PROSELITO. — A believer of non-Israelite origin who had embraced the Mosaic religion (προσέλωτος “newly arrived, added”). Philo (v.) considers Jewish law suited to proselytism insofar as it is free from national limitations: barbarians and Greeks convert to Judaism (De vita Mos.). Seneca provides a parallel: « Cum interim usque eo sceleratissimae gentis consuetudo valuit, ut per omnes iam terras recepta sit; victi victoribus leges dederunt ». The p., often called φοβούμενος (ο σεβόμενος) τὸν θεόν (Act. 10,2; 13, 16), are among the earliest followers of St. Paul. Flavius Josephus speaks of the expansion of Jewish proselytism, but also of its arrest, probably due to the fall of Jerusalem and the apostolate of St. Paul. Poppea, Nero’s wife, was favorably disposed toward the Jews. True p. were King Izates of Adiabene (Assyria) and his mother Helena.
Universalistic ideas are expressed in Ps. 36, 6-8; 93; 95-100; 145, and in wisdom literature. But from A.D. 70 onward, national tendencies prevailed in Judaism over universalistic ones. Hillél (v.), who taught: « Love the creatures and lead them to the Law », the verb gijjár (gér “foreigner” residing in the country) is thought to have come into use, meaning “to make someone a p.”, that is, to convert him. A special blessing for p. was instituted and inserted into the «Eighteen Benedictions» (v. SEMONEH 'BÄREH); but defections on the part of p. subsequently cooled enthusiasm for proselytism.
The act of conversion presupposed a course of religious instruction, an invitation to reflect on the importance of the step, the performance of ritual bathing under the eyes of witnesses, and, for men, the rite of circumcision. Since the p. had no Jewish father, he was designated «son of our patriarch Abraham» and considered a «p. of righteousness», in contrast to the interested or false p. The «p. of righteousness» participated in the Passover banquet, could offer sacrifices by performing the rite of the laying on of hands, and were to be helped and loved; the «false p.» were regarded as a plague upon Israel.