Anusim

The term anusim (Hebrew אנוסים, plural forced by anus ) is a rabbinic legal term for Jews who were forced to leave Judaism against their will and so far they only possible to practice Judaism under the repressive conditions continue. It derives from the Talmudic term Abera be'ones ( Tractate Avodah sara 54a).

For Jewish heretics the synonymous names Kofer, low or even Epicurus are in the Mishnah used by the Greek philosopher Epicurus. The Mishnah does not define these terms, but it is assumed that this is to people who do not believe in the providence of God.

Because of the mass forced conversions of Jews in Spain and Portugal in the 14th and 15th centuries, the term was anusim the time of the Inquisition of the Spanish rabbis often used. example:

Non- rabbinic literature

In the non- rabbinic literature is called the anusim " Conversos, " " New Christians, " " crypto- Jews " or " Marranos. " The Catholic Church shaped the first two titles, the third is more like a modern creation by historians, and the fourth, originally derogatory term, is in today's research is a common name for (forcibly ) converted Jews of Sephardic descent.

Rabbinic literature

The anusim have a special place in the rabbinic literature. Since the rejection of Judaism against the will of the person concerned was done anusim shall in all respects continue to be Jewish. This means that despite the forced conversion of anusim slaughtered meat, brewed by anusim wine, closed by anusim marriages, etc., are halachically recognized.

All descendants of anusim through the maternal line are explicitly Jews because according to Jewish law, the child of an Israelite woman is a Israelite, no matter what faith the child grows.

• Jewish History ( Middle Ages)
• Sephardic Judaism
• Conversion