Midrash su Deuteronomio 10:18

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” Let our master instruct us: When the one who leads the prayers makes a mistake by not saying the benediction on the cursing of the heretics (birkat haminim), from where do we know that it is necessary to have him repeat [the benediction]? Thus have our masters taught: When the one leading the prayers makes a mistake in any of the [other] benedictions, they do not have him repeat; [if he does so] in the [twelfth] benediction concerning the heretics, they force him to repeat it.⁹YBer. 5:4 (19c) (bar.); Ber. 29a (bar.). See Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 16:4; 47:4; 93:4; 95:4; 96:2; 108:31; 117:3; 137:2; Epiphanius, Panarion (Haereses), 29:9; Jerome on Is. 2:18; 49:7; 52:4. This benediction has been the subject of much scholarly debate by many interpreters, including myself in “The Gospel of John and the Jews: The Story of a Religious Divorce,” AntiSemitism and the Foundations of Christianity, edited by Alan T. Davies (New York, Paulist, 1979), pp. 84–88, 95–97, and in “The Date of Luke-Acts,” Luke-Acts: New Perspectives from the Society of Biblical Literature Seminar, edited by Charles H. Talbert (New York: Crossroad, 1984), 56, 61, 62. We suspect that he may be a heretic and therefore have him repeat, so that if there is a heretical side to him, he will be cursing himself with the community responding, “Amen.” So also [do we treat] whoever does not say [benediction 14], "who builds Jerusalem," since they will suspect that he may be a Cuthite (Samaritan). R. Assi said, “If a proselyte takes upon himself [all] the words of Torah except for one, they do not accept him.¹⁰Cf. TDem. 2:6; Bek. 30b. And not only that, but [the same rule applies] even in the case of a single minute detail out of [all] the minute details in the Torah or out of the minute details from the scribes (rabbis). R. Judah bar Shallum said, “You find forty-eight times in the Torah where the Torah warns against [harming] the proselytes and, corresponding [to these forty-eight warnings], it warns against idolatry [forty-eight times as well].¹¹BM 59b; see Hor. 13a. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘It is enough that he forsakes his idolatry and comes to you; therefore I am warning you about him, because I love him, as stated (in Deut. 10:18), “and [He] loves the proselyte¹²Heb.: ger. Although this word meant “sojourner” in biblical times, it had come to mean “proselyte” and is so understood here. in giving him food and clothing.”’”

[(Lev. 1:1–2:) THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES <AND SPOKE UNTO HIM>…: SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <…>: WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING.] Let our master instruct us: When the one who leads the prayers makes a mistake by not saying the benediction on the cursing of the heretics (minim), is it necessary to have him repeat <the benediction>?¹⁰Tanh., Lev. 1:2. Thus have our masters taught: When the one leading the prayers makes a mistake in any of the <other> benedictions, they do not have him repeat; <if he does so> in the <twelfth> benediction concerning the heretics, they force him to repeat it.¹¹yBer. 5:4 (19c) (bar.); Ber. 29a (bar.)]. See Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 16:4; 47:4; 93:4; 95:4; 96:2; 108:31; 117:3; 137:2; Epiphanius, Panarion (Haereses), 29:9; Jerome on Is. 2:18; 49:7; 52:4. This benediction has been the subject of much scholarly debate by many interpreters, including myself in “The Gospel of John and the Jews: The Story of a Religious Divorce,” AntiSemitism and the Foundations of Christianity, edited by Alan T. Davies (New York, Paulist, 1979), pp. 84–88, 95–97, and in “The Date of Luke-Acts,” Luke-Acts: New Perspectives from the Society of Biblical literature Seminar, edited by Charles H. Talbert (New York: Crossroad, 1984), 56, 61, 62. We suspect that he may be a heretic and therefore have him repeat, so that if there is a heretical side to him, he will be cursing himself with the community responding: Amen. So also <do we treat> whoever does not say <benediction 14>, "Who builds Jerusalem," since they will suspect that he may be a Samaritan. R. Jose said: If a proselyte takes upon himself <all> the words of Torah except for one, they do not accept him.¹²Cf. TDem. 2:6; Bek. 30b. And not only that, but <the same rule applies> even in the case of a single minute detail out of <all> the minute details in the Torah or out of the minute details from the scribes. R. Judah bar Shallum said: You find forty-eight times in the Torah where the Torah warns against <harming> the proselytes and, with reference to them, it warns against idolatry.¹³BM 59b; see Hor. 13:a. The Holy One said: It is enough that he forsakes his idolatry and comes to you; therefore I am warning you about him, because I love him, as stated (in Deut. 10:18): AND <HE> LOVES THE PROSELYTE¹⁴Heb.: ger. Although this word meant “sojourner” in biblical times, it had come to mean “proselyte” and is so understood here. IN GIVING HIM FOOD AND CLOTHING.

(Gen. 14:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL. Let our master instruct us: In regard to a proselyte who converts on the eve of Passover, how does he eat his paschal offering? Thus have our masters taught (in Pes. 8:8)²¹Tanh., Gen. 3:6. THE BET SHAMMAY SAY: HE IMMERSES AND EATS HIS PASCHAL OFFERING ON THE EVE, BUT THE BET HILLEL SAY: ONE WHO TURNS ASIDE FROM A STATE OF UNCIRCUMCISION IS AS ONE WHO TURNS ASIDE FROM THE GRAVE.²²Thus such a proselyte might not eat his paschal offering because he needed a far more elaborate purification than could be carried out in a single day or less. Resh Laqish said: The proselyte who converts is more beloved than Israel when they stood at Mount Sinai. Why? Because, if they had not seen the thunder and lightning, the mountains trembling, and the noise of the trumpets, they would not have accepted the Torah. But this < proselyte >, who did not see one of them, came, resigned himself to the Holy One, and took upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there one of you more lovable than this one? Once upon a time Onqelos the Proselyte questioned a certain elder and said to him: How the Holy One loves the proselyte when he has stated (in Deut. 10:18 that one should) LOVE {THE} [a] PROSELYTE IN GIVING HIM FOOD AND CLOTHING!²³Cf. Gen. R. 70:5; Exod. R. 19:4; Numb. R. 8:10; Eccl. R. 7:8:1. Is that everything? FOOD AND CLOTHING? He said to him: But did not our father Jacob seek only this? Thus it is stated (in Gen. 28:20): AND < IF GOD > GIVES ME FOOD TO EAT AND CLOTHING TO PUT ON < … >. Our masters have said: The proselyte is beloved because the Holy One had < the following > written about himself (in Jer. 14:8): WHY ARE YOU LIKE A PROSELYTE IN THE LAND? The Holy One said: Thus do I love the proselyte. Moreover, Abraham is the father of proselytes,²⁴On Abraham being a proselyte, see Mekh. R. I., Neziqin 18. and these wicked ones have come to join < in battle > against him. Woe to them, for their end is to fall (PL) before him. Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Gen. 14:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL ('MRPL).²⁵The Hebrew letters can mean, “He said (’MR): Fall (PL).” For other interpretations of the name, see ‘Eruv. 53a.