Introduction to Zohar: Quote on Converts

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Introduction to Zohar: Quote on Converts

גִּיּוֹרִין לֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּאִילָנָא עִלָּאָה כָּל שְׁכֵּן בְּגוּפָא דִּילֵיהּ. אֲבָל חוּלָקָא דִלְהוֹן בְּגַדְפִין אִיהוּ וְלָא יַתִּיר. וְגִיּוֹרָא תְּחוֹת גַּדְפֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא וְלָא יַתִּיר (לך לך צ”ו ע”א) גֵּירֵי הַצֶּדֶק אִנּוּן דְּתַמָּן שָׁרָאן וְאִתְאַחֲדָן וְלָא לְגוֹ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר. וּבְגִין כָּךְ תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לְמִינָהּ. וּלְמָאן, בְּהֵמָה וָרֶמֶשׁ וְחַיְתו ארץ למינה כלהו שאבין נפש מההיא חיה, אבל כל חד למינה כדקא חזי לה:

Converts have no part in the upper tree, especially not in its body (trunk). So their place is in the wings and not beyond. There fore, the convert’s place is under the wings of the Shechinah, and not higher. And the true proselytes are those who reside there – and not inside. This is why it is said: “Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after their kind.” And to whom? “Cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after their kind” (Genesis 1:24). All draw their spirit from within that living creature, but each one according to its kind, as is appropriate to it!

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