Why the Torah Warns Forty-Eight Times to Love the Convert

[(Lev. 1:1-2:) THEN THE LORD CALLED UNTO MOSES… SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: WHEN A PERSON FROM AMONG YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING.] Let our master teach us: One who passes before the ark [to lead the prayers] and errs [and does not say the blessing of the cursing of the heretics (minim)], what is the law concerning making him repeat it? Thus have our masters taught: One who passes before the ark and errs in all the blessings — they do not make him repeat them; in the blessing of the heretics, they make him repeat it against his will. We are concerned lest he be a heretic, and therefore they make him repeat it, so that if there is in him an element of heresy, he will be cursing himself, and the congregation answers Amen. And likewise, one who did not say "Builder of Jerusalem" — they make him repeat it, for we are concerned lest he be a Cuthean. Rabbi Yose said: A convert who has accepted upon himself the words of the Torah except for one matter — they do not accept him; and not only that, but even a single fine point of the fine points of the Torah, or of the fine points of the Scribes. Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom said: You find forty-eight times in the Torah that the Torah gives warning concerning the converts, and corresponding to them it gave warning concerning idolatry. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is enough that he forsakes his idolatry and comes to you; therefore I warn you concerning him, for I love him, as it is said, "and He loves the convert, to give him bread and clothing" (Deut. 10:18).