Joining Jewish Life: Instruction, Status, and Family Ties
This chapter explains how candidates for conversion are instructed and accepted, and distinguishes full conversion from the status of a . It then examines family relationships after conversion and the distinct rules of the ’s historical system of servitude. These laws are presented for study, with their -level and Rabbinic qualifications kept distinct.
פרק יד19 halachosMonday, November 2, 2026כ״ב במרחשון תשפ״ז◷ Estimated study time: 45–65 min
אTap any Hebrew word to see its meaning and how it works in the phrase.
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The inquiry concerns an outside motive for conversion, as discussed in the preceding chapter. The question is whether he sincerely wishes to enter Jewish life. Acceptance here means proceeding with conversion, not that conversion has already taken effect. The candidate acknowledges the hardships without withdrawing. His response is rendered in the sense explained by : he hopes to be worthy of joining the Jewish people.
Synopsis
A sincere candidate who knowingly accepts the hardships of Jewish life is admitted to the conversion process without delay.
Teaching faith and responsibility without overwhelming
,
He is taught the foundations of the faith:
,
God’s unity and the prohibition of idolatry.
.
These matters are explained at length.
The foundations receive extended attention because they underlie the faith as a whole. The identifies this as the reason for the contrast with the limited initial discussion of individual commandments.
He is also taught some less weighty commandments
,
and some more weighty commandments,
,.
but these are not treated at length.
The limited instruction is not a limited commitment. The candidate undertakes the commandments generally; he need not first be taught and accept every individual rule separately.
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He is informed of the wrongdoing involving gleanings, forgotten produce, and the field’s corner,
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and the second tithe.
The agricultural gifts named here include produce that must be left for people in need. The text here reads “second tithe.” Many manuscripts and early editions instead read “poor person’s tithe,” matching the subject here and the passage in 47a. These gifts make the financial responsibilities of Jewish life concrete for the candidate.
.
He is also told the penalties for violating commandments.
?״
How so? He is told: ‘Know
,
that before you entered this faith,
-,
eating forbidden fat did not make you liable to ,
-;
and desecrating did not make you liable to stoning.
,
Now, however, after you convert,
-,
eating forbidden fat makes you liable to ,
-״.
and desecrating makes you liable to stoning.’
Forbidden fat here means the particular animal fats prohibited by the , not fat generally. is a penalty imposed by Heaven; stoning belongs to the ’s judicial framework. The passage describes the new obligations and their legal sanctions, not an automatic punishment for every violation.
,-
He is neither overloaded nor pressed about every detail,
lest this drive him away
;
and turn him from a good path toward a bad one.
For at the beginning, a person is drawn close
,
only through gentle, welcoming words.
״״(,),
Thus Scripture says, ‘With human cords I drew them’ ( 11:4),
״״().
and then, ‘with bonds of love’ (ibid.).
The images of cords and bonds describe how instruction draws someone close rather than repels him. The first may be understood as warning about transgression, and the second as encouragement through the reward for observance.
Synopsis
Conversion instruction gives firm foundations and a representative account of obligations and consequences, while avoiding an overwhelming presentation.
🔎Dig DeeperTeaching faith and responsibility without overwhelming
Teaching faith and responsibility without overwhelming
Accepting financial obligations as well as beliefs
explains why the initial instruction includes gifts from the harvest: learning about these financial obligations may lead a candidate to reconsider conversion. He should understand these responsibilities before proceeding.
The ’s list names the poor person’s tithe. Many manuscripts and early editions of the agree, while the text here reads “second tithe.” The difference in reading is noted without changing this edition’s Hebrew or treating the two tithes as the same obligation.
The ’s instructions hold two responsibilities together: explain what matters, and do not overwhelm the person who is listening. Clear teaching is not measured only by how much information we deliver. The listener needs room to understand and respond.
Before correcting a child’s forgotten task, for example, we can name what needs doing without turning the moment into a list of every past mistake. We need not conceal a responsibility to be kind, or speak harshly to be serious. One essential point, explained patiently, leaves room for a meaningful next step.
Try today
Explain one important responsibility calmly, then pause to listen.
that the World to Come is reserved for the righteous alone,
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and these are Israel.
This statement must not be read as excluding righteous non-Jews from the World to Come. The expressly recognizes their share in 3:5. Here he addresses the candidate about Israel’s promised reward; the wider teaching remains essential to understanding his words.
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The distress you see Israel experiencing in this world
,
is a good held in store for them,
for they cannot receive an abundance of good
-
in this world as the nations do—
lest their hearts grow proud and they go astray
,
and forfeit the reward of the World to Come,
״״״(,).
as Scripture says: “Yeshurun grew fat and kicked”’ ( 32:15).
The verse describes prosperity leading to rebellion rather than greater faithfulness. Within this instruction to a candidate, present hardship is contrasted with lasting reward; the passage is not a finding about the cause of a particular person’s suffering.
Synopsis
The candidate is taught to distinguish present hardship from lasting reward, without denying the share of righteous non-Jews in the World to Come.
rather, all the nations come to an end, while they endure.’
,.
This matter is discussed at length, to endear them to him.
The encouragement continues the preceding ’s discussion of Israel: calamity does not bring about the destruction of the Jewish people.
-
If he changes his mind and does not wish to accept,
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he goes his way.
-,
If he accepts, he is not kept waiting;
.
instead, he is circumcised immediately.
The candidate is free to withdraw. If he accepts, unnecessary delay is avoided because a should not be postponed.
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If he is already circumcised,
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blood of the covenant is drawn from him.
For someone already circumcised, a small amount of blood is drawn at the circumcision site for the covenant. This is a distinct ritual requirement, not a second removal of the foreskin.
,
He is allowed to recover completely,
.
and is then immersed.
The delay before immersion protects the healing wound. explains that immersion before recovery could harm the wound. The instruction to act promptly therefore does not override the need for complete healing.
Synopsis
A candidate may withdraw; if he accepts, circumcision proceeds without needless delay, followed by immersion only after full recovery.
Visual guideProceeding promptly while allowing full healing
The prescribed sequence for a male convert
Read the stages together; the order does not mean that one required act can replace another.
FirstAccepts the obligations and is accepted
→
LaterCircumcision without needless delay; if already circumcised, covenantal blood is drawn
Wait until fully healed
FirstAfter healing
→
LaterImmersion with the required court procedure and instruction
On completing the process, he has Jewish status
This is a learning outline of this , not practical conversion guidance. explains that reversal of the order does not by itself invalidate the process; immersion alone does not dispense with required circumcision.
🔎Dig DeeperProceeding promptly while allowing full healing
Proceeding promptly while allowing full healing
Why circumcision comes before immersion
explains that immersion must wait until the circumcision wound has healed, because immersion too soon could aggravate it. Why, then, not immerse first and avoid that delay?
The quotes the : circumcision is the difficult step, so it comes first; if the candidate is going to withdraw, he should do so at that point. The clarifies that the required order is not indispensable after the fact. This does not mean that immersion alone replaces the circumcision required for a male convert.
This repeats the earlier instruction at the point when immersion completes conversion. connects it with accepting the obligation of the commandments at that moment.
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If the candidate is a woman,
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women help her sit in the water up to her neck,
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while the judges remain outside.
She is taught some less weighty commandments
,
and some more weighty commandments
.
while seated in the water.
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She then immerses in their presence.
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They turn away and leave,
,
so that they will not see her
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as she comes out of the water.
The procedure combines the court’s presence for immersion with protection of the woman’s privacy. Women assist her into the water before the judges enter; the judges leave before she emerges.
Synopsis
The court repeats essential instruction at immersion, while the procedure for a woman protects her privacy before and after it.
together with the other commandments given to the descendants of Noach,
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but has neither been circumcised nor immersed.
,
Such a person is accepted
.
and is among the righteous of the nations.
A accepts the seven Noahide commandments without becoming Jewish. This is a different legal status from the full conversion discussed above; the next limits when a court can formally grant it.
?
Why is he called a ‘resident’?
Because we may allow him to settle among us
,
in the Land of Israel,
.
as explained in .
The cross-reference concerns the ’s laws for an era of Jewish governing authority in the land, not a general direction for private individuals. 10:6 connects the residency rule with preventing an idolatrous influence.
Synopsis
A accepts the seven Noahide commandments without converting and receives a distinct recognized status.
The Jubilee is not simply every fiftieth calendar year. Its observance requires the Jewish people to dwell in the Land of Israel with their tribes settled in their proper places, as explained in VeYovel 10:8. Without those conditions, a court does not formally accept status.
,
At the present time, however,
even if he accepts the entire
-
apart from one detail,
.
he is not accepted.
Partial acceptance does not qualify a person for full conversion, and formal status is unavailable in this era. This does not cancel the Noahide commandments or the responsibility to teach them. The Talmudic source, Bechoros 30b, specifies even a detail of Rabbinic law.
Synopsis
Formal status depends on the Jubilee era; partial acceptance cannot substitute for full conversion when that status is unavailable.
🔎Dig DeeperWhen resident status can be formally accepted
When resident status can be formally accepted
Formal status and permission to reside
The explains that the absence of the Jubilee changes particular rights and obligations of a ; it does not simply prohibit his residence.
The suggests that the , too, permits residence when a non-Jew independently accepts the seven Noahide commandments. On this reading, the restriction concerns the court’s formal acceptance of status, not a blanket exclusion of someone who accepts those commandments. This interpretation concerns the legal framework discussed here, not a contemporary ruling about immigration or private enforcement.
Entering the historical status of an Israelite-owned slave
-
A slave purchased from non-Jews
״?״
is not asked, ‘What led you to come?’
״
Instead, he is asked: ‘Do you wish
to enter the category of slaves owned by Israelites
?״
and to be among its observant members, or not?’
This passage concerns the historical legal institution of slavery, not employment or a modern relationship. Unlike a voluntary candidate, this person has been purchased rather than choosing to present himself for conversion. That is why the opening question differs.
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If he wishes, he is taught the foundations of the faith,
some less weighty and more weighty commandments,
,.
and their penalties and rewards, as a convert is taught.
,
He is immersed in the same manner as a convert
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and instructed while in the water.
The immersion establishes the special religious status of an Israelite-owned non-Jewish slave, not the status of a free convert. Circumcision of a male is also required, although it is not repeated in this sentence.
,
If he does not wish to accept,
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he is allowed a period of twelve months,
;
and is then sold to non-Jews;
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keeping him beyond that is forbidden.
The twelve-month limit is a limit on retaining the person without his accepting this status. The parallel discussion in 8:12 specifies sale outside the Land of Israel or to a non-Jew.
But if an agreement was made with him at the outset
,
that he would neither be circumcised nor immerse,
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but would instead be like a ,
.
he may be kept in servitude with status.
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Such a slave may be kept only in the Jubilee era.
The exception depends on the status and era specified here; it is not an unrestricted extension of the twelve-month period. The discusses a different historical situation in lands where the authorities prohibited such conversion: there, the purchase was presumed to include a condition that the person’s status would remain unchanged. Under that presumed condition, he permits retaining the person indefinitely in that historical setting.
Synopsis
Within the historical law of slavery, acceptance, instruction, and immersion establish a special status; refusal and an initial condition have distinct consequences.
For non-Jews, the forbidden relationships in this category are only
,,
one’s mother and one’s father’s wife,
,,
one’s maternal sister and a married woman,
,,
a male and an animal,
;
as will be explained in UMilchamos.
,.
The other relationships in the category of are permitted to them.
This lists the ’s Noahide categories of forbidden sexual relations, which differ from those binding Jews. “Permitted” here describes the scope of that particular legal category; it is not a general permission for coercion, abuse, or violation of other applicable laws. The detailed cross-reference is 9:5.
Synopsis
The Noahide categories of prohibited sexual relationships are narrower than the corresponding Jewish-law categories.
The comparison describes a change of legal status for these kinship prohibitions; it does not deny biological relationships. For the historical slave discussed here, release brings entry into the full status of a Jew.
,
If he and they convert,
he incurs no liability for relations with any of them
.
on account of that forbidden kinship.
This states the -level rule. It is not a blanket permission: the following impose Rabbinic restrictions on particular former relatives. Halachah 17 separately discusses the status before release.
Synopsis
Conversion or release ends the former kinship status for -level liability, while later define the remaining Rabbinic restrictions.
Why the Sages retained certain former-family restrictions
,
Under law, a convert would be permitted
;
to marry his mother or maternal sister who converted.
,
The Sages, however, prohibited this,
:
so that people would not say:
;
‘We have moved from a stricter holiness to a lesser holiness,’
,
for previously she was forbidden to him
.
and now she would be permitted.
The legal change described in the preceding could otherwise appear to relax a prohibition that bound the person before conversion. The Sages therefore prohibited these relationships after conversion as well. The -level analysis is not the final permission to act.
Likewise, if a convert has relations with his mother or sister
,
while she remains non-Jewish,
.
it is treated as relations with a non-Jewish woman.
The final sentence classifies the offense; it does not permit the relationship. Although the former kinship no longer supplies the -level category, relations with a non-Jewish woman remain subject to their own prohibition.
Synopsis
The Sages prohibited a convert’s former mother and maternal sister so conversion would not appear to reduce the restrictions that previously bound him.
What rules govern converts regarding forbidden family relationships?
If, while non-Jewish, he had been married
,-
to his mother or sister, and they converted,
,;
they are separated, as explained.
The sister here is the maternal sister discussed in the preceding . Those relationships had already been forbidden under the Noahide framework.
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If he had been married to another relative in the categories,
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and he and his wife converted,
.
they are not separated.
This concerns an existing marriage, not permission to begin a new one after conversion. The applies this distinction even to other maternal relatives: the couple is not compelled to separate merely because they now enter the new legal status.
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After conversion, a convert is prohibited from relations with maternal relatives
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by Rabbinic law.
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Paternal relatives, however, are permitted to him,
even when he knows with certainty
,,
that this is his relative through his father—as with twins,
where it is clear that the father of one
,
is the father of the other.
Even so, the Sages did not impose a prohibition
.
on paternal kinship.
The paternal distinction is legal, not a judgment that biological fatherhood is uncertain. The example deliberately assumes certainty. The explains that this framework does not recognize the former paternal lineage as the basis for these kinship prohibitions.
,
Thus a convert may marry his paternal brother’s wife,
,,
his paternal uncle’s wife, his father’s wife,
,
or his son’s wife,
even if she married his brother or father,
his paternal uncle or his son,
.
after they converted.
“His father’s wife” and the other wives listed mean women whose previous marriage has ended; an existing marriage is not made permissible by conversion. Even a marriage formed after the relatives converted does not restore the former paternal relationship. Other authorities disagree specifically about the father’s wife, as discussed below.
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Likewise, his mother’s paternal sister,
,-
his own paternal sister, and his daughter who converted
.
are permitted to him.
These are the ’s classifications of former family relationships after conversion. They describe the scope of the kinship prohibitions in this discussion of conversion and kinship, not advice to enter such relationships.
,
He may not, however, marry his maternal sister,
,
his mother’s maternal sister,
or his maternal brother’s wife
;
whom that maternal brother married after converting.
,
But if his brother married her while non-Jewish,
.
she is permitted to him.
Here the timing changes the result. A marriage formed by the maternal brother after conversion is recognized as a Jewish marriage, so the Rabbinic prohibition applies. A union formed only before his conversion was never a Jewish marriage; the therefore does not impose that particular sister-in-law restriction.
Synopsis
The distinguishes existing unions from new marriages and maternal kinship from paternal kinship; for a maternal brother’s wife, the timing of the marriage matters.
🔎Dig DeeperMaternal and paternal ties after conversion
Maternal and paternal ties after conversion
Existing marriages and a disputed permission
The explains that the allowance for an existing marriage includes other maternal relatives: the Rabbinic decree that prevents a new marriage does not necessarily require ending a union formed before conversion. The exceptions for a mother and maternal sister remain.
The ’s permission concerning a father’s former wife is disputed. The records a stricter view, and the Siftei Cohen also calls for stringency concerning the father’s sister. The distinction between the Rambam’s stated ruling and these later authorities must therefore be maintained.
are liable under the prohibition of a brother’s wife.
Their mother converted between conception and birth. Because they were born Jewish, their maternal brotherhood is recognized for the ’s prohibition of a brother’s wife. Nevertheless, the rules that this does not establish the brotherhood needed for or . The prohibition therefore must not be mistaken for an entitlement to perform . and require paternal brotherhood, which conception before conversion does not establish in this legal framework. is the ’s conditional levirate marriage to a deceased childless brother’s widow; is the ceremony releasing that bond when is not performed.
Synopsis
Twins conceived before their mother’s conversion but born afterward are subject to the ’s brother’s-wife prohibition, without becoming eligible for or .
Picture the CaseA concrete example
The same twins, two different relationship tests
A woman converts while pregnant with twin boys, and both are born afterward. Years later, one twin marries and dies childless. The surviving twin is subject to the ’s prohibition concerning his brother’s wife, because their maternal brotherhood is recognized for this prohibition through their Jewish birth. That does not make him eligible for or : those require paternal brotherhood, which this pre-conversion conception does not establish. Being brothers for one rule does not automatically establish the relationship required by another.
Visual guideTwins born after their mother’s conversion
When the twins’ status changes
The timeline explains why maternal brotherhood and the brotherhood required for are not identical here.
Twin brothers
ConceptionBefore conversion
Mother’s conversionDuring pregnancy
BirthBoth born Jewish
Legal consequence
ConceptionDoes not establish the required paternal brotherhood
Mother’s conversionSeparates conception from Jewish birth
BirthEstablishes maternal brotherhood for the brother’s-wife prohibition
The ’s brother’s-wife prohibition applies; and do not. The two results use different kinship requirements.
Related women who converted: limits on simultaneous marriage
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If a man marries a female convert and her daughter who converted,
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or two maternal sisters,
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he may remain with one of them
.
and must divorce the other.
The two maternal sisters in the second case likewise converted. Their marriages take effect under law, but the Sages prohibited keeping both relationships. Consequently, separation requires a divorce; it is not enough to treat the second marriage as void.
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If he married a female convert and she died,
,
he may marry her mother or daughter,
.
for the decree was imposed only during their lifetimes.
The limits this Rabbinic decree to the woman’s lifetime. That differs from the -level rules for a mother or daughter whose family relationship was never interrupted by conversion. The cites authorities who maintain a prohibition even after the wife’s death.
,
A man may marry two paternal sisters who converted,
,.
since no decree was imposed on paternal kinship, as explained.
“Paternal sisters” here means sisters related through their father rather than their mother. This is the same paternal-versus-maternal distinction stated in halachah 13.
Synopsis
Rabbinic law requires ending one of certain simultaneous marriages to related converts; the limits the decree by lifetime and maternal kinship.
Secondary kinship safeguards were not extended to converts
,
As for all the secondary prohibited relationships,
.
the Sages did not impose their decree upon converts.
Sheniyos are more distant relationships prohibited by Rabbinic law as a safeguard around -level. The Sages did not extend this additional safeguard to former family relationships after conversion: that would add a safeguard to another safeguard.
.
A convert may therefore marry his maternal grandmother.
,
A man may marry a female convert together with her maternal great-grandmother,
.
or her daughter’s daughter’s daughter.
.
The same applies to the other secondary relationships.
These examples concern relatives whose relevant kinship preceded conversion. The text specifies a great-grandmother, not a grandmother. That distinction matters because a wife’s grandmother belongs to the -level prohibited relationships, whereas the more distant relationship here is a secondary safeguard.
Synopsis
The secondary Rabbinic kinship safeguards were not extended to the former family relationships of converts.
Visual guideSecondary kinship safeguards were not extended to converts
Do not drop a generation
The longer chains in the Hebrew distinguish a -level prohibited relationship from the secondary safeguard discussed here.
Relationship to the woman
Generations above or below
Ordinary baseline category, before the conversion rules
Grandmother or granddaughter
Generations above or belowTwo
Ordinary baseline category, before the conversion rules-level prohibited relationship
Great-grandmother or great-granddaughter
Generations above or belowThree
Ordinary baseline category, before the conversion rulesSecondary Rabbinic safeguard
These baseline categories explain the distinction; the ruling after conversion must be read in the itself. This comparison concerns the woman’s relatives, not the separate example of a convert’s own maternal grandmother. The addresses kinship preceding conversion and does not permit these relationships generally.
🔎Dig DeeperSecondary kinship safeguards were not extended to converts
Secondary kinship safeguards were not extended to converts
One generation changes the legal category
The emphasizes that the examples must identify the woman’s great-grandmother and great-granddaughter. A woman’s grandmother and granddaughter belong to the -level prohibited relationships; they would not illustrate the secondary Rabbinic safeguards discussed here.
The longer family chains in this text—“the mother of her mother’s mother” and “her daughter’s daughter’s daughter”—therefore matter to the ruling. They identify the additional generation that places these examples in the category of sheniyos.
The intermediate status before release from slavery
A slave is permitted to take his mother
,
while he remains a slave,
and certainly his daughter or sister
.
and comparable relatives.
This discusses the historical status established through the slave’s circumcision and immersion, before release—not a person who remains entirely within the Noahide framework. “Take” here should not be understood as a Jewish marriage; halachah 19 states that this slave status does not create such marital bonds.
,
For he has already left the category of non-Jews,
,
so the kinship prohibitions binding non-Jews no longer bind him,
but has not entered the category of Israel
.
so as to become subject to the relationships prohibited to converts.
The explanation is a technical one about successive legal statuses. It does not describe a modern family arrangement or provide practical permission. The absence of these kinship restrictions is also not an absence of every sexual prohibition, as the next makes clear.
Synopsis
Before release, the historical slave’s intermediate status does not carry the former Noahide kinship rules or the Rabbinic kinship decrees applied to converts.
with a male or an animal, they are subject to execution;
The plural includes both male participants where each meets the conditions for liability; in the case involving an animal, it includes the person and the animal. The expressly discusses the animal’s inclusion. This states the penalty in the ’s judicial framework; it is not a direction for private action.
and that the prohibition of these two relationships
.
applies equally to all people.
“It appears to me” marks the ’s own stated conclusion. The point is that the intermediate status in the preceding does not remove these prohibitions. It must not be read as a complete list of every prohibition that can apply to the person.
Synopsis
The holds that male-male intercourse and intercourse with an animal remain prohibited in this intermediate status and carry the stated judicial liability.
🔎Dig DeeperTwo prohibitions that remain across statuses
Two prohibitions that remain across statuses
Why these prohibitions remain
The introduces the rule as his own conclusion. The regards it as straightforward: these prohibitions do not depend on family relationship, so the absence of the former kinship bonds does not remove them.
The adds that relations with a married Jewish woman also carry capital liability and asks why the Rambam does not list that case. His question prevents reading the two examples as an exhaustive inventory. The separately explains the inclusion of the animal in the judicial sentence.
Sources: Raavad, 14:18; Maggid Mishneh, 14:18; Or Sameach, 14:18.
Slaves who have been freed have the status of converts.
,;
Whatever is forbidden to converts is forbidden to them,
,.
and whatever is permitted to converts is permitted to them.
Release ends the intermediate status. The rules for converts developed in this chapter—including the Rabbinic restrictions—now govern the freed person.
A man may assign his female slave to his male slave
,
or to another person’s male slave,
,
and may initially assign one female slave to two male slaves.
No further act is required;
.
rather, they are like animals.
The discussion returns here to people who remain in the historical slave status. Its stark comparison concerns the absence of legally recognized marital bonds and exclusivity in this framework, not a denial of their humanity. The reference to two men means that this framework does not impose an exclusive marital bond; it does not remove the prohibitions stated in the preceding .
Whether a female slave is designated for this particular slave
,-
or is not so designated makes no difference,
,
for marital status exists only among Jews,
,
or among non-Jews in relation to other non-Jews,
,
but not among slaves in relation to other slaves,
.
nor among slaves in relation to Jews.
Designating the woman for one slave does not create the marital status discussed here. The contrast with non-Jewish marriages is important: the does recognize a distinct Noahide marriage framework, discussed in 9:5. This is an exposition of historical legal categories, not instructions for present-day conduct.
Synopsis
Freed slaves follow the rules for converts; while the historical slave status continues, designation does not create the marital bonds recognized among Jews or among non-Jews.
Translation and elucidation: Independently prepared for Rambam, Clearly in contemporary English. Translation follows the Rambam’s words; elucidation supplies only the context needed to understand them.
Word cards and glossary: Hebrew word cards distinguish a word’s basic meaning from its meaning in the particular phrase. Shared glossary entries explain recurring terms; biography entries identify the cited authorities.
Explain and Background: Explain provides context needed for the ruling. Optional Background panels provide additional context that can be skipped without losing the essential explanation.
Synopsis: A short summary follows each halachah. It is a guide to the central ruling, not a replacement for the full text and its qualifications.
Dig Deeper: Based on the classic commentaries named inside each panel. Editorial explanations are not presented as quotations.
Live It: Where present, these panels connect a particular halachah to a suggested personal reflection and an action to try. Original applications are labeled as suggested reflections. They are distinct from the ruling and are not attributed to the Rebbe merely because his guidance supports seeking a practical lesson.
Measurements: Modern equivalents draw on Chabad.org’s measurement glossary and cited halachic calculations. They show a range when major accepted calculations differ. Monetary equivalents fluctuate with the price of silver.
The Rebbe’s teachings and guidance: Source links accompany the completion teachings and the guidance inside Dig Deeper and Live It. Quotations, translations, and adaptations are identified; the general guidance is separate from the sources for a panel’s particular discussion.
Editorial responsibility: Created and prepared for this project by Levi Gelb. Corrections and suggestions can be submitted below. This presentation supports learning; practical halachic questions should be brought to a qualified rav.
Chapter 14 at a glance
Chapter Synopsis
The conversion process combines honest instruction about obligations with encouragement, prompt action, healing, and privacy. status is distinct from full conversion and depends on the Jubilee framework. Conversion changes the -level kinship rules, while the Sages retain specified restrictions; maternal and paternal relationships, existing and new marriages, and conception and birth before or after conversion must not be confused. The chapter concludes with the distinct intermediate status of the historical slave and the change upon release.
A sincere candidate who knowingly accepts the hardships of Jewish life is admitted to the conversion process without delay.
Conversion instruction gives firm foundations and a representative account of obligations and consequences, while avoiding an overwhelming presentation.
The candidate learns about the reward of the World to Come and the place of both understanding and observance in complete righteousness.
The candidate is taught to distinguish present hardship from lasting reward, without denying the share of righteous non-Jews in the World to Come.
A candidate may withdraw; if he accepts, circumcision proceeds without needless delay, followed by immersion only after full recovery.
The court repeats essential instruction at immersion, while the procedure for a woman protects her privacy before and after it.
A accepts the seven Noahide commandments without converting and receives a distinct recognized status.
Formal status depends on the Jubilee era; partial acceptance cannot substitute for full conversion when that status is unavailable.
Within the historical law of slavery, acceptance, instruction, and immersion establish a special status; refusal and an initial condition have distinct consequences.
The Noahide categories of prohibited sexual relationships are narrower than the corresponding Jewish-law categories.
Conversion or release ends the former kinship status for -level liability, while later define the remaining Rabbinic restrictions.
The Sages prohibited a convert’s former mother and maternal sister so conversion would not appear to reduce the restrictions that previously bound him.
The distinguishes existing unions from new marriages and maternal kinship from paternal kinship; for a maternal brother’s wife, the timing of the marriage matters.
Twins conceived before their mother’s conversion but born afterward are subject to the ’s brother’s-wife prohibition, without becoming eligible for or .
Rabbinic law requires ending one of certain simultaneous marriages to related converts; the limits the decree by lifetime and maternal kinship.
The secondary Rabbinic kinship safeguards were not extended to the former family relationships of converts.
Before release, the historical slave’s intermediate status does not carry the former Noahide kinship rules or the Rabbinic kinship decrees applied to converts.
The holds that male-male intercourse and intercourse with an animal remain prohibited in this intermediate status and carry the stated judicial liability.
Freed slaves follow the rules for converts; while the historical slave status continues, designation does not create the marital bonds recognized among Jews or among non-Jews.
פרק יד
End of chapter.
You have reached the end of all nineteen halachos.