn us
back empty-handed47.” You should have the same thoughts as you sit down before the
Beis Din.
A young lady wrote on one post, “I am a senior in college and I just began an orthodox
conversion process. I am extremely excited, but also nervous. Because I am dating a
Jewish guy, it looks a lot like I'm looking for a 'conversion for marriage.' This is definitely
not the case, but it will be very difficult to convince a Beth Din of this.” She should not
have judged Batey Din as being so shallow that they would not be able to discern how she
serious is. One Beth Din I know takes at least two hours at the first meeting to get to
know the candidate. They write copious notes. They ask the candidate (and his
accompanying mentor) to leave. Then, after a private discussion, they invite only the
candidate to return. After further questioning, they again retire to discuss the candidate,
inviting him and his mentor back for a final discussion. And that is only the tip of the
iceberg. The Beth Din will take time to look into the eyes of potential converts, hear their
stories, and try to understand their circumstances and their needs. They will take into
consideration their individual circumstances.
I once had a conversation with a member of the London Beth Din. I asked him why a
certain lady had been converted, knowing her negative attitude. The LBD Rav responded
that while she was not their ideal candidate, she met all their requirements and it would
have been unfair to hold up her conversion. The London Beth Din is known for its difficult
requirements. It takes longer to convert in London than in most other communities. Yet,
they too will convert someone who does not fit within “the cookie cutter mold.” For the
most part, a Bet Din will not require its candidates to follow a set line of theology or a set
form of Orthodoxy. Sure, many would be happier with those whose practice is closest to
theirs, but all Batey Din will accept candidates who are devoted to Judaism and
committed to the Mitzvoth.

47
I paraphrased it.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

How do I know if Judaism is right for me? The best way is to learn as much as you can
about Judaism and begin to practice some of those aspects of Judaism that most appeal
to you. Seek out Orthodox Jewish friends, Orthodox coworkers, or a synagogue
community for support. As you study and try out Jewish practice and customs at your own
pace, you will determine if Judaism is right for you or if offers a few elements that will
improve your relationship with Our Father in Heaven48 while remaining a Gentile. There
is no contract that those reading this composition must convert. Conversion is open to
anyone who wishes to convert and commits to live the rest of her/his life in the Orthodox
Jewish manner; however, this is too soon for anyone to make a commitment. One must
first learn the responsibilities before anyone can commit to Orthodox Judaism.

It is important to stress that the requirements of conversion to Judaism here are Orthodox
requirements. The other streams of Judaism offer conversion. There are even “rabbis”
who will offer internet-based studies at the conclusion of which they will “convert” you.
No Orthodox Jews accept conversions performed by non-Orthodox auspices. We are
aware that some conservative rabbis claim that orthodox rabbis will accept their
conversions. This is not accurate. I also suggest that candidates for conversion steer clear
of “Open Orthodox” rabbis.

Judaism treats conversion in a manner that is similar to many countries’ immigration. It

requires you to establish a form of residency in a Jewish community, to apply, to wait for
a period of time before you can formalize your immigration, and to have an immigration
ceremony presided over by a panel of three judges. You even take an oath of loyalty at
your ceremony. Just as some one born a citizen of a country need not take these steps,
those born Jews are automatically Jews even if they appear not to be worthy of their
citizenship. Those who wish to become citizens of the tribe must prove that they are
worthy of this gift of citizenship. However, once citizenship is granted you will have full
citizen responsibilities. If you are a male, you can study for the rabbinate or lead the
services. Indeed, many converts have gone on to become rabbis.

There are roughly 200,000 people who consider themselves converts to Judaism living in
North America. Of these, about 50,00049 are converts to Orthodox Judaism. Many of
those who converted to non-Orthodox Judaism have continued to learn about Judaism
and have completed their conversion to Orthodox Judaism. I even know people who have
had more than two conversions. This work will prepare you to consider a conversion to
Judaism that is recognized by all. It takes a bit longer to convert to Orthodox Judaism
than to convert to other versions of Judaism. We require that candidates be thoroughly
prepared for their conversion and that converts accept 100% of Judaism. They don’t. We
would rather turn someone down than accept a disingenuous candidate. We have
refused to convert many good people who are great Gentiles but would have been

48
Yes. That is a Jewish expression.
49
Guess. We have no firm statistics.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Introduction – Words of Blessing

mediocre Jews. Your Rabbi and the Rabbinical Court you will meet will help you decide if
Judaism is right for you. We will not pressure you to convert. We may try to pressure
you to decline conversion.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Becoming a Noahide

Become a Noahide. The following are the seven Mitzvoth of Noah’s children and apply to
all of humanity. The first step to becoming a Jew is to fulfill all of your requirements as a
member of the general population. As a pre-requisite of being a Noahide, you must
believe in Hashem, the only God, and believe that He gave laws to humanity and to the
Jewish Nation. The Talmud declares that these will have a portion in the world to come.
One who follows the Laws of Noahides but does not believe is a wise man 50 but not one
of the Righteous of the Nations of the World.
This section is not meant to include all the laws that Noahides may follow but rather how
one transition to Noahide status as a potential Ger.

The following are the basic requirements of all Noahides. These seven pillars contain two
that are strictly between man and God, four that are the basis of human civilization, and
one that defines our most basic responsibility to animals.
➢ Belief in God and prohibition of idolatry. According to the
Tosafos51, no form of Xanity is considered idolatry for a non-Jew.
However, if you are practicing any other religion, stop. One does
not convert from Catholicism, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc. to
Judaism. One can only convert from Noahide to Judaism. While
there are rabbinic debates as to the nature of the Xan faiths52, a
Noahide should not participate in any of them. A Noahide is
above all of them and not quite on the level of a Jew. Man, the
greatest of all creatures is the weakest of all creatures. We are
not inherently the strongest or fastest animal. Without our
ability to create tools and devices, we would be helpless. We
might let our imagination get the better of us. As belief in a single
non-corporeal God was too difficult for the ancients, they created
gods of specific functions. These gods were like men. They ate.
They drank. They slept. And they participated in every corporeal
function. They even had children. Belief in these or sacrifice to
them is not permitted. A Noahide is one who believes in the One
God. In that aspect, he is the same as a Jew.
➢ Prohibition of blasphemy. This should be easy. You are not
allowed to curse Hashem.
➢ Prohibition of murder. To murder a human being is to deny that
God created mankind. We are each other’s brothers, having one
father, God. Destroying a person is attacking God Himself. The

50
Maimonides.
51
Jewish scholars from who wrote Talmudic commentaries in Northern France and Rhineland Germany in
the 12th thru 13th century. This group includes the students of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi), his grandsons,
and their students, etc. and were the leaders of Ashkenazi Judaism.
52
Maimonides considered Xanity to be idolatry. At least, the Orthodox and Roman Catholic versions.

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Becoming a Noahide

Decalogue consisted of two tablets. One could therefore read

the first and sixth53 commandment together, “I am the Lord your
God who took you out of Egypt. You shall not murder.”
➢ Prohibition of theft. One should be careful even taking things
that do not seem to have any value or using items that belong to
another or even borrowing them without permission. Even
taking supplies from your employer can be seen as theft in
Judaism.
➢ Prohibition of illicit relations. This includes adultery (relations
with a married woman), incest, homosexual relations, and
bestiality. The definition of a married woman is a woman who is
living with a man, with or without a formal marriage. She is no
longer married if she or he permanently moves out, with or
without a formal divorce. Incest does not include cousins as
these are permitted relations, even to Jews. Premarital
relationships are not included in this prohibition, as long as they
don’t involve Jews. While premarital relations may not be
prohibited to a Noahide, one should avoid having relationships
without meaning. It is important to note that a Jew will be more
limited than a Noahide in this area. A Jew may only have relations
with his spouse. Jewish marriage and divorce involve rituals54.
Someone who is single and converting will be expected to have
no romantic relations while actively pursuing his conversion.
Married and engaged couples may convert together. A non-Jew
who is married to a Jew may convert. Following the Decalogue,
we find that this commandment is the second of the second
tablet. Therefore, it is parallel to the prohibition of idolatry. Just
as one may not serve foreign gods, one may not have relations
that are incestuous or adulterous. Jews and Noahides may not
breed animals or plants of different species but are permitted to
breed animals and plants from different sub-species55 or breeds.
➢ The commandment to respect all creatures. Even though man is
permitted to kill animals for food, clothing, and housing, cruelty

53
This follows the Jewish count. Most Xans combine the first two statements into a single commandment
and then divide the final statement into two commandments.
54
Unlike Xanity, divorce is a ritual in Judaism and one of the 613 Mitzvoth. I have served as a witness in a
few of these.
55
The actual definition of these prohibitions depends on the name by which the animals and plants are known
and not the biological definition. Thus, if two species within the same genus have the same name, it would
not be a Halachic problem to breed them. Therefore we may breed Canis lupus (Grey wolf) with Canis Rupis
(Red wolf). However, the breeding of dogs and wolves, even though domesticated dogs are Canis lupus
familiaris, is prohibited.

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Becoming a Noahide

to animals is not permitted. Specifically, there is a prohibition of

eating meat taken from a living animal. Stop eating crab legs.
This is very important as eating crab legs may be a violation of
this Noahide commandment (according to most opinions, this
prohibition only applies to mammals and birds). Crab legs are
sometimes harvested from living crabs that go on to regenerate
more legs that can be harvested. This may include crabmeat in
sushi56. This does not mean that a Noahide may be cruel or mean
to animals. It only defines this one action as a capital crime and
you are expected to understand that animal cruelty is not
acceptable. While a Noahide is not required to follow the laws of
Kashrus, it is not a bad idea to limit your purchasing to kosher
food.57
➢ Establish justice. Non-Jews are required to establish courts and
maintain laws to preserve society. English-speaking countries do
this fairly well. An application of this is jury service. A juror who
votes against his conscience may be guilty of a capital crime. A
robust judicial system creates a good and egalitarian society, one
that is worthy of God’s blessings. Rabbinic writing often refers to
America as “The state of kindness”. It, and other countries that
have a good justice system and take care of their disadvantaged
are worthy of the blessings that God bestows upon them.
The Seven Noahide Commandments can be expanded into 66 of the 613
commandments58 Jews are required to observe. There are additional bullets that
should be part of you as you become a superior Noahide and consider your
conversion to Judaism.
➢ Donate to charities (Tzedakah59). You may donate to good
general causes as well as Jewish charities.
➢ Perform acts of kindness (Chesed). Visit the sick, the elderly, and
the lonely. You should also consider giving blood on a regular
basis, if you can. If a friend has lost a relative, pay her/him a
condolence call.

56
Crabs and other crustaceans are non-kosher. Kosher sushi may include imitation crab meat.
57
If you wish to begin to observe the laws of Kashruth, please read the Going Kosher steps in the appendix.
There are those who will be able to go from “zero to sixty” in one single step. Those are usually bachelors.
Most converts need time to get used to Kashruth requirements.
58
[Link] I would suggest that anyone interested in
learning the full requirements of all humanity study this document.
59
There are times when I put the English words in parenthesis and others when I place the Hebrew words in
parenthesis. It would be a good idea to learn all the Hebrew words in this composition.

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Becoming a Noahide

➢ Dress modestly (Tznius)60. From this point on, buy clothing that
will fit in to what an Orthodox Jew considers modest, or at least
close to it. Modest dress is something that benefits all of
humanity. Consider giving some of your clothing to a charity or a
close friend.
1. Women: Orthodox standards require our women to cover
most of their bodies. Orthodox women generally wear long
or ¾ length sleeves61, and cover their bodies from below the
neck until below the knees. Our ladies do not wear
trousers. If you want to phase in the tznius look, perhaps
you could start to work on your tops, replacing those that
show too much with short-sleeved blouses. You can wear a
nice blouse or turtle neck sweater under a jumper. Then,
start to go for longer-length skirts and dresses. For some,
it will be very hard to change what you wear to work
radically. If that is your case, change your leisure wardrobe
first. Make modest changes to your work wardrobe. Even
if you choose to convert, it will take some time before your
conversion will be formalized. If there are reasons for you
to wear trousers at work (or certain sports activities), talk
to your local Orthodox Rabbi when you meet him about
these and ask for his input. Similarly, ladies who live in
extremely cold areas should discuss appropriate dress with
their mentors and rabbis.
2. Men: The changes men make are fairly easy. Most men
wear clothing that is acceptable; as long as they’re wearing
at least a shirt and shorts (where shorts are commonly
worn. Most Orthodox men never wear shorts). A speedo or
exposed chest would be unacceptable, except at a
swimming competition. When wearing shirts, men should
leave a maximum of one button open. Men should also
avoid trousers that are tight fitting. Men who leave several
buttons of their shirt open are not only using bad taste but
in violation of the modesty requirements of Judaism.
3. In General: Judaism does not believe that married life is evil
or only better than “burning”. We believe that married life
and the marital acts are positive factors, but that their place

60
Tznius is an issue of both dress and behavior. It teaches that people are not pieces of meat but rather the
spiritual, physical, and intelligent beings.
61
Some Orthodox women wear short sleeves.

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Becoming a Noahide

is behind closed doors, when it comes to the actions,

discussions, and advertising62. Therefore, we believe that
one should not dress in such a way that says, “Look here;
see what I’ve got.” This holds true for both genders. It also
means that men, both Noahides and Jews, should not treat
ladies as if they were pieces of meat, in the way that they
speak to them and the way that they look at them.
➢ Weigh your words carefully. Try not to talk ill of anyone. Watch
your vocabulary too. Certain words and expressions should be
avoided. You may have noticed that I went out of my way to
avoid a certain word in the previous paragraph63. Clean speech
will benefit you and all of humanity. Judaism believes that those
whose everyday speech includes profanity or gossip are inferior
to animals. This does not apply only to the words that the Federal
Communications Commission doesn’t permit on the airwaves.
This includes vulgar and crude terms. It also includes all forms of
hate speech.
➢ Start to pray. Prayer is good and not limited to Jews. As you
begin your conversion, you will learn how to pray as a Jew. Prayer
can be simple, such as “Thank you father, for giving me this day.
Please teach me how I should serve You.” You could read “Adon
Olam” in English or sing it slowly in Hebrew. Other great poems
include Yigdal, Kel Adon, Eyn kelokeynu (No hay como nuestro
Dio), and several others. You could also read the Psalms. You
might notice that the King James64 has a translation of the second
Psalm that supports Xanity. The Art Scroll has a very good
translation with commentary.
➢ Change your lifestyle. Do you frequent places that perhaps you
should not? Do you drink too much65? Engage in other activities
that may not be the best? Make changes to become a better
human being.

62
Please take note that I use the terms “marital act” and “gender” rather than a three-letter word. This is
done on purpose.
63
Just in case you didn’t see the footnote.
64
The standard Protestant translation of the Tnach and Xan scriptures to English, which was commissioned
by and dedicated by the translators to King James of England and Scotland. It is, in general, a very good
translation which seems to follow Jewish traditions. Many of the older Jewish translations follow the King
James in their style and choice of English words. The Artscroll does not.
65
Alcohol consumption is not prohibited in Judaism, excessive drinking is considered a violation of our
requirement to be holy (Ramban. Rambam).

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➢ Limit your romantic relationships to meaningful ones. Even

though this could be included in the previous bullet, it is worthy
of its own. While a gentile is permitted to have casual
relationships, it doesn’t mean that you should have casual
relationships. If you want to be truly righteous, then limit
yourself in this matter also. Jews are required to have all their
relationships within the context of a marriage. It is a good idea
for all to do the same.
➢ Improve your tone. The above improvements should result in a
kinder, gentler you. It should also result in a happier you. Be
happy each day.
You have now become a Righteous Gentile. This is not a small step. You have earned
a place in heaven. You need not continue and become a Jew to get into heaven. If
you still want to convert, learn about Judaism and what it means to be a Jew. It is
very likely that many who read this truly want to continue to convert and would not
be happy being “only” a Noahide. There is no such thing for a gentile than being
“only” a Noahide. Those who live according to the Noahide rules are wonderful
people who will be welcomed into heaven by God himself. Only Jews must go beyond
the Noahide Laws. Not everyone who wants to become a Jew may be able to do so.
There may be many valid reasons for you not to convert. However, feel free to read
more and decide if conversion is right for you.
There is an important concept in Judaism of Derech Eretz. Derech Eretz can be defined
as common courtesy, etiquette, or manners but goes light years beyond that
definition. One is expected to practice Derech Eretz with people, animals, food, and
other items, each according to its status. For example, it is considered a breach of
etiquette in Judaism to throw a loaf of bread to your friend at the other end of the
table. Food is given to us so that we may live and requires respect. To treat food as
just something of no value means that one does not fully appreciate the gift of life
and that which sustains it. Similarly, many rabbis have rallied on excesses at weddings
and other affairs as being nothing more than conspicuous consumption and showing
a lack of Derech Eretz. One of my rabbinical teachers66 once walked out of a wedding
when a second appetizer, flaming duck was served on the grounds that we should not
participate in food orgies.
When King David was near death, he suffered from hypothermia67. The attendants
tried to cover him with blankets but he still was cold. The rabbis declared that this
was the result of a previous faux pas. When King Saul had thought that David was
trying to kill him, he pursued David. David hid in a cave. Saul entered the cave and

66
A Rosh Yeshiva
67
I Kings 1.

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David cut a swatch off the king’s cloak68. David called to the king and showed him the
swatch, saying that had he wanted to kill him, he could have. This proved that David
did not want to kill the king. But it also meant that David showed a lack of Derech
Eretz to clothing. As such, when they tried to cover him with blankets (clothing in
Hebrew), the blankets could not help him. This is the level to which one must practice
Derech Eretz. You are required to show it to others, yourself, animals, food, your
money, and the entire world, including all its elements.
If you want to get into heaven, by becoming a Noahide you’re already there. Keep
the Noahide commandments. If you want more, you are free to convert to Judaism.

68
I Samuel 24.

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God exiled the Jewish Nation only for the purpose of bringing converts to Him69.
Orthodox Jews believe that God revealed Himself to us at Mt. Sinai and gave us both a
written Torah and its explanation. We believe that we must abide by all that He
commanded us, changing nothing, deleting nothing70. We believe that He gave us the
rules by which new conditions can be examined and their status determined. Thus, we
have determined that we may not turn a light on during the Sabbath and that we may eat
eggs from genetically altered chickens. This composition is not the place to discuss the
details of Jewish Jurisprudence but one who is converting must be exposed to the concept
of the Oral Law and that it complements the Written Law. We believe that the Oral Law
was studied and passed intact from teacher to student for well over one thousand years
and that it was only committed to writing when circumstances demanded it. It was only
after 1450 years from Mt. Sinai that Rabbi Judah the Prince authored the Mishnah and
about three hundred years later that the Talmud was redacted in Babylon. There are
times when the Oral Law will tell us that the Written Law is not to be taken quite literally,
such as “an eye for an eye” does not mean that one removes the eye of a man but rather
that you judge the value of an eye. It also will tell you that there never was a rebellious
son who was put to death and that God only included it in the Torah to give you a chance
to study its laws and to receive reward for doing so. On the other hand, it will tell you
that when the Torah wrote, “you shall bind them” that this verse is meant to be taken
literally, and the laws of how one “binds them” are detailed in the Talmud. It will also tell
you that there is a Mitzvah for every Jew to say the Shma each and every morning and
night, but that there are times when someone may be exempted from doing so. There is
a lot to learn to be a Jew, certainly so when one is not raised as a Jew and does not have
the ability to learn how to practice Judaism by mimicking his parents. The reward for
doing so is great.
This composition is meant to guide you as you learn about Judaism. One important
disclaimer: I am merely one rabbi. The suggestions included here are mine and based on
the work I have done with hundreds of converts, not a pronouncement made by a Jewish
version of the pope. Unlike the rest of Judaism, conversion methods have changed
radically in the past couple of generations. In the previous hundreds of years, a potential
convert met with a Jewish court, was converted, and then moved in with a Jewish family
for the next couple of years so that s/he could learn Judaism71. Now, we teach Judaism
to the convert before her/his conversion. As such, each rabbi working with converts
established how much education will be required prior to conversion. Lately, many

69
Talmud, Pesachim 87b (pages of the Talmud are numbered as folios, thus each page is two pages in
standard format. “b” indicates that it is on the second side of the folio.)
70
We are allowed to add Rabbinical injunctions, when needed.
71
This was usually done to protect him as well as his mentors from death, as it was quite common for the
Xan governments to kill anyone trying to convert. While there were many women who converted to Judaism
in Roman times, conversions from the time that the Empire became Xan until the 19th century were almost
exclusively men.

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prominent rabbis have sought to establish universal standards and have asked other
rabbis to join them in this suggestion. Not every rabbi will agree with me 100% of the
time. If your Local Orthodox Rabbi has different instructions, please follow his. While I
may have more experience in general, he is working with you and has his own reasons for
his instructions. Feel free to ask him or your mentor72 when you have questions. Also,
this composition is meant to help the potential convert’s mentor. It is not meant to be a
means to avoid having a mentor. You cannot read this composition, read the books I
recommend, answer the questions I’ve written and think that you know Judaism. Judaism
must be lived.
Those who are still reading this composition have already gone through an evolution. As
many of you come from a monotheistic faith, the concept of a single deity is one with
which you are already familiar and comfortable. You are also comfortable with the
concept of the deity having revealed Himself and assigned Mitzvoth, requirements. You
may or may not be comfortable with the idea that non-Jews are limited in their spiritual
growth and will be able to get into heaven by merely living a moral life. You want more.
You want to be able to serve Hashem. Unfortunately, there is no middle step73. To do so
properly, you must become a Jew. Many thousands have become Jews. We don’t know
most of their names. There are several famous Gerim. These include:
❖ Rahab, as mentioned in the Book of Joshua. According to Jewish tradition, she
married Joshua, gave birth to a daughter, and was the ancestress of several
prophets74.
❖ Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David, born a Moabite princess75. Had
she not converted, we would have been denied not only the kings of the house
of David, but also the Books of Psalms, the Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes,
Proverbs, and Isaiah.
❖ Naamah, mother of King Rehobaom (she was one of the wives of King
Solomon), born an Ammonite. All kings of Judah from Rehobaom on were her
descendants, as well as the Prophet Isaiah.

72
In the event that you cannot find a mentor, contact me. I have several mentors whose rates are
reasonable. At this moment I offer mentors who speak English, Hebrew, or Spanish.
73
I have heard that there are those who have an opinion that Noahides are permitted to accept additional
commandments. The source can be found in Orach Chaim 304. Look at the Biur Halachah.
74
I am aware that the Xan book has her married to Salmon, and that she was the mother of Boaz. We Jews
have no records that would confirm this. If it were so, we would have some mention of it in the Talmud as
more prophets would be included as well as all the kings of the house of David. As such, she was the ancestor
of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
75
Ruth merited an exceptionally long life and was, according to Jewish tradition, present at the dedication
of the Temple, where she sat next to her great-great-grandson King Solomon. She was referred to as the
source [or mother] of the kingship and according an honor normally reserved only to the kings of the house
of David, as no one else may sit in the Temple courtyard.

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❖ The Prophet Obadiah76, born an Ishmaelite.

❖ Shmaya and Avtalyon, the teachers of Hillel;
❖ Ben Hay-Hay77 of the Mishnah;
❖ Ben Bag-Bag of the Mishnah;
❖ Rabbi Akiva, whose father was a convert;
❖ Rabbi Meir (aka Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes), a grandson of Nero Caesar. (While
Nero did not have any official seed, he did father children. According to the
Talmud78 Nero converted. According to general historians, Nero was
assassinated by his guard. According to the Talmud, he fled [perhaps he had
staged his “assassination”] and converted to Judaism. At any rate, the Talmud
states that Rabbi Meir was a descendant of Nero. Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg
[d: 1293] was a descendant and was the foremost rabbi of the German states
in the 13th century.)
❖ Aqilas (known to Jews as Unkalos) nephew of Hadrian, author of the prime
Aramaic translation of the Torah.
❖ Queen Helena of Adiabene79, together with her sons. She and they are
mentioned many times in the Talmud. It is likely that many of her subjects
converted too. It is perhaps interesting that the Kurds are genetic relatives to
both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews.
❖ Flavius Clemens, a Roman Senator, and nephew of the Emperor Domitinan.
❖ Fulvia, the wife of a Roman Senator, Saturninus. It is likely that Saturninus also
converted.
❖ Rachel, the mother of Rav Abba Mauri an Amora of the Talmud. The latter was
converted while he was a fetus and was born a Jew.
❖ Bishop Bodo, confessor to Louis the Pius (son of Charlemagne). He moved to
Moslem Spain to convert. Died 876.
❖ Andreas, Archbishop of Bari (late 11th Century)
❖ Obadiah the Convert (12th Century) a former priest whose original name was
Johannes. He was born in Normandy.

76
Many male converts have taken his name as their own. It is translated as, “Servant of the Lord.”
77
The letter He, with a numeric value of five, is the Hebrew letter that was added to Abram’s name to signify
the new Abraham. The Yud in Sarai’s name was changed to a He when she was renamed Sarah. Bag has
the geometric value of 5. Thus, both rabbis referred to themselves as converts, the sons of Abraham and
Sarah. When someone converts to Judaism, s/he is adopted by Abraham and Sarah.
78
Gittin 56a.
79
Located in what is now Kurdistan and Armenia.

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❖ Obadiah the Convert (13th Century) to whom the Rambam (Maimonides)

wrote a famous letter and primarily for him wrote The Guide to the Perplexed.
❖ Robert de Reddinge, an English80 nobleman of the 13th century, also a
preaching friar. His conversion eventually led to the expulsion of Jews from
England. He was burned at the stake.
❖ Abraham of Augsburg martyred 1265.
❖ Catherine Weigel, burned at the stake for converting, 1539.
❖ Diego de Asumpcao, burned at the stake for converting, 1603.
❖ Conrad Victor, a professor of classical languages at the University of Marburg.
He moved to the Ottoman Empire and became Moses Prado.
❖ Nicolas Antoine. While he was not able to convert to Judaism, he was burned
at the stake in Geneva, Switzerland in 1632 for seeking to convert to Judaism.
❖ Francisco de Silva burned at the stake in Lima, 1639.
❖ Don Lope de Vera burned at the stake, 1644.
❖ Johann Peter Spate, a German priest, d: 1697.
❖ Valentine, Count Potocki (Avraham ben Avraham, the Ger Zedek of Vilna)
burned at the stake by the Catholic Church in Poland, 1749. His ashes and a
single finger that had not been burned were interned next to the Vilna Gaon,
the most eminent sage of the 18th century.
❖ Boruch ben Avraham (Zaremba). A Lithuanian nobleman who converted with
Count Potocki who wisely moved to Israel upon his conversion.
❖ Lord George Gordon (d: November 1, 1793). While the British did not kill him
outright, he was arrested and kept in prison until he sickened and died. In the
1800s, conversion to Judaism was no longer considered a capital crime in most
Christian countries.
❖ Abraham Graanboom, a Swedish aristocrat who converted and relocated to
Amsterdam with his family. (d: 1807)
❖ Setzuso Kotsuji81, a Japanese aristocrat (d: 1974).
❖ Dr. Kenny Trabert (d: 2008)82 who had been part of the Princeton Think Tank
and then joined the Lakewood Yeshiva.

80
Norman, not Anglo-Saxon.
81
For more information about him, read [Link]
82

[Link]
+[Link]

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❖ 83Asher Wade (former Methodist minister, now rabbi84)

❖ Ole Brunell, former Finnish Lutheran Minister85.
❖ Natan Gamedze, African prince, now rabbi86.
❖ Julius Lester, a black American convert to Judaism famous for remarking, “The
black assumption is that Jews are white people. And blacks don't understand
that most Jews don't see themselves as white87."
❖ Ahuvah Grey, black American who was once a Protestant Minster and is now
an Orthodox Jewess.
❖ Rabbi Dr. Aharon Shear Yashuv, who was Wolfgang Schmidt, a German
Protestant. His father had been an SS officer. He studied for the ministry, and
then decided to convert to Judaism. He converted under Reform and
subsequently under Orthodox auspices. He became the Rav of the Technion
University in Haifa and a lecturer at Bar Ilan University.
❖ Several thousands whose names we don’t even know. The grandchildren of
non-Jews can be found in almost every Yeshiva in America and Israel.
❖ In addition, there have been many groups of Xans who having read the Bible,
decided to follow many Jewish laws and practices. These groups were met
with severe opposition from the established church and governments.
It appears that conversion was very common in the Roman Empire during the first couple
of centuries, CE. So much so that Septimius Serverus made it illegal to convert to Judaism
in 202 CE. This is interesting, as many historians believed that Jewish missionaries had
ceased activity following the Bar Kochba revolt, some 67 years earlier. It would appear
from this (and other sources) that Jews were active in preaching monotheism to the
Romans at least as late as the early third century. At any rate, the Roman Empire became
increasingly hostile to Judaism during the third century and became officially Xan in the
fourth century. Tacitus, Cicero, and Juvenal all complained about the number of Romans
who had converted to Judaism. Dio Cassius and Horus also mentioned that a large
number of Romans had converted to Judaism. The Xan book Mathew also comments
about proselyte action on our part. While no Roman Emperors were Jews88, Marcus
Aurelius and Commodus89 were known to be very friendly to the Jews. There were also

83
Yibadlu lchaim, the following are alive (as of this writing).
84
Viz. [Link]
85
[Link]
86
[Link]
87
This held true for my generation and those who came before me. It is not necessarily the case for Non-
Orthodox Jews born in America after the 1950s.
88
We’ve previously included a note that Nero may have converted prior to his death.
89
It is Commodus who was called Antoninus in the Talmud. According to a Talmudic legend, he was once
nursed by the wife of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel II. I am aware that most historians do not include him in

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many reports of Arabs converting to Judaism prior to the rise of Islam, perhaps several
thousands of Arabs had converted to Judaism by the seventh century. Xans and Moslems
outlawed conversion and several converts were killed for leaving their previous faiths, as
well as those who harbored them.
The next step will involve your learning about Judaism. Many who come to Judaism have
an idea of what they expect it to be and find Judaism to be quite a bit different from their
pre-conceived notion. That is fine. You will purchase some books and begin to study
Judaism. The minimum time that it should take from this point (assuming that you are
starting fresh) until you finish your conversion is about two years. Take as long as you
need, and please don’t try to internalize too many details at once.
Who needs to convert to Judaism? If anyone is born of a Jewish mother who was a Jew-
by-birth90 or converted to Judaism via an Orthodox Jewish Rabbinic Court, then that
person need not convert to Judaism. If, however, someone was born before the
conversion, born of a mother who was converted by a non-Orthodox rabbi, adopted by a
Jewish family, or was converted by a non-Orthodox court, then that person must convert
to Judaism if s/he wants to live as a Jew. There are times when conversions are performed
by rabbis of questionable backgrounds. Those who are converted by them, even if
Sabbath-observant at the time of their conversion, should seriously consider a Gerus
l’chumra to verify their status. The same applies to those who are uncertain of the
conversions of their mothers or grandmothers. Many people misplace their
documentation and combined with a lack of orthodox practice there is room to believe
that a less than optimum91 conversion took place. When in doubt, please ask your local
Orthodox Rabbi to contact a Beis Din for verification of your status. If they respond that
you are Jewish, copy and protect their certification92.
How can a conversion be invalidated? A prospective convert must appear before a
Rabbinical Court (Beth Din) and declare that s/he accepts all the commandments of
Judaism. A Beth Din consists of three judges. They must be qualified to sit on a Jewish
court. If the Beth Din was composed of people who are ineligible to serve on it, for
example, one of its members was a non-Orthodox Jew or two of its members were
brothers-in-law, then the entire procedure was invalid. The next way that a conversion
would be invalidated is the lack of sincerity on the part of the convert. If the convert’s
friends were there, ready to take her to a nice dinner in a treif93 restaurant to celebrate,

the Pax Romana rulers but he was the last of the friendly Roman Emperors. After him, only a few were not
antagonistic towards Judaism. The 31 years of his and his father’s reign are paralleled to the presidency of
Rabbi Judah the Prince. The disintegration of Roman-Jewish relations after his assassination led to many
rabbis leaving the holy land for Babylon and the publication of the Mishnah.
90
Even if she did not, perhaps, know it. You might be asked to prove that she was born a Jew. If you are
in this category, do you have pictures of your ancestors’ gravestones and copies of birth certificates?
91
Perhaps invalid.
92
Insist on a certificate. Make copies for all your children.
93
Non-kosher

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then the conversion would be nullified on the grounds that the convert did not intend to
observe the commandments when she was standing in the Mikveh. The same would hold
true if she were to return to a boyfriend’s house after her conversion 94. If a Beth Din is
known to accept candidates who fail the latter tests, then the validity of all those whom
they convert would be put in question, even the ones who kept the Sabbath and other
laws for months before and years after their conversion95. There was recently a
statement signed by several well-known Rabbinic Judges that declared they would not
accept any convert converted by a given well-known Orthodox Rabbi who was known to
cut corners. Many Batey Din will wait before they convert a candidate just so that they
get a good feeling of the chances of this candidate to remain an Orthodox Jew. While no
Beth Din can guarantee a 100% success rate, all good Batey Din strive to do just that. I
would worry if one of my candidates were to appear before a Beth Din and the Beth Din
would not ask him/her to bring a few letters of recommendation, including one from your
community’s pulpit rabbi attesting to the candidate’s keenness, eagerness, enthusiasm,
dedication, wholeheartedness, sincerity, genuineness, and zeal to convert96. I would also
worry if the Beth Din would give the convert what appears to be a very easy syllabus, as
it might indicate that their converts may not understand all their requirements before
conversion and may not be able to function as Orthodox Jews following their conversion.
One additional warning: this composition will help the prospective convert learn the
basics of Judaism. I do not plan to teach all the aspects in this short work. I am also not
teaching one how to live as a Jew. Perhaps I should start by stating that we in Judaism try
to practice a level of Imatateo Dei97, imitation of God. This imitation of God requires us
to be merciful, kind, and generous. In fact, the Talmud declares that one may not marry
into the family of someone who lacks mercy and kindness. While the vast majority of this
document talks about the technical matters, please don’t forget that being a Jew requires
much more than the mere performance of some rituals. It requires Tzedakah and Chesed.
Tzedakah, righteousness is often called charity in English. Chesed is kindness and goes
beyond charity. It means sharing yourself in means such as visiting the infirm, visiting
those who are mourning, going to a funeral, and donating blood. It also includes inviting
guests into your house and making their stay one filled with talk of Hashem and Torah. I
trust that you will receive invitations from several Jewish families who will invite you to
their homes for Sabbath meals where you will learn first-hand how Jews fulfill their
requirement of Chesed by welcoming you.
While the internet provides a great deal of information, not all that is on the internet is
accurate. There are some sites that promote an individual’s viewpoint. Others

94
Jews are not permitted to cohabitate without a valid Jewish marriage.
95
It grieves me to say these words, but hundreds of conversions have been invalidated because the leading
rabbi of a given court was known to accept a few poor candidates, thus putting all of his converts in jeopardy.
96
This sentence is not merely an exercise in showing how many synonyms I can pull out of my hat.
97
As if it is not enough that I regularly throw in Hebrew, Yiddish, and Aramaic expressions, I had to add a
couple of Latin expressions for good measure.

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intentionally provide misinformation. There is one site that seems to take pride in how
much it can knock normative Judaism. I was once asked about a certain website and spent
several hours reading its pages only to come to the conclusion that I cannot suggest it to
my students due to its extreme leniencies. Please be careful as you use the internet.
Here is an example of Chesed. The following story can be found in the Wellsprings of the
Parshah98.

Rabbi Nissim Haim Moshe Mizrachi, who served as the chief

rabbi of Israel two hundred fifty years ago, was elevated
and holy. He was a tremendous genius in both hidden and
revealed Torah. No less great were his kindness, modesty
and his noble traits.

Once in the heat of the afternoon, in the middle of the

summer, he was walking in the street. Across from him he
saw a woman, carrying a tray of dough, ready for baking. In
those days they did not bake in their homes. The baker's
assistant would arrive to help in the carrying of the dough,
and they were baked in the bakery for a few pennies and
sent to the owner's home. The Rabbi saw this poor woman
carrying the heavy tray and was shocked. "Where is the
baker's assistant!" asked the rabbi, "Isn't this his job, his
work!"

"I called him," sighed the woman, "and he did not want to
come. I am a widow and I have no one to send. And the
dough would have started to spoil soon..."

"Give me the tray," requested the Rabbi. The widow

hesitated, and the Rabbi said, "I command you, in the name
of the holy Torah!"

She gave the tray to his holy hands, and he carried it to the
bakery….

We should define the role of a rabbi in Judaism. When I talk about Judaism, I am only
talking about Orthodox Judaism. Judaism does not have a clergy. Anyone who is a male
Jew at least 13 years of age may lead services. Technically, anyone may deliver a speech
in a synagogue. So, what is a rabbi? A rabbi is a Jew who has studied for several years and
passed one or more qualifying examinations. He then receives a document from his

98
I slightly paraphrased it.

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Yeshiva99 attesting to his mastery of the subjects and entitling him to render legal
decisions. Various different Yeshivas have different standards and different wordings of
their ordination documents. Many rabbis have multiple documents. Some of the greatest
“rabbis” of the past few generations had no formal ordination. They were heads of
Yeshivas and as they were not the rabbis of synagogues never bothered to be formally
tested and ordained. There are some stories of certain rabbis who were offered rabbinic
positions and sent questions back to their mentors as to what they should do as they
never received a formal ordination. They then received telegrams with their ordination
in a very curt format as one paid for each letter.

So, what is your rabbi? Your rabbi is an expert in at least one legal area in Judaism. He
has a very broad knowledge of most areas. He is probably a pretty good Talmudist. He
should know a large portion of the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch). He has studied
the Five Books of Moses dozens of times. He is also an official representative of Judaism
to you and all who might be interested in learning more of Judaism. He serves many as
teacher, counselor, and spiritual guide. He is not an angel. He must eat. He must sleep.
He is a human being. He is most likely married and has children. He has times when he
is busy with his immediate or extended family. He has times when he spends the last
hours with a dying friend or congregant and then comes home and collapses, physically
and emotionally drained. At other times he may try to help a congregant withdraw from
an addiction. He may be attentive to your needs one moment and seem distant another.
What can you do to help him? You can do your homework. You can be prompt and to
the point. You can understand when he appears to be preoccupied. On the flip side,
don’t assume that he is too busy to help you. He will tell you, one way or another, when
he is too busy to address your questions. He may even look forward to your
appointments. You may brighten up his day with your fresh (novel) attitude. You may
(and many of my students have) open up a new understanding of a verse or an issue.

I also use the term Dayan. A Dayan is a Rabbinic Judge. He has been tested and qualified
in the Jewish laws of Jurisprudence. He may sit on a court that judges torts or civil issues
based on the Talmud and the Codes100.

Some of those reading this have not yet been to a Jewish service. Our services are
radically different from those of many other religions. We have no priesthood to lead
services. Thus, our services are different from those of the priest-recited services101
where the priest conducts and the congregation merely responds. We are different from
the Protestant services where the minister chooses the hymns and delivers a lengthy

99
Or from rabbinic judges.
100
Shulchan Aruch
101
Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Church of England,

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sermon. Our services are conducted in Hebrew102. All congregants are expected to be
able to read Hebrew and follow the services. Sabbath day and holiday services will include
a lengthy reading from the Torah, in the original. While many services will include a
sermon, others will not. To an outsider, it may appear that our services are an execution
of anarchy; with each person chanting the service to what may be his own speed, and the
congregation only coming together at sync points. Indeed, each Jew must recite the main
prayers. The leader, who can be a professional cantor, an esteemed rabbi, or a teen just
past his Bar Mitzvah, does just that. He sets the pace so that we will recite certain prayers
together. There are parts that are only recited by the leader. There are times when the
congregation will all recite the same words, and then we will return to our form of
coordinated anarchy. There are certain parts of the services that are chanted by the
leader with the rest listening attentively. At times, individuals will be called to participate.
There is a rather large learning curve required. Someone converting will usually be
expected to learn how to read Hebrew and follow the services. You may not be expected
to lead the services until a while after your conversion (and providing that you are male).
If you are male and are able to do so, you will be expected to learn how to lead the
services and read the Torah properly.

1) Stand, aim your thoughts to God and declare out loud:

I hereby state that I believe in only one God. He created the world and
revealed Himself to the Jewish Nation and gave them the laws by which
they live. I believe that they possess His Law. I believe that His Law is true
and in effect for all Jews, those born as Jews as well as those who are
accepted by a Jewish court and converted by them. I reject all other gods
and any form of religion other than Orthodox Judaism. I hereby dedicate
myself to learn what it takes to join their faith and serve God as a Jew.

2) Join the Facebook group called “Orthodox Conversion to Judaism”.

3) If you can’t read Hebrew, pick up a book and learn. You don’t have to learn how to
speak it fluently, but you should learn how to read it. We don’t have upper and lower
case but we do have three scripts.
a) Learn the block letters first. You will need them to read anything other than what
someone writes for you in Hebrew. It’s a good idea to have someone listen to
your reading and correct you. It is very easy to make assumptions when you are
new at it. A good friend or mentor can help you start and then continue to read

102
British congregations recite a prayer for the monarch in English. A prayer for the government is recited
in many other synagogues in Hebrew.

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every day. Soon103 you will be able to read like a pro. There are two major accents
in Hebrew. If there is a rabbi with whom you have a relationship, ask him which
he prefers. The National Jewish Outreach Program104 offers The Hebrew Reading
Crash Course, Reishith Binah by Meshulam Fish. It is a very good book for learning
the basics of reading Hebrew. It includes a basic vocabulary of a few words that
are used in sentence reading, taken from the Siddur (prayer book). Completion of
this course does not mean that a student is ready to read from the Siddur at the
same level as a veteran, but that the next step is to practice Siddur reading so that
the student can learn how to keep up to the synagogue service’s pace.
b) Then, learn the script we use when we write.
c) You won’t have to learn “Rashi” script until after your conversion.
d) Translation skills are not required for conversion outside of Israel but it is nice to
know the meaning of what you are reading. There are two languages used in our
services. They are Hebrew and Aramaic. Aramaic is a sister of Hebrew and shares
many of the same roots. The Talmud is written in a mixture of Hebrew and
Aramaic. While there are only two Aramaic words in the Pentateuch, there entire
sections of Daniel are written in Aramaic. The vast majority of prayers are written
in pure Hebrew. A few are in Aramaic. The most famous prayer in Aramaic is the
Kaddish105. Aramaic reads like Hebrew. You will not be required to take any extra
steps in learning Aramaic at this point, except allowing some more time as
Aramaic is not as easy to read as Hebrew.
4) If you live in or near a community that has a Hebrew bookstore (Jewish Book Store,
Judaica106 Store), visit it. Peruse the Judaica (books in English)107. Does your
synagogue have a library? Use it.
5) This step is optional. Several of my students have told me that they didn’t gain
anything from it. Personally, I found it to be a bit stale. As a result, I don’t usually
suggest it. Others have said that they liked it. Buy Becoming a Jew by Rabbi Maurice
Lamm108. Read it. Are you sure that you want to become a Jew?

103
This may take several months.
104
National Jewish Outreach Program, 800-44-Hebre or [Link]
105
Written in a mixture of Aramaic and Hebrew
106
Hebrew books are often called Hebraica. Hebrew Books translated into the vernacular and books written
in the vernacular are called Judaica.
107
The main literary languages of Jews are Hebrew and Aramaic. Many works have been translated into
English in the past 40 years. Prayers are conducted solely in Hebrew (more than 90%) and Aramaic. The
Torah contains only two Aramaic words but the Book of Daniel is largely Aramaic. The Talmud (Gemara)
is written in a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic.
108
Many of the books that I mention are available through [Link] at reduced prices. You might want
to purchase some of these as used books at a very reduced rate.

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6) These next several steps include the books that you must buy at this point (if you
didn’t buy them when they were first mentioned). This step is optional. Purchase your
first book in this program, “My Father My King” by Rabbi Pliskin. Once it arrives, begin
to read it. Read no more than one chapter each day. Continue with your steps. As a
rule, holy books must be treated as such. They are never brought into the bathroom.
They are read slowly and deliberately. The total of all books that I will ask you to
purchase in this program will add up to about 15 linear feet (or a three-foot wide
bookcase with five levels). You may want to consider purchasing a bookcase for them.
Holy books are not read like novels. It is best to vocalize (say) each word in them as
you read. Read each chapter at least three times.

7) Buy and read To Be a Jew by Rabbi Hayim H Donin, cover to cover. Don’t try to do
anything, just get an idea and decide if you really want to convert. If you would like
something similar with a bit more philosophy, get Horeb by Rabbi Samson Raphael
Hirsch. If you speak German, please get Horeb (spelled Horew) and read it in the
original109.
8) Buy an Artscroll Siddur110. Siddur is the Hebrew word for a Prayer Book, meaning
order in Hebrew. You are already able to read Hebrew, now is the time for you to
familiarize yourself with Jewish Prayers. I would prefer that you buy the regular
Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur (Siddur: Complete full-size Hebrew English - Ashkenaz),
rather than a Siddur with interlinear translations or interlinear transliterations. Buy
the full-size hardcover version as it will last longer and save your eyesight. Glance
through the Siddur. We will give you additional tasks in a few steps. Each member of
the family should have his/her own Siddur before you convert. For now, one per
family will do.
9) Buy an Artscroll Chumash (Five Books of Moses). I would prefer that you purchase
The Stone Edition Chumash – Full Size. Peruse it. You will need it in a few steps.
10) Buy “The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology”.
11) Obtain a Jewish calendar111. By the way, we Jews have a lunar calendar. The Jewish
Year starts at the first new moon following September 4th112.

109
Warning: You must speak German well or else have a German to German dictionary on hand. This book
was written in a very literary and cultured style, far above the common speech of the average German of the
21st century.
110
The Siddur you buy will depend on the synagogue where you pray, our LOR’s preference, and your
mentor. If these are Chabad, then use Tehilot Hashem.
111
Usually free, at Orthodox-owned establishments. I picked up next year’s calendar at my cardiologist’s
office, othertimes at a pharmacy. Even some banks carry them.
112
I mentioned it earlier. Have you studied our calendar? Which month is this? How long is the month?
Which holy days are in this month? I also mentioned the books that appear here in the beginning.

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12) Buy The Book of our Heritage by Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov. Read the section of each Hebrew
month during its month over the next year.
13) Buy the NCSY Guide to Blessings.
14) Buy Shaarei Halachah by Rabbi Greenwald113. Browse it once. Do not start to
implement what you read but understand that these are the requirements to live as
an Orthodox Jewish person. Are you sure that you want to convert?

15) Feel free to visit kosher restaurants and the local synagogue. There are places where
some restaurants will claim to be kosher but Orthodox Jews will not frequent them114.
You will learn about this issue as you continue your conversion studies.
16) One of the most important people in your life will be your mentor. Your mentor will
review your answers, make corrections, and guide you towards your conversion. S/he
and your Local Orthodox Rabbi (LOR) will be your two guides as you complete your
conversion. It would be a good idea to buy two extra copies of this composition and
gift them to your LOR and mentor. They may not agree with me on all details. I’ve
worked with several Batey Din and all have been impressed with my students. It is
possible that you will find a qualified mentor who will work with you pro bono, others
will charge for their services.
17) Deleted.
18) There are nine assignments with questions to be answered in this section. Please date
and keep your answers. It would be a good idea to file your correspondence with your
LOR, Mentor, and Beit Din in its own folder so that you can quickly access them. I
prefer two folders, one in your email account and the other for Word and other
documents. Please keep a diary in the Word folder and include a bullet for each
Jewish-realted activity you do. I prefer that each of these numbers be listed with the
section, number, and date completed.
19) Read the Thirteen Principles of Faith. If you find that you have trouble with one or
two points mark them down for discussion. Read the part of the Anthology that deals
with the Thirteen Principles of Faith. Answer questions of Lesson 1 and discuss them
with your mentor. Save them and any notes you made after discussing with your
mentor so that you can show a local rabbi and/or your Beit Din the extent of your
studies.
20) Start to re-read To Be a Jew. Answer questions to Lesson 2 based on To Be a Jew.
21) Conversion to Judaism is not something that is between you and God alone. When
one converts, one becomes a part of the community of Jews. As such, there is no

113
Or The Concise Code by Rabbi Gersion Appel, z’l.
114
I will eat at less than one half of the kosher restaurants in New York.

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conversion in a vacuum. We expect you to move to a house or apartment within

walking distance of an Orthodox Synagogue. We will expect you (if male) to attend
daily services. If you are female, we will expect to see you on Sabbaths and holidays
(unless you have young children). Your children will attend the local Yeshivoth. You
will meet other Orthodox Jews in the kosher bakery and other facilities. You will most
likely develop strong friendships with other Jews. If time permits, you will join a few
of the local organizations. There are groups that get together to read the Psalms and
pray for those who are ill. There are groups that perform acts of kindness. There are
various study groups. All of these will become part of your life. All of these are part
of Judaism, at least as important as the words of the daily services. If you do not yet
live in an Orthodox area, you will very likely be invited to spend Shabbos with one or
more Orthodox families. Be careful when you bring gifts to them. All food must be
kosher and they may have certain particular opinions regarding the different
supervisions that are available. If you bring a bottle of wine, check to see that it is
labeled “Mevushal”. This paragraph does not mean that everyone will drop everything
to welcome you. The opposite is closer to the truth. You will have to do your part,
and should certainly strive to be a perfect guest, neither making demands for
attention nor being a pest by offering to help too much. I discuss some of the
etiquette of being a guest in an Orthodox home later in this composition under one
of the bullets for Implement the Conversion Process.
22) It is a good idea to read up on Jewish History. If you truly want to become a Jew you
must have an idea of what has happened to the people you want to join. There are
several books that contain Jewish histories. Many rabbis suggest Rabbi Berel Wein’s
works as he is an orthodox author. The Aish website also offers history tidbits115. You
should be aware of the various expulsions and massacres of the middle ages. You
should also be familiar with the terms Blood Libel and Pogrom116. You will be aware
of the extra extortions that we were subject to by our various “hosts”. When you
understand our history, you will also understand why Jews tend to be a bit
xenophobic.
23) Answer questions of Lesson 3 (based on the Siddur). Learn the vocabulary of Lesson
3.

24) Flip through your Chumash. Then answer the questions of Lesson 4 (this will require
you to research or ask someone).

115
[Link]
116
An organized, often officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group, especially one
conducted against Jews, derived from the Russian words to “wreck havoc” or to riot.

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25) Read the Shma (ArtScroll pages 90-95) in English together with the ArtScroll
commentary. Please use the following as the translation of the first two verses (but
do not say Hashem’s Name even in a whisper): Hear O Israel, The Lord (Je-ho-vah117
Who was, Who is, and Who will always be) is our God, The Lord (Je-ho-vah Who was,
Who is, and Who will always be) is one and there is no other. Blessed is the Name of
His Glorious Majesty forever and beyond. Please review it a few times. Then answer
the questions of Lesson 5.

26) Read the following in the supplemental readings section and be prepared to discuss
them.

a) Aspects of the Sabbath

b) Steps to becoming Kosher
c) Steps to Sabbath Observance
d) Personal Statement Guide.
27) Begin to implement Sabbath observance. Make plans for your first steps;

28) Reread To Be a Jew chapter 5 “The Sabbath: An Island in Time” and answer the
questions of Lesson 6.

29) Learn the following vocabulary words:

➢ Kiddush
➢ Hamotzey
➢ Zemiroth
➢ Melachah
➢ Shkiyah
➢ Tzeth

30) Read The Waters of Eden.

31) Read Permission to Believe

32) Read Permission to Receive.

33) Answer the questions to Lesson 7.

34) Read “The Waters of Eden” in the second volume of The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology”
and then continue reading in the first volume up to page 193 and then from page
255 through 333. Answer questions to Lesson 8.

117
Technically this is not the true pronunciation of the Tetragram but a standard English version.

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35) Answer questions to Lesson 9.

36) This finishes the Introduction to Judaism section. You have learned enough to
determine if you really want to convert. If you still want to be Jewish, continue to the
next step. Be aware that the LOR (Local Orthodox Rabbi), your mentor, and the Beth
Din will all try to convince you that you should not convert. It is their responsibility to
verify that you are truly interested in conversion. They will ask you many times. The
LOR might not return your phone calls or emails. A certain Beth Din will “lose” your
application at least once. Are you sure you want to proceed? Don’t say I didn’t warn
you! And please remember, that you don’t need to be Jewish to get into heaven. If
you find at any point that you cannot continue with your conversion, don’t worry. As
long as you live as a Noahide you will be welcomed into heaven. Only those who were
born Jewish or converted need live as Jews, and your conversion will not be complete
until you stand in a Mikveh, declare your willingness to live as a Jew and are told by a
Jewish Court to immerse yourself in it. I, on the other hand, need not convince you to
drop your conversion plans. This composition will point out the details required for
your conversion, if you so desire. You can already see that conversion to Judaism
requires a tremendous change in your life. You may have to move. You will have to
change your diet. You will have to get used to the Sabbath. You will have to get used
to praying three times a day and reciting blessings before and after eating. Are you
still interested? Are you certain? Really?
37) How long will it take you to convert? It depends on two factors: how much time you
can devote each week to your conversion; and living an orthodox lifestyle. If you live
in an orthodox community, then you are fortunate. Not all of us have that leg up.
38) How is your Hebrew reading? Have your mentor review it with you.

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As you learn about Judaism, there are many times that you might feel that something you
see or hear someone does or says is wrong. Please make a note and ask your mentor.
There are many times when something appears to be wrong but is actually not incorrect.
For example, one convert asked me how it was possible that a rabbi used the term “Gaon”
regarding a man who was not of the Gaonic period (from 600-1038118). In truth, the term
Gaon is an honorific that can apply to an eminent rabbi of the present time as well as
being the term used to refer to the leaders of Judaism after the conclusion of the Talmud
and before the first Crusade. There are other times when you will see something that
appears to be a problem. Ask your mentor to review it with you and you will learn if the
action was permitted or should have been prohibited. While some Jews may err, it is
important for you to remember that you are learning a very detailed religion. These
should be viewed as opportunities to learn all the nuances of Judaism.
Orthodox Judaism comes in many flavors. I will try to list some of the major flavors
here119. All of these, practice the same basic Judaism and adhere to the same legal
system. I am writing this composition primarily for an Anglophone audience. The
following is true for North America and reflects reality in most areas. When one lives in
a small community, all the following “groups” may (and often do) co-exist in a single
synagogue. I have a Neo-Orthodox background but attend Yeshivish, Modern-Orthodox,
Chassidic, and Lubavitch synagogues regularly. The only reason that I almost never attend
a Sephardic120 synagogue is geographic.
They all study Talmud and have the same cycle of Torah Reading121 throughout the year,
although there are a couple of times when some will recite one Haphtarah and others will
recite another. There are some differences in pronunciation and chant when you go from
one group to another. These differences are minor and do not prevent members of one
group from praying with another. You might notice the different flavors122 as you attend
different synagogues or are invited to friends of different camps. There are also certain
different opinions regarding details of Judaism and certain groups might be particular in

118
Rav Hai Gaon is usually considered the last of the Gaonim. He passed from us in 1038. All of the leaders
of the Babylonian Yeshivas through his death bore the Title Gaon, Eminence. The title of Gaon was used by
the Babylonian Rashey Yeshiva for the next few generations.
119
We will not discuss any non-Orthodox versions in this composition.
120
I am inconsistent here. I sometimes write Sephardic and sometimes write Sephardi. Both are adjectives
and I use both for singular and plural.
121
The Five Books of Moses are read each year in a set cycle. The Torah Reading is performed in synagogues
and read from hand-written scrolls. While there are slight differences between the standard Ashekenazic,
Chassidic, and Sephardic methods of writing these, an untrained observer would not notice these. On Sabbath
mornings, the Torah Reading occupies roughly 35% of the service. The final phase of the Torah Reading is
a reading from the prophets. There are some differences in the verses depending on the group, where
Sephardic and/or Chabad congregations use different sections than Ashkenazic congregations.
122
I am using the term “flavor” because there are neither ritual nor doctrinal differences between the various
groups listed. Each group may look a little different from the rest, have different accents, and have slightly
different prayer services. Perhaps the greatest difference can be found in a single letter in the Torah which
some write with an Aleph and others with a He.

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how they observe them. Also, there are sub-divisions that have their own specific
customs and stringencies. While the following is close to accurate, there are many North
American Jews who can be classified in more than one of the following groups.
➢ Modern Orthodox (MO) – this is the flavor that is most acculturated to the
American scene and takes the more liberal approach to many details. Their dress
is less formal than the other groups. They are more likely to wear colored shirts
than any of the other groups (except Lubavitch). Many of their schools have both
boys and girls in the same school. Their synagogues include more group singing.
Rabbis are more likely to deliver sermons at the Sabbath morning services, and
these will be delivered in English. Services are usually in Nusach Ashkenaz. More
likely to have a TV in the house and to go to ball games. Many will pray with a
modified Israeli accent. MO women and men will be more lenient when it comes
to their dress. Some women will wear T-shirts and jeans in the home. Men are
more likely than others to wear shorts.
➢ Neo-Orthodox. A cross between Yeshivish and Modern Orthodox, typified by the
German Jewish Community formerly of Frankfurt on the Main in Germany and
now in Washington Heights (sometimes called Frankfurt on the Hudson) and
Monsey. Men always wear suits, hats, and ties. The Synagogue may have a choir.
Sermons will be delivered in English. Speech will be in Standard American English.
More likely than any other group to attend a concert. As Neo-Orthodox was only
practiced in pre-war Germany, they follow German customs, most likely those of
Frankfurt am Main or Hamburg. German-Jewish customs are slightly different
from those of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews. Men do not usually grow
peyos123.
➢ Yeshivish – Haredi Ashkenazi Jews whose background is a non-Chassidic Yeshiva.
This group includes those who may spend their entire lives in a Yeshiva
environment as well as many executives and professionals who return from their
"day jobs" to swim in the "sea of the Talmud". Men (13 and up) will wear dark
suits, ties, and white shirts on the Sabbath. Some will wear a kapote (Prince
Albert) coat. All men will wear hats. All women will have their heads covered,
most in sheitels (wigs). Services are always in Nusach Ashkenaz124. Most do not
have a TV. Most speak English as a first language125 and Yiddish (Lithuanian
dialect126) as a second language. This group can also be called Litvish or

123
I am of this group, even though with my Yeshiva training I am able to speak Yiddish. My youngest son
once complained to me that I spoke Standard American English and that his classmates made fun of him for
not understanding their lingo. Only one of my sons attended the KAJ Yeshiva; ironically he is the only one
who can respond to me in Yiddish.
124
Or a subset such as Nusach Hagra.
125
However will speak in a jargon of English and Yiddish when speaking to other orthodox Jews.
126
Eastern European Yiddish has two dialects. The vowels are pronounced differently in them and there are
differences in grammar (Litvish does not have a neuter format). There are times when the actual words are

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Misnagdim. Peyos, if worn, will be wrapped behind the ear and will not extend
much below it.
➢ Sephardic – Jews from North Africa, the Near East, and Iran (including Persian-
speaking areas of the former Soviet Union) as well as Jews formerly from Spain
and Portugal (Turkey, Amsterdam). Most synagogues will have a heterogeneous
group as to their level of Orthodoxy. They will follow the Turkish (Turkey, Greece,
Bulgaria), Syrian (Aleppo {Halab or Aram Soba} and Damascus) each have their
own customs, Lebanese, Moroccan, etc. customs. Many will not welcome Gerim.
The grandparents of today’s Turkish Jews127 spoke Ladino128 as their mother
tongue but this is no longer the case. While Sephardi Jews have a reputation of
being more liberal than their Ashkenazi cousins, in as much as they eat rice and
beans on Pesach as well as seem to have more relaxed dress codes, the proper
religious Sephardi has many more stringencies than the Ashkenazi is required to
fulfill. These include a full month of Selichoth129 before Rosh Hashanah, as
compared to the Ashkenazi one week and a more stringent requirement for
glatt130 kosher meat. I’m also not fond of sitting through a synagogue service
where the same Aliyah is read several times, a custom more annoying than the
Ashkenazi one of breaking up an Aliyah into multiple Aliyoth where there is at least
an end to how many additional Aliyoth may be read. This is especially true on Yom
Kippur when some synagogues seem to give every man there an Aliyah.
➢ Chassidic – Haredi Ashkenazi Jews who follow a specific Chassidic dynastic leader.
This group is the least acculturated into American society. Men (13 and up) will
wear either a black suit or a Bekeshe131 on the Sabbath, and a suit or a Langreckel

different, but if you speak one you can usually understand the other. For those who know linguistics, think
of Danish and Dano-Norwegian or Nederlands, Afrikaans, and Vlams. Currently, the differences in Yiddish
are more pronounced in the areas in which one lives, thus South-American Jews have lots of Spanish words
in their Yiddish, Anglophones have English, and Israelis use more Hebrew. My cousin’s wife was raised in
Old Jerusalem and speaks Yiddish that includes words from Spanish and Arabic.
127
Those born before 1950 heard only Ladino in their homes, and conversing with other Jews. Turkish was
a second language. The same was largely the case for Turkish Jews living in Israel, where many spoke
Ladino at home in the early 20th century.
128
A combination of Spanish and Hebrew. Also known as Judesmo.
129
Penitential prayers
130
Glatt Kosher is the standard for all Orthodox kosher meat in North America. It is actually a partial
misnomer. When truly Orthodox Rabbis came to America after World War I, they were appalled by the
standards of American Kosher meat production. They sought to create a new standard. Their efforts were
opposed by the union of kosher slaughterers. In order to have a different level, they replied to them that they
were not slaughtering “kosher” but rather “glatt kosher”. Technically, glatt kosher mammals are those whose
lungs were never in question. American Glatt does not follow that standard but Sephardic Jews do. Certain
Ashekenazic Jews also require the true glatt. True glatt is marketed as “Beis Yosef Glatt”.
131
A long coat without a slit in the back. There are several different names that are used to describe Chassidic
garb. While most Chassidic garments are primarily black, some of the Rebbes will wear a combination of
gold and black. Some Israeli groups wear either white or colored garments.

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on weekdays. They will don their gartels132 at services. Some wear knickers and
silk stockings. Married men may wear white stockings on the Sabbath. Boys wear
beaver hats. Married men don a Streimel133 or Spodek on the Sabbath, depending
on their individual group. Services are conducted in a version of Nusach Sepharad
(not the real Sephardic version). Many will speak (Polish/Hungarian) Yiddish as
their first language and English as a second language. These can be further
identified as Satmar, Bobov, Ger, Karlin-Stolin, Zelem, Munkacz, Bels, Tosh,
Vizhnitz, etc. Chassidic men tend to wear their hair very short or shave all but
their peyos, which are usually rolled and hang freely in front of their ears. Men
grow beards, which they may trim.
➢ Lubavitch, also known as Chabad, – Will dress like Yeshivish but without ties (black
suits or kapotes). Like Chassidim, they wear a gartel during services. If they’re
from an old Lubavitch family, their first language would either be (Lithuanian)
Yiddish or Hebrew. If their parents are BTs, then they will speak English as a first
language. They conduct services in a type of Nusach Sepharad that they call
Nusach Ari. This is the most welcoming of all groups. Chabad centers thrive where
a regular synagogue could not. As such, many have joined the Lubavitch
movement and these members dress and talk more like MO than others. Based
on an agreement between the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
(both of blessed memory) American Lubavitcher Rabbis do not conduct
conversion ceremonies134. Many Chassidic and Yeshivish Rabbis have misgivings
about certain details of Lubavitch. Men grow beards that they do not trim.
➢ Yemenite, also known as Temani – the Jews from the country of Yemen. They
have their own Siddur and their own customs135. They are the smallest group of
all Orthodox Jewish groups.
What do they all have in common and how to they differ? The truth is that they have
a tremendous amount in common and differ only slightly. While we don’t have a
catechism, all Orthodox Jews believe that -
➢ Hashem took us out from the land of Egypt. He created the world
and rules it. He cares about our actions and wants us to serve
Him.
➢ Hashem revealed His desire in the form of a written and an oral
Torah. The written Torah has been carefully transmitted to us by
the previous generations. The same applies to the Oral Torah.

132
Belts
133
A fur hat often made from mink, sable, or marten.
134
I understand that a few will. I am unsure of how they do so.
135
There are actually various customs and slight differences in pronunciations among them. Some have
integrated into the Sephardic communities. Others maintain their unique pronunciations and customs.

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Parts of the Oral Torah were formalized by Rabbi Judah the Prince
(180 CE136) and were written in the Talmud, completed by Rav
Inna before 499 CE.
➢ Jews are required to observe all Mitzvoth that were transmitted
to us in the oral and written Torah. These are not subject to
change. As we meet new and exciting conditions, we use the
rules laid out in the Talmud to address these.
➢ The rabbis may issue decrees that will enhance our observance.
They have done so and there are many details that are rabbinic
prohibitions. We also have rabbinic positive commandments,
such as reading the Megillah on Purim and lighting Hanukah
candles.
➢ The main work that defines the laws of Judaism is the Shulchan
Aruch, written by Rabbi Joseph Karo (d: 1575). The glosses to it,
written by Rabbi Moshe Isserles (d: 1572) adds details as
practiced by Ashkenazi Jews. There are several main
commentaries to this massive work. All Jews (other than
Yemenite) follow the laws as listed here.
There is another group that falls at least somewhat within Orthodoxy. These
Jews attend orthodox services. Many of them qualify as orthodox as they
observe the Sabbath, at least mostly137. However, there are many who take a
great deal of leeway when it comes to their observances, to the point that
even Orthodox Rabbis known for their leniency object to their laxity. It is likely
that you may run into these. I still remember my first encounter with one
when I was a teen beginning my return to Judaism. He was a “leading
member” of an orthodox synagogue. My grandmother had just passed away
and we were staying at my uncle’s house. He invited me to join for one of the
Sabbath meals. When he offered me a bencher (to take back with me so that
I could practice at home) I declined as there was no eruv. He then told my
father that I was becoming a fanatic. There are even some orthodox and
conservadox138 rabbis that I would include in this group. How do you know

136
I’m using this date because it was the year of Commodus Caesar’s death. His full regal name was Caesar
Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus and he is called Anoninus in Rabbinic literature. The
Roman Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus maintained friendly relations with the Jews and the rabbis
of the Gallilee. The successor emperors did not. As a result, many scholars left Israel to settle in Babylon.
Rebbi’s “publication” of the Mishnah was likely soon after this regime change.
137
This paragraph was written before Open Orthodoxy was in the headlines. Open Orthodoxy was not
meant to be the object of this paragraph. However, as the RCA des not aaccept their conversions I strongly
suggest that one not convert under their auspices.
138
Orthodox-ordained rabbi in a Conservative or Traditional Synagogue.

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that someone falls into this category and is not just practicing leniencies you
haven't learned yet? You ask your mentor or your local orthodox rabbi. You
can ask respectful questions of the person themselves, "Excuse me, but I
thought we weren't supposed to carry on Shabbat without an eruv? Is there
an eruv here, or am I misunderstanding something?" Do not attempt to rebuke
the person or correct their actions - you really shouldn't be doing this without
great knowledge of both the Halachah and the person's individual situation.
The Rambam, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (aka Maimonides) wrote a list of
thirteen principles139 in which one must believe to be considered a Jewish
Believer. These are printed in the vast majority of Siddurim. Not all rabbis
agreed with him. For example, some felt that someone who believed that
Hashem had a physical body was uneducated and not an unbeliever. (I’ve
already mentioned it and suggested that you read it.)
How do we differ? There are minor differences but it would take a book to
explain each one. I will show the similarities and differences in one case so
that the reader can understand them.
Hanukah Lights (The preferred manner)
➢ All light either candles or oil-fed wicks.
➢ All agree that these candles are to be lit at night140 and must burn for
at least 30 minutes.
➢ All light one candle on the first night and add one each night until the
last, when eight candles burn.
➢ All agree that the Hanukah lights are holy and may not be used. We
may not read by the light of the Hanukah candles. Nor may we warm
our hands over them.
➢ All light an additional candle as the “shamash” or servant.
➢ All agree that the candles must be lit before the start of the Sabbath
and may not be lit on the Sabbath.
➢ If there is a married couple, they light a single Menorah (Hanukiyah)
≠ There is one point where we differ. If there are children or parents
living with the couple, Ashkenazi families will have each light his own
Menorah. Sephardi families will only light one Menorah.

139
See the Appendix or the Art Scroll Siddur
140
On Friday night, they are lit during the day, before the Sabbath candles and must burn 30 at least minutes
after nightfall.

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I believe very firmly that Gerim should try to integrate into their community. You
will stand out enough by being a Ger. Please do not try to be “exotic”. If your
community is modern Orthodox, then try to dress according to the average
standard there, or perhaps a bit more to the right. If there is no one in the
synagogue who wears a Bekeshe, then don’t go out and buy yourself one. Don’t
try to out-shuckel the experts or grow peyos longer than everyone else. In fact, at
this point you should not grow peyos. You should not go out and buy yourself a
black hat unless more than one third of the men in the synagogue in which you
pray wear black hats and you are already in the next chapter, although I would
prefer that my candidates hold up on these until they are “almost home”. Don’t
show up on Friday evening wearing a suit that shines in the dark. Please pay
attention to the local styles in clothing and grooming. Ask your mentor and your
Local Orthodox Rabbi when you have questions about these.
Sometimes, people decide to convert because they want to have instant
community and friends. A few others feel that converting might solve their
emotional problems. These are not good reasons to convert and those that
convert thinking this are likely to find themselves bitter and
disappointed141. Firstly, these are the wrong reasons to convert. One should
convert out of love of Hashem and the overwhelming need to be part of the
community of those who are bound by the full spectrum of His Mitzvoth.
Secondly, it is highly unlikely that conversion will cure any emotional or
psychological problems. It is very likely that someone who is converting will
experience a community of people who extend themselves to him. What will
happen two years down the pike once the novelty wears off? What will one feel
when reality sets in? The Local Orthodox Rabbi and Beis Din will want to verify
that your conversion is motivated only by the right reasons and will try to weed
out those who should not convert.

I would expect the candidate to read this entire chapter and then review it, only putting
into practice what you have read on the second reading. I expect the average candidate
to take about one year to complete this section.

This section includes the vast bulk of academic material that you will learn in the process
of your conversion. There are roughly three hundred questions that I ask you to answer.
These questions are almost all taken directly from Sharey Halachah. I consider any score
above 80% to be acceptable.

141
As was the case with an American talk-show host who bounced in and out of Judaism.

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1. If you are a male and have not been circumcised, do not have yourself
circumcised. In your case, the Beth Din will supervise your circumcision. It will
then be performed with the proper blessings. Circumcision in Judaism
requires that the entire foreskin be removed. The majority of men who have
been circumcised do not have any of their foreskins. Those who have a
residual foreskin will be able to be circumcised about a month prior to their
conversion. The others will have one or two drops of blood drawn
immediately before their immersion in a Mikveh at their conversion
ceremony. It is a Mitzvah to perform the circumcision of Gerim as well as
Jews-by-birth. By having yourself circumcised beforehand, you rob yourself of
this Mitzvah. Your full circumcision also gives you an opportunity to fulfill a
real Mitzvah as a Jew before your Mikveh date. This Mitzvah is only open to
those who have foreskins.
2. Learn a bit of humility. I have heard many people tell me or write me things
that have only led me to believe that they are poor candidates for conversion.
You don’t know more than your Beis Din. You don’t know more than your
Local Orthodox Rabbi. And unless you are a Rosh Yeshiva or Rav, you don’t
even know more than me. Batey Din are not united under a single source142
and are independent of each other. They each have their own standards. This
composition does not include every one of their standards. I don’t know them
all, nor do I think that anyone does. The London Beis Din has its own standards
and everyone respects them. Don’t think that if you can quote a Gemara (no
matter how you got the Gemara to quote) you can tell them how they should
run their conversions. It won’t happen. The same with every other Beis Din.
IF you want to convert, then you must be prepared to follow the requirements
of your Beth Din. Period. End of sentence. And don’t whine. It is OK to be
excited, to jump up and down, and to cry in the presence of your Rav, mentor,
or Beth Din143. It is not OK to complain about them and how much they are
making you do. You have options. If you don’t like their requirements, you
can always stay a non-Jew. You can get into heaven as a non-Jew.
3. As part of “Begin the Conversion Process” I ask you to read through the entire
Sefer you are using to study Jewish laws and rituals. You will answer the
questions in lessons ten through eighteen. You will continue reading sections
in The Book of Our Heritage. You will begin to pray. You will begin to observe
The Sabbath and follow Kosher regulations. Take things at a pace with which
you are comfortable. Don’t try to do everything in one week or even one
month. Do not torture yourself.

142
Even the Batey Din that attend the EJF Meetings are independent and each has its own standards.
143
It would be better to cry and show emotion than to try to be a robot, displaying none.

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4. Meet with your Local Orthodox Rabbi. Not a “Hello, my name is…” but rather
make an appointment and bring two copies of your personal statement. Bring
a pad and pen to this meeting. He may ask questions and you may want to jot
down notes of what he would like you to add or modify. Ask him how he thinks
you’re doing. There are many Orthodox Rabbis who do not yet know what a
personal statement is. Many have never met someone who is studying for
her/his conversion. You may have to bear with him as he learns how to mentor
Gerim. You may want to ask him to have you invited to spend the Sabbath
with certain families. If you are invited to Orthodox families, you must be
careful when you bring gifts. You may not bring a gift on the Sabbath (even if
there is an Eruv)144. All food must be kosher. If there is a kosher bakery in
town, call ahead and ask your hostess if you may bring a cake/pie/cookies from
it145. If you bring wine, it should be kosher wine and labeled “Mevushal146”.
5. Begin to wash in the morning using washing cups. The simple plastic ones are
inexpensive. Say the “Modeh Ani” every morning.
6. If you have not yet learned how to read Hebrew, it should be your top priority
at this point. Not knowing how to read Hebrew will hinder your learning
process and will affect the amount of time it takes you to convert.
7. In addition to the study of basic laws of Judaism, we request that you bring
Judaism into your life. As such, we make suggestions that you phase in daily
prayer services as well as kosher food and Sabbath observances. Details of
your phasing in of Judaism aside from a few recommendations made herein
are part of your individualized discussions with your mentor and local
orthodox rabbi (LOR). I trust that these will make suggestions to you based on
your personal status. My suggestions here are not carved in stone.

8. Begin to re-read To Be a Jew. The first chapter contains little more than basics
concepts. The second chapter introduces the idea of Halachah, Jewish Law.
Please pay close attention when you get to page 52 and start to read the “Laws
relating to slander, revenge, and deceit.” Discuss the details of To Be a Jew
with your mentor.

144
Jews may not take possession of anything on the Sabbath. This is a rabbinic prohibition.
145
It is best to have them seal the front with a label. This will serve as a seal to guarantee that the cake / pie
is kosher. For most meals, the cake should be Pareve.
146
There is a rabbinic prohibition against a Jew drinking wine with non-Jews. If a non-Jew touches an open
bottle of wine or a glass, then this wine is considered defiled. This prohibition only applies to raw wine.
Once cooked, further contact with a non-Jew does not render the wine to be problematic. If non-mevushal
wine is served, it can be poured into your empty cup as long as you are not holding it. Your cup may not but
refilled as the wine in it will defile the wine in the stream flowing from the bottle as well as the wine in the
bottle.

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9. While you work on this section, the calendar will continue moving forward.
Please continue reading The Book of Our Heritage and read Sharei Halachah
as you approach each of the holidays. Mark the days you read these sections
and answer the questions.

a. In General - Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 203 thru 217. Answer the
questions.

b. Rosh Hashanah - Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 218 thru 230. Read
the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Machzor for Rosh Hashanah pages 430
through 431; 478 through 485; 506 through 521. Answer the
questions.

c. Yom Kippur - Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 231 thru 243. Read the
ArtScroll Machzor for Yom Kippur pages 36 through 49; 52 through 55;
144 through 149. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 244 thru 246. Read
the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Machzor for Yom Kippur pages 58
through 61; 101 through 149; 526 (bottom) through 535; 550 through
569; 726 through 763. Answer the questions.

d. Sukkoth - Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 250 thru 262. Read Shaarei
Halachah – pages 262 thru 271. Read the ArtScroll Siddur pages 726
through 757; 704 through 709; 758 through [Link] the questions.

e. Hannukah - Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 272 thru 279. Answer the
questions.

10. Over the next week read Shaarei Halachah pages 3 thru 17 (Arising,
Introduction to Prayer, Morning Blessings). Answer the questions to Lesson
10.
11. At this point, you should be finished learning the Hebrew Alphabet and
pronouncing one and two-syllable words. You should be ready to try to read
from the Siddur. Turn to Adon Olam, page 12/13 in the Artscroll. Read the
English. Then start to read the Hebrew. Take your time. If you have a tutor,
read it to your tutor the next time s/he meets with you. Congratulate yourself.
This is a major milestone. Resolve to say Adon Olam at least one time each
day. Consider it your first prayer. You may want to learn one of the tunes to
which Adon Olam is often sung.

12. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 18 thru 66 (Preparations for Prayer, Tzitzis,
Tefillin, Shacharis). Read the Shmoneh Esreh in English.

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13. I am adding some of my thoughts here. The Shmoneh Esreh (aka: Amidah) is
the main prayer of each of the services. Before we recite it, we rise and take
three steps forward. When praying in a synagogue, one faces the Aron
Hakodesh, which will face the general direction of Jerusalem when possible.
When not praying in a synagogue follow the following rules:

➢ When outside of Israel, face Israel (one does not have to use a compass
to determine the exact direction)
➢ When in Israel, face Jerusalem
➢ When in Jerusalem, face the Holy Temple
➢ When we will merit to pray in the Temple, face the Heichal.
➢ When in the Heichal, face the Holy of Holies
➢ When (only applies to a Kohen Gadol) in the Holy of Holies, face the
Ark.

Thus, all of Israel prays in the direction of one point on earth, the closer the
more exact.

14. Answer the questions to Lesson 11. Lesson 11 has three parts. The first part
includes the laws of Talith. The second part is primariy the laws of Tefillin. The
third part is the beginning of the morning service and should be prepared with
a Siddur as well as Shaarey Halachah in front of you as you prepare to answer
these questions.

15. This bullet point should take about three weeks to complete. Continue
reading pages 66 through 93. Read the first paragraph of the Shmoneh Esreh
in Hebrew and English. Get acquainted with the words of the first blessing.
Answer the questions for Lesson 12. Lesson 12 has three sections to it. The
first section is a continuation of the morning service. I assume that at this
point you are already a bit familiar with the weekday / Shabbat services. If
not, have a Siddur handy and discuss these questions with your mentor. The
second section contains the afternoon and evening services. The third section
is devoted to the weekday Shmone Esreh and requires you to spend some time
reviewing the Shmoneh Esreh in the Siddur Please take this part of your studies
very seriously.

16. Start devoting some time to prayers. You should pray (not the entire service
unless you are able to do so) morning and evening. Allocate a certain amount
of time to your prayers and when you begin to pray faster, add a prayer. Once
you pray on a regular basis, you will be surprised how much better (and faster)
your Hebrew reading becomes.

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17. If you live in the UK, register with the London Beth Din. Those converting in
the UK typically live in London or Manchester.
18. If you live in South Africa, register with the local Beth Din. They have their own
style. The two-year minimum that they have starts once they have accepted
your application and not when you start to prepare for conversion. One of our
members had been very well prepared before he applied and they required
him to wait months after he was otherwise ready to convert.
19. Learn to disbelieve. You may hear many things and see many things that may
not be correct. Well-meaning (and many not so well-meaning) Jews and
Gentiles may provide information that is neither productive nor accurate. You
may even see things that not appear to be what they should be. Jot down your
questions and observations. Ask your mentor and/or rabbi.

20. There are times when a prospective convert learns something and then thinks
that all Orthodox Jews are doing the wrong thing. While it is possible that
many in your community are not totally observant, if you live in an observant
community it is not likely that everyone is doing the wrong thing. Discuss
these issues with your mentor, LOR, and Beth Din as they arise. There is much
room for confusion in Judaism and different opinions are not necessarily
considered “wrong”. Asking your LOR helps him understand what you are up
to and when to contact the Beth Din.
21. While there is no rule by which all Batey Din operate, the average time in North
America from this point until your conversion is about two years. In the UK,
expect it to take five years from your application until your conversion. I
understand that the Amsterdam Beis Din will require seven years of study prior
to conversion. My minimum amount of time for North American conversions
assumes that you are able to devote at least several hours each week to study
and practice Judaism. There are many reasons why it might take longer.
Please do not try to rush it as the easiest way to make mistakes is to try to
accomplish too much too quickly.
22. Be careful when you implement something you hear or read. For example,
there is a prohibition of “mixed fibers” in Leviticus. The prohibition is limited
to wool and linen147 and does not apply to standard mixtures of cotton and
polyester that are commonly found in men’s shirts or even wool and polyester.
When you have questions as to how something should be implemented, speak
to your mentor or local Orthodox Rabbi. Feel free to write me or post your
question on our group site. Whatever you do, don’t throw anything out until

147
Shaatnez, and it will be discussed later in this composition.

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you have clarified the issue with someone who is truly knowledgeable in
Orthodox Judaism.
23. Blessings: Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 97 through 126. Answer questions
to Lesson 13.

24. Start ritual washing in the morning. Pour water on each of your hands three
times, first on right148, then on left, then repeat two more times. Repeat a
time additional time to wash the water of the third off. You may want to buy
a special cup (called negel vasser cup in Yiddish) that has two handles for this
purpose.

25. Moved.

26. Deleted.

27. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 127 thru 144. Answer the questions to Lesson
14.

28. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 145 thru 158. Answer the questions to Lesson
15.

29. If you are married to a non-Jew, is your spouse interested in joining you in
Judaism? Judaism does not permit mixed marriages. We are aware that other
religions permit mixed marriages. Judaism does not. If your spouse does not
want to convert to Judaism, you must remain a Noahide until such time that
you are separated or s/he changes her/his mind. And do not tell your mentor
that you know someone who converted to Conservative or Reform Judaism
with a non-Jewish spouse. Their standards are not our standards. Their
conversions are not our conversions. We do not consider their converts as
being Jews.
30. If you are married to a Jew, is your spouse prepared to become fully
observant? Is s/he willing to support you fully in your quest? Is s/he willing to
raise all children as observant Jews? If not, know that through your increased
observance if done with joy and without nagging they may come to support
you fully and you may help bring a Jew back to Judaism. But for you to convert
they should become shomer mitzvoth (fully observant). If your spouse is
unwilling to go the full nine yards but is very cooperative, speak to your Rav
and Beis Din. This does not mean that you should give up, but rather that you
should be aware that there might be a bone of contention in the future and

148
The “right” hand is on the left side of someone who is left-handed.

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for you to decide how to address it. As someone at this point is several months
(or more) away from her/his conversion, it is not yet an issue.
31. If you are under 18 years of age, no rabbi will work with you unless your
parents give their explicit permission. Even so, it might be hard to find
someone to work with you as we take a conversion very seriously and many
teens may not be ready to convert. Some rabbis will not want to convert
college students because you still have many living issues as you go home
regularly and your parents are still financially supporting you. However, many
have converted when in college or immediately upon graduation. Your rabbi
will judge you as an individual and work with you if he feels that you are ready
to prepare for Judaism. If you are living with your parents, you may want to
modify your conversion preparation to minimize any conflicts with your
parents. This is very important. You will be expected to live in a place where
you are free of outside influences before your conversion. Discuss your
situation with your rabbi.
32. If you have children, do they live at home? Is the entire family unit converting?
There are times when a child, usually a pre-pubescent male, is unsure of his
ability to convert with his parent and to acclimate into an Orthodox
community. The study requirements are huge. The differences are
frightening. For a while, he will not be able to fit either into the peer group he
was in nor the Orthodox group in which you would like him to be. This is
especially true if his features do not appear to be Jewish149. Girls seem to have
it easier than boys. There are rare occasions when we tell children and teens
that they do have the option of remaining non-Jews150. It takes the pressure
off them and lets them decide if they can and want to convert. It is usually
easier if they convert in a small city151 rather than a place like Brooklyn. The
London Beis Din policy does not permit a parent to convert whilst children
living at home are not converting.
33. If you have children who are converting with you they should be ready to
convert, not only having studied some of the laws of Judaism, but also ready
to be enrolled in a Yeshiva or day school. They should have Jewish friends who
are enrolled in the same schools, hopefully the same grades. You will need to
learn what the requirements are in the day school. Your Local Orthodox Rabbi
may be needed to introduce you to the headmaster of this school (often a
rabbi) and to coordinate your children’s applications together with your
conversion. One cannot compare the other religions’ private schools to

149
Many whites have features that look very foreign to Jews.
150
There are Batey Din who will not convert anyone unless all those living under the same roof will be Jews.
151
From an Orthodox point. Dallas and Houston would qualify as a “small” city.

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Yeshivas. Yeshiva education provides intensive Judaic studies (in the original)
to our sons and daughters. These courses are not optional.
34. Please update your personal statement and review it with your mentor. How
are you progressing in your steps towards Kashruth observance? How are you
progressing in your steps towards Sabbath observance? How is your Hebrew
reading becoming more fluent?

35. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 159 thru 201. Answer the questions for Lesson
16. Note: These chapters include some details but do not define that
prohibitions and permitted activities completely. Therefore, one should
consider the information included here to be a mere introduction to the laws
of the Sabbath.

36. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 327 thru 338. Answer the questions for Lesson
17.

37. Can you articulate why you want to convert? Can you articulate why you
believe in Judaism to the exclusion of all other religions? Write it down. This
will become part of your personal statement. There are many reasons to
convert to Judaism. Once, someone told me that he had a reason that made
sense to him but was absolutely 100% certain that no one would understand
him. He asked me to promise that I would not laugh. When he told it to me,
I responded that it was not the first time I heard it. In fact, it was the same
reason that Levi (one of my first students) decided to convert. Don’t be afraid
of telling your Local Orthodox Rabbi and mentor why you want to convert. You
may even have several good reasons. Write them all. You may even want to
put them as bullets under the “Why I Want to Convert” title. The only
requirement is that they all be true. They might sound far-fetched to outsiders
but they represent the true you and someone who has worked with Gerim will
understand them. Don’t be afraid of being long-winded. Write.
38. Read the personal statement template152 and begin working on your
statement. You will periodically modify it. This working document will help
your Local Orthodox Rabbi, Mentor, and Beis Din members understand where
you are on the conversion path. You will periodically update it as you progress.
According to one very well-known mentor, you should sit down with your Local
Orthodox Rabbi (LOR) at this point. Get used to the acronym, LOR. I like to
see personal statements with many bullets on it. All of your milestones should
be bullet points on the personal statement. Let your mentor review it
regularly. S/he may want you to make a few modifications.

152
In the appendix.

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39. Men buy Kipot (yarmulkes). You will wear one when praying, when visiting
your mentor, when in the synagogue, and when studying Torah. At this point
it is not necessary, and may not be recommended, for you to wear it all the
time. When you want to, discuss it with your mentor and/or LOR153. Ladies
should have clothing that meets Orthodox standards and wear these when
meeting with their rabbi, attending synagogue, and meeting with their
mentors. Ladies are phasing in their modest clothing.
40. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 376 thru 394. Answer the questions for Lesson
18.

41. This finishes the basic syllabus minus the calendar and holidays. You have
been studying the calendar and holidays by reading The Book of our Heritage.
We assume that you have been following the calendar and holidays, answering
the questions about them as they come up. If not, please address them soon.
42. Read the Aspects of the Sabbath section of the appendix and consider its
implementation. Start slowly. It is better to implement the Sabbath slowly
than to quickly try to implement all features and find that you have to back-
track. If you do have to back-track, don’t worry. I won’t write you with an “I
told you so” tone. Neither will Hashem.
43. The Sabbath is a special gift that Hashem gave the Jews and that we give
Hashem. By observing the Sabbath, we declare that Hashem is the master of
the universe and we are merely permitted to use it. As a declaration of His
ownership, we surrender all physically creative activities to Him and declare
the Sabbath to be a spiritual day. Hashem, on the other hand, wants Jews to
observe the Sabbath but doesn’t want non-Jews to do so.

44. Understand the following concept: Mitzvah. A Mitzvah is not a good deed 154.
It is a commandment that binds a Jew to G-d. Judaism requires that the Jews
follow the commandments to build a world according to the blueprint (the
Torah) that its Creator gave us. By converting, you become bound to the
Jewish Nation as well as G-d.

45. Go through all your possessions and identify any that are unique to other
religions, such as crosses, crucifixes, and medals of saints. Give or sell them.
At this point you are no longer your former self. You have begun to transition
to a candidate for conversion to Judaism.

153
Local Orthodox Rabbi
154
However, doing goods deeds are usually fulfillment of Mitzvoth.

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46. Continue in the Siddur. Are you reading the full night service daily?

47. Begin to learn the Daily Blessings (pages 14-21). Once you have learned them,
start to say them every day.

48. Read the Shma (pages 90-95) in English and then in Hebrew. This is a major
prayer in Judaism. There is a Mitzvah to read twice daily, morning and night.
Your daily service should now consist of the following:
Morning
• Modeh Ani
• Washing hands
• Adon Olam
• Morning Blessings
• Shma
Evening
• Shma
• Adon Olam
49. If you live in a community that has a kosher restaurant, start to patronize it,
according to your schedule and budget.
50. It is time to locate at least one orthodox synagogue (never say temple, we have
one Temple and it is in Jerusalem) near you and prepare to visit it also. Note:
men wear head coverings in synagogues. (Orthodox men wear head coverings
at all times.) Please dress in accordance to the guidelines previously stated
even if you are not ready to implement them in your daily life. Please be aware
that most Jews have never met a convert and might not be comfortable in the
presence of someone considering conversion that they do not yet know. In
time, you will be known and liked by the Jews of your community. If you don’t
live in a Jewish community, you might want to begin to consider relocating to
a Jewish community. If you have a mentor, then discuss your options with
her/him. Otherwise, write the moderators of OCJ for help in locating possible
communities. At this point, both men and women should have their synagogue
wardrobe, clothes that will make you look and feel at home when in synagogue
or when speaking to a rabbi. In preparation for your synagogue visit, learn the
following terms. You should be able to google them. You may want to have a
physical or virtual scrap book for all the terms you will learn.
• Aron Kodesh

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• Sefer (pl: Sifrei) Torah

• Bimah
• Amud (Lecturn)
• Chumash
• Parshah
• Haftarah
• Rabbi
• Chazzan
• Mechitzah
• Minyan
• Kippah / Yarmalka
• Shma
• Shmoneh Esreh
• Amidah
• Services (Shacharis, Minchah, Maariv)
• Parshah (pl: Parshiyos).
It is important to note that synagogues do not usually limit their membership
to those who pass several litmus tests. As such, many Orthodox Synagogues
have members who do not live up to all Orthodox standards. In some cases,
these may even hold prominent positions in the synagogue. If you see
something you don’t understand, make a mental note and discuss the issue in
private with the local orthodox rabbi, your mentor, or the OCJ group.
51. Continue with reading the Siddur and studying the notes and instructions.
Become comfortable with the format of the daily and Sabbath services.

52. Please update your personal statement and review it with your mentor. How
are you progressing in your steps towards Kashruth observance? How are you
progressing in your steps towards Sabbath observance? Is your Hebrew
reading becoming more fluent?

53. The blessings of the Shma are now added to your daily services. They are
found on Artscroll pages 84-97 for the morning service and 256-265 for the
evening service.

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54. Reread To Be a Jew with Chapter 5: “The Sabbath: An Island in Time.” Begin
to make plans to prepare for the Sabbath. Study this chapter well. Begin to
implement it in the next step. Do not anticipate that you will fulfill this entire
chapter in the next few steps. Please note that To Be a Jew is an excellent
introduction and includes a few details but does not include enough material
for someone to fully learn any subject. The laws of the Sabbath are quite
extensive and you will study them in detail in the near future.

55. Most candidates at this point have begun to observe the Sabbath. The first
step in Sabbath observance is usually the Friday night meal. One dresses up
for the meal that greets the Sabbath Queen. Let your Friday Night meals
reflect the glory that the Sabbath deserves.

56. Read the Going Kosher steps in the appendix and begin, slowly155, to
implement them. Only do the first step at this point. Add the date of this step
to your Personal Statement. Implement the next steps at your pace, adding
them to your Personal Statement. During the course of your conversion, you
will become acquainted with the various symbols that indicate that a food is
kosher. Your mentor and Local Orthodox Rabbi will let you know which ones
they trust and which ones they avoid. Your first step is to cease to purchase
pig-based meats (ham, pork, bacon) and products that contain these. You may
continue to eat the products that you have during the next month. After that,
your diet will contain no pork products. This is also a milestone. Read Chapter
6 of To Be a Jew.

57. Stop purchasing shell fish. This is your second step to going kosher. Enter it
and today’s date into your personal statement. Learn which fish are kosher
and only purchase those fish. Start to use a kosher fish store if there is one
near your neighborhood. Finish all cans of non-kosher fish as well as any other
non-kosher fish and seafood within the next month.

58. Read The Waters of Eden a second time, even if you are single. Read Chapter
seven of To Be a Jew. If you are married, you may want to begin to consider
how to implement family purity laws into your life. Discuss this with your
mentor. It will be necessary for you to purchase at least one book that deals
with the details of family purity and to phase in your practices.
59. Deleted.

60. Learn the role of Jews in Judaism. There is no “clergy” in Judaism in the manner
of a Catholic or even some Protestant clergy. In Judaism, there is a clergy of

155
Some people prefer to take the first few steps at once. If it works for you, fine.

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the faith. Thus a 13-year old man (not boy) is equal to the community’s rabbis
when it comes to ritual responsibility. He is as likely as the next to lead the
service or read the Torah. When converting, most men will be expected to
learn how to function as a member of the clergy of the faith. It is one of the
reasons why it takes longer to convert to Judaism than to any other faith.
Don’t be dismayed when you see a 13-year old read the Torah very well.
Jewish boys are trained in all aspects so that by the time that they become
men they will be able to function as Jewish men. If you are dedicated, then in
a few years you too will be able to read the Torah as it is written without
vowels, cantillation notes, or periods. Even though women are not required
to be Torah readers, I see nothing wrong with them learning the trop156 so that
they can review the weekly reading of the Torah.

61. You have already finished eating all non-kosher animals and fish that were left
in your house. You no longer order these foods in non-kosher restaurants.
Your personal statement already has been updated to show that you have
accepted the prohibition of non-kosher animals, seafood, and fish.

62. Start buying kosher meat. Plan to stop buying non-kosher meat. Note when
you cook that kosher meat is saltier than non-kosher meat. You may want to
adjust your recipes accordingly.
63. Make your Friday night meals free of distraction. No phone calls. No cell
phones in your pockets when you’re at the table. No television. No radio.
64. Stop buying non-kosher cheeses. From this point on, buy only kosher cheese,
even if you must order it from an out-of-town source. Finish all non-kosher
cheese within one month of this date. From this point on, only buy kosher
pizza.
65. Locate sources for kosher wine. Look for wine that is labeled “Mevushal”. You
may take a few months to finish all non-kosher wines.
66. Note the kashruth status of your canned and packaged goods. Note which are
kosher. Begin to make plans to purchase only kosher products. Learn how to
substitute kosher products for non-kosher products you like.
67. We are required to be properly groomed as we welcome the Sabbath. For that
reason, most of us trim our nails and beards; polish our shoes; etc. on Fridays.
After we shower, we dress in our Sabbath attire, which should be better than
that which we wear during the work week. Many of us have a part of our
wardrobe that is reserved for the Sabbaths, Festivals, weddings, etc.

156
Cantillation.

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68. While during the week, we might take our meals on a hurried pace, with
different members of the family eating at different times, this is not the case
on the Sabbath. Our meals are at least as important as synagogue services. In
this aspect, Orthodox Judaism is unique among the religions. While other
religions call their worship centers churches and temples, if we were to call
any places our temples, they would be our dining rooms. Remember the
Mishnah in Avos, “…but if three ate at one table and spoke words of Torah, it
i*s as if they were eating at Hashem’s table157.” We stagger our courses with
singing Zemiros158 and Divrey Torah, according to our abilities. If we can, we
invite others to join us, especially those who have no family with whom they
can eat. This way, our table truly becomes an altar and our meal becomes a
service to Hashem. As such, we should prepare and plate our meals in such a
way that they are fitting to be served at a meal where the King of Kings joins
us. One may have general conversations at the table but may not talk about
work-related issues. It is best to have words of Torah spoken at the table.
There are several Sefarim159 that have very good Divery Torah160 in English.
Thus, even someone to whom Orthodox Judaism is new should be able to
prepare a few Divrey Torah each week. There are various customs as to what
foods are eaten at which meals, none of which are wrong.

69. It is also a good idea to dedicate the Sabbath meals to be totally free of Lashon
Hara161. We state at the beginning of each meal that we will refrain of talking
ill of our fellow man. As we invite Hashem to our table and all people are
Hashem’s children, we honor Hashem by not talking ill of His sons and
daughters in His presence.

70. Many people from diverse pasts have converted. This paragraph will deal in
terms of integration into your community162. You may have on the web a long
since forgotten embarrassing profile or have possibly posted unfavorable
pictures of yourself that you may want to contend with. All the intricate details
of your past may not necessarily be your community's concern, and should not
be their concern. In fact, one of the classic scenarios that our rabbis163, of
blessed memory, use as an example to admonish one who uses harsh words
that hurt others is the reminding to a sincere convert regarding his past

157
Avoth, 3:4
158
Songs of a religious nature
159
Books. At this point, there are dozens available!
160
Words of Torah (a speech)
161
Speaking ill of someone, even if true. There are actually laws that define what we may say about
someone. When it doubt, silence is the best option.
162
This paragraph was worded with the help of the Lakewood Beis Din.
163
Chazal.

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history164. However, your Beth Din may want to know your full and complete
history. In fact, some Batey Din mandate a signed consent for a thorough
background check. Please be aware, that any attempt to hide or conceal part
of your past may indeed be considered grounds for refusal on their part. On
the other hand from their experience, they are not without compassion and
understanding. They know to treat the details of your history and file as
private and confidential. In fact, many people from diverse pasts have
converted in spite of a faux pas in their past. Never-the-less, from this point
onwards, your profile and public information should not reflect your past but
rather your future. Speaking from experience, some of my candidates have
been converted by a certain Beis Din. They had information that they did not
discuss with me, even though they are well acquainted with me. In one case,
I understood from the questions that they asked me what the information was
but only when I asked them, and they realized that I had already known it,
were they comfortable discussing it with me. That is how far they go when it
comes to talking Lashon Hara about someone who is not Jewish. We should
all learn from their discretion and practice the same, with Jews and non-Jews.
There was another time when a certain rabbi wanted to dissuade me from
pursuing a match for someone who had converted (not one of our members).
He only told me his reason after I promised that I would still invite the
gentleman to my table in spite of this information and that I not tell any
members of my household, including my wife.
71. You’re now more than ready for your first visit to the synagogue165, if you
haven’t already gone. You may want to call ahead and tell the rabbi that this
will be your first visit and ask if he could assign someone to sit with you166.
Orthodox synagogues are arranged so that the men and women sit separately.
Women may sit in a balcony or behind a Mechitzah167. You already know that
the Siddur opens right to left. Sabbath morning services will require both a
Siddur and a Chumash168. Various different places and degrees of Orthodoxy
have different dress codes. We usually use the terms of Charedi/Charedim (or
Haredi/Haredim) to refer to the more right-winged and Modern Orthodox169
to the more assimilated. Where I pray, all men wear dark suits (mostly black),

164
Neither should a Baal Teshuvah be reminded of his past. There are, however, times when I’ve suggested
to some Gerim that they be a little less closed-minded with Gerim and BTs in-the-making and reminded them
of their steps in becoming Gerim.
165
This is not redundant, if you have not yet gone to a synagogue, please make plans to do so.
166
This may be required in some countries.
167
Partition wall, in some synagogues, the women sit in the back, in others the women sit alongside the men
with the Mechitzah dividing the sections.
168
Bible, specifically, the first Five Books of Moses and the portions from the Prophets that are read as the
Haphtarah of the week.
169
The lines are not carved in stone in America. They are very clearly defined in Israel.

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white shirts, ties, and fedoras170. Modern Orthodox men seldom wear
fedoras. Their suits might be lighter. Their shirts, even on the Sabbath, may
be colored. Chassidic men often don’t wear ties and may wear long coats in
lieu of jackets. Where I pray when in Florida, most men come to the synagogue
without jackets as it is difficult to walk distances wearing a jacket under the
Florida sun. Women wear suits, skirts, or dresses. These cover their entire
knees when seated (with room to spare). Collars are high and elbows are
covered. Married women will wear wigs, scarves, hats, etc. Jewelry should be
conservative (no cameos171). Most Orthodox women wear a single set of
earrings and may have ears that are or are not pierced172. Many American
Charedim speak Yiddish173. When they speak English, it will be peppered with
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Yiddish words and phrases. In fact, Orthodox Jews
usually don’t speak Standard American English when speaking to other
Orthodox Jews. We don’t do this out of disrespect of the English Language but
rather out of expedience. Sometimes there are many thoughts that are best
expressed using terms that are not part of Standard American English. There
are other times when we could use English words but are just more
comfortable with the Aramaic, Hebrew, or Yiddish words174. While many of
your new friends will go out of their way to speak to you in the standard form,
they might often forget and use the terms we usually do. Don’t be afraid to
ask them for definitions/to explain things you do not understand. In time,
you will understand most of these. You may miss some questions as those
who speak Yiddish do not change the sentence structure when asking a
question but merely raise their voice at the end. Thus, “You ate” can be either
a statement or a question (where Standard American English would have “Did
you eat?” as a question). While some common expressions may have entered
their vocabulary, others have not. Don’t call a Charedi teen “dude” or he may
think that he did something wrong. If you’re in a Charedi synagogue, assume
that no one there watches television. As such, they don’t know anything about
TV shows or actors175. If they do, they won’t admit to it openly. Those who
don’t live in Brooklyn (or Lakewood or Monsey) may be more assimilated than

170
A soft felt hat with a crown creased lengthwise and a brim that can be turned down.
171
Cameos are seen as a borderline violation of having a person’s statue. According to Rabbi Feinstein one
may retain possession of a cameo if you slightly nick it or pierce a part of it with a needle.
172
One single piercing in the lobe of each ear. Other parts are not pierced. Men do not wear earrings.
173
Yiddish is a language primarily drawn from Middle High {high is a term of the altitude not of the
aristocracy of the language} German and Hebrew, just as English is a language drawn from Old Low Saxon
and French. Many Orthodox Ashkenazi Jews who speak English as a first language will leave all technical
terms in Yiddish just as doctors and lawyers will sometimes leave terms in Latin. Many Anglophones will
understand some Yiddish if they are good in abstract imaging.
174
Just as lawyers and doctors who use many Latin words and phrases.
175
Aish rabbis seem to be very well-versed in all of the latest TV shows and movies. They are the exception.

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the picture I just painted. When I bought my wife a van, it came with a VCR
and TV. One of my sons often chauffeured the local Chassidic rabbi’s family
and he once took my wife’s van. One of the kids remarked (in Yiddish), “Look,
the car has a computer!” A few synagogues will have a device that lists the
page that is being read. This may or may not be accurate. For example, no
one will change the page when praying the Amidah/Shmoneh Esreh176. Some
synagogues will only change the page displayed at certain key milestones.
72. If you’re not independently wealthy, start a savings account for your
conversion costs. Costs may include the following:
➢ Mentor - You may find someone who will mentor you gratis. It is
more likely that you will pay for your mentoring. This is a
professional service and you should treat it as such. If you have
children converting with you, they will need to be tutored so that
they can join their peers in a Yeshiva following their conversion.
Please remember to do your homework. There is nothing that
turns a mentor off as much as when her/his student is totally
unprepared.
➢ Mezuzahs – Each entrance and door to a room (other than
bathrooms or closets177) will need a Mezuzah. This includes
entrances that have doorways but no doors. You should not buy
the Mezuzahs by yourself; neither should you install them prior
to your conversion. There are various different scripts that are
used by the various different types of Orthodox Jews. For
example, Yeshivish Jews will not use the same script as
Lubavitch178.
➢ Books – You will have to buy several books in the conversion
process. You will buy more after conversion. The personal library
of an Orthodox Jew should take up at least 60 square feet. (My
library takes up about 80 linear feet and I wish it were bigger so I
could house more.) A suggested reading section appears in the
Appendix. Please review it and purchase a few of the books on
its list.
➢ If male, you will buy Tefillin and Talis (the “small” talis is worn
under your shirt). Ask your mentor which type to buy and when
you should start wearing it. Most will buy two cotton sets of talis

176
Main prayer recited while standing.
177
Some closets are so big that they do require a Mezuzah.
178
This is not considered a minor issue. There are a few letters that are written differently, including one that
is the source of some debate.

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katan. If you’re in a Chassidic or Yeshivish community, you might

want to buy wool.
➢ Kitchen – Pots, pans, utensils, and meat and dairy dishes and
flatware. Don’t buy these until you are just about to convert. Or
buy (especially when you see a sale) and keep packed up.
➢ Dining Room Ritual Items – Kiddush cup. Challah cover for the
Sabbath and holidays. Challah board for same. Havdalah candle.
➢ Clothing. Women will buy clothing that fits into Orthodox styles.
For those women who are not yet used to Orthodox dress, think
of a man’s shirt with only the top button open. If still in doubt,
pick up a man’s t-shirt with a round neck in your size. Try your
clothes on over the t-shirt. If you can see the t-shirt, then the top
does not cover enough179. Men may have to augment their
wardrobe.
➢ Beis Din costs. You may have to travel twice (or more) to meet
with a Beis Din. The Beis Din may have fees. There will be Mikveh
fees and the fee to the Mohel if you’re male180.
➢ Tuition – You will have to enroll your children in Yeshivas after
conversion.
➢ Moving costs – Your Beis Din may require that you move to a
location closer to your synagogue. Or, they may not be happy
with your current community and may want you to move to a
place with a more vibrant Jewish community. If married, one
member of the family may be unemployed for a while after the
move.
➢ Incidentals – There may be some additional costs. For example,
you may have to add a mechanical keyless entry system so that
you don’t have to carry a key on Shabbos, something that you
may not be able to do after your conversion.
73. If your previous faith was a Xan faith, are you prepared to state that you no
longer believe in Jesus or the Holy Ghost? A convert may not believe in the
Trinity. S/he may not even believe that Jesus was a great rabbi, and certainly
not the Messiah. This is not subject to negotiation. He should not even be in
your vocabulary, even in expressions. Jews do not “knock on wood” or “cross

179
This is the Yeshivish standard. For Modern Orthodox, think of men’s T-shirt with V-neck. For
Chassidish, think of man’s shirt with top buttoned.
180
Many Batey Din use an orthodox urologist for full circumcisions if the candidate has medical insurance
and a qualified Mohel if not. There are few differences. I have been to both.

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their fingers”, both references to the cross. I encourage those working with
Gerim to ask them to state this. It helps the future Jew to formally sever all
ties with her/his former religion and begin to become a Ger.
74. Buy the virtual Shabbath CD from [Link] which is about $20181.
This CD has all the Shabbath home rituals, Zemiros (Shabbath songs), benching
(grace after meals), Shabbath Davening/full services, their "Hebrew crash
course", and even basic Kashruth info on it.
75. If you have reached this paragraph and implemented everything in this
chapter, you have made a lot of progress in your conversion. Please take stock
of the changes to your life and reflect on these.
76. After all the above, are you still certain that you want to convert to Judaism?
Are you aware that your parents and friends might think that you joined the
most backward and fanatical cult? They may look at you as if you are an alien
from Venus or some other planet. Are you willing to go through a long and
rigorous study of Judaism and all its details? Are you willing to dedicate
yourself, your entire being, to the service of Hashem as a Jew with all your
heart, your life, and your possessions182? If so, continue with the next
chapter…

181
An Interactive Shabbat Experience from candle lighting to Havdalah, created by Alan Oirich for the
National Jewish Outreach Program. Based on an idea by Zelda Stern, it includes prayers, rituals, customs and
songs of the traditional Shabbat, a full Hebrew Reading Crash Course and explanatory tours of Sabbath
Meals, a Synagogue and a "klezmer" kosher kitchen.
182
Last phrase is taken from the Shma.

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Sometimes a Beis Din is a bit more lenient than others183. These Batey Din will overlook
minor discrepancies. However, no Orthodox Beis Din will overlook Kashruth, Sabbath, or
family purity issues. They might also be concerned with the effect that the lesser-religious
half might have on the new convert, and future children. Will the new wife object to the
amount of time that the husband spends in the Shul or the Shiurim that he plans to
attend? Do her friends have an anti-Orthodox or very “modern” anti-Yeshiva attitudes?

When it comes to both genders, the Jewish in-laws may be a bit difficult. They might be
unhappy with their child becoming Orthodox. You might not be able to eat in their house.
Weekend visits with future grandchildren might be difficult or impossible. Tread lightly
but firmly. One may never compromise on issues of Halachah, however, before saying
either “no” or “yes” you should discuss each issue with your Local Orthodox Rabbi. There
is nothing wrong with telling someone that you will have to ask your LOR or mentor, even
if they accuse you of not having a mind. You might want to say that you want to discuss
it with your mentor or LOR, or indicate that you are inclined to decline but will ask your
LOR for input184. Then, if you do accept the invitation, they will see (even if they won’t
admit) that you were trying to be flexible and that the LOR is not some cult leader. It is
often easier for your children to meet their grandparents at your home rather than visit
the grandparents’ home. This is often true with Jewish grandparents and more often true
with non-Jewish grandparents.

If you are not married or engaged to a Jew at this point, do not start to date Jews185. This
may become an issue as many of those who are actively pursuing conversion to Judaism
may attend seminars or Shabbatonim with Jews and may be attracted to those who are
already Jewish. Many Jews, even from Orthodox backgrounds, might understand that
you are not yet Jewish but consider that the technicality of your formal conversion is just
a technicality. They may not be aware that the conversion process has changed in the
past couple of generations and takes longer than it did fifty years ago. You may posses
exactly the qualities that they seek in a spouse. However, dating a Jew at this point will
create issues that will cloud your path to conversion. These issues include:

183
This does not mean that they will compromise Jewish law, but that they will be more willing to overlook
minor shortcomings on the part of your spouse.
184
This may result in a, “Can’t you think for yourself?” response. Explain that as you are new to Orthodox
practices, you rely on your mentor’s greater experience in these matters. Be honest and tell them that there
are issues and you want to find a means by which you can address these and still honor them as required.
185
It may seem a bit unfair that a non-Jew who is married to a Jew has an easier time here. It is not meant to
be fair or unfair. A non-Jew who is married to a Jew presents a different reality, one that requires the Beis
Din to rectify, if it can.

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❖ Is your conversion connected to a desire to marry a Jew, rather than the desire
to truly become a Jew186?

❖ Where these issues present at the time you began to convert and concealed by
you? If so, it is likely that the Beis Din will terminate their connection to you.

❖ What is the agenda of the Jewish person who wants to date you? Is that person
someone worthy of a Ger or perhaps s/he will lower your level?

❖ Is it possible that you and your date were dating before you came to the Beis
Din and s/he could not commit to a marriage because s/he knew that her/his
family would be opposed to a mixed-marriage? If so, then you are in the worst
position possible. This would be even worse if you were living together but
could not get married due to religious differences.

Even if they are able to resolve all questions, the Beis Din and you will be distracted from
your conversion priorities as they analyze the new situation and discuss it. Under the
best-case scenario, this should add at least one month (more likely four months) to your
conversion.

I would like to share a thought with rabbis and other Jews-by-birth who are reading this
composition. One of our members once asked the community for reasons why they
converted. We received several good answers. The best answer was, “The feeling that I
belong to the Jewish people, that my soul is Jewish and that I have to come home. The
other option would be staying homeless for ever.” This is a theme that many Gerim have
privately articulated. One such Ger was a teen who for some reason was passing by a
synagogue. He decided to enter it. He told me that he felt that he had to convert because
he felt that he “had come home” as soon as he opened the doors even though he could
not read a word of Hebrew nor had even given Judaism a thought until that moment.

I have personally mentored many converts. Some have been excellent candidates and
students. Others have been difficult, sometimes due to no fault of their own, just
circumstances. Mentors are people. Even if you pay your mentor, please try to be an
excellent candidate. Be prompt. Be communicative. Be positive. Let your mentor know
if you have problems addressing issues. There have been times when I’ve gotten off the
phone and cried my heart out. Be truthful. It makes their jobs easier and might help you
move faster.

186
We often hear, “Jewish men make good husbands” and various reasons given. A convert must convert
because she wants to be Jewish and not because she wants a husband who is a good provider, loyal, etc. and
believes that she will find this in a Jew. Of course, we hope that our converts will get married after their
conversions.

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What are you? Are you a Jew or a Gentile? If you have implemented everything in the
previous chapter, you should no longer consider yourself a gentile. While there are many
steps you must take before you go into a Mikveh in the presence of a Beis Din, you are
closer to the Mikveh than you were to whatever you called yourself before starting on
this path. If a non-Jew asks the question, then you are a Jew. I would tell any Jew that
you are a Ger. If the Gabay of a Shul or someone asks you to qualify your status and s/he
has a reason to know the details then you are a Candidate-for-Gerus187.

With more than a thousand Gerim in my group, I hear a lot of details. There are times
when things I hear can confuse me. A rabbi (or several rabbis) might feel that he has a
reason to emphasize a detail that others may not consider very important. Your friends
and mentors might even be a bit confused by something that you can’t really describe.
Don’t worry. You will be able to explain it in due time.

Now, to implementing the conversion….

1. You should have already stopped attending any religious services other
than those of Judaism.
2. The changes from a Noahide to a Jew involve taking on additional
Mitzvoth, both positive and negative. While just a few bullet points, they
represent many parts of your life that must be changed if you want to
convert. The implementation of a few will be very easy. Others will require
a great deal of study and effort to implement.
a. Negative commandments include
i. The Sabbath and holiday prohibitions
ii. Laws of Kashruth
iii. Family Purity
iv. Laws that proscribe regular activities, such as Shaatnez,
shaving with a razor, etc.
b. Positive commandments include:
i. Talith, Tefillin, and Mezuzah
ii. Daily prayer services
iii. Blessings – before and after eating
iv. Holiday requirements
v. Study requirements

187
This comes up again in the next footnote.

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3. Be prepared to answer the following, at least several times. Your new

friends as well as well-meaning but misguided individuals will ask them.
Finally, they will (or at least should) be asked by your Beis Din.
a. Why do you want to convert?
b. What was your religious background188?
c. What do you know about Judaism?
d. Do you understand the differences between Judaism and your birth
religion as they relate to key elements, such as Torah vs. The Bible,
how Judaism views one’s admission ticket to heaven, etc.?
e. Are you being pressured to convert?
f. Are you willing to spend the necessary time studying to become
Jewish?
g. Are you willing to raise any children you might have as Jewish,
including sending them to full-time orthodox Jewish day schools?
h. Have you discussed this decision with your family? What do they
think about your conversion?
i. Are you willing to face anti-Semitism189?
j. Do you have any idea how hard it is to convert to Judaism190?
k. Are you prepared to give up all your family’s religious holiday get-
togethers?
l. Are you prepared to not be able to eat at your parents’ home191?
To never eat your mother’s cooking again?
4. Jews do not say the names of their Father in Heaven except when in prayer
and when quoting verses. Please do not ever say the J----ah name (as in
the J------ah Witnesses). Learn to say “Hashem” in your normal
conversation. I list the various names of God at the end of this chapter.

188
There is no reason to sell yourself short in this case. The perfect answer is, “I am now a Noahide.” Even
if you were once a Lutheran or Presbyterian, you ceased being one a while ago, so don’t say that you are one
now. You are now a Noahide considering conversion to Judaism or a Noahide working on conversion to
Judaism. Therefore you may say, “I was a Lutheran until two years ago when I became a Noahide and am
now working on Orthodox conversion.” However, in terms of when people outside of Judaism ask your
religion, feel free to say that you are Jewish. The same holds true with a question on your visa application
when travelling to Israel. When it asks for religion and national identification, answer “Jewish”.
189
There is no country that is free of anti-Semitism.
190
If you’re reading this, you certainly should!
191
Not to be taken literally. You can bring kosher food and eat in their home. If they say this, don’t correct
them.

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Orthodox Jews use “Hashem” in their every day speech when referring to
God. Chabad and certain other Lithuanian Jews use the term “Aybishter”.
5. We will spend the next several weeks on the laws of The Sabbath. This is
a superficial reading but enough to pass the normal questions that a Beth
Din would ask. You will continue to study the Sabbath as you work on the
final aspects of conversion and after your conversion. Please take the next
few bullets slowly and discuss issues with your LOR and mentor.

6. Read “Aspects of the Sabbath”. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 127 thru
144. Answer the questions for Lesson 14.

7. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 145 thru 158. Answer the questions for
Lesson 15.

8. Read “The Melachos” in the Appendix.

9. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 159 thru 201. Answer the questions for
Lesson 16.

10. We trust that you have been keeping up with the calendar and have been
reading up on the holidays, both in The Book of Our Heritage and Shaarei
Halachah.

11. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 327 thru 351. Answer the questions for
Lesson 17.

12. Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 376 thru 394. Answer the questions for
Lesson 18.
13. There are a few issues of Orthodox Etiquette that you should learn at this
point. The following information is presented so that you can avoid
committing a faux pas and that you can understand the dynamics of your
host families192. It is not being presented to you to be applied at this point
in your conversion. It is also my hope that you will continue to hold on to
those non-Jewish friends who are supportive of your conversion efforts.
a. Orthodox Jews do not normally kiss or touch members of the
opposite gender except their immediate family193. In other words,

192
Many rabbis have indicated that there are certain limited leniencies that may be applied in the secular
work environment. I am also aware that not all Jews follow the laws of Negiah and Yichud to the letter.
193
I am including this information here for you to understand prior to meeting with your local orthodox rabbi
and / or Sabbath invitations. This information will be repeated for you later on, when I expect you to observe

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if you are a male, do not try to hug or kiss any females at your hosts’
house, unless your mother is there and it is she you kiss. Likewise,
you may kiss your daughter. If you see a friend of the opposite
gender, greet her with a big “Gut Shabbos, a smile, and a nod.
b. Orthodox Jews never seclude themselves with members of the
opposite gender except their immediate family194. You may take a
walk in a mixed group but it would be unacceptable for a man and
a woman to go to a room in your host’s basement to study together
(unless there are others there or it is likely that others will enter
the room).
c. Friendships are limited to members of the same gender195. Men
and women may work together and maintain a professional
relationship. They are not permitted to become chummy with each
other. With the exception of some modern-orthodox, our children
attend single-gender schools. You may notice that your
host/hostess if from a traditional orthodox background might be a
bit distant at first. Teen girls may keep a distance from adult single
males and visa versa. This is normal. One of my sons often joined
his study-partner (Chavrusa)’s family for Shabbos lunch. The first
time he brought a chocolate mousse over, one of his chavrusa’s
sisters asked her brother to tell Yisrael that the mousse was very
good. She would not speak to him directly. Some Modern
Orthodox will be more comfortable talking to members of the
opposite gender. Both adults and children who live in families that
are involved in Kiruv will be a bit more comfortable talking to
members of the opposite gender.
d. Orthodox Jews may feel a bit uncomfortable with non-Jews196.
With the exception of those who work with converts, we may not
be accustomed to being in close quarters with those who are not
of our faith and background. Consider it a complement if they
permit you to entertain their children. It would be wrong to say
that we are xenophobes as their definition is one who is unduly
fearful or harbors hatred of foreigners. Our being uncomfortable
with non-Jews is the result of hundreds of years of anti-Semitism,

Orthodox etiquette. We should also note that there are many Modern-Orthodox families in which one is
expected to kiss her/his aunts and uncles (especially the elderly great-aunts), even of the opposite gender.
194
This is called Yichud. It is a rabbinic prohibition.
195
This does not mean that you should drop friends because they are of the other gender.
196
Obviously, this does not apply to Gerim. It also does not apply to most Baaley Teshuvah.

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a disease that is still present in this world, even if its carriers are not
quite as common as they were only a couple of generations ago.
e. Your hosts may not be used to speaking Standard American English
in the house and might have to pause while translating a word they
wanted to use to a word you would understand. They and their
children might be unaware of words and phrases that are used in
colloquial speech. Feel free to ask for explanations.
f. Meals at Orthodox homes are rituals. Sabbath and holiday meals
start with Kiddush and end with Grace, both recited in Hebrew.
They will also include religious songs, sung (for the most part) in
Hebrew or Aramaic. There is a slight chance that they might have
a Zemiros pamphlet with transliterations (such as the NCSY
benscher). Feel free to ask them if they have one or to bring your
own before the Sabbath.
g. When fish and meat (fowl or mammal) are served at a meal, the
fish will always be served first. The fish plate and fork will be
collected before the meat dish is placed on the table. You should
plan to eat a piece of bread and take a drink between the fish and
meat dishes. The drink may be non-alcoholic or alcoholic. If the
drink is alcoholic, the first to drink will often say “l’chaim197” and
the response is “l’chaim tovim u’l’shalom198”.
h. There is no minimum age for drinking in most Orthodox families.
There is also a custom that you drink something (which in Chassidic
households would be scotch or vodka) between fish and meat. On
the flip side, drinking is limited and should not result in a buzz. If
offered a drink between fish and meat, say “L’chaim” and take a
small gulp. Otherwise, you may sip.
i. If you are a vegetarian, tell all your hosts that you are a vegetarian
and what foods you will and will not eat. Many Orthodox
“vegetarians” will eat fish, so let your hosts know if you don’t eat
fish or meat. While it does not take much effort for me to prepare
meals for a semi-vegetarian (pescatarian199) I would need a couple
of days notice to be able to host a vegetarian or vegan. Please do
not assume that everyone knows that you are a vegetarian.

197
To life
198
To good life and peace
199
One who eats fish but does not consume birds or mammals. As fish is not considered meat in Judaism,
many Jewish vegetarians are not true vegetarians.

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j. Be prepared for a few new dishes. Your hosts will prepare foods
based on their sub-ethnic background.
i. Chumus – appetizers made from chickpeas, of Sephardic
origin.
ii. Eggplant dishes, such as baba ganush.
iii. S-chug – a paste made from chili peppers. This can be red
or green and ranges from hot to very, very hot. This dish is
of Yemenite origin and may be served by Yemenites,
Sephardim, or Israelis.
iv. Stuffed grape leaves (Sephardic) or stuffed cabbage
(Ashkenazic).
v. Cholent - Ashkenazic Orthodox Jews eat a cassoulet called
cholent at Sabbath midday meals. While the origin of its
name200 comes from the old French for warm lentils, the
cholent recipe could have either been a result of our
ancestors living in Carolinian France201 or the cassoulet
recipe could have been the result of the French learning
from our ancestors. Many Jews added potatoes to their
cholent recipes in the early modern202 area due to its
popularity, price, and year-round availability.
vi. Chopped liver – used to be popular in Ashkenazic houses.
Its popularity has dropped due to health concerns. It is
usually made from liver, onions, and eggs. May be eaten
with a fork or spread on crackers or challah.
vii. Kishka – originally intestines stuffed with flour, fat, and
seasoning. May include meat or only vegetarian
ingredients. Often added to Cholent.

200
Chaud lent, warm lentils.
201
After an absence of many years, Jews were again known to be in central France from the reign of Pepin,
the father of Charlemagne. Our presence had continued in what is now southern France as the Merovingians
who prohibited Jews from living under their domains did not control Septimania (as southern France was
known). The rulers of Septimania were vassals of the Visigoth Kingdom which fell when the Moslems
invaded. Their invasion of France was turned back by Charles “Martel” grandfather of Charlemagne.
Cassoulets originated in Septimania. While Charlemagne first invited Jews to France, he later expelled many
Jews. Jews gradually moved back into France and Frankish lands. By the time of the First Crusade, more
Jews lived in France and Germany than Italy. Unfortunately, Jews living in most of Germany were also on
the route of the First Crusade and their communities were decimated by Xan mobs in the Spring of 1096.
202
Potatoes became very popular in Ashkenazic Europe during the 1700s.

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viii. Kugel (Kiegel in Chassidic Yiddish) a noodle or potato

pudding. These come in various different flavors. It is now
available in apple and vegetable versions.
ix. Gefilte Fish – originally was fish with stuffing of ground fish.
A mixture of fish (often pike, carp, and whitefish), ground
with carrots and onions, and boiled or baked. Often served
with horseradish. Israelis often eat it with mustard.
German Jews will eat it with mayonnaise and pepper.
14. Always use the title “Rabbi” when speaking to or mentioning a rabbi.
Judaism emphasizes Derech Eretz (manners) and it is considered a breach
of etiquette to call or mention a rabbi without his title. Even if you are able
to be on a first-name basis with his wife, refer to her as “Rebbitzen203” to
your children and make certain that they call her “Rebbitzen”.
15. Continue implementation of going kosher. Let your mentor know how
things are going. At this point, you should no longer be eating pork or
shellfish. You should give up meat and dairy combinations.
16. Are you saying the blessings before eating food? Learn them by heart in
Hebrew. The NCSY Guide to Blessings is a great resource for this. It is
carried by most Judaica stores. In this case and subsequent suggestions, I
would prefer that you learn how to recite the prayers and blessings in
Hebrew. If that is impossible, you may recite all prayers and blessings in
languages you speak fluently. You may pray in Hebrew even if you are not
fluent in Hebrew. The same holds true to the parts of the service that are
written in Aramaic or a combination of Hebrew and Aramaic.
17. Learn the basics of blessings. Understand when a blessing is recited. Be
able to identify what a blessing is.
18. Learn Asher Yatzar204 by heart and recite it regularly. If you can, learn it in
Hebrew.
19. Print and start to learn the vocabulary in the appendix. These are words
that you might likely hear and eventually use when you converse with
other Orthodox Jews. Many of these words are used in lieu of their
translations when we Orthodox Jews speak entre-nous (among ourselves)
and ignorance of them will be interpreted as a sign that you are not one of
us.

203
This is a Yiddish term. It is used by Ashkenazi Jews even if they don’t otherwise speak Yiddish. In
Sephardic circles, use the word “Rabbanit”.
204
The prayer thanking Hashem for our internal plumbing.

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20. Start attending Sabbath Services every week.

21. Update your personal statement. Read through it and decide what you
want to delete and what you want to add to it. You may want to have a
friend and/or your mentor review it and make changes based on their
comments.
22. Discard any symbols of your previous religion, if you have them. You
should no longer need any crosses, etc. Pass an old family Bible to your
non-Jewish nephew or niece.
23. If you have any embarrassing tattoos, now is a good time to consider laser
treatment205. While it is possible to convert with tattoos, they are
anathema to Orthodox Jews and may cause you some embarrassment in
the future. There is no requirement that you must remove them before
conversion, but it might be in your best interest to remove these and not
have to deal with them later in your life. As there is a prohibition in scaring
yourself gratuitously, it might not be permissible for you to remove these
after your conversion206. If you keep the tattoo and continue with your
conversion, please don’t take the attitude that people who are puzzled or
shocked by it have “a problem”, this is a matter that many Jews, even those
who are not religious, know is prohibited and especially distasteful. The
same puzzlement will be faced by those who have various body parts
pierced (especially men). These items are like flashing neon signs declaring
“alien”.
24. Many who come to Judaism seek truth. They are dissatisfied with their
former religion and seek truth in the mother of their faith. Many times
they are confused about Judaism in this regard. As I’ve already mentioned,
Judaism believes that there are seventy facets in which a verse can be
interpreted. We believe in four levels of understanding. Truth, for us is
not a single point. It is not even a plane. It is a three-dimensional object.
We believe that Hashem gave us not a single note but rather a chorus.
When you begin to study Torah you will notice that there are some
differences of opinions. Because they are all based on honest attempts at
finding the true meaning of God's Torah, they are all true207. They are all

205
This is optional and as of this writing should only be attempted by light-skinned Gerim.
206
If you have converted and want to remove a tattoo, contact your LOR. He may rule that you are allowed
to remove a tattoo that upsets you, especially if your physician can assure him that there will be minimal
scaring.
207
Rashi to Chagigah 3b "Asei Aznecha K'Aphracheses," and Rashi to Kesubos 57a "Ha
Ka'mashma lan").

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part of Torah208. The music of Torah is the combination of all possible

representations of Divine truth, as it can exist within a human mind. No
person's part is the same as another's, because each person represents a
different aspect of the Divine Symphony, the Divine Truth that is too
multifaceted to be contained in the mind of one person. No symphony is
comprised merely of one instrument playing one melody. However, a
symphony requires that all musicians are playing the same fundamental
music. Our goal in learning Torah is to find our part in this music, and, in
doing this, we discover our place in the divine plan.
25. While you can maintain your old friendships, the nature of these shall
change as you move closer to Judaism and a bit away from some of your
former interests. Unless your partner is converting with you (or Jewish and
supporting your conversion) now is the time to terminate your
relationship. Build up your relationships with Jews and those who are also
converting to Judaism. Other Gerim and BTs (Jews who became religious
later in life) will understand what you are going through better than most
others but it is important for you to have Jewish friends, preferably of your
gender.
26. Do you have a Hebrew name? Have you started to use it?
27. Go to Synagogue at least twice on Sabbaths (unless you’re a woman with
young children, although in synagogues where no women attend services
other than the morning service, attend only the morning service).
28. Start reading (praying) the full evening service.
29. Continue with Going Kosher. At this point, you should have used up all
non-kosher food in the house and are buying only kosher food. If kosher
food is not available where you live you may need to order dairy and meat
products from online kosher markets.
30. If you’re a woman, you should have already committed to buying only
tznius clothing. Now is the time to go through your closet and make the
final commitment of removing all items that you will not need. Remember
that many tops that are a bit revealing can be made tznius through
accessories. You can always wear tops under jumpers. You can wear
dickeys under blouses that are a bit too open. You can position a scarf to
close the top. One lady made quilts out of clothing she was no longer able

208
There are limitations. I’ve heard some people offer their own interpretations that are definitely not part
of the Torah.

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to use. If you plan to do so, please do not use both linen and woolen209
clothing in the quilts as this would cause other problems.
31. If you sew or knit, isolate any linen thread and fabric you have. While we
may wear linen garments, no garment or bed linen may have a
combination of linen and wool. This applies even if the linen and the wool
do not touch.
32. It would be nice if you started to learn some Hebrew. Perhaps you could
start learning some Chumash, or else translate the prayer book. If you’re
a man and planning to have children, your children will be studying Talmud
by the time they’re in the 5th or 6th grade. As such, plan to spend a lot of
time learning the elementary studies before your conversion and starting
Talmud study as soon as you convert. Now might be a good time to buy a
Hebrew-English Chumash with Rashi (there are at least three translations).
There is also a pamphlet that will help you learn how to read Rashi script.
Either purchase it now or in a little while. There are also several web sites
that have the letters listed. Google Rashi Script if you want to access them.
33. Do you know how to ritually wash your hands and recite the Hamotsie
blessing? Do you do so whenever you eat? Do you know the full text of
all standard blessings?
34. Do you always recite the grace after meals? If not, now is the time to start
doing so whenever you have a meal that includes bread.
35. Do you know which fruits have the Haetz and which have the Haadamah
blessing210? Do you say these blessings when you eat?
36. If you have body parts pierced (other than women’s earlobes) now might
be a good time to remove the hardware associated with them and permit
your body to heal itself so that you will stand out a little less. This definitely
applies to Jewish men who will appear with their spouses before a Beth
Din. If you appear with her and there are pins and other items in your face,
then they might be a little less cooperative that you would like them to be.
Although this sounds like an external issue, it requires converts to begin to
physically identify with Orthodox Judaism. If you find that you would
rather have a nose ring, then perhaps Judaism is not right for you.

209
Mixtures of linen and wool are prohibited in the laws of Shaatnez and may not be used for clothing, bed
linens, or in sofa cushions. This holds true even if the cloth is wool and the thread is linen.
210
There are a few Sefarim that have these spelled out in detail. Haetz is primarily used for fruit that grow
on trees. The Halachic definition of trees includes the prickly pear (cactus), grapes, dates, and coconuts. It
does not include bananas, papayas, or strawberries. I make a point of this and suggest a Sefer in the next
section.

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37. Are you aware of our laws regarding touching members of the opposite
gender (Negiah211)? Have you taken steps to practice these? If not
married, have you terminated any relationships that are not moving to
Judaism with you? If you are in a profession where you must have physical
contact with your clients, continue to do so but only where required.
38. Are you prepared to work hard to complete your conversion? Are you
prepared to implement all the changes that your mentor, local orthodox
rabbi, or Beth Din will ask of you?
39. If you are single, are you prepared to remain single for a while longer?
40. Do you understand that it might be difficult for you to marry? Orthodox
Jews marry young and usually stay married. As such, there might not be
any eligible Orthodox Jews where you live.
41. If you want to study Biblical Hebrew, pick up a copy of The First Hebrew
Primer. It offers a very thorough introduction to Biblical Hebrew and basic
Hebrew grammar that can be used in Modern Hebrew as well. The
advantage that it offers is that the Hebrew examples use the vov
hamapech212. As this is found only in Biblical Hebrew, this book is very
good to prime a student for Chumash and Tnach study. It is important to
note that the Siddur and Mishnah are written in Rabbinic Hebrew and do
not use Biblical format except when quoting verses. Rabbinic Hebrew is
the base on which Modern Israeli Hebrew is built.

42. Have you gone through everything up to this point and considered it
seriously? It would be a good idea to review and see what else you must
accomplish before moving on to the next steps.

43. You should be getting close to your local orthodox rabbi. Your connection
to him should grow as you transition to the next section.

44. Please read the Historic Issues appendix. Google the topics mentioned and
learn Jewish History.

211
These were previously mentioned and are included in the Appendix. It is unfortunate that converts often
fall into either of two extremes when it comes to Negiah. Some of our converts are much more lenient than
they should be. Others seem to take on a hostile attitude very far beyond what is required in Jewish law.
While Jewish law requires a certain distancing from members of the opposite gender, it does not require,
and indeed looks askance on rude and impolite expressions. We occasionally hear of a woman whose
reactions border on felonies. Please be firm but judicious in how you implement this and all issues of your
conversion.
212
That reverses the past and future tenses.

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45. At this point you are ready to study the details of the Sabbath Laws. There
are several works that can be used to study the Sabbath Laws. These are
very detailed-oriented and require some time. I study these with small
groups with one-hour classes that take about 40 classes to complete. Ask
your mentor which Sefer he wants you to purchase and study the laws with
him/her. I do not suggest that people read the laws from any given Sefer
and try to implement them as it is likely that a neophyte can be mistaken
in how a certain detail is implemented.

46. Add the Shmoneh Esreh to your evening prayers. You may find that you
want to phase in the Shmoneh Esreh if your Hebrew reading skills are not
what they should be. That is fine213; however you should work on your
Hebrew reading skills.

47. Continue with your studies as appropriate. Check with your local orthodox
rabbi to determine that your studies are appropriate and adequate. Spend
time with your rabbi reviewing your preparation for conversion. He might
want to take an active role in your preparations from this point on. Or, he
might be very satisfied with the role that your mentor is playing.

48. You make plans to take off all Jewish holidays. If possible, take the day
before Pesach as a vacation day too. Based on your workplace, it might be
necessary to request all holidays well in advance. If your calendar is not
able to tell you all the days, ask your rabbi or mentor who will have access
to a multi-year calendar.

49. You are comfortable with the basics of the laws of orthodox etiquette. You
are comfortable with the prohibitions of Negiah.

50. Your speech already sounds like you are Jewish. You are comfortable with
saying “Hashem” for God. You have begun to use certain expressions
when talking with other Jews. You understand many Hebrew and Yiddish
words when used in standard conversation.

51. If female, you are now in the second phase of transition to tznius clothing.
All purchases fully comply with tznius standards. You now have removed
all clothing that does not comply with phase one standards except for any
special use clothing that has been approved by your local orthodox rabbi
and/or mentor.

213
Work on the details with your mentor or rabbi.

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52. You stop cooking anything with milk and meat in the house. You no longer
eat in any non-kosher restaurants.

53. If male, learn how to shave according to Halachah (you should already
know what Halachah is). Implement shaving according to Halachah. Same
for haircuts (men only).

54. Begin making all holiday plans about 30 days before holidays. This includes
the High Holidays (you may have to purchase seats in your synagogue), all
festivals (will you build your own Sukkah?), etc. By this point you should
have developed friendships and have invitations for Sabbath and holiday
meals, as appropriate.

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Prime Names of God: These names have intrinsic holiness. It is prohibited to use them
in vain or without due reverence. They may never be erased, nor may they be thrown
into the garbage. They may never be uttered when you must wash your hands or in places
that are improper, such as a locker room. The Hebrew spelling on this page is the real
spelling214. Accord all proper honors to them.

Hebrew English Prayer Version215 Speech Version

Spelling Renditions
‫יהוה‬ Jehovah216 A-do-nay Hashem
The Lord Shem Havayah
‫יה‬ Jah217 Yahh218 Kah
The Lord
‫אדני‬ The Lord A-do-nay Hashem
‫אדני צבאות‬ Lord of Hosts A-do-nay Tz-va-oth Hashem Tz-va-koth
‫אל‬ God El Kel
‫אלה‬ God E-lo-ah219 E-lo-kah
‫אלהים‬ God E-lo-him E-lo-kim
‫אלהי‬ God of E-lo-hey E-lo-key
‫אלהינו‬ Our God E-lo-hey-nu E-lo-key-nu
‫אלהיכס‬ Your God E-lo-hey-chem E-lo-key-chem
‫שדי‬ The almighty Sha-day Sha-kay
‫אל שדי‬ Almighty God El Sha-day Kel Sha-kay

Secondary Names of God – these names may not be used in bathrooms or locker rooms,
but they are not intrinsically holy.

214
When I converted the original to a PDF, the Hebrew letters were reversed.
215
Version to use when in prayer or quoting entire verse, only.
216
Do not read this name out loud. It is our Father’s first name and improper for us to even say it.
217
Often found in Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.
218
The he has a mapik (dot) in it and you should slightly exhale while pronouncing it.
219
The he is pronounced after the patach. This is unique to he, cheth, and ayin.

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❖ Hashem (The Name)

❖ Shalom (Peace), as in Shalom Aleychem, Peace upon you (God be with you).
❖ Hamakom (The Place, meaning He who is everywhere)
❖ Kudsha, Brich Hu (The Holy One, Blessed be He [in Aramaic])
❖ Hakadosh, Baruch Hu, (The Holy One, Blessed be He)

Yiddish names for God

❖ Hashem
❖ Gott (God)
❖ Aybeshter (the most high). This name is commonly used by Lithuanian Jews,
including both Yeshivish and Lubavitch.

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At this point, you have already made a commitment to convert to Judaism. You have
already learned enough about Judaism to know what this commitment will entail. You
have begun to practice Judaism. You now take your studies to a new level. You begin to
live as an Orthodox Jew. During this phase, you will convince yourself, your local orthodox
rabbi, and your Beis Din of your sincerity and your ability to live as an Orthodox Jew. This
section is short. You may spend several months before getting to the next step. You
should already feel that you are a Jew. You have removed all non-Jewish attitudes from
your mind. You are fulfilling the vast majority of requirements that you will do so as a
Jew. You might even be getting a little anxious. You might also wonder how long it will
take before your Beis Din feels that you are as ready as you want to be. I even knew one
young man who would cry at this point because he felt that all the Mitzvoth he was doing
didn’t count. If you feel the same way, relax. Your Beis Din and your Rav are monitoring
your progress and they will let you know when it is time to convert. Hashem is also
monitoring your progress and is waiting for them to hand you over to Him as a Jew. None
of your Mitzvoth are empty. They are all recorded.
Before we continue, we must talk about what is means to be Jewish, both the pro and the
con. The next paragraph is quoted from Mark Twain. The following paragraphs include
the reasons why one may not want to convert. As a non-Jew you are not required to
convert and expose yourself and your descendants to anti-Semitism.
The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and
splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman
followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and
held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have
vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting
no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies,
and no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other
forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?220"
We pay a high price for our immortality. We have been hated and oppressed by the vast
majority of nations where we lived221. Even today, we find a significant number of anti-
Semites in the UK, USA, Canada, etc. Anti-Semitic feeling is high in France (and not just
on the part of the Arabs) and other “civilized” countries. Europeans view Israel as the No
1 threat to world peace, ahead of Iran and North Korea, according to a European
Commission poll.222 “Perhaps the greatest short-term threat to world peace, Edwards
remarked, was the possibility that Israel would bomb Iran's nuclear facilities.”223 The
previous statement was issued by a candidate for the presidency of the United States of

220
Clemens, Samuel (Mark Twain) in “Concerning the Jews”
221
This part was written before parts of Europe became no-go zones for Jews.
222
London Telegraph 03/11/2003
223
Variety, January 19, 2007

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America, allegedly Israel’s closest friend and home to over 6,000,000 Jews. “The wild card
is the neoconservatives' long-standing alliance with Israeli Zionists. The neoconservatives
still have a death grip…”224

“Alarmingly high levels of those surveyed across Europe still believe in the traditional
anti-Jewish canard that ‘Jews have too much power in the business world.’ Overall, nearly
30 percent of all respondents believe this stereotype to be true. Similarly, European
respondents still adhere to the notion that ‘Jews have too much power in international
financial markets.’ Overall, 32 percent of those surveyed cling to the traditional
stereotype.” 225

One good Catholic discovered that he had Jewish roots. He published his roots on a web
page, he later added, “Since I have had this web page up I have received many anti-Semitic
e-mails, I never realized that Jews were discriminated or hated so. Living in an area with
so many Catholics and few Jews you just don’t see this.”226

Things have changed in America in the past one hundred years. Leo Frank was lynched in
1915. German-American Bund meetings were not held after World War II. Lindbergh and
his friend Ford227 are dead and buried. We Jews here have to worry less about being
attacked than perhaps any time in the past two millennia. Yet, we still live with anti-
Semitism. Anti-Semitic comments of Mel Gibson, Pat Buchanan, Paul Weyrich, Charles
Ward, and Johnny Hart were all made in the 21st century. Many Afro-American politicians
often make statements hostile to Jews.

Kosher slaughter is currently banned in Norway, Switzerland and Sweden. There are
periodic attempts to ban it in the United Kingdom. Rabbi Sachs of the United Kingdom
has stated that he finds a “tsunami” of anti-Semitism spreading globally. Many Jews have
left France for Israel or North America in the past ten years because they felt
uncomfortable in their home communities.

Anti-Semitism is one of the strong political currents in modern Armenia and among the
Armenian Diaspora228. Some of the ultra nationalist Armenians even accused the Jews

224
[Link]
225
[Link]
226
[Link]
227
They were both notorious anti-Semites. Among Ford’s sponsorships was “The International Jew.” The
following quote was made by one of the top Nazis of Germany, Balder Schirach, “I had no reason to be anti-
Semitic...until someone made me read the American book, The International Jew, at the impressionable age
of 17. You have no idea what a great influence this book had on the thinking of German youth...”
228
There are many Armenians in France and the USA. I found many Armenians to be friendly to Jews.
Perhaps my experiences were the exception.

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and “Zionists” of planning genocides against the Armenian people229. Many Armenians
believe in that the 1915 Events had been planned by the Jews. They also argue that the
real power behind the Young Turks were the Jewish businessmen during the last years of
the Ottoman State. I wonder if this is their preemptive excuse for having wiped out the
few Jewish communities that existed in the north-eastern Turkish mountains. For some
insane reason, Christians and Moslems project their crusades and murders of “infidels”
on us and declare falsely that the Talmud requires us to sacrifice non-believers to God.
The fact that nothing can be further than the truth has no effect on them.

If you are British, you may be aware that polite anti-Semitism is quite common in the
British upper class. Many titled Britons were Nazi sympathizers, including members of
the royal family230. Both the Church of England and the Church of Scotland are known
for their anti-Semites. This translates to the Anglicans (Episcopalians in the USA) and
Presbyterians elsewhere.

In the wake of the collapse of major investment banks and the government’s proposed
bailout of financial institutions, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is reporting a dramatic
upsurge in the number of anti-Semitic statements being posted to Internet discussion
boards devoted to finance and the economy.

Hundreds of anti-Semitic posts regarding Lehman Brothers and other institutions affected
by the subprime mortgage crisis have been submitted to discussion boards dealing with
finance, with many more arriving by the minute. The messages rail against Jews in
general, with some charging that Jews control the government and finance as part of a
“Jew world order” and therefore are to blame for the economic turmoil231.
For more quotes, just Google the words “Jews” and “Power”. The results might turn your
stomach inside out. There are many people out there who hate us and believe that every
evil is comes from us. Or else go to Yahoo Questions and see how many people hate
“Israel” the state, which they use as their excuse for hating Israel the people.

You may notice that I will often mention “Your Rav” from this point on. If you are seriously
planning to convert, you must have a Rav, a local Orthodox Rabbi, to whom you can ask
your questions. Don’t worry about asking him “easy” or “foolish” questions. There have
been times when I’ve been asked an “easy” question and spent a couple of hours

229
I am not denying that a genocide of Armenians took place. It did. The point is that we have not yet
uncovered all the facts that led up to this genocide.
230
HRH the Duke of Windsor. HRH the Duchess of Gloucester’s brother was a known Nazi. Exceptions
included HRH Princess Andrew who saved a Jewish family, hiding them in her residence in Greece. Princess
Andrew is buried in Israel and was recognized by Yad Vashem as one of the righteous of the nations. Her
son is HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.
231
[Link]
Semitic+Messages+on+Online+Finance+Sites+in+Response+To+Money+[Link]

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answering it. Having a Rav is one of the points on my checklist at the end of this section.
If your synagogue does not have a Rav at its head, for example you pray in a Yeshiva, one
of the Rashey Yeshiva could be your local Orthodox Rabbi.

1. It is now time for you to pay close attention to the daily services. You may
want to have your Siddur (prayer book) and the Daily Requirements add-
on on hand while you work on the prayer service. You should study the
following with your mentor. If you are unable to do so, at least the
ArtScroll has pretty good directions. I do not expect someone to be able
to finish this bullet in one or two hours. Many women might want to just
skim through at the suggestion of their mentors.

a. Morning Blessings

b. Kaddish – unless your synagogue is Sephardic, all stand during the

recitation of the Kaddish. Can you recognize when Kaddish is
started? Do you know the responses by heart?

c. Pesukey D’zimra – do you know what it is? Do you know when to

stand? Don’t worry if your knowledge is less than perfect. It will
improve as you become more accustomed to the service. How
does Pesukey D’zimra start? How does it conclude?

d. Shma and its blessings.

e. Shmoneh Esreh. Do you know when to bow? Do you know when

to take steps forward? Backward? Do you know what the
Kedushah is and how it is recited? The other times when you
respond?

f. Tachanun. You should know the Monday and Thursday version as

well as the main part recited at all days and afternoon services.

g. Can you find the Torah reading for weekdays?

h. Can you find Minchah in the Siddur?

i. Can you find Maariv in the Siddur?

j. Do you know how to handle the Siddur and Chumash when it

comes to Sabbath services?

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2. Pray three times a day. The entire service. In synagogue if possible (and
you are male, women do not typically daven in synagogue, except Friday232
night, Saturday morning, and holidays/Yamim Tovim).
3. You should know all the blessings before eating, by heart, in Hebrew.
4. You have already learned Borey Nifashos (an after-eating blessing) by
heart, in Hebrew.
5. Learn Al Hamichya (not necessarily by heart), in Hebrew.
6. Learn Birkat Hamazon (not by heart).
7. Read The Laws of Brachos by Rabbi Binyamin Forst or a similar Sefer.
Review the various scenarios of blessings. You know when to recite Al
Hamichya, Al Haetz, and when to recite Borey Nifashos.
8. You consistently go to all Sabbath Services (if male).
9. All your clothing is tznius (if female).
10. You separate your current dishes/pots/pans/etc. into "meat" and "dairy"
labeling them for practice. You begin to make plans to convert your
kitchen to kosher status.
11. You meet the Beth Din. They should guide you on your next steps. Many
Batey Din will ask men to attend at least one public service a day. Some
will ask you to use a specific Sefer to learn Halachah. (I repeat this, below.)
12. Your Sabbath observance is 99% there. If your Beth Din requires that you
continue to violate the Sabbath each week, you continue to do one
Melachah each Shabbos. There are Batey Din that will tell you to keep the
Sabbath 100%. Do whatever your Beis Din tells you.
13. Buy a washing cup (or two).
14. Go thru the tests in the appendix. Look up and learn the answers to any
questions you don’t know. This is a good idea even if not required by your
Beis Din.
15. If you’re a woman, ask your Rav to review your jewelry and tell you what
you should give to your relatives or friends. Certain items are discouraged.
16. Orthodox men tend not to wear any jewelry. Some wear a wedding band.
I am familiar with one synagogue where men who wear wedding bands are
asked to find another synagogue in which to pray. On the other side, I
know a few modern Orthodox who wear a school ring.

232
In many congregations, women do not pray in the synagogue on Friday nights.

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17. Go through your library and decide which books and magazines should no
longer be found in your home. (You may want to do this step long before
you get here.) This also applies to your video and music libraries.
18. If you are a married or engaged woman, make arrangements to start
classes with a woman who is trained to teach brides the laws of family
purity. If you are a male in the same position, ask your mentor to teach you
the laws of family purity or assign you someone to teach these to you. Do
not rely on a book alone.
19. I am aware of at least one Beis Din that asks prospective male Gerim to
attend the Mikveh before Pesach, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Please
do so with at least one friend, especially if you are not yet circumcised.
Unlike ladies, when men go to the Mikveh, several men may in the process
of undressing, walking to the Mikveh returning, and getting dressed.
20. Start playing kosher. Divide your kitchen pots and pans into milk and meat
and try to determine what you would truly need when you go fully kosher.
Begin waiting after meat before eating any milk products. Consider what
you would want to buy for your kosher kitchen and follow sales. Keep all
purchases packed up so that you do not render them non-kosher. Review
your list with your mentor and/or local orthodox rabbi. Invite them to a
walk-through as they may have some ideas.

21. Checkpoint: Are all members on the same page? Do you have to wait for
your spouse to catch up to you? Take your time. Remember the
importance of family unity (Shalom Bayith) in the Judaism. How are your
children doing?

22. Ask your local orthodox rabbi if there are any Shiurim (lectures) you should
attend. Ask your mentor if there are any points s/he feels you need to
review.

23. Your Rav already knows your voice on the telephone. You consider him to
be a part of your immediate circle.
24. How do you feel about joining the Jewish People? Will you be able to deal
with relatives, coworkers, and friends as a Jew? What will you say to them
when they defame Israel and the Jews? Will you be able to deal with
friends and relatives that expect you to address every little “wrong”
committed by the State of Israel, even the made-up ones?
25. As a Ger, you will always be different. You will no longer be part of the
culture into which you were born and you will have to strive hard to fit in

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to the religion / tribe you want to join. While some might “look Jewish”,
especially those from Mediterranean backgrounds or who have Jewish
fathers, others might have features that will look foreign to Jews. Are you
prepared to be a Ger the rest of your life?
26. At this point you may want to consider how well you blend into the
community. Ask your mentor or the local orthodox rabbi to review your
dress and style and make suggestions as per how you can blend in better.
Men may receive suggestions of shorter haircuts. You may also be asked
to grow your sideburns a little longer. If the majority of the synagogue
members wear hats, your rabbi may suggest that you go with him or a
friend and buy a hat. If your synagogue has only a minority who wear hats
and you wish to buy one, wait; let your LOR and mentor know that you
would like to wear a hat. If you want to grow peyos, let your LOR and
mentor know that you want to grow peyos and ask them when they feel
you should begin to do so.

27. Men should be wearing Kipot, at all times.

28. Men should buy Tzitzis233 and ask their mentors when they should start to
wear them.
29. Make a list of your doorways and determine how many Mezuzahs you will
have to buy. Ask your Rav or mentor to have a walk-thru with you and
verify your list. Budget their purchase at not less than $50 per Mezuzah
plus a few dollars for their covers234. Do not buy them without your Rav’s
direction235. He may want to go with you and verify that they meet his
standards. Unfortunately, many mezuzah scrolls sold are not kosher.
30. Have your Rav do a walk-thru of your kitchen and tell you what he believes
that he can kasher for you. Ask him to check out the knick-knacks and
hanging art you have and tell you if he feels you should give any to your
friends or family. You may have some objects that do not belong in an
Orthodox house. If you have a liquor cabinet, ask him to review the bottles
that you have as some might be questionable. You may want to invite a
few of your non-Jewish friends over to finish the items that you can’t keep.

233
Chassidim wear with “two holes”. Yeshivish wear with “one hole” and a round neck.
234
There are special outdoor casings that will prevent water from ruining the parchment.
235
I was recently in a Lubavitch synagogue and a young lady brought in a Mezuzah she had recently
purchased. The vendor asked her if she wanted a kosher mezuzah and she had told him yes. The quality was
awful. The LOR gave her a good mezuzah and asked her to return the “kosher” one that she had paid good
money to purchase. One should never purchase a mezuzah without a friend or Rav to review the purchase.

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As a non-Jew, you may possess chametz on Pesach. When you convert,

you will sell your liquor every year with your chametz.
31. Start to buy your kosher kitchen items. Keep them all in a closet, if
possible. It might help to have a list and check your purchases so that you
know what you must do if the Beis Din asks you if you need another month
or want to go to the Mikveh in 30 minutes.
32. I do not recommend that Gerim use Pareve pots, pans, and utensils. It
adds more confusion to the system than someone new at Kashrus (less
than 10 years) needs to have. If you are rather wealthy, plan to have a
huge kitchen, and really want to, then you may build it in a way that you
have a pareve sink and work area. Expect that every now and then you
will find yourself as having turned your pareve utensils either meat or milk.
33. You are now praying all services, fully. You begin to attend weekday
services if you can (and are male).

34. When planning and purchasing items for your kosher kitchen, think of
color codes rather than just knowing what is going to be meat and what is
going to be dairy. You might want to choose regular flatware for meat and
flatware with colored handles236 for dairy. The custom in Europe was to
punch a hole in all dairy utensils so that we could easily see what is dairy.
With colored handles, one need not go so far. If you are going to purchase
pots, pans, dishes, and flatware, try to remember that it is very likely that
you will make mistakes. What can you do in the planning stage to reduce
the number of mistakes and make their resolution easy? The more
thought you put into this process, the fewer mistakes you will make in its
execution. Prices do vary. You might want to wait for a sale to purchase
the right items. Some stores issue coupons. If you plan to buy there, ask
your friends if they have any coupons. Check with computer-literate
friends to learn which companies offer ‘gift cards’ at 20% or 25% off via the
web. If you plant to practice two sets, then buy as few items possible.
35. If male (or female with sons), budget your Tefillin.
36. Some Batey Din want men to wear Tefillin without the Parshiyos before
their conversion. If so, buy the Batim and start wearing them. Ask your
mentor what type of knot to have on your head Teffillah and which style

236
Colored handles may present problems for kashering, depending on how these are attached. In general,
the easiest item to kasher is one that is a single metallic piece. You may want to weigh the ease of kashering
against the ease of identifying the items.

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to use with your hand Tefillah. The leather hand strap will be a bit hard
the first few times you don your Tefillin. It will soften with use.
37. Eat only kosher outside your house.
38. Buy a set of Machzorim for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If your
synagogue recites the Yotzroth on festivals, buy Machzorim for the
festivals too.
39. Can you follow the entire service? The Torah reading?
40. Have you observed a full cycle of holidays?
41. You have already demonstrated your knowledge of the block letters. Do
you know the printed Aleph-Bet? Does your mentor want you to learn
how to read Rashi Script?

42. If married, have you learned the laws of family purity237? Both husband
and wife should learn these. There are individuals who are professional
teachers of these laws. You should consider private lessons as a married
couple does not need to study them the same way a newlywed does.
When you make the appointment for lessons, let the teacher know what
your history is as there might be details that are usually taught to young
Orthodox brides and grooms that you need not learn. Women should pay
attention to the details of garments, as mentioned in the appendix.
43. If married, do you have to rearrange your bedroom? If you are married
and do not understand this question, it means that you did not do your
homework in the previous step.
44. Are you planning to remodel your kitchen to make Kashrus observance
easier for you? If so, was this designed or reviewed by an expert who
knows kashrus? Will you have two separate sinks, adequate counter
space, and adequate storage for all your pots, pans, dishes, and flatware?
If you plan to have two dishwashers, ascertain that there will be no
backflow problems.
45. Do you feel that you “fit in” to the Jewish community? If not, why not?
46. If you are married, ask your Rav how you might begin to practice
“Havchanah”. Havchanah need not be practiced if you are pregnant at the
time of your conversion or otherwise unable to become pregnant.

237
This is redundant as I have mentioned it previously. I am mentioning it again as it is more important
now that your Gerus date approaches.

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47. Remember that conversion is neither a right nor a degree. It is up to your

Beis Din to determine that you are ready to convert and that the list below
does not mean that you are automatically ready to convert.
48. You have now been following the weekly Parshah for many weeks. Are
you comfortable with the order? Have you gone through a full cycle? Are
you comfortable with the times when a special Haftarah is read? Do you
check the Parshah and Haftarah weekly?

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Go through the following checklist and determine that you are ready to convert.
Remember, it should be easiest to convince yourself that you are ready, harder to
convince your mentor, and harder yet to convince the Beis Din. Also, please note that it
is not your responsibility to please me in your Gerus preparation but rather your
responsibility to please your Rav and Beis Din. They have the ultimate word. If they say
that you are ready then it is very likely that you are ready. If you feel that you are not,
discuss your concerns with them. You may want to write the date that you checked these
points next to them, especially if certain points may not be ready to be checked when you
first review this page.

o I have a Rav to whom I ask all my questions. I am comfortable with him

and believe that he is comfortable with me. We meet periodically to
discuss my progress.

o I have discussed the Thirteen Principles of Faith with my mentor and I

am totally in accord.

o I am able to read Hebrew and pray with the congregation. Or, I am not
able to read Hebrew but the Beis Din is aware of the issue and has
agreed to meet me in spite of this inability.

o I am totally Shomer Shabbos.

o I live within walking distance of a synagogue. I attend it regularly. The
community in which I live is viable and has the approval of my Beis Din.

o I am comfortable following the daily and Sabbath services. I need not

look over my shoulder to see if I should stand or sit.

o I know all food blessings before and after eating. I have been tested
thoroughly.

o All short blessings are memorized (All blessings before eating and
Borey Nifashos) in Hebrew. I recite them whenever apropos.

o Asher Yatzar is memorized in Hebrew. I recite it regularly.

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o I have gone through an entire year of being a religious Jew. I am

comfortable with all fasts and festivals of the Jewish calendar.

o I completely follow the Kashrus laws, at home and abroad. I am

comfortable and competent when shopping for kosher food.

o I am familiar with the symbols that are used by Kashrus organizations

and can recognize many of the ones that are trustworthy. My Rav and
I have discussed which organizations I may rely upon and which ones I
must avoid.

o I have met with the Beth Din and have been approved to continue with
my Gerus preparations.

o I have received a letter of approbation from the Local Orthodox Rabbi.

o I have received other letters from friends to be added to Beth Din’s
files, if required.

o I have been checked and verified that I do not need full or partial
circumcision (males only).

o My Rav has verified that my pantry is kosher. I have all that I need to
go kosher.

o My Rav has kashered the house, or has told me that he would kasher
the house immediately after my conversion.

o I have purchased Mezuzos.

o I have purchased Tefillin (if male).
o I have all items that I need for weekday and Sabbath observance.

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o I / my spouse had one-on-one Kallah classes. 238

o I have taken at least one of the tests in the Gerus Steps document and
have passed it/them.

o I have checked all my suits / outfits for Shaatnez . 239

o I am able to get into and out of my house without any Sabbath

violations.

o I am able to open my refrigerator doors on the Sabbath without any

violations.

o I know what I will need to have on-hand for each of the holidays and
am prepared to do so.

o I identify myself as a Jew.

1. Are you consistent? As you get ready, you must be consistent in attending
prayer services that you can, praying all the services (even if at home),
saying blessings before and after eating at all times, etc. How much time
each day do you set aside for Torah study?
2. Become familiar with the monthly blessing on the moon, pages 618-621.

3. Become familiar with Hallel, pages 632-643. You should know its basic
structure and blessings. You should know when it is recited in full mode
and when in abridged mode.

4. Review the High Holy Day schedule. This includes

238
Bride. Classes that are aimed to teach a new bride how to maneuver within the laws of Niddah and
modesty. Men who are marrying are also required to learn the basics here. As I’ve already stated, you should
inform your teachers of your status and history. They will adjust their curriculum accordingly. I have
included the basics of Hilchos Niddah in the appendix. These are just the basics. A woman who is to be
married must study the details.
239
If it were up to me, the first question to ask a Ger at the Mikveh is, “Have you checked your clothing for
Shaatnez?” and if the answer is no, I would tell her/him to come back next week after they are checked.

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a. Selichoth

b. The Ten Days

c. Rosh Hashanah

d. Avinu Malkenu

e. Changes to the Shmoneh Esreh during the Ten Days

f. Shofar Blowing

g. Unesaneh Tokef (if Ashkenazi)

h. Tashlich

i. Erev Yom Kippur

j. Kol Nidrey

k. Yom Kippur

l. Neilah

5. Develop a pre-Shabbos checklist. Include all the things you must do before
the start of the Sabbath. You may even want to have two, one for actions
you will take during the week and one for Friday afternoon activities.
Include activities that are assigned to the various family members with
their names attached to these. Save this list on your computer as you will
modify it every few weeks.
6. Check clothing for Shatnes. Shatnes is clothing and bed linens 240 that
contain both linen and wool. All other combinations are permitted. Most
cities have people who have been trained in testing garments for Shatnes.
One of the main Shatnes laboratories in Brooklyn has a display of clothing
that did not have linen on the list of materials, but on these it was one of
the main components. Linen can sometimes be found in the button thread
and canvases of men’s suits. It is often found in the fancy stitching of
women’s clothing. It is a very good idea to check clothing for Shatnes
before you go to the Mikveh. Add this milestone to your personal
statement. It is very important that you check and repair your garments
prior to your final visit with the Beis Din. You may not be able to wear
garments that need to be checked after your meeting. Do not rely on

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Such as blankets

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labels. The labels only refer to part of the garments and even here they
can be misleading. I saw a vest (waistcoat in British) that was labeled 50%
wool and 50% silk. The “silk” was linen.
7. If you feel that you are now in “waiting mode” then ask your mentor if
there is anything that s/he feels you should be doing that you are not yet
doing. Repeat with your Beis Din. It is possible that your Beis Din is just
verifying that you are consistent in your observances and ready to become
Jewish. It is also possible that your Beis Din is waiting for you to make
certain improvements and believe that they told you what these are. For
that reason I prefer to use email when possible.
8. Buy Tefillin together with your Rav or mentor.
9. Buy Mezuzahs –
➢ Have your Rav walk thru your house and count the number of
doorways that need Mezuzahs.
➢ Let him designate where they should go as some times the “right”
side is not obvious. He may need a tape measure.
➢ Have your Rav or mentor go with you to buy them. I have seen
many that were poorly written. As you intend to have these on
your doorposts for the rest of your life, you want Mezuzuoth that
are kosher and nice. On the other hand, you need not buy the
most expensive.
➢ Do not affix them until you return from the Mikveh.
10. Set a date for kashering the house. Some rabbis will kasher the house only
after you convert. If so, be prepared to eat take-out on paper and plastic
for a couple of days. Or buy a cheap BBQ grill so you can do some cooking
while waiting for your kitchen to be kashered.
11. Do you know how to observe each of the holidays? Where were you last
year when these were celebrated? Where will you be this coming year? If
you have a family or plan to be by yourself, do you know what you will
have to do for Pesach? Do you have a Sukkah?
12. Are you studying every day?
13. Have you applied for synagogue membership?
14. Do you have candlesticks? Kiddush cup? Tzedakah box? Havdalah candle?
Challah knife? Challah cover? Challah tray?
15. Do you sing traditional Zemiros at the table on Sabbaths?

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16. Have your Rav or mentor go to a bookstore with you and purchase a couple
of Sefarim that have Divrey Torah on the weekly Parshah.
17. Has your rabbi written a letter and sent it to your Beis Din? Do you need
letters from your friends to be filed by the Beis Din?
18. If male, has your Beis Din checked you to determine that you do not need
a correction to your circumcision? A small percentage of circumcised
American males require a correction before their conversion. If you don’t
need any corrections, you will still need some blood drawn. (Many Batey
Din will perform a full Bris Milah241 one month before the Mikveh date, if
needed.) If you are in doubt regarding your foreskin and the Beis Din has
not checked your circumcision, tell your Rav. Either he or a member of the
Beis Din should resolve any doubts you have before you have a Mikveh
date.
19. If female, try all your outfits on in front of a female mentor. You may have
to accessorize some of them with scarves, dickeys, etc. Others may have
to be given to your sister, friends, or a non-Jewish charity.
20. What study plans do you have post-conversion?
21. Where are you going to eat on the first Shabbos post-conversion? The
following Shabbos?
22. If male: Do you know the blessings of the Torah Reading (before and after)
by heart? Do you know what to do after you complete your Aliyah? Do
you know what Hagbah and Glilah are? Are you trained to perform them?
Do you know what to do if someone tells you to open the ark and take the
Torah out of it? It is very likely that you will receive a Torah honor on your
first Sabbath as a Jew.
23. If you are a woman who will be married, then practice what you need to
do, when it comes to the preparations for family purity. It is a lot easier if
you have questions before you convert than if you first have these after
conversion.

241
They will inform you before the date of the full or partial circumcision. Those having full circumcisions
should plan to spend a few days recuperating after the operation before returning to their normal duties. If
you have a son who is a pre-teen and you are all working towards conversion, you might want to ask the Beis
Din to schedule his circumcision while he is still pre-pubescent, if he needs a full or partial circumcision.
Those who have undergone a true ritual circumcision are different from all other non-Jews as they have
already participated in a Mitzvah of being Jewish, something that others will not have the opportunity to
participate in until the day they go to the Mikveh. There are various opinions of what sedation is the best for
a full circumcision. I am a fan of sedation but remaining conscious during the circumcision. (While I was
only eight days old at my circumcision, I’ve had other surgeries with sedation and found the surgeries only
mildly annoying.) There are some who prefer a local pain-killer only. Rest assured that all implements used
in circumcisions are properly sterilized.

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24. If married, have you made plans for your religious marriage? The husband
must own the ring that he gives to his wife at the ceremony. If you want
to use the same ring that was previously used, the husband must buy it
from his wife prior to the wedding ceremony.
25. If you are single but planning to get married, do you know what is involved
in an Orthodox marriage ceremony and have you determined who is to be
honored at yours?
26. If you have children, how are they going to make the transition to Judaism?
Are they ready? Are you ready to be a Jewish parent? Will you be able to
help them with their homework? Are you planning to send them to a
Jewish sleep-away camp next summer? Are they enrolled in Yeshivas?
27. There are Batey Din that will call someone in “just for a meeting” and will
decide then and there that the candidate is ready, willing, and able to
convert. They will then ask the candidate if you want to wait a while longer
or are willing to convert sometime soon, say today. This does happen. If
you think that you are ready, then you might be ready. They may not yet
agree that you are but they might agree. Make a checklist of everything
you need to do and start checking it off. As a rule, the Ger feels that s/he
is ready some time before the Beth Din concurs. This is normal. Many
times a candidate appears to be ready and the Beis Din in checking for
consistency and to get all of the candidate’s ‘i’s dotted.
28. Make a list of areas that you would like to learn after your Gerus242. Go
over this list with your mentor. Find Shiurim or Chavrusas for these. If you
cannot, contact Partners in Torah and tell them that you expect to be
converted in the next few weeks and would like to find a Chavrusa with
whom you can study X. As a rule, Partners in Torah will only find study
partners for Jews but you might want to try to get to know them and tell
them what you would like to study so that they reserve a partner for you
for the day after conversion. Partners in Torah may want to verify your
conversion before they assign you a Chavrusa. Have your Beis Din or Local
Orthodox Rabbi write them.
29. Learn the blessing you will recite while at the Mikveh. If you are a man,
you will only recite this blessing once in your lifetime. You will have one
leg up on all other Jewish men who will never recite this blessing. This
blessing is followed by the she-he-chi-ya-nu blessing.
30. If your house is not yet kashered, buy plastic and paper to be used between
the moment you stand in the Mikveh and your house is properly kashered.

242
You may have noticed how often I mention this topic.

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Many rabbis will not kasher the house or tovel243 your utensils before your
conversion, do you have disposable dishes and flatware to be used right
after your conversion? Do you know how you will prepare food and eat
for the first several (or more) days after your conversion?
31. Even if you are single, read the Mikveh Preparations section of the
Appendix. You will perform these on your own Mikveh date, moments
before you become Jewish.
32. If you are married, plan to get married again. Discuss options with your
LOR.
33. You are now almost home. Are you sure that you want to convert? Do
you feel ready? Do you feel Jewish?
34. Read the Going to the Mikveh and After the Mikveh sections.
35. The following is my personal suggestion. Make a Declaration of
Conversion:

❖ I declare that I believe only in Hashem and not in any other god. I believe
in the truth of Judaism. I reject other religions and their beliefs. I believe
in each and every of the Thirteen Principles of Faith as declared by the
Rambam, of blessed memory.

❖ I declare that I am prepared to receive on myself the 613 Mitzvoth without

any reservations.

❖ I declare that I will be 100% Orthodox in all aspects of my life, fulfilling all
Torah and Rabbinic requirements as well as all customs that my
community has.

❖ I declare that I will always live in an Orthodox Community and will attend
Shul as long as Hashem permits me to do so.

❖ I declare that I have been honest with my Beis Din and Local Orthodox
Rabbi. I have not held back anything from them.

❖ I declare that I am prepared to be bound by the Orthodox Laws of Family

Purity.

❖ I pledge to send any and all my children to Yeshivoth.

243
I understand that many Sephardic rabbis do not require tvilah of dishes or pots that belonged to a Ger at
her/his conversion.

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Are you Ready?
To All Men:

If you have reached this point, you’re ready to meet with your Beth Din one last time.
Some of you are not circumcised at all. Others (typically from the US Southern States and
more often in minorities) may be circumcised but not have all their foreskin (orlah)
removed. Someone from your Beth Din should check you and verify that you do not need
a surgical circumcision, merely a drop of blood. If you need a circumcision, then you will
have the merit to fulfill your first commandment about a month before your actual
conversion.
I have been present at adult circumcisions. Some of these were performed by a physician
(who must be Jewish and is trained in Halachic circumcisions). Others were performed
by qualified Mohel. Both are safe and valid when they are done according to Halachah
and in the presence of a Beth Din.
Your Mohel will give you basic instructions. I will add some general information.
1. Do not take any recreational drugs. In general, Orthodox Judaism discourages the
use of recreational drugs but here it is more than a question of use. Do not use
any recreational drugs for at least a week before your Milah. They may produce
undesired results when still in the system and you are given sedation or pain
medication for your circumcision.
2. If you are on any anti-coagulant or aspirin regiment, these are generally
discontinued prior to your circumcision and not resumed until at least a day after
your circumcision. You must inform your primary care physician, cardiologist, and
the Moel (doctor or regular) and get their instructions.
3. I believe in using prescription pain killers when necessary. Ask your physician for
a prescription for several Tylenol 3 pills. He may or may not agree with me.
4. Wear jockeys, preferably a bit tight for at least one day after circumcision. Do not
jog or run for one week.

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Going to the Mikveh

1. If you are male and require a Brith Milah, your Beis Din will assemble for
your circumcision. The Prophet Eliyahu will visit you at the moment you
are cut and give you a blessing. Congratulations, while not yet a Jew, you
are no longer a Gentile. While you hardly lost any blood, you are going to
be a little weak for a few days.
2. Have you gone over the requirements for the Mikveh? Do you know what
preparations are necessary before you enter it? If male, your Beis Din will
tell you how they want you to prepare. They usually expect the Mikveh
attendant or Kallah class teacher to tell women how to prepare.
3. Most Mikvaoth have towels, washcloths, and bathrobes (for ladies). You
should have the following ready for your Mikveh preparations:
i. Toothbrush and toothpaste
ii. Dental floss
iii. Nail clipper with tool to remove dirt under nails
iv. Comb or brush
v. Nail polish remover (if your nails are polished)
vi. Soap
vii. Shampoo
viii. Flip flops (optional)
4. If female, you will prepare yourself and then be checked by a Mikveh
attendant244. It is her responsibility to ascertain that nothing on your body
prevents you from entering the Mikveh. Each Beis Din has its own details
of Mikveh immersion. In many, you enter wearing a bathrobe, they ask
you questions. They leave and you remove your bathrobe245. They return
and look at your head246, ask you one more question, then tell you to
immerse. They usually stand at a spot where they can only see your head
and possibly your hands stretched forward as you submerge. The Mikveh
attendant will verify that you properly submerged. Several Mikvaoth were

244
Please re-read the Mikveh preparations in the Hilchos Niddah section of the Appendix. Women with
tattoos should have their mentors or rabbis call the Mikveh attendant and let her know that you have a
tattoo. While some attendants have seen tattoos before, others have not and will be shocked by the first
ones they see.
245
I am familiar with Batey Din that permit and encourage women to remain covered during the Tevilah. I
have even heard that some Batey Din will offer a bathrobe to men also.
246
While they may be accustomed to seeing men naked, Orthodox men will never be comfortable in the
presence of a naked lady other than their wives.

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Going to the Mikveh
designed with a Beth Din and female converts in mind. These permit the
Beis Din members to stand at a location where the area visible is
minimized.
5. If male and you require a Hatafas Dam Bris (all men who are not
circumcised by their Beth Din require Hatafas Dam Bris), it will be done in
the presence of your Beth Din after you have prepared yourself. You will
prepare yourself for the Mikveh and from this point on will most likely be
naked. Many Batey Din will do two, one on the dorsal and one on the
ventral side. Many Batey Din use the diabetic pen to draw a single drop of
blood. I prefer a scalpel, while the incision is usually a bit bigger, there are
times that the pen fails to draw the drop of blood required and must be
used a second or third time. One Mohel suggested that you wash the
organ in warm water to dilate your capillaries and make it easier to draw a
drop of blood.
6. The Beth Din will inform you how many times they want you to submerge.
You immerse yourself and Mazal Tov, you are now a Jew! Recite the
blessing for the Mikveh (usually after the first immersion). This moment
has become the first minute of your new life!
7. Dry yourself and get dressed.

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After the Mikveh

1. If male, ascertain that your hair is dry. You will now don your Tefillin and daven.
It’s OK to cry as you do so. Even if you said the morning blessings earlier today,
you say all of them now. The first set was part of your education. This set is said
because you are now obligated to say them, each and every day for the rest of
your life.
2. If it is still the morning, pray the morning service.
3. Make several copies of the Gerus documents. Put the original in a safe deposit
vault. Keep at least one set in another safe place. Scan it and burn a CD or two
for safe-keeping. You may need to send it as an email attachment.
4. Don’t forget to call all those who have helped you make it possible. You may want
to invite them to a small party to celebrate with you. It is, after all, your Bar/Bat
Mitzvah.
5. Start your Jewish life right. Give money to Tzedakah and spend as much of this
day in Torah study.
6. You (if male) should be offered an Aliyah the next time the Torah is read. If you
want to, bring some cake and scotch247 to the synagogue and invite the other men
to make a l’chaim.
7. Jews now have a very special requirement when it comes to you. The following
is from the letter of the Rambam to Obadiah the Ger, “... Regarding proselytes
("Gerim"), our obligation is a great, heart-bound love - "And thou shalt love the
'ger'" - just as He obligated us to love His name ... For a man who left his father
and homeland and cleaves to this nation, recognizing that their religion is the true
and just one, and understands the ways of Israel ... and pursues God, his heart
moving him to draw near to the light of life and ascend in the wake of the
prophets - could anyone on this level be called a fool? Heaven forbid, the Lord
does not consider you a fool but a wise, understanding and intelligent man ... a
disciple of our father Abraham who deserted his fathers and his homeland to
follow God.” In this aspect, you have reached a level to which few Jews-by-birth
are able to aspire.
8. If you consist of a husband and wife team, you must get married again.
9. If you are not dating and are male, don’t start dating today. Take a few months
off to settle into being Jewish.
10. Have

Mazal tov. Mazal tov. Welcome home!

247
Others prefer Vodka. In all cases, check with your synagogue as to which brands are acceptable.

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Appendix

The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith

The following are the Rambam’s Principles of Faith. The original can be found in his
commentary of the Mishnah Sanhedrin.
1. I believe248 that God exists. He has always existed.
2. I believe that God is one and that His singularity is unique.
3. I believe that God has neither body nor form249.
4. I believe that God is eternal.
5. I believe that prayers are only directed to God. To direct a prayer to another is
idolatry.
6. I believe that God contacts man through His prophets.
7. I believe that the prophecy of Moses was superior to all other prophets.
8. I believe that God gave us His Torah. He gave us a written and an oral Torah.
9. I believe that God will never change His Torah, nor will He abrogate any
commandments.
10. I believe that God knows all our thoughts and all of our deeds.
11. I believe that God will reward and punish man for his deeds.
12. I believe that God will bring us the Messiah at a time that He wishes to do so.
13. I believe that God will resurrect the dead.

Someone who cannot read the above and agree to each cannot convert to Judaism.

248
The original Arabic is closer to “know” than “believe” however all Hebrew translations use believe.
249
In our belief of a non-corporeal Deity, we believe that time, which is by its definition a corporeal
dimension, does not affect Him.

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Personal Statement

Replace the following with correct information

Your Name
Full Mailing Address
City, State Zip
Phone Number
Cell Phone Number
Email Address

Keep the titles:

Why I want to become a Jew:
Relationships: (spouse, are you living with parents? Significant other?)
Children: (names, genders, ages, in bullet format. Include any details that might be
important, including whether they will be converting with you):
Employment: What do you do for a living?
Local Jewish Community
• How far is it to the closest orthodox synagogue?
• Where do you daven & what is the rabbi’s name?
• How many synagogues are there within walking distance of you?
• Are their daily minyanim available?
• Is there an eruv?
• Are there kosher restaurants nearby? How many and how far away?
• Where do/would you shop for kosher food?
• Elementary Yeshivas
• Yeshiva High-Schools
• Kollel and Batey Medrash in the area

If male, have you been circumcised? (There are actually three possible answers).
Have you had a non-Orthodox conversion?
Books I’ve read to help me prepare for conversion in list format. Do not include novels
written by Jews. Do not include books written by non-Orthodox sources. This should be
presented in list format.
Can you read Hebrew? How much do you understand?
Shiurim I regularly attend in list format. Include only Orthodox classes.
Observance Milestones
Kashrus – in list format, such as

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Personal Statement

• 01/01/05 – Decided to stop purchasing pork or shellfish

• 01/15/05 – Finished all pork and shellfish products from the house. From this
moment on the house was free of any of these.
• 03/20/05 – Decided to stop buying non-kosher canned goods and fresh meat.
• 04/30/05 – House is now clean of any non-kosher canned goods and fresh and
frozen meat. We decided to throw away the one package of frozen catfish that
we found.
• 06/01/05 – Stopped eating obvious non-kosher food at McDonalds and similar
non-kosher restaurants.
• 10/01/05 – Stopped eating at any and all non-kosher restaurants.
• 12/10/05 – Told friends that I would not attend any Xmas celebrations at non-
kosher restaurants. This was a really big step.
• 12/15/05 – Went through the pantry and freezer and removed any items that
might not have been kosher. From this point on, we only have items with good
rabbinical supervision in the house.
• 02/01/06 – We’re going “play kosher”. We divided the all the pots and pans into
meat and dairy. We’re learning what it is like to cook kosher and have two sets.
• 04/01/06 – We went out and bought lots of stuff for the transition. All items are
color coordinated. It should be really hard to mess up. Something that we’re very
good at right now :).
• 04/15/06 – Had walkthrough with the Rabbi X. I told him that we will install a new
kitchen (Debbie has been dreaming of it for a couple of years) this summer, so
that we will have two new sinks and counters just in time for our conversion (we
hope that the Beis Din will convert us before Rosh Hashanah).
Shabbos – details in list format
• 09/01/05 – Started making Kiddush and saying Hamotsie
• 10/01/05 – Made a list of all the things that we do on Shabbos and decided that
we will give up at least one each month.
• 11/01/05 – Started to make a fancy meal on Friday nights.
• 11/15/05 – Started to dress up for Friday night meal.
• 11/15/05 – Men of family started going consistently to Shul each and every Friday
night.
• 01/01/06 – Made Friday night meal according to Shomer Shabbos standards.

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• 01/01/06 – Bought a crock to learn how to make Chaulent. Will give it to Fred
when we go 100% Jewish.
• 1/15/06 – Started to sing Shalom Aleichem on Friday nights. We now make
Kiddush each and every Friday night.
• 02/01/06 – Gave up TV and radio on Friday nights.
• 02/21/06 – Gave up the telephones on Friday nights until after dinner.
• 02/12/06 – We’re now all going to Shul on Shabbos mornings, every Shabbos.
• 02/15/06 – Started to bless the children. We sing one zemer at the table on Friday
nights. We sing grace together.
• 03/01/06 – Have given up all major work on Shabbos. Still do one Melachah each
Shabbos, but only one.
• 04/10/06 – We now sing Ashes Chayil every Friday night. We also sing at least two
zemiros on Friday nights and one Shabbos morning. The kids even look forward
to it.
There are perhaps other milestones of observance that you would like to mention at this
point.
What I like about the Jewish people.
What activities I currently participate in that are of a Jewish nature.
What problems and difficulties I foresee in my conversion.
Have you encountered any problems in your conversion?
Have you encountered anti-Semitism yet? How do you deal with it?

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Kashrus Steps

It should take you some time to go completely kosher. Follow the following steps. Allow
yourself about thirty days from the time that you stop purchasing something until you
have eliminated it from your pantry. Please do not decide when you are ready to go
completely kosher and kasher your kitchen. Let your Local Orthodox Rabbi tell you when
you are ready to kasher your kitchen. This will save you the trouble and costs involved of
doing so twice.
1. Stop purchasing pork and pork products.
2. Stop purchasing shellfish and other non-kosher seafood.
3. Stop purchasing any other non-kosher mammals (such as rabbits) and fish (such
as catfish, sharks, and swordfish).
4. Start to buy meat from kosher sources. (you may need to order these products
online)
5. Stop purchasing meat that is not kosher. From this point on, only buy your meat
from kosher sources.
6. Stop buying non-kosher cheeses. (you may need to order kosher products online)
7. Start to pay attention to kosher supervision when shopping. Start to buy only
kosher supervised products.
8. Start to buy only kosher wine. Additionally, this wine should be labeled
“Mevushal”.
9. Move all non-kosher cans, etc. to one area in your pantry. Decide to finish these
within the next couple of weeks.
10. Invite your rabbi or mentor to join you in a walk-thru of your pantry. He still might
find something, but that is to be expected.
11. Mark this date as the day on which you no longer have anything non-kosher in the
house (on your personal statement).
12. Stop eating obviously non-kosher food at restaurants and cafeterias.
13. Stop combining milk and meat in the house. Have your meals as dairy or meat
meals.
14. Start “playing kosher”. Declare which pots and pans will be meat and which will
be dairy. You will make mistakes but they are expected.
15. Go totally kosher at home and away from the home.
16. Start buying items to be used once you have kashered your home. Keep them in
boxes in one location.
17. Invite your rabbi to review the items that you would like to kasher. He may agree
with you or may feel that a few cannot be properly kashered.

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Kashrus Steps

18. Your rabbi will tell you if he plans to kasher the house before your conversion or
immediately after it. You must ask him as it may not have occurred to him to
make plans to kasher your home.
19. If your rabbi does not want to kasher your home until after your conversion, be
prepared to purchase the first couple of suppers from take-out places. Have
plenty of paper and plastic plates and utensils available.

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Steps to Sabbath Observance

1. Dress up for the Friday Night Meal. Make it the most formal meal of the week,
with a more formal menu and décor.

2. Light candles Friday before the meal, preferably250 before sunset.

3. Make a list of critical and non-critical work activities. Non-critical work activities
can include washing clothing, shopping, servicing the car, etc. Decide that non-
critical work will not be performed on the Sabbath.

4. Make Kiddush at the beginning of the Friday night meal. Break bread from two
Challahs.

5. Banish all electronics (TV, cell phones, etc.) from Friday night meal. If you use the
NJOP Virtual Shabbat CD to help you recite Kiddush, Zemiros for the Sabbath, and
Grace, continue to do so until you no longer need it. You may continue to use this
CD even after step 9.

6. Start going to services on Saturday mornings.

7. Begin to study the laws of the Sabbath.

8. Upgrade the Sabbath midday meal.

9. Banish all electronics at the Sabbath midday meal, except the NJOP Virtual
Shabbat CD if you still need it to help you in learning the blessings and zemiros.

10. Start observing the Sabbath from before sunset on Friday nights. Light candles 18
minutes before sunset.

11. Men start to attend the Friday night service. Sing Shalom Aleichem when they
return home from the synagogue.

12. Introduce Zemiros. Start with one. Also, if you don’t yet recite grace after meals,
begin to recite it on Sabbaths. Perhaps you should sing it together.

13. Install controllers/timers for the lights. Set the dining room, living room, etc. lights
to go on and off at prescribed times and not turned on by members of the family.

14. Learn how to cook for the Friday night meals without violating the Sabbath.
Prepare all hot dishes so that you don’t need to violate the Sabbath. This will

250
To all readers: This section is meant to help non-Jews who are converting to Judaism in their transition
to Sabbath observance. As non-Jews are not required to observe the Sabbath, we are presenting this with
certain leniencies. We urge any Kiruv professionals who are dealing with Jews who are trying to become
Shomrey Shabbos to speak to their Poskim.

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Steps to Sabbath Observance

involve studying the chapters on cooking for the Sabbath and working with your
mentor.

15. Start reciting Havdalah at the end of the Sabbath.

16. Revise your list of critical work activities. See what you can now eliminate.

17. Declare all electronics off-limits on Friday nights. If applicable, depending on

children’s ages, find activities that will not involve Sabbath violation.

18. Decide which lights will remain on or off at all times and install devices (or tape
each week before the Sabbath to prevent accidentally turning them off/on. You
need to figure out what to do about light in the bedrooms and may want to invest
in “kosher lamps”. You may want to bring in an electrician so that certain lights
are controlled by Shabbos clocks, or do the work by yourself.

19. Cook for the Sabbath midday meal in a means that does not violate the Sabbath.
This could mean serving cold food or learning how to make chaud-lent (Cholent).
You may want to get a crock pot at this time.

20. Phase in Sabbath observance during the daytime.

21. Declare all TVs, Radios, etc. off limits on the Sabbath day.

22. Men and children sing eishes chayil and parents bless the children.

23. Men attend Minchah and Maariv. Family members not in synagogue eat the third
Sabbath meal.

24. Is there anything (in terms of activities that are not permitted on the Sabbath) that
you really must do on the Sabbath? You will not be completely Shomer Shabbos
until you are able to answer this question with “no”.

25. Discuss with your mentor and your LOR if you have a serious situation that
requires violating the Sabbath to get help in solving your problem.

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It is important for a Ger to understand the people into which s/he is converting. The
Jewish Religion, unlike most others, is both a religion and a people. When someone
becomes Jewish, s/he becomes the member of a very small and ancient tribe as well as a
practitioner of a faith. Our history becomes her/his history. Our trials and tribulations
become her/his too. The second reason is that a Ger will have to understand that s/he
will likely come face to face with anti-Semitism.

In light of the above, I suggest that each Ger study Jewish History in general and
specifically be able to address the following issues:

All Jews lived in Israel from the conquest of Joshua until the exile of the
Northern Kingdom by the Assyrians.

The Kingdom of Judea ended when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem

and exiled most of the Jews to Babylon. Jews continued to live in Babylon for
the next 2500 years. At times, Babylon was the center of Jewish scholarship,
especially from 200 through the 1000s. During this time, Babylon greatly
influenced other areas of the Jewish Diaspora, including Spain and Italy.

Ashkenazic Jews originated in Italy and moved to France and the Frankish
Kingdom during the Middle Ages. From there Ashkenazi Jews spread eastward
to virtually all countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Sephardic Jews were fairly well entrenched in Spain and North Africa prior
to the Visigoth invasion and flourished in spite of anti-Jewish legislation. They
did very well during the Moslem invasion and in Moslem Spain until the days
of the Almohides.

Sephardic Jews were forced to leave Moslem Spain and parts of Africa by
the Almohides. They were eventually forced to leave Xan Spain in 1492. When
they left Spain, they resettled in almost every country bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Netherlands, England, Germany, and Poland.

Jews entered England with the Norman Invasion. Jews prospered during
the reign of King Henry II. We suffered much during the reign of Richard the
Lion Hearted and were expelled by Edward I. Jews did not return to England
until some trickled in during the Tudor monarchs. Jews were given formal
permission to return to England by Oliver Cromwell.

Jews in France endured many hardships at various times. Jews lived in

Southern France during from the days of the Roman Empire. Charlemagne
welcomed Jews at first but then issued decrees limiting our ability to make a
living. Prior to the First Crusade, the import of Oriental spices and goods were

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exclusively in Jewish hands. There were many cases of anti-Jewish mobs and
the spilling of Jewish blood. Jews were expelled from all lands of central
France by Philip Augustus who then readmitted Jews but did not return Jewish
property. The Talmud was burned and then Jews were again expelled by his
grandson, “Saint” Louis IX. There are many “saints” of which Jews are not fond.

Jews settled in Germany during the period that it was part of the Frankish
Kingdom. As in France, Jews were the only source of Oriental imports until the
First Crusade. The First Crusade wiped out many of the major Jewish
settlements. Entire communities were murdered by the Xans during the Black
Death, under the false belief that Jews were poisoning the wells. Persecution
continued during the next couple of centuries and many Jews moved further
east where the various kingdoms and duchies offered better conditions. Jews
did not begin to move back towards Germany until the mid seventeenth
century.

Poland was the most welcoming nation to the Jews from its founding until
the 17th century. By 1600, 80% European Jews lived in Poland (including what
are now Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, and parts of the Ukraine and
Russia). Jews suffered greatly during the Chmielnicki revolt and the war with
Sweden with over 500,000 killed by the Ukrainians and Poles, some directly
and others by diseases that spread during their forced wanderings and
slavery. The situation did not improve over the next 300 years, with many Jews
leaving what was Poland for Western Europe and eventually the American
states.

Russia never welcomed Jews. While Jews lived in Russia before the
partition of Poland, the mass of Jews that lived in Russia in the 19 th century
were of Polish origin. Catherine the Great inherited her Jews when she
annexed Polish lands during the Polish Partitions. Russian leaders organized
“Pogroms” to harass and kill Jews. Jewish children were forced into the Russian
army as Canonists in order to induce them to convert. Jewish emigration
started in the 1880s and continued until blocked by Nazi Germany.

The Holocaust is worthy of its own bullet. With the death of over 6,000,000
Jews and suffering of many more, it affected the Jews of almost all of Europe
and parts of North Africa.

Jews in Moslem Countries: The majority of Jews are of non-Ashkenazic

backgrounds. These are usually divided into Sephardim and Temanim. While
the Temanim come from Yemen, the Sephardim include such unique
communities as Morocco, Syria, and Turkey. In general, Jews faired better
under the Moslems than we did under the Xans. Upon the creation of the State

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of Israel, Jews of many Moslem countries were “invited” to leave their

countries of origin and settled in Israel or other countries.

❖ Zionism:
▪ The reasons for dissatisfaction of living in Xan countries.
▪ Pogroms in the Russian Empire.
▪ The return to Israel before the start of Zionism.
▪ The Dreyfus affair.
▪ The impact of the Holocaust on Zionism.
▪ Founding of the State of Israel.
▪ The War of Independence.
▪ The Sinai Campaign.
▪ The Six-Day War.
▪ The Yom Kippur War.
▪ Modern Israel.

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Orach Chaim – Daily Practices

This section will deal with the positive requirements of the Sabbath. For the restrictions,
I prefer Shmirat Shabbat by Rav Neuwirth and others prefer the Thirty Nine Melochos by
Rav Ribiat. There is a third option, The Concise Guide of Jewish Law by Rabbi Gersion
Appel, volume 2.

The Sabbath lays down a judgment on the fundamental issues of our civilization and
demands restraint, dignity, reticence, and positive rest. It is the transformation of time
from this world to another universe; the centerpiece of Judaism and the life of a Jew. It
is a day that is greater to us than any cathedral or capital. It is more than the absence of
work. Its holiness cannot tolerate mundane leisure activities. It is a special gift that
Hashem gave the Jews and that we give Hashem. By observing the Sabbath, we declare
that Hashem is the master of the universe and we are merely permitted to use it. As a
declaration of His ownership, we surrender all physically creative activities to Him and
declare the Sabbath to be a spiritual day. Hashem, on the other hand, wants Jews to
observe the Sabbath but doesn’t want non-Jews to do so. A non-Jew who observes the
Sabbath is guilty of a capital crime251.

We are required to be properly groomed as we welcome the Sabbath. For that reason,
most of us trim our nails and beards; polish our shoes; etc. on Fridays. After we shower,
we dress in our Sabbath attire, which should be better than that which we wear during
the work week.

Women, and men living alone, light candles in honor of the Sabbath. The proper time for
lighting is at least 18 minutes before sunset. Many Orthodox communities sound two
sirens. One is sounded at 23 minutes before sunset and the second one at 18 minutes
before sunset. Once a woman lights the candles, she is considered to have accepted the
Sabbath unless she explicitly states otherwise. Customs do vary by location and many in
Israel light their candles 30 minutes or more before sunset. This is especially true in
Jerusalem.

Most American synagogues don’t start the afternoon service until after candle lighting.
There are some, however, where they start the afternoon service before candle lighting
so that they can finish the inauguration of the Sabbath before sunset 252. During the
summer, many synagogues hold services well before sunset. When they do so, the

251
Therefore many rabbis teach their Gerim before their conversion to perform one activity on the Sabbath
to show that they are not trying to steal Hashem’s gift of the Sabbath but are merely preparing for the day
when they will be required to observe it. Other rabbis feel that Gerim need not violate the Sabbath as long
as they are actively involved in their conversion. The vast majority of rabbis will not convert a candidate
until s/he is proficient in the Sabbath laws.
252
It is considered a Mitzvah to add to the holy from the profane and therefore start the Sabbath a few minutes
early, ending it a few minutes later than required.

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women whose husbands pray there should253 light candles by the time that their
husbands finish “Lcha Dodi”254.

Candles may be lit as early as Plag, which is defined as 1¼ relative hours before sunset.
While there are a few opinions how one should count these hours, most of us take sunset
minus sunrise and divide by 12255. Thus, if the sun were to rise at 6 and set at 6, Plag
would be at 4:45PM. If the sun rises at 5 and sets at 8PM, then there would be 15 sunlight
hours that day, rendering each “hour” 75 of our minutes long and Plag would occur 93.75
minutes before 8PM, which is 6:26:45 PM. Therefore, some synagogues would start
Minchah at 6:10 or 6:15 so that they can daven Minchah before Plag and Maariv after
Plag while others will schedule it for 6:30 or thereafter, relying on an opinion that is found
in Tosafos on the first page of the Talmud.

The Service of the Inauguration of the Sabbath (Kabbalath Shabbath) is a fairly recent
Minhag (custom) as it dates only as far back as the 16 th century256. Lcha Dodi was also
written in the 16th century and became quite popular. With it, we dedicate our activities
of the whole week, represented by six Psalms, to the Sabbath.

We do not comfort the mourners on the Sabbath the same way that we do on weekdays.
Therefore, if there are any men who are in their first week of mourning (Shiva), we offer
them the standard phrase of comfort before we recite Psalm 91. It is customary that they
leave the synagogue at the beginning of the inauguration service257 and return only after
Lcha Dodi. At this point, when the congregation is facing the entrance258, the doors are
opened and they enter the synagogue, with all saying “May Hashem comfort you with all
the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”

Once men recite Psalm 91, the Sabbath has begun, even if their recitation is before sunset.
One is required to check his pockets to ascertain that he is carrying nothing before the
Sabbath begins. One should even check his pockets if he lives within a good Eruv to verify
that he is not carrying anything that is Muktzeh on the Sabbath.

The final blessing of the evening Shma is slightly altered in Ashkenazic Siddur (and very
much so in Sephardic Siddurim) so that we do not conclude with “Who protects Israel”
but rather “Who spreads His tabernacle of Peace…”

253
I specifically use “should” and not “must” however, ladies whose husbands always accept the Sabbath
early must light before their husbands accept the Sabbath by reciting the Psalm for the Sabbath Day.
254
Depending on the synagogue, it takes from 20 to 40 minutes to recite the afternoon service and the Psalms
that precede Lcha Dodi.
255
This is the Gra (Vilna Gaon)’s calculation.
256
Perhaps early 17th Century for European congregations
257
Mourners in Shiva should not recite the Inauguration service before Psalm 91.
258
Having turned to the doors at the end of Lcho Dodi, as to greet the Sabbath which is now “entering” the
synagogue.

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The Shmoneh Esreh on the Sabbath is very different from the weekdays. There is only
one blessing in lieu of the 13 regular blessings. This blessing is called the “Kedushas
Hayom” the “Holiness of the Day” and is different in each service259.

After the Shmoneh Esreh, the entire congregation recites the first verses of the second
chapter260 of Genesis together. This is our congregational testimony to the creation and
as testimony is recited standing261. As testimony is given by two or more witnesses, many
will not recite these verses alone but will ask a friend to join them, even if he has already
said them with the congregation. This is said on all Friday nights, regular and when
holidays occur on them.

The cantor then recites a single long blessing that includes the themes of the Sabbath
Shmoneh Esreh. It is recited on regular Friday nights as well as on festivals other than the
first day of Pesach. The congregation recites the middle of this blessing and then it is
repeated by the cantor before he continues to its closing.

The cantors of most synagogues recite Kiddush. This is not recited in most Yeshivos and
Stiebles262. It is a vestige of when Kiddush was recited in the synagogues for travelers
who were given meals and lodging in the synagogue and would then go to eat their meals.
Adult men do not drink the wine of this Kiddush.

The service ends with Aleynu and Kaddish. Many synagogues will sing Yigdal afterwards.

When one returns home, the family sings “Shalom Aleychem” welcoming the angels that
accompanied the men263 home from synagogue. Each stanza is sung three times. We
then sing a chapter from Proverbs, “A woman of valor.” Some add various other prayers
and the children are blessed. We then gather around the table for Kiddush. If you are
listening to someone’s Kiddush with the intention to fulfill your requirement to say
Kiddush, you must not answer “Blessed by He and blessed is His Name.” After we wash
hands264, Hamotzey is said over two loaves of bread. The majority will cut the bottom
Challah on Friday nights and the top one on Shabbos day. This is because we have put
our efforts into preparing for the Sabbath on Friday and it has been passive, hence the
Sabbath is represented by the lower loaf. By Shabbos day, the Sabbath has already given
us its gifts and we are passive.

259
In this, the Sabbath differs from holidays where only Mussaf is unique, all other services being identical
to each other.
260
The chapters were created by the Christians and only used because they used to ask us questions quoting
chapter and verse. There are times when the Christian chapter breaks make no sense to Jews.
261
In Jewish Law, the witnesses stand before the court when testifying.
262
Stieble means small building, from the Yiddish word Stub. ST is pronounced SHT in English.
263
In my German custom, women who don’t have young children often go to the synagogue Friday nights.
264
I wash before Kiddush following the custom of the Rama and Maharam of Rotenberg.

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While during the week, we might take our meals on a hurried pace, with different
members of the family eating at different times, this is not the case on the Sabbath. Our
meals are at least as important as synagogue services. We stagger our courses with
singing Zemiros265 and Divrey Torah, according to our abilities. If we can, we invite others
to join us, especially those who have no family with whom they can eat. This way, our
table becomes an altar and our meal becomes a service to Hashem. As such, we should
prepare and plate our meals in such a way that they are fitting to be served at a meal
where the King of Kings joins us. One may have general conversations at the table but
may not talk about work-related issues. There are various customs as to what foods are
eaten at which meals, none of which are wrong. There are several Sefarim 266 that have
very good Divery Torah267 in English. Thus, even someone to whom Orthodox Judaism is
new should be able to prepare a few Divrey Torah each week.

There is a Jewish custom that we don’t mix fish and meat268. This custom permits us to
cook and serve fish dishes on meat pots and plates. Just that we don’t cook a dish that
contains both and that we don’t eat both at the same course. When fish and meat
(including chicken) are served, we use one fork and plate for the fish and then these are
removed before the chicken soup, chicken, or meat is served. Fish, when served, is always
served before and meat or chicken dish. We usually have something to eat and drink
between these dishes. Many are accustomed to having a little bit of an alcoholic drink
between the two. When taking the drink, one says “L’chaim269” and the response is
“L’chaim tovim ulshalom.270” I should mention that most Orthodox Jewish households do
not have a minimum age for drinking. It is normal for the children sitting at the table to
have some wine or even stronger beverages, as long as they limit themselves to a small
amount.

While various customs encourage one to eat dishes of fish, poultry, and meat during the
Shabbos, in the event that you have an allergy or dislike the taste of certain types of foods,
there is no Mitzvah for you to suffer. These customs are meant to enhance your meal not
to make the Sabbath meals burdens. Those who limit themselves to pescatarian, lacto-
ovo vegetarian, or vegan diets are free to find foods that they prefer. If you are vegetarian
and going to someone’s house to eat, you should let them know if you do or don’t eat fish
as most Orthodox think of vegetarians as those who don’t eat fleischig foods, leaving fish,
eggs, and dairy as foods that vegetarians do eat. On the flip side, the slightest amount of
meat or milk in a product would render it fleischig or milchig, so all foods labeled pareve

265
Songs of a religious nature
266
Books. At this point, there are dozens available!
267
Words of Torah (a speech)
268
Most Sephardim don’t mix fish and dairy either.
269
To life!
270
To a good life, and to peace! It is a Jewish tradition to always answer a blessing with one that is greater,
when possible.

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are free from meat or milk derivatives and those made with fish are usually labeled as
such.

One is required to review the Torah reading of each week. The standard form is to read
the Hebrew twice and the Aramaic translation once. One may substitute Rashi for the
Aramaic translation.

The Sabbath morning services usually start later than the weekday services. One should
check the charts to ascertain that the synagogue will be reading the Shma in the proper
timeframe or else he must read Shma before services. The morning service differs from
the regular weekday service. There are more Psalms in Pseukey Dzimra as well as a long
introduction to Yishtabach, called Nishmas. Nishmas is said on Sabbaths, all holidays, and
at the Seder. The first blessing of Shma is also different on the Sabbaths (for Sephardim
on holidays too).

We read the entire Torah each year. To do so, the Torah is divided into 54 Sedras and
one or two are read each week. When the Sabbath coincides with any of the following,
the weekly reading is not read but rather the special reading for the holiday will be read
instead:

➢ Pesach (Passover) either the first day, the last days, or the intermediate Sabbath

➢ Shavuos (Weeks)

➢ Rosh Hashanah

➢ Yom Kippur

➢ Sukkos (Tabernacles) either the first days, the intermediate Sabbath, or Shmini
Atzeres

When Pesach occurs on a Sunday and it is a leap year, then each of the Sedras is read
without doubling up.

On a regular Sabbath, one Torah is removed from the ark. Seven or more men are called
to the Torah reading. The eighth (or last if more than seven are called) man reads the
Maftir and the Haftarah. On the following occasions, a second Sefer Torah is removed
from the ark and is read for Maftir:

➢ Rosh Chodesh271 (First day of the month, last day of a 30-day month)

271
If Rosh Chodesh coincides with Chanukah, Parshas Shkalim, or Parshas Hachodesh, three Sifrey Torah
are removed from the Ark. The second Torah is used for the reading of Rosh Chodesh and the third Torah
is used for the specific reading. The Haftarah will be the one that is appropriate for the specific reading.

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➢ Chanukah

➢ Parshas Shkalim

➢ Parshas Zachor

➢ Parshas Parah

➢ Parshas Hachodesh

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While the Torah tells us many times that Jews are required to rest on the Sabbath day, it does
not tell us anything more than to rest and to refrain from doing any “Melachos” on it. The Torah
only lists one Melachah (lighting a fire) by name. The details are found only in the Oral Torah.

The Rabbis taught us that there are 39 categories of Melachos. They enumerated them in the
seventh chapter of Mishnah Shabbos. The Gemara discusses their definitions and their
expansions. Each category of Melachah can have synonym Melachos. For example, the Av
(father) Melachah of Baking has the Tolados272 (children) of roasting, frying, and cooking. Thus,
there are more than 39 applications of these but in each, the extensions perform a very similar
function.

In general, a Melachah is an action by which we show our mastery of the universe. On the
Sabbath, we return the right to exert this mastery to its true owner, God. As such, all Melachos
are creative actions, with one exception. The exception is an act of transferring domain, asserting
rights of possession. This does not mean that on the Sabbath we may not enjoy the fruits of our
creative skills, but that we refrain from exercising these, showing that they truly belong to God.
The Sabbath is therefore similar to the blessings we recite before eating food. When we recite
these blessings, we acknowledge that all food is God’s property and He permits us to eat. It is
the same with the Sabbath, on a higher scale. It is therefore more fitting that Sabbath meals be
more spiritual than weekday meals, including Divrey Torah and Zemiros. It is a day when the
working man is freed from his work to study Torah and be at peace with himself.

Terms:

We have already defined the terms of Melachah, Av, and Toldah (Melachos, Avos, and Tolados),
above. The following terms are also used in the laws of the Sabbath (other terms will be defined
when used):

• Chayav – Responsible [to bring a sacrifice] i.e.: a violation of a Torah prohibition.

• Patur – Exempt [from bringing a sacrifice] i.e.: a violation of a Rabbinic prohibition.

• Shvus (Shvut in Sephardic) – a Rabbinic prohibition.

• Misasek (Mitasek) – an unintended action. For example, I tripped and my shoulder hit a
light switch, turning on/off the lights. In my doing so, I did not violate any Shabbos law,
as I had no intention to turn the light on or off. Similarly, if someone intended to do one
action and he did another one, with the latter being prohibited on Shabbos, he is not
liable to bring a sacrifice.

272
I am using the Ashkenazic pronunciation. Tolados is usually pronounced Toldos in Yeshivish.

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• Ochel Nefesh – the category of Melachos that one may perform on the festivals, when
needed. Thus, one may cook or bake for Jews on one of the holidays273 to eat on that
day.

In addition, thereccc are certain rabbinic prohibitions that are in addition to any rabbinic
extensions of the Torah prohibitions. These include the laws of Muktzeh (items that we may not
move on Shabbos) and the rules how to keep food hot on Shabbos274.

The 39 can be combined into groups.

➢ The Order of Baking Bread:

1. Plowing – any activity that prepares the soil for seeding or growing plants. Included in
this activity are

a. Weeding;

b. Fertilizing;

c. Clearing rocks and other debris;

d. Leveling a field.

2. Seeding – any activity that causes plants to take route or grow better. Included in this are

a. Planting trees;

b. Pruning (as it causes the tree to sprout more branches)275;

c. Grafting;

d. Bending a branch into the ground to cause it to take root;

e. Watering plants.

3. Harvesting. The verb in the Mishnah is used for harvesting grain with a sickle. In Hebrew,
there are separate verbs for each different method of harvesting. Thus, kotzer276 is used
for harvesting grains and botzer is used for grapes. Other verbs are each a Toladah of
kotzer.

273
This includes the three major festivals and Rosh Hashanah when falling on weekdays. It does not include Yom
Kippur.
274
There are three separate issues. Leaving food on the stove. Returning food to the stove. Insulating pots.
275
If were to prune and want to use the cuttings for fuel, he would be liable for two violations on Shabbos.
276
Note to linguists: Czr, the root is the same as the Latin word cesar, to cut.

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4. Gathering the stalks of grain into bundles. This applies to edible and inedible substances
that grow from the ground. This only applies if they are gathered near where they grew
and were harvested.

5. Threshing – Detaching the kernels from the chaff. Included are:

a. Standard threshing

b. Using a cotton gin

c. Mefarek – unloading as in removing peas from their pods or husking corn (when
not done as part of eating them)

d. Squeezing grape juice

e. Squeezing olive for its oil

6. Winnowing – Throwing the chaff and seed mixture up so that the wind will carry the chaff
away and the seeds will fall back to the earth.

7. Selecting – Removing the food that you don’t want. This is one of the more dangerous
Melachos as it is very easy to violate it. The rule of thumb is that you may remove

a. The item you want,

b. Near the time when you want it,

c. By hand.

8. Grinding

9. Sifting

10. Kneading

11. Baking

a. Cooking

i. Stirring a pot277

277
There are authorities who hold that stirring a pot on the fire is a Torah prohibition even if the food is fully
cooked. All authorities hold that stirring a pot, even not on the fire, is a Torah prohibition when the food is not fully
cooked.

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b. Frying

c. Roasting

➢ The Order of Making Clothing

12. Shearing – Severing or uprooting any growing part of the body of any animal, alive or
otherwise. Such as:

o Hair cutting in any method using any device. In most opinions, it is not a Torah
prohibition to pull hair out by hand from a living being.

o Cutting or filing nails.

o Removing feathers from birds. This applies to live and slaughtered raw birds, but
is relaxed when it comes to cooked birds.

13. Bleaching (aka scouring) – The activities necessary to remove grease, sand, etc. from
sheep’s wool after it is shorn. These activities include soaking, scrubbing, and squeezing
out the water. Included here are:

o Washing clothing

o Washing any fabric or leather

o Dabbing soiled clothing to remove stains or to make it easier to remove the stain
at a later date

o Squeezing a wet cloth (as such, we may not wash dishes using a cloth or absorbent
sponge).

o Hanging wet clothing or towels to dry (often this is a rabbinic prohibition)

14. Combing – combing the wool fibers to prepare them for dying and spinning.

15. Dying – coloring or dying any surface.

16. Spinning – twisting wool fibers into thread.

17. Setting the warp of a weaving press.

18. Setting up the weft of a weaving press. (Also called “Constructing two heddles”).

19. Weaving.

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20. Unraveling – removing lines or excess from the woven fabric.

21. Tying – making a knot that is used by artisans. For a Torah prohibition, this must be at
least a double knot and must be the type that is used. A square knot would qualify; a
granny knot would not qualify as such as the granny knot is never tied on purpose by
anyone who knows knots. Granny knots and all other double knots that are not
prohibited by the Torah, are forbidden by rabbinic injunction. Bows on knots are
permitted (with limitations). Therefore, one may tie his shoes with a bow on top of a
single knot but may not tie a second knot over the bow.

22. Untying – releasing any knot that would be made by an artisan.

23. Sewing – connecting two pieces by means of stitches or any other means

24. Tearing – when in the context of a positive action.

➢ The Order of making leather

25. Trapping – the act of capturing a free-range animal for the purpose of killing it or using it.

a. Trapping a deer or a dog. There is a rabbinic prohibition to feed wild animals

(except dogs) on the Sabbath as that is a method by which one can trap them,
including closing the door to a house if a wild animal entered it. (One may trap a
dangerous animal, for example a rabid animal, on the Sabbath).

b. Trapping a fish from a small lake or even large aquarium

c. Setting up traps on the Sabbath

26. Slaughtering – the act of killing any living being

a. Killing of any animal

b. Causing bruises

c. Removing blood

27. Skinning – removing hide from a carcass

a. This does not apply to cooked birds or fish. Thus we are allowed to remove the
skin from a turkey prior to cutting it.

28. Tanning – curing the hide to turn it into leather

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a. Curing hides with salt or salt solutions

b. Tanning using a solution

c. “Finishing” the leather

29. Scraping the hide

a. Sanding wood

b. Working a solid into the surface

c. Working a paste into a surface.

30. Marking the hide with lines – in the building of the Temple, the hides were marked prior
to cutting them so that the cutters would cut on the exact line required.

31. Cutting the hide – making the exact cut required having the size desired.

a. Tearing or cutting along the perforations

b. Tearing for a specific size and shape.

➢ The Order of Construction

32. Writing – writing a symbol or at least two letters

33. Erasing

34. Building

a. Building a house

b. Adding to a house

c. Leveling a road

d. Making a fence

e. Making items

35. Demolishing

36. The final hammer blow – Any activity that completes the creation of an item

37. Extinguishing a fire

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38. Kindling a fire

a. Lighting a fire

b. Heating an element until it becomes red hot

39. Transferring objects from one domain to another

a. Transferring from a private domain to a public domain

b. Transferring from a public domain to a private domain

c. Moving an item at least 4 cubits in a public domain.

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Lesson 1 – Questions based on the Thirteen Principles of Faith as explained in Rabbi Kaplan’s
work.

1. What is Yigdal?
2. Who were the Almohades and what did they cause?
3. What is the First Principle?
a. How do we define God?
b. Is the first of the “10 Commandments” a commandment?
c. Is the “Ten Commandments” a misnomer?
d. What is the Hebrew title for “The Ten Commandments”?
4. What is the Second Principle?
a. Explain the three parts of the Second Principle
i. He is one
ii. There is no unity like his
iii. He alone was, is, and will forever be…
5. What is the Third Principle?
a. Why does the Torah use human attributes to describe God (anthropomorphism)?
b. How does this principle create “holiness”?
6. What is the Fourth Principle?
a. What was created?
7. What is the Fifth Principle?
a. May a Jew pray to an angel?
8. What is the Sixth Principle?
a. What is a prophet?
b. How do prophets receive their prophesy?
c. Which prophesies must come true and which need not be executed?
d. Who were the last prophets?
e. What is Ruach Hakodesh?
9. What is the Seventh Principle?
a. How is Moshe “The Father of all Prophets”?
b. How is Moshe’s prophetic experience different from all other prophets?
c. What is unique about Moshe’s prophesy?
d. What sort of person was Moshe?
10. What is the Eight Principle?
a. Can someone be converted if s/he believes everything but thinks that the Torah was
changed over the past 3000+ years?
b. Who was “Our Holy Rabbi”?

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c. Who were Ravvina (Rav Inna) and Rav Ashi?

d. May one not believe in the Oral Torah being of Divine origin?
11. What is the Ninth Principle?
a. May any prophet change the Mitzvoth?, adding, subtracting, or modifying the Oral
Law?
b. What about what Eliyahu (Elijah) who appeared to violate a commandment on the
mountain?
12. What is the Tenth Principle?
a. Can we hide any acts of thoughts from Hashem?
b. Why is individual free will important in Judaism?
13. What is the Eleventh Principle?
a. Why is this one of the principles?
14. What is the Twelfth Principle?
a. What qualities are required for the Messiah?
b. Which miracles must the Messiah preform before we may believe that he is the
Messiah?
c. How will the world change with the Messiah?
d. Will lions eat hay in the days of the Messiah?
e. What is the War of Gog and Magog?
15. What is the Thirteenth Principle?

Lesson 2

1. What did Dr. Lamm include as the three fundamental principles of Judaism? (please note
that this is NOT the 13 principles of faith, which we will discuss later)
2. What are the Jews?
3. When Jews say Torah, what do we mean?
4. Give examples where the Written Torah leaves out details.
5. Why does Orthodox Judaism lack a clear “theology”?
6. What then is the focus of Orthodox Judaism?
7. Why do Jews follow the commandments?
8. Define sanctity of person, place, and time.
9. Why did Rabbi Donin start his practical guide with kindness rather than something else?
10. What is the highest level of charity?
11. Describe some of the prohibitions of slander and tale bearing that you learned.
12. What is the Middle Road?

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13. Why do “outsiders” consider the Sabbath as restrictive yet Orthodox Jews view it as
liberating?
14. How did the Puritans fail to understand the Sabbath?
15. What are the two motifs of the Sabbath?
16. How does the Sabbath free us from slavery?
17. What are the two types of rest discussed on page 69?
18. How does the Orthodox family prepare for the Sabbath?
19. How does the Orthodox family prepare and light the Sabbath candles?
20. What is Kiddush?
21. What are Zemirot (Zemiros)?
22. What are some special Sabbath activities?
23. When does the Sabbath day end?
24. Define Melachah.
25. Why does Rabbi Donin compare Kashruth with the foundation of a house?
26. What is Shechitah?
27. Please note that Rabbi Donin’s has certain leniencies that are no longer acceptable to
most rabbis278.
28. How do you relate to the Jewish view of marriage and relationships as portrayed in To Be
a Jew?
29. List the signs of the covenant.
30. How does Rabbi Donin describe the Siddur?
31. Describe the parts of the synagogue.
32. What are the Days of Awe?
33. When is a Jewish boy named?
34. When is a Jewish girl named?

278
P114 – Dishwasher; P118 – In Eating Places…; P118 – In ordering; P120 – Ovens (it’s a bit more complicated
than the details he includes). He does not discuss Bishul Akum which should be addressed, nor does he mention
that metal and glass vessels usually require Tevilah. On the flip side, he is more stringent than me in one area.

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Lesson 3

Flip through the ArtScroll (or Tehilot Hashem) Siddur. Look for the following and jot down the
pages where you can find them. Define them.

1. Modeh Ani
2. Adon Olam
3. Morning Blessings
4. Barchu of Morning Service
5. Shma of Morning Service
6. Shmoneh Esreh of Weekday Morning Service
7. Weekday Afternoon Service
8. Weekday Evening Service
9. Grace After Meals (Birkath Hamazon)
10. Blessings before Eating Food
11. Friday Night Service
12. Saturday Morning Service
13. Saturday Morning Psukey dZimra
14. Saturday Mussaf

Vocabulary – Define the following terms (‘th’ indicates the letter pronounced as an ‘s’ by
Ashkenazim and a ‘t’ by Sephardim. It is pronounced ‘th’ as in ‘thin’ by Yemenites.)

a. Shacharith
b. Musaf
c. Minchah
d. Maariv
e. Shma
f. Shmoneh Esreh
g. Amidah
h. Tachanun
i. Kaddish
j. Kedushah
k. Talith
l. Tefillin
m. Minyan
n. Kriath Hatorah
o. Aliyah
p. Baal Kore
q. Gabai
r. Pthichah
s. Sefer
t. Bimah

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u. Amud
v. Haftarah
w. Mechitzah

Lesson 4

1. Why do the chapters and the weekly readings not line up?
2. What can we find in the Chumash other than letters and vowels?
a. What is Trop (Taamim)?
3. How many Sedras (Parshiyoth) are there in the entire Torah?
4. Why so many?
5. What is a Haphtarah?
6. From which books may it be read?
7. Why do we read Haphtaroth?
8. How many men are called to read to the Torah (not counting Maftir) on:
a. Shabbath?
b. Yom Kippur?
c. Rosh Hashanah?
d. Pilgrim Holidays (Chagim)?
e. Chol Hamoed?
f. Rosh Chodesh?
g. Fast Days?
h. Mondays and Thursdays?
i. Chanukah?
j. Purim?
10. What are the Blessings of the Torah?
a. As part of the Morning Blessings
b. Before and after a Torah Reading.

Lesson 5
1. Aside from in the Torah and in our Siddur, where can we find the first two paragraphs of
the Shma? Why?
2. Why is it a Torah commandment to recite the Shma twice each day?
3. Which Mitzvoth can be found in the Shma279?
4. Why must we Jews keep commandments (as stated in the last line of the Shma)?
5. Why does the Shma not mention that God created the world?
6. What does the blue thread remind us of?
7. What are the themes of each of the paragraphs of the Shma?

279
T here are several.

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Lesson 6
1. How do we treat the Sabbath as a Queen?
2. Deleted
3. What is meant by “The Sabbath was given to Israel so that the Jews may study the Torah?”
4. What do we affirm by resting on the Sabbath?
5. What are the two motifs the Torah gives for the Sabbath?
6. What did Rabbi Donin mean by the world is not ours. Didn’t Hashem give it to Adam?
7. Why are non-Jews excluded from observing the Sabbath?
8. What is meant by an island in time?
9. List the activities that would be done prior to entertaining an important guest of honor.
10. Who lights candles?
11. When are candles lit?
12. What are the verbs that are reflected in the two candles?
13. On what may the evening Kiddush be recited?
14. May a woman recite Kiddush?
15. Are there any foods that must be eaten at Sabbath meals?
16. On what is Hamotzey said?
17. What are Zemiroth?
18. What is the Hebrew word for sunset?
19. What is the Hebrew word for nightfall?
20. What is the Hebrew word for the period between sunset and nightfall?
21. What is a Melachah?

Lesson 7

1. Why is it more important to build a Mikveh than a Synagogue?

2. What does the average Mikveh look like?
3. Why is there a hole in the Mikveh?
4. What are the three circumstances when one must use a Mikveh?
a. –
b. –
c. –
5. What are “chukim”?
6. Why are chukim very, very important?
7. What is different about the Mikvaoth in Masada from our current Mikvaoth?
8. Why did the Kohen Gadol use the Mikveh five times on Yom Kippur when he never left the
Holy Temple?
9. What can we not do when immersed in the Mikveh and why is that important?
10. What does Niddah mean?
11. What makes a woman a Niddah?
12. How serious a crime is it to have relations when a woman is a Niddah?
13. How is it that Orthodox families experience a monthly honeymoon?

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14. In the conversion of all Israel, when did the circumcision take place?
15. Why does “wash clothing” require that we go to the Mikveh?
16. What is the Brachah that is recited on Toveling a utensil?
17. What is the Brachah that is recited on Toveling several utensils?
18. What is the Brachah that is recited on Toveling yourself if you are a Niddah?
19. Why must metal (and glass) utensils used to serve food be toveled?
20. How did evil enter into mankind?
21. How did man become like the Tree of Knowledge?
22. What happened to mankind once man ate from the Tree of Knowledge?
23. Why is it important for Jews to believe in Revelation?
24. Why can’t God just give me five million dollars and tell me to go out and train converts all
over the world?
25. What is the difference between prophecy and theological innovation?
26. Why is the Torah so complex?
27. Why should the hungry be fed before the naked clothed?
28. How was Cain superior to Abel?
29. How does Judaism view Sodom (in contrast to the view of most)?
30. Why is it important for those who leave Xanity to note that the Gospels themselves have
many contradictions?
31. How is the Torah consistent with the Big Bang theory?
32. How significant is it that light is created in the third verse of the Torah?
33. Why do stories of the Flood in various cultures not bother Jews?
34. Can you identify any stories in the Torah or Prophets that have been shown to be untrue?
35. Have any of these stories shown to portray accurate information?

Lesson 9
1. What is the definition of Tznius?
2. What is the goal of Tznius?
3. What is the absolute minimum that must be covered to recite the Names of God and why is
this different from what is required to be considered tzanua in Judaism?
4. What is the full requirement for married women?
5. What is the full requirement for single women?
6. What is the full requirement for men?
7. Why do some rabbis vehemently oppose slits, even when they do not extend to the knee?
8. What is Yichud?
9. What is Negiah?

Lesson 10

1. When do you say Modeh Ani?

2. What may you do before washing hands?

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3. What is the preferred method for washing hands in the morning (negel wasser)?
4. When is one required to wash negel wasser? (Please give at least 5 instances)
5. Deleted
6. What is the Shechinah?
7. Who were the men of the Great Assembly and when did they live?
8. What is the Shmoneh Esreh?
9. What is the basis for considering prayer a Torah requirement?
/*789320What does “Birchos Hashachar” mean?
10. What is the purpose for reciting Birchos Hashachar?
11. Why did the sages ordain blessings before eating and deriving benefits from this world?
12. Deleted.
13. What must be done before reciting any of the Birchos Hashachar?
14. Deleted.0
15. Why do we recite a few verses and a Mishnah immediately after the Torah Blessings?
16. What should you do if you forgot to recite the Birchos Hashachar before the morning
service?
17. When, aside from the Birchos Hashachar do we recite Asher Yatzar?
18. Study of Blessings
18.1. What is a Brachah?
18.2. Define the components of a Brachah.
18.2.1. –
18.2.2. –
18.2.3. –
18.3. What is a “short brachah”?
18.4. What is a “long brachah”?
18.5. What is a “brachah in a series”?
18.6. What does “Asher kidshanu b’mitzvothov” signify?

Lesson 11

Part 1

1. How should one dress for prayers?

2. Why should one not eat or drink before the morning prayers?
3. Who should eat and/or drink before the morning service?
4. May one take medicine before morning prayers?
5. What are the requirements for the places where you pray?
6. What must you avoid seeing or hearing when reciting blessings or prayers?
7. What parts of the service require a minyan?
8. Deleted
9. Deleted
10. What is the basis for considering a synagogue as being holy?

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11. Why may one not take a short-cut thru the synagogue?
12. What is a Genizah? What must be sent to a Genizah?
13. How do we show respect to holy books? Why do Orthodox Jews use the term Sefer /
Sefarim in English?
14. What is a Chumash? What does the word Chumash mean?
15. How do Tzitzith add up to 613?
16. What is a Talith katan and how is it constructed?
17. What are the minimum dimensions for a Talith katan?
18. What blessing is recited on a Talith katan?
19. What blessing is recited on a Talith gadol?
20. If you wear both, how many blessings do you recite and on what?
21. Why is wool considered the preferred cloth for a Talis?

Part 2 Tefillin

22. Define the elements of Tefillin.

23. What are the boxes made of?
24. What are the straps made of?
25. Define Stam.
26. When are Tefillin not worn?
27. Why do we usually don the Talis before the Tefillin?
28. Why should one not daven in the morning without his Tefillin?
29. What is the order of donning (laying) Tefillin?
30. What is the correct area for the Tefillah shel yad to rest?
31. Where must one place the Tefillah shel rosh?
32. What are the laws of a lefty?
33. What care should be taken when returning the Tefillin to their case?

Part 3 The start of the Morning Service

34. What is meant by Kavannah?

35. Define the parts of Shacharis.
36. What is Baruch Sheamar? On what page can you find it in the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz
Siddur/ Tehilot Hashem?
37. What is Yishtabach? On what page can you find it in the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur /
Tehilot Hashem?
38. When may one not talk?
39. What is Ashrey?
40. What is “Half Kaddish” and why is it said at the end of Pesukey D’zimra?
41. What is the special response recited in the Kaddish?
42. What are you supposed to do if you arrive during the service?

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43. What are the passages that make up the Shma? On what pages can you find them in the
ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur or the Tehilot Hashem?
44. What is unique about the first verse of the Shma?
45. What is the earliest time of the day for reciting the morning Shma?
46. What is the latest time of the day for reciting the morning Shma?

Lesson 12

Part 1 The Shmoneh Esreh

1. Where does one face when reciting the Shmoneh Esreh?

2. When do we bow?
3. What is the theme of the first section?
4. What does the first section include?
5. What is the theme of the second section?
6. What is the theme of the first blessing?
7. Who were the Patriarchs?
8. What is the theme of the second blessing?
9. When do we say, “Who makes the rain descend”?
10. What does “holy” mean?
11. What is the Kedushah?
12. What is required to recite the Kedushah?
13. May one recite the Kedushah while praying the silent Shmoneh Esreh?
14. What is the theme of the fourth blessing?
15. What is the prayer for rain and when is it recited?
16. What is the theme of the fifth blessing?
17. How would you consider it linked to healing?
18. What is the theme of the sixth blessing?
19. How would you consider it linked to blessing?
20. If you would give a title to the series of the 4th, 5th, and 6th blessing, what would it be?
21. What is the theme of the seventh blessing?
22. What is the theme of the eighth blessing?
23. What is the theme of the ninth blessing?
24. If you would give a title to the series of the 7th, 8th, and 9th blessings, what would it be?
25. What is the theme of the tenth blessing?
26. What is the theme of the eleventh blessing?
27. What is the theme of the twelfth blessing?
28. What is the theme of the thirteenth blessing?
29. Combining the 11th and 12th blessings into one, compare the 7th, 8th, and 9th to the 10th, 11th
and 12th, and 13th blessings. What pattern can you determine?
30. Can you include the 4th, 5th, and 6th blessings somewhat in that pattern?

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31. Now that you have a pattern for the columns, what patterns have you developed for the
rows?
32. What is the theme of the 14th blessing?
33. How is this theme a continuation of the column pattern?
34. What is the theme of the 15th blessing?
35. What is the theme of the 16th blessing?
36. What makes this blessing different from all other blessings of the Shmoneh Esreh?
37. What is the theme of the 17th blessing?
38. What is Yaale v Yavo?
39. What is the theme of the 18th blessing?
40. What is the blessing of the Kohanim?
41. What is the theme of the 19th blessing?
42. What is the nature of the prayer after the Shmoneh Esreh?
43. Fill in the following:
Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3
Theme 1 4- 5- 6-
Theme 2 7- 8- 9-
Theme 3 10- 11/12 13-
Theme 4 14- 15- 16-

Part 2 Rest of the Morning Service

44. What is Tachanun?

a. On what page can you find it in the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur?
b. How is it recited?
c. When is it omitted?
45. Who declared that the Torah be read on Mondays and Thursdays?
46. How many men are called to the Torah on Mondays and Thursdays?
47. What is the procedure of receiving an Aliyah?
48. What is Kedushah dsidra?
49. In what language is Kaddish read?
50. When is Kaddish recited?
51. What are the important responses to Kaddish?

Part 3 Minchah and Maariv

52. What is special about Minchah?

53. When may Minchah be recited?
54. What are the parts of the Maariv Service?
55. When may Maariv be recited?
56. What is added in the service on Saturday nights?
57. Why may one not eat from nightfall until after reciting Maariv?

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Lesson 13

1) Define: Birchos Ha-nehenin

2) Define: Birchos Ha-mitzvos.
3) Define: Birchos Ha-shevach.
4) Define: Brachah l-vatalah.
5) Every blessing begins with two parts. Define these parts and translate their content (we
already covered this, but it is important for you to know it).
6) Define Kzayith
7) Define Kveiah
8) What is the minimum amount of bread to require a blessing on washing hands280?
9) How do we wash hands before eating bread?
10) What is required of the vessel from which we wash?
11) What should be on the table when eating?
12) What is the minimum amount of bread that one must eat to recite grace after the meal?
13) If one forgot to recite grace, may he recite it afterwards? For how long?
14) If you ate a dessert that required a blessing before it, must you recite a blessing after it
before or after grace?
15) What is mayim acharonim?
16) What is Zimun (mezuman)?
17) How many men are required for Zimun?
18) List and describe the blessings of grace.
19) What is the “cup of blessing”?
20) What is added on the Sabbath? Holidays?
21) What is Al Hanisim?
22) What do you do if you forgot Al Hanisim?
23) What do you do if you forgot the Sabbath and Holiday additions?
24) Failing to recite a blessing before eating is the equivalent of ________ from Hashem.
25) What should one do with food when reciting a blessing on it?
26) Define the blessings you would recite on
a) Bread
b) Cake
c) Soda
d) Apples
e) Watermelon
f) Bananas
27) What are the blessings you would recite before smelling something fragrant?
28) When eating two fruits, with two different blessings, which do say first?

280
Note: SH does not follow the opinion of the Vilna Gaon.

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29) When would one not recite a blessing before drinking water?
30) What is the minimum you must eat to be able to recite an after-blessing?
31) What are the three after-blessings?
32) What is the procedure for after-blessings if you ate grapes and apples?
33) Where should the after-blessings be recited?
34) When does one recite a She-he-chi-ya-nu blessing on fruit?
35) When does one recite a She-he-chi-ya-nu blessing on clothing?
36) Give a few other examples of purchases that require a She-he-chi-ya-nu blessing.
37) What is Hagomel and when is it recited?
38) What is the blessing over lightning?
39) What is the blessing over thunder?
40) What is the blessing over seeing fruit trees that are blooming? (No, you do not have to
memorize it, no one does.)
41) What is Tefilas Haderech?
42) When is it recited?

Lesson 14

1) What do we demonstrate by observing the Sabbath?

2) Why do Jews try to shop for the Sabbath early on Friday mornings?
3) What are other preparations that should be performed on Fridays in honor of the Sabbath?
4) How do we honor the Sabbath in our dress?
5) Why should we wash (laundry) on Thursdays?
6) How else should one prepare himself for the Sabbath?
7) When are candles lit?
8) Where are candles lit?
9) What is unique about candle lighting for women?
10) What is the blessing for candle lighting?
11) What are the components of the Kabbalath Shabbath service?
12) How is the Maariv service changed on Friday nights? (multiple answers)
13) What do we sing when we return home from the synagogue?
14) What is the blessing of the children?
15) What is Asheth Chayil?
16) How much wine must the cup hold in order to be considered kosher for Kiddush?
17) If there is no wine available, how does one make Kiddush on Friday night?
18) What should one do with the Challah before starting Kiddush (when setting the table)?
19) How many Challahs should be on the table?
20) Which is cut on Friday night?
21) What are zemiros?

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Lesson 15

1) How does Pesukey Dzimra differ on Shabbath morning?

2) What is Nishmath?
3) When is the Torah Read on Shabbath Morning?
4) How many men must be in the synagogue for the Torah to be read?
5) What is the minimum number of men called to read from the Torah on Shabbath mornings?
6) Which Aliyos may a Kohen receive?
7) What is recited after the regular reading before the Maftir is called?
8) What is the Haftarah?
9) How many times must each Jew read the weekly Torah portion?
10) How does one make Kiddush on Shabbath morning - If wine is not available what may one
use?
11) What is read from the Torah at the Minchah service?
12) What is usually done immediately following Minchah?
13) What is Tzeis ha-kochavim?
14) What does one add to the Shmoneh Esreh on Motzay Shabbath?
15) What is Kiddush Levanah? When is it recited?
16) What are the blessings of Havdalah?
17) What may no one do before Havdalah?
18) What is a Melaveh Malkah?

Lesson 16

1) How does one keep the Sabbath holy?

2) Define a Melachah.
3) What is an Av Melachah?
4) What is a Toldah?
5) How many Melachos are there?
6) List some activities that would be included under Plowing.
7) List some activities that would be included under Sowing.
8) Why may one not climb trees on Shabbath?
9) Why should one not make an “Israeli salad” on Shabbath?
10) Why may one not polish nails on Shabbath?
11) Why may one not smoke on Shabbath?
12) How should one make tea on Shabbath?
13) May one tear bread and drop it into hot soup on Shabbath?
14) What is yad soledes bo?
15) What are the requirements in order to return a pot with cooked food to the stove?
a) The stove must be
b) Your intent must have been
c) The food must still be

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d) The food must be

e) The pot must be
16) May you drink the juice that is extracted while eating a grapefruit?
17) May you squeeze a lemon onto a slice of salmon?
18) How do we select an item we want on Shabbath?
19) How may we peel fruit on Shabbath?
20) What is included in the prohibition of washing on Shabbath?
21) May one sweep on the Shabbath?
22) May we braid our hair on the Shabbath?
23) What is pikuach nefesh?
24) Why may one cause bleeding on the Sabbath?
25) What is the status of fruit that fell off a tree on Shabbath?
26) Define: Reshus harabim.
27) Define: Reshus hayachid
28) Define: Carmelis
29) What is the definition of carrying in the Torah?
a) Transferring from ______ to ______
b) Carrying at least a distance of ________ in a
30) What is an Eruv Chatzeros?
31) Define: Muktzeh.
32) Define: Keli
33) Define: Keli she melachto l’issur.
34) Define: Muktzeh machmas chisaron kis.
35) Define: Muktzeh machmas gufo
36) What is unique about the category of keli she melachto l’issur?
37) List a few details that are important to complete before the start of the Sabbath.

Lesson 17

During the next week, read Shaarei Halachah – pages 327 thru 338. Answer the following
questions:

1) Why is Kashruth considered one of the pillars of Judaism?

2) Why are forbidden foods more important than any other forbidden act?
3) Why is Kashruth the main topic of rabbinic ordination qualifying examinations?
4) Why is rabbinic supervision required for:
a) Bread?
b) Chocolate?
c) Canned goods?
d) Cakes?
5) Why is it necessary to know that a Kashruth organization is reputable?
6) Which mammals are kosher?

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7) Which birds are kosher?

8) Which fish are kosher?
9) What may render a mammal from a kosher species to be non-kosher?
10) What is Chelev?
11) Why do we in the English-speaking world not eat the hind portions of mammals?
12) What is Nikkur?
13) Why is blood forbidden?
14) Why do we check eggs for blood spots?
15) How do we remove blood from an animal after slaughter?
16) What is the nature of the prohibition of milk and meat?
17) What does pareve mean?
18) How long do you wait after eating meat before eating dairy?
19) May two people eat different status foods (meat and milk) on the same table?
20) May one make milchig or fleischig bread, and if so, under what circumstances?
21) May one use the same utensils for meat and milk?
22) May one use the same dishwasher for meat and milk?
23) May one use the same oven for meat and milk?
24) What is the prohibition of eating non-Jewish bread?
25) What is the nature of the prohibition of food cooked by a non-Jew?
26) What is the nature of wine that has been touched or carried by a non-Jew?
27) Define Tevilas Kelim.
28) What requires Tevilas Kelim?
29) How is Tevilas Kelim performed?

Lesson 18

1) Where are “the corners of the head” located281?

2) Where are “the edges of the beard” located?
3) What is forbidden when it comes to the Peos of the head?
4) What is forbidden when it comes to the Peos of the beard?
5) What is Shaatnez?
6) How do you know if a garment has Shaatnez in it?
7) Is a mixture of wool and polyester Shaatnez?
8) If the label of a vest lists only wool and silk need it be checked for Shaatnez?
9) Define a Mezuzah.
10) On what is the Mezuzah written?
11) What font is used for writing a Mezuzah?
12) Where is a Mezuzah affixed?
13) How is a Mezuzah written?
281
In terms of shaving, his comments are too curt for anyone to understand. As such, you will have to discuss these
laws with your Rosh Yeshiva, Rav, or mentor.

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14) When is a baby boy circumcised?

15) What is a Pidyon Haben?
16) Who must be redeemed?
17) Define Gemilas Chasadim.
18) Define Tzedakah.

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General Information
1) List the major holidays
2) What are the additional days of the exile?
3) May one cook on the first day of Yom Tov for the following night (part of the second
day)?
4) May one turn on lights on Yom Tov?
5) How may one start a fire on Yom Tov?
6) When does one light candles on the second night of Yom Tov (when not Shabbath)?
7) May one cook on Yom Tov?
8) What is the goal of the joy on Yom Tov?
9) May one squeeze fruit to extract their juice on Yom Tov?
10) How is selecting different on Yom Tov?
11) What is an Eruv Tavshilin?
12) How is it created?
13) How many meals must be served each Yom Tov day?
14) What is added to grace after meals on Yom Tov?
15) List the months of the Jewish year and how many days are found in each.
16) What is a Hebrew leap year?
17) When do Hebrew Leap Years occur?
18) What is Shabbath Mevarchim?
19) What is done when Rosh Chodesh occurs on Sunday?
20) What is added to the Shmoneh Esreh on Rosh Chodesh?
21) What is Hallel?
22) Which form of Hallel is recited on Rosh Chodesh?
23) What is read from the Torah on Rosh Chodesh?
24) How many men are called to the Torah reading on Rosh Chodesh?
25) What is the law if someone forgot Yaaleh v yavo on Rosh Chodesh evening?
26) What is the law if someone forgot Yaaleh v yavo on Rosh Chodesh morning?

Rosh Hashanah
1) What does Erev mean?
2) How should one spend Erev Rosh Hashanah?
3) Why do we recite many more Selichos on Erev Rosh Hashanah than other days?
4) What is Hataras Nedarim?
5) What is a Machzor?
6) Why is the Shofar not blown on Erev Rosh Hashanah?
7) What is the main theme of Rosh Hashanah?
8) How many Sifrey Torah are taken from the Ark on Rosh Hashanah?
9) What do we read from each?
10) When do we not blow Shofar on Rosh Hashanah?
11) How many blessings are recited in the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah?

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12) What is Malchuyoth?

13) What is Zichronoth?
14) What is Shofaroth?
15) From what animal is a Shofar made?
16) What does an apple dipped in honey symbolize?
17) What is Tashlich?
18) Where is it recited?

Yom Kippur

1. List the public fast days:

2. What do we do when a fast day occurs on Shabbath?
3. Complete: Fast days are intended as an opportunity for one to ______.
4. Except for Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur, when do we start to fast on a fast day?
5. When may we break fasts?
6. Who is not allowed to fast?
7. Which Mitzvah do we promote during these days?
8. Which three activities are stressed during these days?
9. What is read from the Torah on fast days?
10. What are Selichos?
11. What is Avinu Malkenu and when is it said?
12. How is the Shmoneh Esreh changed on these days?
13. How is the Kaddish changed on these days282?
14. What is Kapparos?
15. How does one obtain atonement for sins against another person?
16. What is skipped in the morning service on the day before Yom Kippur? Why?
17. What do we add to the afternoon service on the day before Yom Kippur?
18. Why must one eat on this day?
19. When does the fast begin and why?
20. Why do parents bless their children on the eve of Yom Kippur?
21. When should one put the Talis on?
22. What is Tefilas Zakah?
23. Are the prohibitions of work on Yom Kippur the holiday or the Sabbath
prohibitions?
24. List “The Five Afflictions”.
25. What is Kol Nidrei?
26. Why is the Brachah of She-he-chi-ya-nu recited at the end of Kol Nidrei?
27. Why is the night service on Yom Kippur sometimes called “The prayer service of
Kol Nidrei” rather than “Maariv of Yom Kippur”?
28. Which verse, usually whispered, is said out loud on Yom Kippur at all services?

282
Chabad – Skip this question.

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29. How many Sifrey Torah are removed from the ark on Yom Kippur morning and
what is read?
30. Why do we say Aleynu on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the middle of the
Mussaf Service?
31. Why do we recite the Temple Service of Yom Kippur?
32. Why do most congregations not recite Aleynu at the conclusion of Mussaf?
33. Why do we read the Book of Yonah (Jonah) on Yom Kippur at Minchah?
34. What is Ne’ilah?
35. Ideally, when should Ne’ilah be started?
36. Why does the afternoon service (Minchah) not start with Ashrey but the Ne’ilah
service does?
37. Describe the themes you encountered in your reading of the ArtScroll Machzor.

Sukkoth
1. What is a Sukkah?
2. What is a “pilgrimage festival”?
3. List the pilgrimage festivals.
4. Where must the Sukkah be built?
5. How many walls should the Sukkah have?
6. From what may the walls be constructed?
7. What are the minimum length and width dimensions for a Sukkah?
8. What may be used for the Sukkah’s roof?
9. Why do we decorate the Sukkah?
10. What do we do when it rains on Sukkoth?
11. List the “Four Species” that are part of the special Mitzvah on Sukkoth.
12. How are the Four Species combined and held?
13. What do we do before and immediately after reciting their blessing?
14. What are Hoshanoth?
15. How are they recited?
16. Why are they so difficult to understand?
17. How do we celebrate Hol Hamoed?
18. What is Hoshanah Rabbah?
19. What is Shmini Atzeres?
20. What is Geshem and why is it recited on Shmini Atzeres?
21. What do we start to add to the Shmoneh Esreh on Shmini Atzeres?
22. What is Simchath Torah?
23. What is unique about Simchath Torah night service?
24. How does your synagogue celebrate Simchath Torah?
25. Which parts of the Torah are read on Simchath Torah?
26. Why is the Torah finished on Simchath Torah and not on a regular Shabbath?

Hanukah

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1. When does Hanukah begin?

2. What is added to the Torah Reading on Hanukah?
3. Where should we place the Hanukah lights?
4. When do we light the Hanukah lights?
5. What is the order of setting up the lights?
6. What is the order of lighting the lights?
7. What do we say after we light the lights?
8. Why is a Hanukiyah lit in the synagogue?
9. When do we light the lights on Fridays?
10. How long should lights burn?
11. What are the food customs on Hanukah?
12. What is the 10th of Teveth?
13. What is Tu b’Shvat?

Purim

During the next week, read Shaarei Halachah – pages 280 thru 287. Read the Book of
Esther. Answer the following questions:

1. What is unique about the month of Adar on leap years?

2. What are “The Four Parshiyoth”?
3. When does Shabbath Shkalim occur?
4. What do we read on it?
5. When is Parshath Zachor read?
6. What is its Maftir?
7. What is its Haftarah?
8. Why is Parshath Parah read?
9. What is read on Parshath Hachodesh?
10. Why do we fast on Taanith Esther?
11. Summarize the Book of Esther.
12. When is the Book of Esther read?
13. What blessings are recited before the Book of Esther is read?
14. What blessing is recited after the Book of Esther is read?
15. Define Mishloach Manos.
16. Define Matanoth Laevyonim.
17. Define the Purim feast.
18. Identify:
a) Achashverosh
b) Vashti
c) Mordechai
d) Esther
e) Haman

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f) Chavorna
g) Bigthan and Teresh

Pesach

During the next week, read Shaarei Halachah – pages 288 thru 300. Answer the following
questions:

1. Define Kimcha d’Pischa.

2. Define Shabbath Hagadol.
3. Why is part of the Hagaddah read on Shabbath Hagadol?
4. What are the three parts of the Torah prohibition of Chametz on Pesach?
5. List the five grains.
6. Why must one search for chametz on the night before Pesach?
7. What must be done with any chametz you find in your house on Pesach?
8. Define bitul chametz.
9. Why do you sell your chametz to a non-Jew?
10. Why must you look for a “kosher for Passover” symbol on a label?
11. What is the nature of rice on Pesach?
12. What must you do in the kitchen to prepare for Pesach?
13. How late may you eat chametz on the 14th of Nisan?
14. What do we do with the leftover chametz and when do we do it?
15. What work may be performed on the eve of Pesach?
16. How does one prepare for the Seder?
17. What is Charoses?
This is the easy part. Now for the harder part.

The Seder
I am going to ask everyone to read an entire Hagadah, but first, there are several
sections of the Torah that I want you to read to better understand the Hagadah.
Torah Readings:
1. Genesis 12: 10-20
2. Genesis 15: 8-21
3. Genesis 37: 1-36
4. Genesis 39 through the end of Genesis.
5. Deuteronomy 26: 1-12 – please read this very carefully and more than once.
You will see the words from verse five repeated in the Hagadah.

Hagadah Readings:
Read and identify the functions for:
1. Kadesh;

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2. Urchatz;
3. Karpas;
4. Yachatz;

Then read the beginning of Magid. Stop when you get to the words “Laban” or
“Aramean”. You’ve read four “questions”. What are they? What are the reasons for the
questions? Have there always been four questions? The Talmud says that the answer
must start with dishonor and end with honor. There are two answers. What are they
and how do they differ? Why do we talk about the “four sons”?
The main part of “Magid” – read the Hagadah along with the verses below:
1. Read Deuteronomy 26:5; Genesis 47:4; Exodus 1:7
2. Read Deuteronomy 26:6; Exodus 1:10-13
3. Read Deuteronomy 26:7; Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 1:22; Exodus 3:9
4. Read Deuteronomy 26:8; Exodus 12:12; Note that the author of the Hagadah is
concentrating on the “TI” suffix, which means I will (using the Vav Hameapech) in
each of the verbs of this verse. Therefore, Hashem is saying, “I will pass through
Egypt on that night; I will strike the first born in the land of Egypt … I will execute
justice, I, Hashem. The author of the Hagadah points out that this was done by
Hashem Himself, rather than by an appointed angel, Seraph, or Messenger. The
Hagadah goes back to the main verse and applies action to each of the nouns in
it. Exodus 9:1-3; Exodus 4:17; Joel 3:3 for examples. The verse in Joel ends with
“Blood, Fire, and Columns of smoke” for each of these words we take a drop of
happiness from our cups of wine. However, 26:8 has five nouns in the predicate,
each of them stated plural. Adding them up you get the number 10, equal to the
ten plagues. As each is enumerated, a drop is spilled from the cup.
5. Read Deuteronomy 26:9(just to finish the Parshah of The First Fruits).
6. Read the Hagadah’s next two paragraphs. We acknowledge all the great things
that Hashem did for us when we left Egypt, spent forty years in the dessert, and
entered the Land of Israel.

The Haggadah then continues with describing the three Mitzvot of eating on Pesach
night when we were able to offer the Pesach lamb. We then start the Hallel, reciting
the first two paragraphs here (the rest will be recited later).
Magid (which is number 5 in the Order) ends with a blessing thanking Hashem for
our Mitzvah of serving Him. We then bless283 and drink the second cup of the night.
6. Rochtzah – wash hands for Hamotzey. This time we do recite the Brachah;
7. Motzey – pick up all three Matzoth and recite Hamotzey on them but DO NOT
EAT.

283
Ashkenazim only. Sefardim do NOT make a blessing to drink the second and forth cups of wine.

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8. Matzah – Drop the bottom Matzah and recite a blessing on the Mitzvah of eating
Matzah tonight. Each person gets at least one kzayith and eat it without talking
(men while reclining).
9. Maror – take a kzayith of the Maror, say a blessing, and eat it sitting up.
10. Korech – take a kzayith of Matzah and one of Maror, combine, recite “Hillel …”
and eat, men reclining.
11. Shulchan Orech – time for the festive meal.
12. Tzafun – we bring the Afikomen to the table and eat a kzayith or more, men
reclining.
13. Barech – we recite Birkat Hamozon (We Bentsch) Bless and drink the third cup of
wine.
14. Hallel – the fourth cup is filled. A cup is filled for Eliyahu. We finish the Hallel
and recite Psalm 136. We say Nishmath kol chai and many bless and drink the
forth cup at this point. Others recite one of the songs and then drink the forth
cup.
15. Nirtzah – Your Seder is accepted on high. Sing the traditional songs and some
also recite Shir Hashirim.

Define each of the following parts of the Seder:

1. Kadesh
2. Urchatz
3. Karpas
4. Yachatz
5. Magid
6. Rochtzah
7. Motzey
8. Matzah
9. Maror
10. Korech
11. Shulchan Orech
12. Tzafun
13. Barech
14. Hallel
15. Nirtzah

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Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 301 thru 308. Note that most congregations that pray
Nusach Ashkenaz in the Diaspora do not recite Hallel in the evening service; however
Chassidic congregations do recite Hallel in the evening service.
Answer the following questions:

1. How do we fulfill the Mitzvah of discussing the Exodus?

2. Why do children recite Ma Nishtanah?
3. How many cups of wine do we drink at the Seder?
4. What is a revi’is?
5. How much wine must we drink of each of the cups?
6. Why do we eat Karpas?
7. What foods are typical for Karpas?
8. Define Yachatz.
9. Why do we recite two blessings over the Matzah instead of just one the entire year?
10. How many times must we eat Matzah at the Seder?
11. Define Maror.
12. What is the prayer for dew? When is it recited?
13. What else now changes in the Shmoneh Esreh?
14. What is the Omer?
15. When do we begin to count the Omer?
16. How does Hallel on Pesach differ from Hallel on Sukkoth?
17. What is the Song of Songs? When is it read?
18. How do we know that the Song of Songs has been read in synagogues for a very long
time, perhaps even before the writing of the Mishnah?

Shavuoth

Read Shaarei Halachah – pages 309 thru 324. Answer the following questions:
1. From what do we count and to what do we count?
2. When do we count?
3. Why do we mourn during these days?
4. How so some observe Shavuoth?

The Three Weeks

5. What evil things occurred on the 17th of Tammuz?

6. What are the “Three Weeks”?
7. How do we observe the Three Weeks?
8. What do we stop doing on Rosh Chodesh Av (Ashkenazim)?
9. Describe the final meal before Tisha B’Av.
10. What is unique about the fast of Tisha B’Av?
11. Why may one not sit on a chair or sofa the night or morning of Tisha B’Av?
12. Why may one not greet anyone on Tisha B’Av?

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13. What may one study on Tisha B’Av?

14. What is different about the tune of the service the night of Tisha B’Av?
15. What is Eichah and when is it read?
16. What are Kinoth?
17. When are Tefillin worn on Tisha B’Av?
18. What is added to the Minchah Shmoneh Esreh only on Tisha B’Av?
19. When are the laws of the Nine Days and Three Weeks relaxed (Ashkenazim and
Sephardim have slightly different answers).

Ellul
20. What are the themes of the month of Ellul?
21. What are the Thirteen Midoth?
22. Why do Ashkenazim blow Shofar during Ellul?

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Additional Test

Note: There are some differences to the answers depending on your community.
A. Mitzvoth
1. Define Mitzvah
2. How many Mitzvoth are there?
3. Why can no one do all the Mitzvoth and does that matter?

B. Blessings
4. A blessing must contain two components at the beginning. They are
a.
b.
5. A blessing may be defined as short or long. The difference between them is that
a short blessing is limited to:
6. Long blessings may be in recited as part of a sequence. When these are recited as
part of a sequence, what parts are not required at the beginning?
7. There are certain conditions that prohibit us to recite a blessing. Where may one
not recite a blessing?
8. What are the minimum clothing requirements to recite a blessing?
9. Define: Birchos Ha-nehenin
10. Define: Birchos Ha-mitzvos.

C. Morning Preparations
11. When do you say Modeh Ani?
12. What may you do before washing hands?
13. What is the preferred method for washing hands in the morning (negel wasser)?
14. When is one required to wash negel wasser? (Please give at least 5 instances)
15. Why should one not walk naked in the privacy of her/his own home?
16. What does “Birchos Hashachar” mean?
17. What is the purpose for reciting Birchos Hashachar?
18. Which is the first of the Birchos Hashachar?
19. What must be done before reciting any of the Birchos Hashachar?
20. Why do we recite a few verses and a Mishnah immediately after the Torah
Blessings?
21. What should you do if you forgot to recite the Birchos Hashachar before the
morning service?
22. When, aside from the Birchos Hashachar do we recite Asher Yatzar?
23. How do Tzitzith add up to 613?
24. What is a Talith katan and how is it constructed?
25. What are the minimum dimensions for a Talith katan?
26. What blessing is recited on a Talith katan?
27. What blessing is recited on a Talith gadol?

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Additional Test

28. If you wear both (Talis Katan and Talis Gadol), how many blessings do you recite
and on what?

Tefillin (men only)

29. When should a man put on tefillin?
30. Define the elements of Tefillin.
31. What are the boxes made of?
32. What are the straps made of?
33. Define Stam.
34. When are Tefillin not worn?
35. Why do we usually don the Talis before the Tefillin?
36. Why should one not daven in the morning without his Tefillin?
37. What is the order of donning (laying) Tefillin?
38. What is the correct area for the Tefillah shel yad to rest?
39. Where must one place the Tefillah shel rosh?
40. What are the laws of a lefty?
41. What care should be taken when returning the Tefillin to their case?

D. Davening/Praying
42. What are the Hebrew names of the following services: Morning:
43. Additional:
44. Afternoon:
45. Evening:
46. Who started praying them first?
47. May one take medicine before morning prayers?
48. May one eat before morning prayers?
49. When may one begin to recite the Morning Service?
50. What are the passages that make up the Shma?
51. What is very unique about the first verse of the Shma?
52. What is the earliest time of the day for reciting the morning Shma?
53. What is the latest time of the day for reciting the morning Shma?
54. How many blessings are there in the weekday Shmoneh Esreh?
55. What are the sections in the weekday Shmoneh Esreh?
56. Who instituted the Shmoneh Esreh? When did they live?
57. There is one item that must not be in front of you when praying. What is it? Which
famous English author knew this law?
58. How many blessings are recited before saying the Shma (after Borchu)?
59. How many blessings are recited between the Shma and the Shmoneh Esreh in the
morning?
60. What is Ashrey?
61. How many times does one say Ashrey each day?
62. How many times a day are men obligated in davening?

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Additional Test

63. Is ma’ariv obligatory or minhag/custom?

64. Are men obligated in Krias Shemah? How many times a day?
65. What prayers are recited everyday?
66. What "berachos” are recited everyday?
67. If you have a specific prayer and don’t know where to say it, where may you say
it? (two answers are correct.)
68. What does Kavannah mean?
69. What is Kaddish, and when is it recited?
70. Where should one face when reciting the Shmoneh Esreh?
71. What is the prayer for rain and when is it recited?
72. What is Tachanun?
73. How is it recited?
74. When is it omitted?
75. When may Minchah be recited?
76. When may Maariv be recited?
77. What is Tzeis ha-kochavim?
78. What parts of the services require a minyan?
79. When do we pray for rain?

Synagogues and Sefarim

80. How should one dress for prayers?
81. Who should eat and/or drink before the morning service?
82. May one take medicine before morning prayers?
83. What are the requirements for the places where you pray?
84. What must you avoid seeing or hearing when reciting blessings or prayers?
85. What parts of the service require a minyan?
86. When does a boy become a Bar Mitzvah?
87. When does a girl become a Bath Mitzvah?
88. What is the basis for considering a synagogue as being holy?
89. Why may one not take a short-cut thru the synagogue?
90. What is a Genizah? What must be sent to a Genizah?
91. How do we show respect to holy books? Why do Orthodox Jews use the term
Sefer / Sefarim in English?
E. Torah Reading
92. What is a Chumash? What does the word Chumash mean?
93. Who instituted the Torah Reading on Mondays and Thursdays?
94. What is the order of taking the Torah out of the Aron Hakodesh?
95. How many men are called to the Torah on Mondays and Thursdays?
96. What is Hagbahah? How is it done? What is the man who performs it called?
97. What is Gelillah? How is it done? What is the man who performs it called?
98. How many men are called to the Torah on Rosh Chodesh?
99. What is the procedure of receiving an Aliyah?

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Additional Test

100. How is the Sefer Torah written?

F. Brachot
101. When do you need to say a before food brachot?
102. What do you do if you get partway through your meal and realize you
forgot to say the before food bracha?
103. If you have bread do you need to say any brachot other than hamotzi?
104. If you have a mezonot food do you need to say brachot over the other
food?
105. If you have a meal with wine do you need to say a brachot over the other
drinks?
106. Do you have any specific questions on the before brachot?
107. When would one not recite a blessing before drinking water?
108. Define: Kezayis.

What bracha rishona (before bracha) do you say over each of the following?
109. Apple
110. Raisin
111. Grape
112. Wine
113. Bread
114. Cracker
115. Matzah
116. Pizza
117. Water
118. Bread pudding?
119. Instant chicken noodle soup?
120. Nuts – such as almonds
121. Peanuts
122. Banana
What Bracha Achrona (after bracha) do you say after each food/food combination?
123. How much food must you eat to recite a blessing after it?
124. What bracha do you say after having a meal that included bread?
125. What bracha/brachot do you say after having a meal that included bread
and wine?
126. What bracha do you say after having a meal that included crackers?
127. What bracha/brachot do you say after having a meal that included crackers
and a soda?
128. What bracha do you say after having a meal that included crackers and
wine?
129. What bracha do you say after having a meal that included olives?
130. What bracha do you say after having a meal that included raisins?

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131. What bracha do you say after having an apple and a soda?
132. Do you have any questions about a specific situation?
What brachot would you say an in what order for the following food combinations? What
is covered by the 1st brachot? Do you eat the order in a specific order?
133. Sandwich, potato chips, soda
134. Soup, bread, wine, chicken, water
135. Soup, bread, wine, chicken, water, and desert of chocolate cake
136. On Shabbat: soup, bread, wine, chicken, water, and desert of chocolate
cake
137. Wine, wheat crackers, cheese, apple, chocolate bar for desert
138. Corn/tortilla chips, celery, dip, soda
139. Mixed nuts that include peanuts and walnuts
140. Fruit salad containing melons, bananas, and apples
141. Pizza and green salad
142. Is there any food combination that you wonder about?
143. What is Shehacheyanu?
144. At what times/holidays do we say Shehacheyanu?
145. What is the Brachah of Asher Yatzar? Do you know it by heart?
146. What is Tefilas Haderech?
147. When is it recited?
148. What is Hagomel and when is it recited?
149. What is the blessing over lightning?
150. What is the blessing over thunder?
151. What is the blessing over a rainbow?
152. What is the blessing over seeing fruit trees that are blooming?

G. Kashrus
153. What is the purpose of kashrut?
154. What determines an animal is kosher?
155. What determines a fish is kosher?
156. What determines a bird is kosher?
157. How is meat kashered?
158. How is the liver koshered and why?
159. What does milchig mean?
160. What does fleishig mean?
161. What does parve/pareve mean?
162. What does treif mean?
163. What is a shochet?
164. Why do Anglophones eat only the front part of the mammal (up to the 13th
rib)?
165. How do you know whether a product is kosher?
166. What is a hechsher?

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167. What are the rules about meat and dairy mixtures?
168. What are the rules about meat and fish mixtures?
169. What are the rules about dairy and fish mixtures?
170. What are the waiting rules/customs after eating meat before eating milk?
171. What are the customs after eating milk before eating meat?
172. How does a kosher food become treif?
173. How does a utensil/pot/pan/dish become treif?
174. What substances can be kashered?
175. What substances cannot be kashered?
176. How do you kasher a utensil/pot/pan/dish that becomes treif?
177. What do you do with a meat knife that cut cheese?
H. Shabbat – Part 1 (Bringing It In)
178. What do we demonstrate by observing the Sabbath?
179. How does a woman bring in Shabbat?
180. How does a man bring in Shabbat?
181. By when should candles be lit?
182. Mays you light candles after sunset?
183. What do you do if you need to light candles at home and then drive to
synagogue?
184. What are the components of the Friday night service?
185. What happens if you arrive at a Synagogue and find that the Synagogue is
in the middle close to the end of Kabbalat Shabbat?
186. Why do we sing Shalom Aleychem
187. What is the blessing of the children?
188. What is Asheth Chayil?
I. Shabbat – Part 2 (Prayer/Davening)
189. Do you wear tefillin on Shabbat?
190. Do you wear a tallis on Shabbat?
191. How much wine must the cup hold in order to be considered kosher for
Kiddush?
192. If there is no wine available, how does one make Kiddush on Friday night?
193. What should one do with the Challah before starting Kiddush (when setting
the table)?
194. How many Challahs should be on the table?
195. What are zemiros?
196. What is added to the Pesukey D’zimra on Shabbat?
197. What is Nishmas?
198. How many times do we read the Torah on Shabbat?
199. How many men are called to the Torah on Shabbat?
200. What is a Haftarah? Why was it instituted?
201. Why do we recite Mussaf on the Sabbath?

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J. Shabbat – Part 3 (Melacha/Work)

202. What is the definition of "melakha" (work)?
203. How many Avoth Melachoth are there?
204. Give at least 10 examples of prohibited activities
205. How do we warm food on Shabbat?
206. May we put partially-cooked food on the stove Friday after lighting?
207. What is Muktza?
208. What are the requirements in order to return a port with cooked food to
the stove?
209. What is included in the prohibition of laundering on the Sabbath?
K. Marriage & Divorce
210. What is needed for a Jewish marriage to be valid?
211. What is a get?
212. Why does one need a get?
213. What is a Chupah?
214. Why are two glasses of wine used under the Chupah?

L. The Calendar
Name the Hebrew months starting from the Exodus (extra credit: How many days in
each?)
215. 1
216. 2
217. 3
218. 4
219. 5
220. 6
221. 7
222. 8
223. 9
224. 10
225. 11
226. 12
227. How do we have leap years?
228. How often do we have leap years?
229. What is the Molad?

M. Rosh Hashanah
230. What are the three days of the week that Rosh Hashanah cannot start on
and why?
231. What is the Rosh Hashanah night greeting?
232. How many blessings are said during Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah and why?
233. Name the middle blessings of Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah?

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234. Why do we say Aleynu in the middle of the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah?
235. Name the sounds that are blown from the Shofar and describe them.
236. How many times is the Shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah?
237. What is Avinu Malkeynu?
238. When is Avinu Malkeynu not recited?
239. Why is Aleynu in the middle of Mussaf?
240. What is Tashlich? When is it said?
241. How many people are called to the Torah on Rosh Hashanah?
242. Why is Rosh Hashanah not a Chag?
243. Why do we dip the Challah in honey on Rosh Hashanah, rather than in salt?
244. What is Unesaneh Tokef?

N. 10 Days of repentance
245. How is the Shmoneh Esreh changed in the Days of Repentance?
246. Why do the diamond dealers not sign receipts during the Ten Days of
Repentance?
247. What greeting is said during these days?
248. Why do we fast on Tzom Gedalya?

O. Yom Kippur
249. What are the five fasts of Yom Kippur
250. How many men are called to read the Torah on Yom Kippur?
251. How many services are held on Yom Kippur?
252. What is Kol Nidrey?
253. Why is the evening service of Yom Kippur often called “Tefilas Kol Nidrey”
rather than Maariv?
254. What is different about wearing a Talis on Yom Kippur?
255. What is different about the evening service on Yom Kippur, after the
Amidah?
256. What is the “Avodah” (Avodas Hayom) in Mussaf?
257. Why don’t we say Ashrey before Minchah on Yom Kippur?
258. What is the afternoon Haftarah on Yom Kippur and what does it teach us?
259. What is Neilah (N:ielah)?
P. Sukkoth
260. What are the 4-species?
261. What are the requirements for making a kosher sukkah
262. Are the laws of Sukkot different for men and women?
263. Do we light candles in the sukkah?
264. What are Hoshanos?
265. Which Megillah is read on Sukkoth?
Q. Chanukah
266. What does this holiday commemorate?

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267. Why do we light the candles/oil chanukiah?

268. Do we do Hallel during Chanukah?
269. Do we say Shir Hamalot during Chanukah before Benching?
270. What else is added to the prayers and benching?
R. Leading to Purim
Name the Four Parshiyos
271.
272.
273.
274.
S. Purim
275. What does this holiday commemorate?
276. What are the Mitzvos of Purim?
277. 2:
278. 3:
279. 4:
280. What is added to the Shmoneh Esreh and Benching on Purim?

T. Pesach/Passover
281. What foods are eaten at the Seder?
282. Which foods are prohibited during Pesach (Hametz).
283. What is prohibited after Pesach?
284. What is Kitniyot?
285. Can you own kitniyot during Pesach?
286. What are the restrictions for Chol Homoed?
287. Are there holiday/shabbat restrictions on the last day(s)? And is this
different in Israel?
288. Why do we have to wait one or more hours after Passover is over before
we can eat the chometz in our house?
289. If Shabbat falls on the 3rd day of Pesach can we cook for it on Friday? Do
you have to do anything special before yontif in order to cook on Friday?
290. Name the parts of the Seder:
291. 2
292. 3
293. 4
294. 5
295. 6
296. 7
297. 8
298. 9
299. 10
300. 11

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301. 12
302. 13
303. 14
304. Name the items on the Seder Plate
305. How many Matzos are placed in/on the Seder Plate?
306. What is done with the middle Matzah?
307. How many cups of wine do we drink?
308. How do we eat the Matzah and drink the wine at the Seder?
309. What do we read in the Torah on the morning of the First day of Pesach?
310. What do we read in the Torah on the morning of the Second day of Pesach?
Why is this the same in Israel and the Diaspora?
311. What do we read in the Torah on the Seventh day of Pesach?
312. Which Megillah is read on Pesach?
U. Omer
313. How many days do we count the omer?
314. When do we start the count
315. If you forgot to say it one night what do you do?
316. If you miss saying it 2 nights do you continue counting? With or without a
brachot?
317. Are women equally obligated as men?
318. Is a minyan required for counting the omer and saying the blessing?
319. What holiday do we celebrate at the end of the counting of the omer?
320. What restrictions do we observe over the omer?
321. Do we observe these from the beginning of the omer to the end or do we
observe them for only part of the omer? If only part when do we start & end the
restrictions?
V. Lag B’Omer
322. What does this commemorate
323. What are the traditional observances done in Israel on this day? In the
diaspora?
324. Are weddings allowed on this day?
325. Are there any restrictions on this day?

W. Shavuot
326. What foods are typically eaten on this holiday?
327. What does this holiday commemorate?
328. What mitzvot are observed on this yontif?
329. Is it halacha or minhag to stay up studying all night? Are women obligated
in this?
330. What megillah do we read?
X. The Three Weeks
331. What terrible things happened on the 17th of Tammuz?

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332. What is the significance of the 3 weeks/what does it commemorate?

333. What restrictions are there during the 3 weeks?
334. What should we be thinking about/focusing on during this time?
Y. 9 Days
Differences for Sephardim/Ashkenazim
335. What makes the 9 days different from the 3 weeks?
336. Are there additional restrictions?
337. Are the restrictions different for Ashkenazim & Sephardim?
338. What should we be thinking about and/or studying during this time?
339. Are our prayers different? If so what are the differences?
Z. Tish’a B’av
340. What does this fast commemorate?
341. Is this a 25 hour fast or a “daylight” fast?
342. Are there work restrictions?
343. Are there clothing restrictions?
344. What mitzvot do we do?
345. What observances do we do on this day?
[Link] Hasadim
346. What is gemiluth hasadim?
347. Give examples of gemiluth hasadim.
348. What are the rewards for performing this mitzvah?
BB. Other Laws
349. What is Shaatnez and what must one do to avoid it?
350. How do Jewish men shave?
351. What is a Mezuzah?

Men and Women

352. What is Yichud?
353. What is Nidah?
354. What is Negiah?
355. Why are some of the prohibitions of a man and his wife when a Nidah
stronger than those of a non-married man and woman?

CC. Written and Oral Law

356. What are the three parts of the Tnach and how do they differ:
357. 2:
358. 3:
359. Name the five Chumashim in order:
360. 2:
361. 3:
362. 4:
363. 5:

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364. How many weekly Sidroth (Parshiyoth Hashavua) are there?

365. Where do you find the book of the Psalms?
366. What is it called in Hebrew?
367. Who wrote the Book of Psalms?
368. What is the Talmud?
369. What is the Mishnah?
370. What is the Gemara?
371. What is Pirkei Avot?
372. When was the oral law given?
373. What is a Tana and when did they live?
374. What is an Amora and when did they live?
375. Who were the Rabbanan Savarain and when did they live?
376. Who were the Gaonim and when did they live?
377. What is a Rishon and when did they live?
378. Who was Rabbi Judah the Prince?
379. Who was Ravinna (Rav Inna II) and why was he mourned more than Rabbi
Judah the Prince?
380. Who was Rashi and what did he write?
381. Who was “The Rif” and what did he write?
382. Who was the Rambam? What did he write? What was so very different
about it?
383. Who where the Baaley HaTossafos?
384. Who was the Tur and what did he write? Why is it extremely important
for rabbis to reference it but not often used by regular Jews?
385. Who was Rabbi Yosef Karo and what did he write? What was the reason
he wrote it?
386. Who was Rabbi Moshe Isserles and what did he write?
387. Who was Count Valentine Potocki?
388. Who was Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan and what did he write?
389. Who was Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and what did he write?
390. Why should a non-Jew not study the Oral Law?

Advanced Shabbos Laws

391. How does one squeeze lemon juice on salmon on Shabbos?
392. How does one squeeze lemon juice on tea on Shabbos?
393. What happens when you eat grapefruit and you produce some juice in the
process?
394. What is an Av Melachah?
395. What is a Toladah?
396. When may you move a hammer on Shabbos?
397. When may you move a 2 x 4 on Shabbos?

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398. There are certain objects so valuable that one may not move them on
Shabbos. What is this called?
399. What is required to return an item onto the fire on Shabbos (please state
whether you are Ashkenazic or Sephardic)?
400. What is a Karmelis (Karmelith)?
401. Where may one not construct an Eruv?
402. What is the prohibition of turning on incandescent lights on Shabbos?
403. Why did I limit the previous question to incandescent lights?
404. What is a Kli Rishon?
405. What is a Kli Sheni?
406. What type of food retains its Kli Rishon status even when in a Kli Sheni and
Shlishi?
407. May you add food coloring to water on Shabbos? Why?
408. May you butter bread on Shabbos? Why did I ask this question?
409. What do you do if you arrive home late on a Friday afternoon and have not
yet cooked anything for Shabbos?
410. What are the prerequisites for one to be liable to bring a Sin Sacrifice in
the Temple for violation of the Shabbos laws?
1. you must do
2. and either a or b:
411. Define a Melachah.
412. What is an Av Melachah?
413. What is a Toldah?
414. How many Melachos are there?
415. List some activities that would be included under Plowing.
416. List some activities that would be included under Sowing.
417. Why may one not climb trees on Shabbos?
418. Why should one not make an “Israeli salad” on Shabbos?
419. Why may one not polish nails on Shabbos?
420. Why may one not smoke on Shabbos?
421. How should one make tea on Shabbos?
422. May one tear bread and drop it into hot soup on Shabbos?
423. What is yad soledes bo?

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Words you are likely to hear

Afikoman Piece from the middle Matzah eaten at the end of the meal
Ahavas Hashem Love of G-d
Akeidah The "binding" of Yitzchak (Isaac) by his father, Abraham. Read on
the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
Al Hanassim Addition to the Shmoneh Esreh and Grace on Chanukah and Purim
Aleinu Concluding prayer for all services (at the end of second when two
are said back-to-back). Also one of the high points on Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur during Mussaf.
Aliyah Call to read from the Torah. The person thus called is the "Oleh".
Also: move to Israel.
Amidah The apex of the service. Where we rise and pray silently. AKA:
Shmoneh Esreh
Animals, clean and Kosher and non-kosher animals. Mammals must have cloven hoof
unclean and chew their cud. Birds must be on the Torah's list. Fish must
have removable scales.
Aravos Willow Branches. Waved during Sukkkos.
Arba Kanfos Four-cornered garments. Worn so that men may observe the
Mitzvah of wearing Tsitsis
Arba Kosos Four cups of wine that we drink at the Seder.
Arbaa Minim Esrog (Etrog) the Citron, Willow, Myrtle, and Date palm that we
wave on Sukkos.
Aron Hakodesh The Holy Ark -- where the Torah Scrolls are kept
Aseres Hadibros The Ten Statements (Commandments)
Av, 15th of Minor holiday
Aveilim Mourners
Avinu Malkeinu Prayer said during the 10 days of Teshuva and by most on fast days,
each verse starting with "Our Father Our King" which in Hebrew is
Avinu Malkeinu.
Avodah Service. On Yom Kippur this refers to the recitation of the Temple
Service of the Day during the Repetition of the Amidah of Mussaf.

Baal Bris The father of the boy who is to be circumcised, also the Sandek
Baal kriah The Torah Reader. Aka: Baal Koreh
Bar Mitzvah The transition from boy to man.
Basar be'cholov Meat and Milk (mixture thereof) is a Torah prohibition.
Bedikatz Chometz Search for leaven conducted on the night before Pesach.
Beis Din Court (pl: Batey Din)
Beis Haknesses Synagogue
Beis Hamidrash Synagogue or Study Hall.
Bikur Cholim The act of visiting the ill

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Words you are likely to hear

Bikkurim First Fruits. During the days of the Temple, these were brought to
the Temple with pomp and ceremony.
Bimah The "High Place" where the Torah is read
Bitochen Faith -- Actions based on faith. Emunah is theoretic faith. Bitachon
is actually doing things based on one's faith.
Birkas Hamazon Grace After meals.
Biur Chometz Burning of Chametz on the eve of Passorver
Blood, prohibition of A Torah prohibition of us to eat blood from mammals and birds
Brachos Blessings
Birchos Hashachar The morning (daily) blessings
Bris Milah Circumcision

Chadash New. In Israel one may not eat grain from this year's harvest until
the second day of Pesach. Many will also not eat new grain in the
Diaspora. The opposite is Yoshon. You may notice "Yoshon" in
Hebrew or English on some labels.
Chag Holiday when there is a Chagigah requirement. Specifically Pesah
(Passover), Shavuos, and Sukkos. Technically speaking Rosh
Hashanah is not a Chag.
Chag Hamatzos Passover
Chag Hakatzir Shavuos
Chagiga A peace offering that is required on the Three Festivals. The
majority of this offering is eaten by Jews.
Chalav Milk
Chalav Yisroel Milk that has been produced under supervision. Many Jews will
only drink Chalav Yisrael.
Challah Two different meanings: One: The part of dough that is burnt (in
lieu of given to a Kohen). Two: Braided bread for Shabbos.
Challos Pl of Challah (second meaning)
Chametz Leavened bread
Chamisha Chumshei The Five Fifths of the Torah, The Five Books of Moses
Torah
Chamisha Asar B'Av 15th of Av
Chanukah Minor Holiday when we light the Chanukiah (Menorah), say Hallel,
and celebrate our victory over the Hellenists.
Chanucas Habais Party to celebrate moving into a new house. Words of Torah are
exchanged and blessings are recited over food.
Charoses Mixture of wine, apples, and nuts into which we dip the bitter herbs
on Pesach.

Chazzan Cantor. One who leads the services

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Words you are likely to hear

Chessed Kindness, such as visiting the sick, burying the dead, comforting
mourners
Chessed shel emmes Burying the dead --called truthful because the dead cannot repay
us
Chatzi Hallel "Half" Hallel said on Rosh Chodesh and the last six days of Pesach
when we skip two half paragraphs.
Chatzi Kaddish "Half" Kaddish. Recited between parts of the services.
Chillul Hashem Desecration of the Name
Chinuch Education
Chol Hamoed The middle festival days
Chossen Bereishis The person who is called on Simchas Torah to begin the reading of
Genesis
Chossen Torah The person who is called on Simchas Torah to end the Torah
Reading
Chuppah The marriage canopy.

Elijah, cup of A cup of wine that is left for the Prophet Elijah (Eliyahu) who will
resolve all of our doubts.
Elijah, chair of The chair that is reserved for the Prophet Eliyahu whom Hashem
required to visit us at each and every Bris Milah. Hashem will
forgive anyone who repents and stands close to this chair during
the Milah (circumcision).
Elul, month of Sixth month of the Hebrew Calendar. This is the last month before
Rosh Hashanah and we begin to repent during it.
Emunah Faith
Eruv "Mixture" there are many applications of this word. The most
common one is where all people living in a private domain join
forces to make all their houses one single household and thus they
are able to carry from one to another. The laws of Eruv Chatzeros
(above) are very complicated and it is very, very easy to invalidate
either the virtual walls or the brotherhood of the Eruv. Therefore,
a qualified Posek should be involved in creating one.
Eruv Tashvilin A Rabbinic requirement whereby we may cook and prepare food
from Yom Tov to Shabbos (this is the short form)
Esrog A citron.
Etz Chaim A wooden pole to which the Torah is sewn at the beginning and at
the end. Pl: Atzey Chaim.
Ever min hachay A limb of a living animal. This is prohibited to NON-JEWS as well as
Jews.
Frum Religious (Yiddish)

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Words you are likely to hear

Gelilah Rolling up the Sefer Torah following the reading

Gemara The Talmud
Gemilos Chassidim Doing good deeds (see Chesed)

Geonim The leaders of the Babylonian Yeshivos from 700-1100CE. A great

rabbi can also be called a Gaon.
Gezeiroh A negative Rabbinic decree
Gid Hanoshe The sciatic nerve and its branches, may not be eaten by Jews

Habakkuk One of the 12 "Minor" Prophets

Hadassim Myrtle branches -- three leaves must originate from same x axis to
be kosher
Hagbaah Lifting up the Sefer Torah (Ashekenazic after reading, Sephardic
before reading)
Haggadah The books that contain the Passover Evening Rituals
Haggai One of the 12 "Minor" Prophets
Hakafa Circuit -- either on Sukkos with the four Minim or on Simchas Torah
with the Torah
Hakhnasah Returning the Torah(s) to the Ark
Haknassas Kallah Helping a bride get married --- A VERY big act of kindness
Haknassas Orchim Bringing guests into your home -- A kindness

Hallel The Psalms that are read on the three Chagim and Chanukah, and
by custom also on Rosh Chodesh and (Jerusalem custom) while
preparing a Torah Giant for burial
Haftorah The portion of the Prophets that is read after the Torah reading on
Sabbaths, Festivals, Tisha B'av, and fast days at Minchah
(Ashkenazim)
Halevayas Hames Escorting the departed for burial
Havdalah Ritual at the end of Sabbaths and Festivals
Hechsher A letter or sign that a rabbinic organization (or a single rav)
publishes to state that he permits one to eat products
Hoshana Rabah The last day of Sukkos. Seven Hakofos. Additional Piyutim are
recited. The service is a cross between weekday and holiday. The
Chazan wears white. Many Sephardim and Chassidim blow Shofar.
Hotzaah Removal of the Torah(s) from the Ark.

Isru Chag The day after each of the three major festivals.

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Words you are likely to hear

Kaddish Aramaic Prayer. When Hashem hears our response, HE says,

"Fortunate is the king whose subject praise HIM thus in HIS house."
Kosher OK
Karpas Appetizer served at the Seder
Kavanah Intention (aim in Hebrew) To concentrate on one's prayers
Kedushah Holiness
Kesuvah (Ketuvah) Marriage Contract
Kesuvim (Ketuvim) The Holy Writings. The third part of the Tnach
Kiddush Blessings recited over wine before meals on the Sabbath and Holy
Days
Kiddush Hashem Sanctification of THE NAME. Living and dying in the service of
HASHEM
Kiddushin Marriage Ceremony
Kinos (Kinot) Elegies recited on the 9th of Av
Kittel While cloak worn by men at burial, also on Yom Kippur, some on
Rosh Hashanah, and by the Chazan at special occasions (Geshem,
Tal)
Klei Kodesh Rabbis, Cantors, Baaley Kriah
Kol Hanorim Blessing given to children on Simchas Torah
Kol Nidre Request for Hashem to nullify our vows so that HE will not punish
us for not being able to live up to our expectations. Recited just
before Yom Kippur
Koso Shel Eliyahu Elijah's Cup -- left for the Prophet Eliyahu who will answer all our
questions and remove all our Halachic doubts when he comes to
introduce the Messiah, May he come soon!

L"T Melachos 39 forms of creative activities. All of these are forbidden on the
Sabbath and Yom Kippur.
Lag Ba'Omer the 33rd day of the Omer counting. Also the anniversary of the
death (Jahrzeit) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai author of the Zohar and
father of the Paytan Rabbi Eliezer (HaKalir)
Lechem Mishneh Two loaves of bread over which we break bread on Sabbaths and
Festivals. (also a top commentary on the Rambam)
Lechem Oni The broken piece of Matzah, the poor man’s bread.
Levaya To accompany the living or the previously living
Loshon Hora One of the ways one can sin with one's speech. One must be
careful not to say something that will cause the person to whom
you are speaking to think poorly of a third party. This is the case
even when what you speak is true!
Luach Calendar
Lulav Date palm frond

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Maariv Evening Service

Machar Chodesh Haftarah read on a Sabbath when the next day is Rosh Chodesh,
unless preempted by another Haftarah.
Machatzis Hashekel 1/2 Shekel -- annual tax. We pay it before the Megillah reading on
Purim
Machlokes A dispute. May refer to a dispute between two authorities about
what is the proper way to observe a specific law or custom.
Machzor Special prayer book for holy days
Maftir The portion of the Torah that is given to the man who reads the
Haftarah. On festivals, this is read from a second Torah scroll, on
regular Sabbaths, it is the repetition of the last several verses from
that week's Torah reading.
Matzah Unleavened bread
Matzah Shmurah Unleavened bread that was baked from grain and flour that was
watched to prevent them from becoming leavened.
Matzevo Tombstone
Megillos, 5 Five books of the Holy Writings. They include Shir Hashirim (read
on Pesach), Ruth (read on Shavuos), Eichah (read on Tisha B'Av),
Koheles (read on Sukos), and Esther (read on Purim).
Menachem Ovel Visiting the mourners (an act of Chesed)
(Aveilim)
Menorah In the Temple, had seven wells and wicks, must be lit from pure
olive oil
Mezuzua Two portions from the Shma that are written on parchment and
affixed to the right doorpost
Minchah Afternoon service
Minyan Quorum of ten men
Mishnah The Outline of Oral Law written by Rabbi Judah the Prince circa
200CE
Mishneh Torah Maimonides' Code of Jewish Law; The Book of Deuteronomy
Mizrach East
Mohel The man who circumcises
Muktze Categories of objects that may not be moved on Shabbos and
Festivals. Please note the operative word is 'move'
Mussaf The additional service on Sabbaths, Festivals, and Rosh Chodesh.
This is added immediately following the Morning Service
(Shacharis).

Neilah The final service on Yom Kippur.

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Ner Tomid The eternal flame. Placed in most synagogues before the Ark (Aron
HaKodesh)
Nisayon Test – a way that Hashem proves you worthy.

Omer The fifty day count from Pesach until Shavuos. A mourning period
occurs during this time and there are various customs of how to
count and how to observe this period.

Parshah A paragraph of the Torah. Also the weekly reading (aka: Sidra)
Pas Akum Bread baked by a non-Jew at home
Pas Palter Bread baked by a non-Jewish Store
Pas Yisrael Bread baked by a Jewish baker
Pesach Passover
Pidyon Haben Redemption of the First Born (if a son)
Pirkei Avos The Ethics of Fathers, one of the Books of the Mishnah. Read
during the period following Pesach.
Purim The minor festival that commemorates our salvation in Persia
(Mordechai and Esther).
Purim katan The 14th-15th days of the first Adar in a leap year

Rosh Chodesh The 30th and 1st days of Hebrew months. The Torah is read,
Mussaf is recited. By custom, we recite Hallel.
Rosh Hashanah The first two days of the Hebrew Year.

Sandek The man on whose lap the baby is circumcised.

Seder The "order" of Passover night.
Selichos Prayers for forgiveness.
Shaatnez A mixture of linen and wool. May not be worn. Anyone wearing
Shaatnez will not have his/her prayers heard in heaven. Shaatnez
is limited to linen and wool mixtures, all others are permissible. It
is not easy for a consumer to determine if these are mixed in his
clothing and should take suits, dresses, etc. to a trained Shaatnez
tester. Shaatnez prohibitions include bed linens and anything you
would use to sit on.
Shabbos The Sabbath.
Shabbos Bereishis The first Shabbos after Simchas Torah
Shabbos Chazon The last Shabbos before Tisha B'Av. Certain melodies are changed
to mourning melodies. Most of the Haftarah is chanted to the tune
of Lamentations (Eichah).

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Shabbos Hachodesh The Sabbath before (or of) Rosh Chodesh Nisan. A second Torah is
taken out for Maftir. If this occurs on Rosh Chodesh, then Rosh
Chodesh is read from the Second Torah and HaChodesh is read
from a third Torah. Special Piyutim and Krovetz are recited.
Shabbos Hagadol The Sabbath before Pesach. Special Piyutim are recited. The Rav is
required to deliver a speech dealing with issues of Passover.
Shabbos Mevorechim The last Shabbos of Hebrew months (except Ellul). The new month
is proclaimed.
Shabbos Nachomu The Shabbos following Tisha B'Av.
Shabbos Paro (Parah) The second Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Nisan. One of the four
special Parshiyos,
Shabbos Rosh Chodesh When Rosh Chodesh occurs on Shabbos. A second Sefer Torah is
removed for Maftir. The Haftarah of Shabbos Rosh Chodesh is
usually recited. A special Mussaf is recited and chanted in the
holiday chant.
Shabbos Shekalim The Sabbath of or preceding Rosh Chodesh Adar (II). This Shabbos
has a special reading (with an extra Torah removed from the Ark),
Haftarah, Yotzros (where Yotzros are recited) and Mussafiyos
(where they are recited). It is one of the three times that you can
take out three scrolls on a Shabbos morning.
Shabbos Shirah The Sabbath on which we read Bshalach.
Shabbos Shuvah The Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Rav is
required to give a lecture on Teshuvah. The name comes from the
first word of the Haftarah read on this Shabbos.
Shabbos Zachor The Sabbath before Purim. A second Torah is removed and read.
Yotzros are recited. The reading from the second Torah may
actually be a Mitzvah in the Torah, "To remember what Amalek did
to us."
Shacharis The morning service.
Shalosh Seudos The third Sabbatical meal.
Shavuos The holiday (chag) that celebrates our acceptance of Torah on Mr.
Sinai. It also serves as the festival of the new fruit.
Shechita The act of cutting an animal's neck to slaughter it. The neck must
be cut with a nick-free sharp blade (may not be serrated) in a
sideways motion. Ideally, the entire trachea and esophagus are cut
as well as the arteries leading to the brain. If a majority of these
are not cut in one continuous action (one in a bird), then the animal
is not kosher.
Sheloshim The rest of the period of 30 days following the funeral that is not
included in Shiva. (This period can be cut short by a holiday.)

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Mourning continues for all relatives through this period and ends
for all except parents at the end of it.

Shema Declaration of the Unity of Hashem. Recited twice daily.

Shemini Atzeres The 8th day of Sukkos -- a holiday in its own right.
Sheni Chamishi vesheni Monday, Thursday, and Monday. Also called "Bahab". Selichos are
recited on these days on each of the months that follow Pesach and
Sukkos.
Shemoneh Esrei The Amidah, the standing prayer. The weekday version had 18
blessings in it, thus is known by its Hebrew name, which means 18.

Shir Hamaalos (Usually) Psalm that is sung prior to Grace on Sabbaths and
Festivals
Shir Hashirim The Song of Songs, by King Solomon
Shivah Seven - The first seven days of mourning, starting from the burial
Shofar Ram's horn -- blown on Rosh Hashanah and at end of Yom Kippur
Shushan Purim The second day of Purim. Celebrated in Jerusalem (and Shushan,
Persia)
Siddur Prayer book
Sidra Weekly Torah Portion (aka Parshas Hashavua)
Simchas Torah The Rejoicing of the Torah. The second day of Shmini Atseres. We
conclude the annual cycle of Torah readings and begin the next one
on this day, every year
Siyum Celebration at the completion of a tractate of the Talmud or a Seder
of the Mishnah
Succos Festival of Booths -- 7 days starting on the 15th of Tishrey
Synagogue Greek word meaning "gathering place"

Tachanun Prayers that are added after the Amidah on most weekdays
(morning and afternoon services). Omitted in a house of mourning,
during the advent of a holiday, or if there is a Bris Milah that will
take place in that synagogue
Tallis Prayer shawl. Must have four square corners with tsitsis on them
Tallis Katan Garment worn under (or over) shirt with four corners and tsitsis
Talmud "The Study" (see below) written between 200 and 500 CE
Talmud Bavli The larger of the two Talmuds. Completed by Rav Inna II (d.499CE)
containing the notes and questions of the Yeshiva of Sura from 200-
499. The Rabbanan Savaray added a few notes and divided it into
chapters.

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Talmud Yerushalmi The Talmud of Israel. May have been completed at the end of the
third or beginning of the 4th century, CE. Much more terse than
the Bavli.
Tashlich Ceremony on Rosh Hashanah that commemorates the river that
Abraham crossed on his way to sacrifice Yitzchak (Isaac).
Tehillim Psalms -- Book in the Kesuvim
Tefilla Prayer
Teffilin Head and Arm boxes and straps worn by men at weekday morning
prayers. Contain four Parshiyos of the Torah
Teshuvah Return - the act of repenting
Tisha B'Av The 9th of Av. Fast Day (25 hours) to recall the destruction of both
Temples in Jerusalem.
Treife non-kosher
Tu Bishvat 15 of Shvat -- Hebrew New Year for Trees. We eat a new fruit in
order to recite the She-he-chi-ya-nu blessing.
Tzedaka Charity
Tziduk Hadin Main prayer at burial
Tzitzis Fringes worn on four-cornered garments. Also a name for a four-
cornered garment worn under one's shirt.
Tzom Gedaliah The fast day on the day after Rosh Hashanah that mourns the death
of Prince Gedalya who was assassinated on Rosh Hashanah.

Vidui Confession -- Final part of Teshuvah

Yaale Veyavo Prayer added on Rosh Chodesh and all Festivals (including Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur)
Yamim Noraim The period starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom
Kippur
Yiras Hashem Fear of Hashem
Yizkor Prayer (fairly recently introduced) in which we ask Hashem to
remember the souls of our parents and other relatives. Recited on
Yom Kippur and the last day of each of the three festivals.
Yohrzeit from Jahr (year) and Zeit (time). Anniversary of the death of …
Yom Habikkurim Shavuos
Yom Hadin Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah)
Yom Hazikaron Day of Remembrance (day before Israeli Independence Day); also
another term for Rosh Hashanah.
Yom Kippur Day of Atonement

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Yom Kippur Katan Last weekday of the Hebrew months (except Nisan and Tishrey)
when the afternoon service has additional prayers
Yom Tov Sheni The second day of a festival -- celebrated as a festival in the
Diaspora.
Yom Truaah Rosh Hashanah, the day of Shofar sounds

Zicharon Truah Rosh Hashanah when occurring on Shabbos

Zichronos Second of the middle blessings in the Mussaf or Rosh Hashanah
Zimun Invitation to join in the Grace After Meals (Sephardic)
Zimros Songs of praise recited on Sabbaths and Festivals during meals.
Also Sephardic term for what Ashkenazim call Psukey Zimrah.
Zman Charusenu Passover: The Time of Our Freedom
Zman Matan Torah Shavuos: The Time When We Received the Torah
Zman Simchosenu Sukkos: The Time of Our Rejoicing.

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A Brief Introduction to the Laws of Family Purity

This section is designed to teach the basic laws of Niddah. It is not our intent to teach the
differences between Torah, Rabbinic, and customs but rather what is required to live as
an Orthodox Jew. I will attempt to note when customs of a specific community differ
from standard Ashkenazic customs. This, however, is limited to my familiarity with other
customs.

The goal of this handout is to convey the essence of the laws of Niddah as succinctly as
possible. We will try to be brief and clear. There will be quite a few times when your
application of these laws will require more information that we present here. When that
happens, contact your local orthodox rabbi.

I am purposely skipping the laws of establishing a Veses. Please discuss these with your
mentor and/or LOR.

What is a Niddah?

A woman becomes a Niddah284 when blood exits her uterus285 and enters her vagina. She
remains a Niddah until seven clean days have passed and she immerses herself in a kosher
Mikveh. During the period of Niddus, she may not have relations with her husband, nor
touch him. There are additional details that we will discuss further in this booklet.

It does not matter how a woman experiences this bleeding. Any bleeding will make a
woman a Niddah. Even if the blood is the result of a fall or a medical condition, a woman
becomes a Niddah. This is true as long as the blood is passed from the uterus. In the
event that a woman has a wound in the vagina or a condition in the bladder that produces
blood and is definitely not from the uterus, then the woman does not become a Niddah.
However, this is only true when one is certain that the blood does not originate in the
uterus.

A violation of the laws of Niddah, which is cohabitation of a man with a Jewish woman
who is a Niddah, is a very serious sin in Judaism. This applies to one’s wife as well as any
unmarried woman. It is equivalent to eating on Yom Kippur and eating Chametz on
Pesach.

One who does not have relations with a Niddah but has other forms of physical contact
with her violates Jewish law.

284
We will use the term of Niddah for all synonyms of Niddah, including a woman who is a Zavah and a
woman who gives birth.
285
The cervix is considered part of the uterus.

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How does a woman become a Niddah?

A woman becomes a Niddah when she

• Experiences menstruation or any other flow of blood from her uterus – even if
she only finds a single drop of blood. This blood is a discharge of red, black, or
reddish colors, such as brown and orange. If a woman has a discharge of yellow286
or green then she does not become a Niddah.

• Starts to deliver a baby. A woman who has labor pains so great that she can no
longer stand is considered as having started to deliver. She is called a Yoledeth
and is bound by the same laws as a Niddah.

• Has an internal examination that involves inserting a device into or beyond the
cervix. It is therefore important for a woman who undergoes any gynecological
examination to determine if her doctor is limiting her examination to the vagina
or also inserted a device into her uterus. Any examination that takes a sample
from the cervix will render her into a Niddah.

• Finds a large dot of blood on her white clothing287. This is true only when the dot
has a diameter of about ¾ of an inch or larger. This is true for any shape and one
should consult a Rav if there are any questions in terms of the exact size of the
blood spot. This usually is limited to garments worn below the waist288 and to
shirtsleeves289.

• A woman who finds blood when urinating (and has no reason to believe that the
blood is period blood) should contact a medical doctor to determine the source
of the blood. Blood due to urinary tract infections would not render a woman a
Niddah. However, a Rav must be consulted before a woman considers herself
free of Niddus.

When a woman feels that she is menstruating, she must check herself to determine if
menstruation has started or not. If she checks herself immediately following this feeling

286
Some yellows border on orange. One who is new should send her cloths to her Rav for verification. When
in any doubt, please send your Bedikah cloths to your Rav.
287
It is not necessary to wear white undergarments or use white sheets except for the seven days of purity.
Feel free to wear colored underwear and use color sheets. As off-white is considered a problem, avoid
cream and natural as well as white when not during the seven clean days.
288
Including shirt tails.
289
It is therefore important for a woman to check her white garments and determine that they are clean of
what might otherwise be considered a stain prior to wearing them.

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of a discharge and finds a non-reddish color, she remains pure. If she does not, then we
must assume that menstruation has started and she is now a Niddah.

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What are the laws regarding an unmarried woman?

For all practicalities, all men are prohibited to –

• Have relations with them – this is a severe Torah prohibition290, as already stated.

• Have any romantic physical contact with them – depending on the type of contact,
this may be a Torah prohibition or a rabbinic prohibition.

• Have any non-romantic physical contact with them, unless they are our immediate
relatives. There are some authorities who permit minor contact as long as there
are no romantic implications to these contact situations. This permitted contact
would be limited to shaking hands and receiving change from a clerk. Parents are
allowed and are encouraged to show affection to their children and grandchildren.

• Be alone with them. There is a rabbinic prohibition for a man to be secluded with
a single woman, even if she is not a Niddah. It doubly applies to married women.
This does not apply to parents and children. It likewise does not apply One one
woman by day, but not by night. A man may be in the same house as a married
woman only if her husband is in the same city.

What are the laws regarding one’s wife when she is a Niddah?

• Have relations with her – this is a severe Torah prohibition.

• Have any romantic physical contact with her – depending on the type of contact,
this may be a Torah prohibition or a rabbinic prohibition.

• Have any non-romantic physical contact with her.

• Gaze at any parts of her body that are normally covered.

• Hand anything directly to her or receive anything from her hand.

• Throw anything to her291.

• Eat from her plate, unless she has finished eating. She may remove food from her
plate to another plate and he may then eat from that plate.

290
As we assume that all unmarried women are Niddos.
291
One may never throw anything at her.

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• Eat next to her, unless they add something to the table so that they are cognizant
that she is a Niddah292.

• Have her fill his wine cup, if he is present, or bring him a martini. He may not fill
her cup with wine nor may he send a cup of wine to her. The husband may put
food in his wife’s plate, however she should not place food in his plate unless she
does so in a manner that differs from her normal serving manner. She may bring
food to the table in a serving plate, even if he is the only one who will take the
food from the serving plate.

• Neither husband nor wife may sit on each other’s bed when she is a Niddah, unless
the other is out of the city.

• They may not sleep on the same bed, even if it is a very big bed and they do not
touch and are fully dressed.

• They may not sit on the same couch.

• Their beds must be separated. Ideally, the beds should be at least 18 inches apart.
Some authorities require 20 inches. However, if this is not possible, they should
be separated as much as possible, at least by three inches.

• A woman who is a Niddah should use less perfume than she does when available
to her husband. Her husband should not specially smell her perfume when she is
a Niddah.

• A woman who is a Niddah should not sing for her husband. This includes Sabbath
Zemiroth unless they have children who are singing also and she sings softly.

• While frivolity is not permitted, the husband and wife are allowed to take walks,
discuss subjects, play chess, and otherwise ‘date’ during this period. In fact they
are encouraged to do so. This is a time when their non-physical relationship
should grow, and not a time when they should be semi-separated.

• All the laws of Niddus should be practiced on Yom Kippur, Tisha b’Av, and during
Shivah, whether the husband or the wife is sitting shivah (including on the
Sabbath).

292
This rule is relaxed at the final meal before she goes to the Mikveh.

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Hefesq Taharah

A woman remains a Niddah until she performs a Hefseq Taharah, counts seven clean days,
and immerses in a Mikveh. Hefseq Taharah is defined as the verification that she is no
longer producing any blood. It is performed in the following manner:

❖ Ashkenazi women do not begin to count the seven clean days until after the
fifth293 day from the beginning of her menses before performing a Hefseq
Taharah. The Hefseq Taharah is usually performed in the last hours of the fifth
day, but may be performed earlier in the day, if needed.

❖ The woman about to perform a Hefseq Taharah showers, or at least washes

herself to remove any external blood.

❖ The Hefseq Taharah is performed before sunset.

❖ The woman performing a Hefseq Taharah checks herself with a clean white cotton
cloth. She wipes the outside and the inside. A virgin bride takes care to insert her
finger a limited distance but all others insert the cloth over a finger and wipe in all
directions. The cloth would thus find any remaining blood. In the event that a
woman finds some residual, she may shower again and then attempt a Hefseq
Taharah a second (or third) time before sunset.

❖ She verifies that she no longer has any blood or red-like color.

❖ She inserts a cloth or a tampon. This too is done before sunset. The tampon
remains inside for 30 minutes. It is checked. While technically this is a chumra, it
should be performed by all women.

❖ The Hefseq Taharah must validate that there is no residual blood. As such, we are
more stringent with it than with other times a woman checks herself. Therefore,
if a woman notices any gold or dark yellow that might border on orange, she
should send the cloth to her Rav for his opinion. There are some who prohibit
any yellow color for Hefseq Taharah. This is also true for the first three of the
Seven Clean Days.

❖ Blood due to a urinary tract infection or other sources will prevent a Hefseq
Taharah from taking place.

293
There are at least two different Sephardic customs. Sephardi Jews should consult their Rabbis and/or
mentors.

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❖ In the event that a woman’s ovulation would always be earlier than the twelfth
day, then she should discuss this issue with her Rav.

The Seven Clean Days

❖ The vast majority of Orthodox ladies check themselves morning and evening
during these days. Those ladies who are very sensitive and experience vaginal
bleeding as a result of these examinations should discuss their options with
their mentors and rabbis. Judaism is not without feeling and there are heterim
available when there are good reasons for them.

❖ One wears white underwear and uses white sheets to verify that she is blood-
free.

❖ If she finds any blood, then the seven days have been broken. She will have
to make a new Hefseq Taharah and count seven clean days. The Hefseq
Taharah does not require any waiting.

❖ A woman who was cutting or otherwise dealing with meat, or cooking or

serving tomato products to her children may discount stains that are due to
these activities. Similarly, a woman may discount stains due to any wounds
on her body or those that her children might have deposited on her clothing.
When in doubt, please call your Rav.

❖ All prohibitions of Niddus extend through the seven clean days. The only
exception is that the husband and wife’s distancing during the meals is relaxed
at the final meal she takes before attending the Mikveh.

❖ Even though the vast majority of women are required to check themselves
morning and afternoon, a skipped check does not invalidate the counting of
seven clean days. This does not mean that we should plan to skip one, but if
one were skipped by accident or preoccupation (many women with children
can be preoccupied) it does not destroy the count of seven clean days.

Mikveh Preparations

Any item that covers the majority of a limb or one that would be removed if one could
remove it would invalidate the immersion. Therefore, a woman must clean herself
well prior to her immersion. She will take a long bath as part of her Mikveh

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preparation. Mikveh preparations may be made at home or at the Mikveh. She must
pay attention to the following:

❖ Any dirt on her body.

❖ Any food in her teeth. She should therefore brush and floss well. It is
customary that women not eat meat or hard (or semi-hard) cheese in the final
meal before attending the Mikveh. Many also avoid corn and oranges for the
same reason. One should not eat after preparing for the Mikveh, or you must
repeat this step. Women may take a drink of water. If you drink anything else,
rinse your mouth well.

❖ Any lint on her body, especially in her bellybutton.

❖ Any dirt in her nails. She should cut her nails and remove any dirt under them.
The exact amount of how close one cuts her fingernails is subject to custom.
In many communities, ladies cut their nails as short as the men do, not
reaching their fingertips. In others, ladies keep the width of a nickel (American
coin with a width of just under 2mm) of their nails beyond the ends of their
fingertips. I am familiar with those who permit longer nails. Women refrain
from kneading dough in the day before attending the Mikveh. However, a
woman who bakes Challah on Fridays needs to attend the Mikveh Friday night,
she may bake as usual, just taking a bit more time to verify that she has no
dough on her fingers or under her finger nails before attending the Mikveh.

❖ Ashkenazi women remove all nail polish. Sephardi women in many

communities leave the nail polish in place, providing that it contains no cracks.
All mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, and any other makeup must be removed.

❖ Dirt and tangles in hair. It is therefore necessary to wash one’s hair well and
then comb out any tangles. We should wash our hair without conditioner. If
one requires conditioner to remove tangles, then the conditioner must be
rinsed out after combing.

❖ Any temporary dental work. Dentures and bite plates must be removed.

❖ Band-Aids, dressings, and similar devices.

❖ A scab that is peeling creates a problem. A firm scab is considered part of your
body but a peeling scab and peeling skin are considered a barrier to immersion
and must be removed.

❖ Contact lenses are removed.

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❖ A woman who suffers from dandruff should use a dandruff shampoo for two
days before attending the Mikveh.

❖ Splinters that are completely covered by skin may294 be left intact during the
immersion. Those that are not completely covered must be removed before
immersion.

❖ A woman who has stitches should call her Rav to determine if she may
immerse. This applies to any stitches, including those in her mouth.

❖ A woman who has a cast that may be immersed should call her Rav and discuss
it with him. If he decides that you may immerse while wearing it, he might
want to call your Mikveh attendant to inform her of his decision.

❖ A woman with any skin infections should speak to her Rav regarding her
Mikveh immersion.

❖ A woman who is ill should postpone her Mikveh attendance.

The Mikveh preparations should be made in the afternoon prior to Mikveh attendance.
They may be made at home or at the Mikveh. If a woman prepares herself at home, she
will take a short shower before entering the Mikveh.

When a woman is scheduled to immerse herself after the Sabbath, she performs the basic
preparations on Friday and then showers, brushes, and flosses after the Sabbath.

Women should not spend too much time preparing for the Mikveh. If this is done at the
Mikveh, they are stealing time from the Mikveh attendant and other ladies and must
repent for their actions.

Women must have manners when it comes to the Mikveh attendants. They have lives
too. Therefore, one should make every effort to come during the standard hours. One
who cannot should call the Mikveh attendant and ask her permission to come later than
the usual time. The attendant should be given an extra tip for staying late in order to
accommodate her. If the attendant is not willing to accept a tip, a donation should be
made in honor of the attendant. Women should also take care to leave their preparatory
rooms clean and in order. While Mikvaoth charge for their usage, leaving a mess means
that someone must take extra time in straightening out and cleaning the room before it
can be used again.

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This does not mean that one should leave splinters under your skin. Please have them removed and use
topical antibiotics. However, the presence of a splinter that is totally covered and not infected does not
invalidate the immersion.

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A Brief Introduction to the Laws of Family Purity

Immersions are performed every night of the year with the exception of Yom Kippur and
Tisha b’Av295. If one’s immersion night were to occur on those two nights, it is postponed
until the following evening. A woman who is sitting Shivah does not attend the Mikveh
until after her Shivah is completed.

Some women like to wear flip-flops while walking in the Mikveh rooms. Others prefer to
be barefoot. Either is accepted.

The Immersion

The immersion takes place after the preparations have been completed. The Mikveh
attendant will verify that you have finished all your preparations. She will check your
body.

Women do not immerse themselves in a Mikveh until after nightfall. There is a custom
among German Jews that women immerse themselves just prior to sunset on Friday
evenings and the eves of holidays, however many Mikvaoth will not permit this. A bride
may immerse during the daytime. There are exceptional circumstances when a woman
may immerse during the daytime and should consult her Rav if she has any questions. At
any rate, the Mikveh attendant must be called to arrange an appointment.

The Mikveh attendant must view the immersion to guarantee that the woman properly
immersed.

The woman immersing must be completely covered by the Mikveh’s water. She may not
touch the sides. She should not double up but rather stretch out to have her entire body
underwater. Her intention should be to become Tahorah with the immersion.

Immediately following the first immersion, the woman must recite the blessing, “…who
has commanded us regarding the immersion.” Virtually all women immerse again. If a
woman has a custom to practice additional immersions (and many women do) then she
continues according to her custom.

Many women have the custom to recite one or more prayers at this time. Feel free to do
so, but within reason.

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As relations are not permitted on these two days.

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 Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

Sabbath Preparation

Your list might be a little longer than this one. Use this list as a starting point. You may
want to divide it into Thursday and Friday tasks.

❖ Shop for Shabbos

❖ Polish shoes

❖ Bake or buy Challah

❖ Cut nails

❖ Shave and shower

❖ Check Shabbos clocks

❖ Check to see that bathrooms have tissues, tear toilet paper

❖ Tear toweling and tin foil

❖ Set the food that will need to be hot on the blech

❖ Fill and turn on the Samovar

❖ Flip the light switch protectors to keep people from turning lights on/off.

❖ Set up the blech on stovetop. Put the hot food on it. Set the oven up (time-bake)
and add food to it.

❖ Set table

❖ Set up the Shabbos candles.

❖ Turn on outdoor lights

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