Mishneh Halachos1(16:92): Is it a mitzva to accept converts?

… In the sefer
Knesses Yechezkeil (#59) the question is raised whether beis din has a mitzva to accept
converts? A certain talmid chachom is quoted as citing Yevamos (47b): “If the non-Jew
accepts all the obligations he is immediately circumcised because mitzvos are not to be
delayed.” He asks what is this mitzva? Where are we commanded to accept converts?
The author of Knesses Yechezkeil brings a dispute amongst poskim was to whether beis
din has a mitzva to convert gerim. He notes that the Raavad(Baalei HaNefesh Shaar
Hatevila) states that beis din is commanded to convert gerim and that this mitzva is based
on the fact that Avraham made converts. Bereishis (12:5): The soul that they made in
Charan” is understood by our Sages as saying that Avraham converted the men and Sarah
converted the women. That is why the beracha is “and commanded us.” This is also the
view of the Rashbatz in Zohar HaRakiya (#28) who learns the mitzva from the gemora in
Yevamos (47b) which was previously cited. The author of Knesses Yechezkeil notes that
there in no basis for in the Raavad that there is a mitzva to accept converts but cites the
Sifre concerning the mitzva of loving G-d which seem to be similar to the Raavad… I
have additional questions. 1) If in fact this mitzva is learned from the mitzva of loving
G-d it shold be included in that mitzva which is one of the constant mitzvos. See

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Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvos #3) where he in fact cites the Sifre that it means to be like
Avraham who brought people to recognize G-d… However the Rambam does not in fact
state that love of G-d means to convert non-Jews to Judaism. 2) We don’t learn the
obligation of any mitzvos from what happened prior to the Giving of the Torah as is
explicity stated in the Rambam (Commentary to Mishna Chullin 7:6) and other places.
Even the mitzva of mila or gid hanasha that we observe is not because Avraham or
Yaakov and his sons were commanded to keep them but only because the mitzvos
received from Moshe. That is the only reason why we say a beracha “Who has sanctified
us with His mitzvos and commanded us concerning the mitzvos.” There is no mention
anywhere of the name Avraham. This is also true for the mitzva of mila. However there is
in fact an additional beracha of “brining him into the covenant of Avraham” but this is for
the covevenant not for the mitzva of mila. The bris and the mila are two separate things…
Also concerning the view of the Zohar HaRakia (#28) that Yevamos (47b) indicates that
accepting converts is a mitzva for the beis din because it says “one should not delay the
mitzva.” In my humble opinion I would offer an alternative understanding. The mitzva
referred to in the gemora is not the mitzva for beis din to convert the ger but rather there
is a mitzva for the ger to be converted and he shouldn’t delay the conversion. In such a
case we have a mitzva not to delay him and thereby causing a delay in his mitzva of
conversion. Granted that this is not a mitzva obliging us to convert him but we can say
that since he is not able to convert himself it is necessary to assist him in his conversion.
Since it requires a court of 3 judges and he wants to convert and not delay the conversion
we are commanded to assist him so that he doesn’t delay his mitzva – however this is not
a commandment on the beis din itself. There is proof for this is from Yevamos (48b
which asks why are converts today suffer. The view of others is because they delayed
coming under the wings of the Shechina. Ruth (2:12) is cited that G-d gave full reward
since Ruth came as soon as possible to convert… Thus we see that a convert who
converted as soon as possible is praiseworthy. This would also explain why beis din
should not delay the conversion. However it doesn’t show that the beis din is comanded
to convert.