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, and from this moment on as one who is not deserving to be, or to be considered as, a Jew, even in his hidden Jewish essence, until such time as he returns to Judaism. The most substantial change is found at the end of the thirteenth century, in the writing of R. Meir ben Baruch (Maharam) of Rothenburg, Goldin, Apostasy and Jewish identity.indd 117 20/08/2014 12:34:47 118 Apostasy and Jewish identity particularly in his overall substantive statement regarding the convert to Christianity, one that radically alters the decisions of Rabbenu Gershom Meor ha
seriousness, and the subject was developed thus until, in the days of R. Meir of Rothenburg (end of thirteenth century), it became an obligation.11 R. Yitzhak emphasizes the theological aspect in his discussion of the question of interest in relation to the convert to Christianity, clearly expressing the change in attitude towards the converted Jew as deriving from the nature of the Christianity that he has taken upon himself. As we have seen, the issue of interest is one that touches upon the very roots of the Jewish self-definition due to the biblical verses connecting
. 3 Judah b. Samuel he-Hasid, Sefer Hasidim, Nos. 210 (p. 76), 189–190, 511, 208 (76). See: H. Ben Arzi, ‘Asceticism in Sefer Hasidim,’ [Hebrew] Da’at 11 (1983), pp. 39–46. 4 Judah b. Samuel he-Hasid, Sefer Hasidim, Nos. 208, 250 (pp. 82–83), 201 (75), 209 (76), 1,571 (336); J. Katz, Exclusiveness and Tolerance, Oxford 1961, pp. 93–105. It is thus that one may perhaps understand R. Eleazar Ba’al ha-Rokeah of Worms, who perceives him as tantamount to a new proselyte, due to his weighty sins; likewise the approach of R. Meir the Maharam of Rothenburg, who is
. Mordechai ben Hillel, the close disciple of Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg and author of the most comprehensive commentary on the Talmud of his day, who himself died as a martyr.21 The author asks God to end the period of Exile and bring the Redemption, and emphasizes how loyal the Jews are to their God, that they do not sin Goldin, Apostasy and Jewish identity.indd 107 20/08/2014 12:34:47 108 Apostasy and Jewish identity and, primarily, that they are willing to sacrifice themselves in order to demonstrate that they cannot be made to change their religion. The example he cites
together to Judaism and once again live together as Jews. It seems clear that the leadership was unable and unwilling to separate them. In the words of one of the authors of the response: ‘So as not to reject them so that they return to their bad ways, I saw fit that one ought not to be strict with them.’29 Rabbi Meir ben Baruch (the Maharam of Rothenburg) who, as we have seen, was very strict in his approach towards men who had converted to Christianity and now wished to returned to Judaism, was much more lenient with women in Dukenhausen (Rockenhausen?) who found