The bottom line for Ger.
BS"D Over the years prior to my becoming Torah observant, and even after I became Torah observant, even the slightest infringement on the individual's spiritual freedom was and still is repugnant to me, meaning it stinks. Wherever you find forces trying to limit personal freedom, there you will find the forces of evil. The shepherd is a guide, not a master. There is only one Master, one Rav. He is Father and King and Master, in fact, Ribono shel Olam means Master of the world, or the universe. He is the One Master who can grant freedom and it is how He identifies Himself, above all else, as a Liberator, as it says (Ex. 20:2), I am the Lord thy G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Whoever limits another's freedom (unless it is to protect himself or others), especially spiritual freedom, is the enemy of G-d and the enemy of mankind. Ger had the potential of securing for itself that kind of Divine freedom, but, alas, I fear it is headed in precisely the wrong direction. Oh dear, another well meaning package of intentions tossed intro the raging waters of Noah because it lacked wisdom.
But I will tell you something important -- Ger can also be a trap. Anything can be a trap or become a trap after starting out as not a trap, but as an escape from traps. If one's eyes are not always vigilant, the non-trap becomes a trap. It takes Chochmah which is the wisdom of the Torah, meaning Kabbalah, and it takes Syata d'Shemaya, the help of Heaven, meaning G-d Himself, meaning meditation.
The Mashiach told Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi that he would come "Hayom today." Eliyahu Hanavi, zachur latov, (Elijah the Prophet) interpreted this to mean, "I will come hayom, the day that you listen to the Voice of Hashem Yitborach." There is a parrotic faction of Jewish clergy that interprets it to mean, “the day that we follow the Torah, that is the day Mashiach will come.”
I say borscht without potatoes or sour cream. Do you mean to tell me that no one ever observed the Torah?! How about Binyomin or Yishai, the father of David? There have been perfect tzadikim, plenty of them. That is not what Eliyahu was saying. He meant that the Mashiach meant that the Geula shalaimah would come when we listen to the Voice of Hashem, mamash. He is actually talking to everyone of us…tamid (all the time). How do I know that He is talking to everyone of us? Because He is HaTov u'HaMetiv, the One Who is good and does good. And He is Infinite. Rabbinic Judaism teaches this, but you have to dig for it. You will not find it anywhere but Kabbalah. In Geula, emunah (faith) is a small thing. The avodah is “bitachon,” trust. For trust is higher than faith. To maintain trust in G-d can be as delicate as unraveling a silk cocoon without tearing a thread. A neophyte has no chance. But after years of practice, he can begin to do it and the knowledge will never leave him. That is when life is great and there is no more suffering. It exists in this world and is the Essence of Geulah, mamash, mamash. Even great skies are actually all good in Geulah, for there is no Din for those who know and are bonded to the Name of G-d that sent Moses to Pharaoh to liberate the Hebrew slaves. This means living beneath the wings of the Shechina, “b’tzel canafecha tostireinu, conceal us under Your wings.”
But there is a presumption that one can strip these teachings from their physical garments. If not, then if he is a Jew he is forbidden to learn them, and if he is a goy he is permitted to learn them because they teach the Oneness of G-d.
That is a moshol for true spiritual growth and development. Nothing is new and everything is new. How can it be that nothing is new and everything is new at the same time? Because it is not new that everything is new. It has always been that everything is new, because the Source has no limits and has an All-Good Essence and Light looking for a Vessel to illuminate.
It is possible for G-d to bless a person so that he or she never commits a single sin in their lives. It is all a matter of timing. If I were looking for a non-Jewish dugma, a role model, to emulate, do you know who it would be? (This is a no brainer). Hanoch, called Enoch. For it says in the Torah (Gen. 5:24), "And Hanoch walked with G-d and he was not (aynenu), for G-d took him." There is no mention of him dying, and the Oral Tradition teaches that he was made into an angel, but this is not the forum to say more openly. Cavod Elohim, Yitborach. Adonai Hu HaElohim.
There is also no mention of Shem the son of Noah, who is Melchizedek, as ever dying. And the Midrash teaches that Shem came to Mount Sinai and met Shlomo Ha-Melech, King Solomon. Two big Kings. I mean, …..big. The intent should be obvious. They provide the perfect tikun for each other. Shem fills the gaps in Shlomo and Shlomo fills the gaps in Shem. They are Keruvim atop the Holy Ark of the Covenant. From between their wings, the Voice of Hashem speaks to His prophets.
What this all means is that one has to be good with G-d according to what He said to us on Mount Sinai. And it is equally so for Jew or Gentile, for the souls (Nefashot) of all mankind for all generations were at Mount Sinai when G-d spoke all Ten Commandments. That does not mean, however, that everyone in the world received the Tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written. The Tablets are the covenant, sealed between the Holy One of Israel, and His people. Every Jew is included in that Brit, Covenant, an Eternal bond that we could break, but that He could never break. If you want to understand G-d, you do not ask if He could create a rock too heavy for Him to lift. Ask if G-d could ever create a covenant that He could not break?
This is where Ger should be centered, around the truth of the covenant at Sinai. This should be the focus because this is the Truth. The question that needs to be answered is not Who is a Ger? The question that needs to be answered is, “Who is included in the covenant at Mount Sinai?”