When a person is called up to the Torah for an aliyah, the person is called up by his/her Hebrew name the child of the parents’ names. For example, my son Hillel is called up to the Torah as Harav Hillel Ya’akov ben Harav Avraham Asher VeYehudit. What is the appropriate name for a convert? I let the person choosing Judaism to choose his/her first name. Sometimes the person chooses the Hebrew name that is identical or similar the English name. Sometimes the person chooses a name of a Jewish deceased relative to perpetuate that name. Sometimes the person just chooses a name he/she likes. According to Jewish law, when a person converts he is considered a brand-new person legally (although not emotionally) detaching himself from his former family. When we want to call him/her up to the Torah for an aliyah, who would be his/her parents if he/she is legally severed from his/her original family?
We learn on daf TB Haggigah 3 that the convert is considered a descendent of Abraham (and Sarah). “Rava taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, daughter of the prince [nadiv]”? How pleasant are the feet [raglehen] of the Jewish people when they ascend to Jerusalem on the pilgrimage Festival [regel]. “Daughter of the prince”: this is referring to the daughter of Abraham our father who is called a prince, as it is stated: “The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham” (Psalms 47:10). The Gemara asks: Is God only “the God of Abraham,” and not the God of Isaac and Jacob? Rather, the verse mentions “the God of Abraham,” as he was the first of the converts. Abraham was the first prince, as all converts who follow in his path are called ‘the princes of the peoples.’” (Sefaria.org translation)
I think this is a wonderful solution for aren’t we all
descendants of Abraham and Sarah!
TB Haggigah 3 contains other very interesting midrashim. I highly recommend you study
them as well.
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