Why is it so hard to convert to Judaism?

Answer 1

Several reasons: First, Jews do not believe that you have to convert in order to get into heaven, be saved, or something like that. An influential Medieval rabbi wrote: "The righteous of all nations have a place in the world to come." As a result, Jews have an obligation to try to influence people to be righteous, but that does not require conversion. Any religion that teaches righteousness is OK. By the 12th century, Jews concluded that Islam was OK. Christianity is harder because of the Trinity and the idea of the Incarnation, but by renaissance, Jews concluded that, for the purpose of the conduct of business, Christians are not idolators. Second, Judaism is hard. Jewish tradition holds non-Jews to the Noachide Covenant mentioned in Genesis. The 7 commandments in that covenant can be inferred from the reasons God gives for the flood. In contrast, tradition says that Jews are held to all 613 commandments in the Torah. It takes quite a bit of study to figure out how these apply. Finally, conversion to Judaism is risky. Even today, there are antisemites who seem anxious to slaughter Jews. The death penalty still applies in Saudi Arabia to any Muslim who converts to Judaism, and it was only a few centuries ago that conversion was a death-penalty offense in most of the Christian and Muslim worlds. Even in the US, things were not easy for a long time. In 1848, Walter Cresson converted to Judaism and was declared insane for it.