The Second Temple era was a time when many people converted to Judaism as noted in the Encyclopaedia Judacia 13:1182. It is interesting to know that during this period, the term “ger,” which means stranger or alien, became associated with proselyte. The book of Matthew in the New Testament mentions Pharisees who “compassed sea and land to make one proselyte” in Matthew 23:15. However, it is possible this might have been an exaggeration by the rabbis. They took this claim as an opportunity to assert that their most prominent figures were descended from proselytes. What is particularly fascinating is the differing approaches of Hillel and Shammai to teaching potential proselytes the principles of Judaism. We can see this in various incidents such as in Shabb.31a. These incidents highlight the fact that religious conversion was a crucial and prevalent topic during the era of the Second Temple, making it a fascinating time to study.
One Response