When someone converts to Judaism, aside from kabbalat hamitzvot are they also asked to accept the rambams 13 principals of faith?
What if the convert does not believe in Torah min hashamayim or holds some belief that is questionable, is that something they are interviewed about and would it passul the conversion?
Answer:
According to the Gemara candidates for giur must be informed about some of the mitzvos, and their acceptance thereof is sufficient to ensure their seriousness about keeping mitzvos. Principles of faith are not mentioned.
However, the idea of accepting mitzvos is that we only accept candidates for Giur if they accept “authentic Judaism,” and this includes the basic principles of faith. However, this doesn’t necessarily have to include all thirteen of the Rambam’s principles.
As we know, many great Jewish thinkers didn’t agree with all of the principles, and if the candidate will believe in the Ikkarim’s principles (rather than the Rambam’s) this will not invalidate him as a candidate for Giur. He needs to believe in the basics: The existence of and oneness of Hashem, the concept of Torah min HaShamayim, the idea that God is interested in human action – and so on. But we won’t necessarily test him on all the details.
Best wishes.
