May one believe a person who says he converted or is proof required?

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If one says he is Jewish because he converted, is he to be believed?[1]

Marrying a Jew: If a person who was known to be a gentile claims that he went through conversion and became Jewish, he is not believed to be allowed to marry a Jew unless he supplies witnesses [or other proof of his conversion] or reconverts. This applies even if this person now acts like an observant Jew. If however the person was always held to be Jewish and now says that in truth he converted, then he is believed without witnesses.[2] Now although some Poskim[3] argue that even such a person must bring witnesses, nevertheless, the custom is like the former opinion.[4] [In Israel, the Rabanut requires all foreigners to prove their Jewish identity and provide authorized conversion papers in order to be allowed to marry.]

Other matters, such as Tefillin: The above requirement for a gentile to bring proof of his conversion even if he is now an observant Jew applies only with regards to allowing him to marry a Jew. However, regarding all other matters of Judaism [such as Tefillin, Minyan etc], if he acts as an observant Jew he is believed to have converted even if he does not bring proof of his conversion.[5]

 

[1] Michaber Y.D. 268/10; Yevamos 46b

[2] Michaber ibid

[3] Rambam in Michaber ibid

[4] Shach 268/21 in name of Bach

[5] As an observant Jew maintains a Chezkas Kashrus

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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