Apostasy in Judaism is the rejection of Judaism and possible conversion to another religion by a Jew. The term apostasy is derived from , meaning 'rebellious' ( Similar terms are (, lit. 'destroyed one'), and () or (), which denote heresy and the negation of God and Judaism, implying atheism.
Some halakhic aspects of the status of a mumar include the following: a mumar is considered akin to a gentile in matters related to commerce; it is prohibited to lead them into actions that are forbidden; in the context of matrimony, ritual purity, and inheritance (with certain exceptions), they are classified as an Israelite; and the sages established that there is no mourning for a mumar.
However, today, another category, tinok shenishba ("captured infant"), a Jew who sins as a result of having been raised without sufficient knowledge and understanding of Judaism, is widely applied and should be considered. A tinok shenishba is not halakhically classified as a mumar, regardless of how much of Halakha they observe.
Examples
In the Bible
The first recorded reference to apostasy from Judaism is in , which states:
In the Talmud
In the Talmud, Elisha ben Abuyah (referred to as Acher, the "Other One") is singled out as an apostate by the rabbis.
Medieval Spain
In Medieval Spain, a systematic conversion of Jews to Christianity took place, largely under duress. The apostasy of these conversos provoked the indignation of some Jews in Spain and it was made illegal to call a converso by the epithet tornadizo (renegade).
Some Spanish Jews, however, remained crypto-Jews despite being compelled to convert to Christianity (see Anusim). They are also called Marranos.
Sabbatai Zevi and Jacob Frank
In 1648 Sabbatai Zevi claimed to be the Jewish Messiah. His Jewish followers were known as Sabbateans. Zevi converted to Islam in 1666. Afterwards, some of his followers willingly converted but continued to practise Sabbatean rituals. These people became known as the Dönmeh.
In the 1750s Jacob Frank claimed he was the reincarnation of Zevi and attracted many followers in Poland, known as Frankists.
See also
- Conversion of Jews to Islam
- History of Jewish conversion to Christianity
- Heresy in Judaism
- Humanistic Judaism
- Jewish atheism
- Jewish Buddhist
- Jewish schisms
- Jewish secularism
- List of Jewish atheists and agnostics
- Messianic Judaism
- Off the derech
- Religious disaffiliation
- Self-hating Jew
- Zera Yisrael
- Gerim