Yesterday's daf noted that Kutim, nations exiled to Israel by the kings of Assyria who wished to repopulate the Israel after they removed the Jews. They converted to Judaism because people were afraid that lions were attacking them. They continued to worship their many gods. When the Jews returned to Israel around the building of the second Temple, the Kutim's descendants the Samaritans attempted to block returning Israelites to build the Temple or the inner walls of Jerusalem. Some Jews married Samaritans, including priests.
The Gemara describes fights between the Israelites and the Samaritans over many years. It also describes times when the two peoples cooperated. For example, they helped each other through the Bar Kochba revolt. Ultimately the Samaritans were ruled to be non-Jews because of their idol-worship.
In Massechet Yevamot, we learned that a bet din should not accept any potential convert who is taking that step for a reason other than a heartfelt desire to join the Jewish people. However, the Gemara also teaches that if one goes through the full conversion process, s/he is considered to be Jewish. Steinsaltz teaches us that today's community of Samaritans is often welcomed into the larger Jewish community.
Today's daf reminds us about the difficulties surrounding conversion in Israel. The is someone Jeish and when are they not at all Jewish? The Orthodox rabbis in Israel have monopolized decision-making around conversion, which means that people who convert according to Reform or Conservative halacha are not considered to be Jewish. We continue to struggle with question s about who is Jewish and who is not.
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