What is a Ger Anyways?

                             

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                                        Why it’s Just Ger

                                                                    And not today’s Noahide

It’s just Ger. This answers the question ‘what do you call a non-Jew who believes in The God of Israel and chooses to live a life according to Torah?’ It’s just Ger; it always was and always will be. Biblically, it’s just Ger. As it turns out, it’s totally, talmudically inapplicable. Let’s explain.

Many are acquainted with the term Ger Toshav – whatever that means. Some are more familiar with Ger Tzedek – whatever that means. These are Talmudic terms; the latter referring to the convert and the former being a proper Ben Noah. This begs the question; what then is the Ger Toshav? At the same time, it would be wise to find out exactly what a Ger Tzedek is, on a satisfactory level. The simple answer is that these are Talmudic terms and not Biblical terms. But what is the practical difference between these Talmudic and Biblical terms and what do they mean?

Ger Toshav could effectively be best translated as the term that technically describes an [1]authentic ‘Noahide’. That is, a Ben Noah who has properly accepted the 7 Laws of Noah. This status ideally would come by way of a personal and proper acceptance; but not limited to. A Ben Noah - Ger Toshav is fundamentally more expansive in law than today’s [goy] Noahide. But if you mention Ger Toshav today, people will quickly chime in saying, ‘but there isn’t a Ger Toshav until the time of a Jubilee Year’. Only, there kinda is.

It is intellectually dishonest to call today’s Noahide a Ger Toshav; today’s Noahide wants to be Biblical, not Talmudic. Ironically, today’s Noahide has become unprecedentedly built from Talmudics. So too, the Ger Toshav is ALWAYS Talmudic and NEVER Biblical. Ger Toshav is nothing more than a working status between Jews and non-Jews that operates under Talmudic Law and vernacular. Practically, it is a safe and just zone for a non-Jew to work with the Jewish people under Torah supervision. As stated, a proper ‘Noahide’ is called ‘Ger Toshav’ through a Talmudic perspective. The Ger Toshav keeps 7 Laws of Noah, for the sake of a Kosher working environment with Israel, and the catch is, this status only exists in a time of a Jubilee Year. The reason for Jubilee is because such a Noahide who works closely [and monetarily] with the Jewish People, requires a precise and knowledgeable oath along with exhaustive background checking. Such conditions can only exist at a time when Israel has the upper hand; a time of Jubilee. This is the Talmudic Ger Toshav, and once a Ger Toshav would be established, many new sets of laws and statutes would kick into gear, for example helping with a livelihood, living in The Land, etc.

A Ger Tzedek is a convert. The term Ger Tzedek can only be found in the Talmud, and is used when describing the rights, liberties, and shortcomings found in a full-convert to Judaism. To call a convert a full-Jew without sometimes making reference to a prior conversion can be misleading in situations like marrying a Kohen/Priest which is prohibited by the Torah or attempting to sit on a Beit Din which is also prohibited by Torah Law. 

Sometimes Ger Tzedek can refer to a Canaanite semi-convert. The Talmud contains a mapped out terrain of what it calls a Ger Tzedek, and it should not be confused with a Ger Toshav. A convert should be called a Jew under Torah protocol, but should there be a need for further clarification, the convert is equipped with an expanded vernacular, namely Ger Tzedek (Righteous Ger) and the lesser-known, Ger Gamur (a complete Ger). Ger Tzedek is a Talmudic term for a convert.

This brings us to Ger. The Ger is mentioned in the Chumash 68 times. Some are a reference to the Ger Toshav, ‘Don’t taunt the Ger’. Some are a reference to the Ger Tzedek,’ only a Ger with circumcision may eat of the Passover Offering’. Some are the stranger Ger, ‘your offspring will be strangers…’. Some are the Jews themselves, ‘ya’ll will be Gerim on your Land’. But where do we find the Ger who just believes in God, wants to keep the [Ger] Sabbath, isn’t interested in conversion or a monetary relationship with Israel, and seeks to attach to Israel? Where do we find the Ger of the Bible; the one who isn’t solely derived and super-imposed from the Talmud?

He is called the Ger in your Gates; the Ger Shaar. This term is used in roughly three crucial verses:

•         Resting the Ger in Your Gates [Shabbat]
•        The People who come to the Temple to hear         the Torah [including Ger]
•         Give the Neveilah to the Ger [in your Gates]

Many commentators equate the Ger Toshav with the Ger Shaar; this is called Lefi Pshuto, ‘superimposing the Talmudic exegesis over Biblical wisdom and vernacular’. But it would be wrong to plug Ger Tzedek into these verses. A Ger Tzedek doesn’t need to be told to keep Shabbos; he’s a Jew, and it is more than obvious that he can’t eat Neveilah. The Ger Toshav on the other hand functions the same way as a Ger Shaar does; both terms illustrate how a Ben Noah can receive sustenance from Israel. Ger Shaar and Ger Toshav are often times interchangeable, with the former being Biblical and the latter being Talmudic. The difference is that Ger Toshav is the technical term that implies privileges given to believers[2] of the 7 Laws, while Ger Shaar is the Biblical aspect for an active belief in God[3] in accordance with the appropriate Mitzvot. Ger Toshav and Ger Shaar are in fact closely related, but they are certainly not synonymous and are worlds apart.

In Torah Law a renegade slave may seek refuge in Israel. If it were a time of Jubilee, a Jew could force him into a Ger Toshav status; he would be forced to rest on Shabbat. In contrast, a Ger Shaar isn’t running away from anything; he is running toward Hashem. The Torah commands him to rest ‘in the name of Ger Toshav’[4]. The Ger Shaar keeps the 7 Laws according to Sinai, and among them is the law to reject Idolatry, even Shituf[5]. This means that he must not work for a Jew on Shabbat, lest he be considered like an idolater[6]! Talmudically he may be called Ger Toshav. Technically he is considered like a Ger Toshav. But in reality he is Biblically called a Ger Shaar, the Ger in your Gates.  

Ger Tzedek? No. Ger Toshav? No, [they are] Talmudic [and rabbinic]. Ger Shaar? Not really. It’s just Ger. He believes in the God of Israel, he’s Biblical by definition[7], he keeps the 7 Laws according to Sinai, i.e. he learns how to fulfill them to their core through Torah study. He is not an idolater nor does he believe in Shituf. He rejects Shituf; with an oath. He is not your Shabbos Goy, he can’t be. And before you say Jubilee, remember he’s not [the Talmudic] Ger Toshav; he is to be considered like a Ger Toshav[8].

But he’s not Ger Toshav, nor is he a convert or the Talmudic or today’s rabbinic Noahide. That is why, he’s free to just be Ger. 

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[1] Today’s Noahide in terminology is a vulgar expression of Ger Toshav; a generic belief in the 7 Laws of Noah. It is not Torah-derived, nor is it prescribed to achieve any real outcome, other than serving as a kosher domain before going onto conversion. Technically, today’s Noahide is a new Shituf religion that is designed to observe the 7 Laws of Noah and promises its devotees a portion of the World to Come; a kosher belief/view in God is not mandatory. Although Noahide is endorsed by rabbinic Judaism as a kosher concept, the term Noahide etymologically does not trace back to Ben Noah; it is an entirely new term, and one without precedent. Noahide is billed as a translation of ‘Ben Noah’ but in reality it is an invented term that comes up painfully short while ironically missing the [Talmudic] point of ‘Ger Toshav’.

[2] Today’s Noahides are technically a lowest common denominator Ger Toshav (7 Laws) by choice, and in times of Jubilee the Jewish People can force Noahide belief onto its subjects. This is why we are not ‘Mekablin’ Ger Toshav today. A Noahide chooses to believe in the 7 Laws, making them partially Ger Toshav, and in certain conditions should be treated like a Ger Toshav. A Noahide can reject being considered like a Ger Toshav and can choose to remain a Noahide who is allowed to [still] engage in Shituf. The Ger Toshav status [of today] rejects Shituf, but still doesn’t carry the full Ger Toshav status which only exists in a time of Jubilee. A Ger Shaar shares many of the perks as the Ger Toshav, only he achieves it through freewill, an active belief in God alone, and does not require Jubilee in order to exist. The Ger Shaar [of today] resembles those who are to be considered like Ger Toshav [today] and thus the terms are often interchangeable in Torah commentaries.

[3] Based on the 3 Ger Shaar verses: Shabbat, Neveilah, Temple – Torah reading

[4] He is not a Ger Toshav, he is considered like a Ger Toshav [in some aspects]

[5] He keeps the 7 Laws, properly rejecting idolatry, the same way a Jew would not serve idols

[6] This is the meaning of ‘Ger Toshav” [keeping] Shabbat. He doesn’t keep it like a Jew in any way; it is a day that he doesn’t serve idols, and he achieves this by not serving as a Shabbos Goy.

[7] Conversion by definition is Talmudic, for the Talmud is the rabbinic code and conversions are governed by the rabbinic code. A Ger is a Ger by specifically not following the rabbinic code. For a Ger, the rabbinic code means either Jubilee, which doesn’t exist today, or keeping [a rabbinic] Shabbat like a Jew, which is forbidden. However, he may keep the Torah (Biblically) and this defines them. One example is to not work for a Jew on Shabbat; this is a Biblical command and one that exists today. Should he have to be reminded of this rabbinically, that would equate him with a (Shabbos Goy) Nochri, one who does not keep the 7 Laws. By keeping the command to guard against idolatry according to Sinai (rejecting Shituf), he is Biblically prohibited from working for the Jew on Shabbat, and a Jew need not rabbinically remind him, for the Ger Shaar is already commanded as such within the 7 Laws. The 7 Laws are Biblical and not rabbinic, though the Oral Torah is the source of all things Ger. That does not make Ger Shaar Talmudic; it does however make Ger Shaar decorated with wisdom. The Ger Shaar learns more about the 7 Laws in both the Written and Oral Torah’s, to strengthen his Biblical awareness of the 7. The 7 Laws are not rabbinic, i.e. Talmudic; if they were, that would make them Jewish or governed by Jewish Law, the same as a Nochri. Should a Ger wish to convert to Judaism, the conversion process embraces the desire to become Talmudic under rabbinic law. Thus the convert is Talmudically called Ger Tzedek or Ger Gamor. A Ger Toshav is rabbinic, exists strictly within the Talmud, and only in a time of Jubilee. A proper Ben Noah (non Ger Toshav Gamor) who wishes to do any of the other Mitzvot is not prevented from performing them according to the halacha, i.e. he can learn and perform Mitzvot accompanied by rabbinic doctrine and guidance. He need not remain Biblical and can incorporate Talmudic and rabbinic aspects of the Mitzvot. This allowance does not replace his Biblical identity, Biblical requirements, or make him Jewish. Nor does it constitute making a new religion, for making a new religion means to keep Shabbat like a Jew, rabbinically. The Ger Shaar is defined by his Biblical [non-idolatry] day of Shabbat.

[8] Lit. ‘In the name of Ger Toshav’