Roper
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Yes, any male who wants to be considered a full member of the Jewish faith must be circumcised, no matter their age. Even men who are already circumcised must undergo a second ritual circumcision. That’s not really the hard part, though. You don’t really have to do anything to be circumcised, and the procedure is perfectly safe. The hard part is everything else that requires some work and effort on your part.
Circumcision for male converts to Judaism has been a debated issue for quite some time. Rabbi Eliezer, a prominent authority in the 1st century A.D., issued a proclamation stating that converts must be circumcised according to the teachings of the Midrash, a holy book of Judaism. The book says that anyone not observing circumcision or the Sabbath may not enter the land of promise.
Another book, the Babylonian Talmud, states that converts need not be circumcised as long as they are ritually immersed in mikveh, a type of Jewish holy water. Unfortunately, this is considered the lesser of the two versions of the Talmud to many Jewish scholars. When in conflict, the Jerusalem Talmud usually wins out.
Circumcision and the ritual immersion are actually the last steps to converting to Judaism. Before the rituals are performed, you must be accepted among the Jewish people. This is not just converting to a different religion, but to an entirely different way of life.
You will be required to study every aspect of the Jewish holy books. Not a day should go by when you do not read and memorize sections of the Torah. You will have to learn all of the prayers and some songs, which all have to be spoken in Hebrew. Most rabbis performing the conversion will require a good knowledge of the Hebrew language.
The most important aspects of the religion to be studied are laws and ethics. The Five Books of Moses are paramount. Studying Jewish history is secondary. After all of the studying, you will be given a test. If you pass the test successfully, you will finally be allowed to undergo the final ceremonies.
So, you see, circumcision is not just a requirement, but it is a great honor…if you believe in that kind of stuff.
 Posted 4591 day ago
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