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Question
I am a Penecostal man 49 years old trying to deepen my walk with God.I believe in "Here O Israel, the Lord our God is One", not three. That we have in common. I found your site by asking the question, Did Jews baptize? I am very interested in Jewish culture because it helps me understand God in new and unique ways. I've wondered why in the New Testament John 1:25 that the Pharisees did not question John's approach to baptism, but rather what gave him the authority to do it? You had answered someone else with this question by saying in part "Ritual impurity from death - not a historical ritual for Christian faith - was the cause for immersion, and only later was immersion made part of the rituals for conversion to Judaism. My question is what caused this to be added to the rituals of conversion. Are there oral writings that I can refer to on this teaching?
Dear Kurt,
Thanks for writing.
Yes, "immersion" was a required ritual of the Temple in Jerusalem, and they have found many "ritual baths" in Jerusalem.
I can't pinpoint the exact date immersion became a formal and legal conversionrequirement, but I would speculate that it was quite early in the Rabbinic period,if only because the Rabbis interpreted the Biblical text of "immersion of clothing" at Mt. Sinai to include immersion of the Jews themselves as well.
I would call your attention to"Who Was A Jew" by Dr. Laurence Schiffman, p. 174 and note 5 to support this speculation.
Best wishes
Rabbi Dov
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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Expertise
Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience
I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
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