Three Kinds of Converts and the Deer Who Came on His Own

"One law shall there be for the native and for the stranger" (Exodus 12:49). There are three kinds of converts. There is a convert who converted for the sake of a woman. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You converted for the sake of forbidden meat — behold, it is given to you, as it is said, "You shall give it to the stranger who is within your gates" (Deuteronomy 14:21). The second convert converted in order to be supported as a poor man — behold, they give to him, as it is said, "And when you reap the harvest" (Leviticus 23:22). The third convert is the one who converted for the sake of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: He is weighed before Me as one of them [Israel], as it is said, "The assembly, one statute… one law shall there be for the native" (Numbers 15:15-16). And not only that, but he is weighed before Me as a Levite, as it is said, "And the Levite shall come, because he has no portion" (Deuteronomy 14:29). Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, is this convert like a Levite before You? He said to him: He is great before Me, for he converted for My sake. A parable: like a deer that grew up in the wilderness and came of its own accord and mingled with the flock, and the shepherd fed it and gave it drink and loved it more than his own flock. They said to him: This deer you love more than the flock? He said to them: How much labor have I labored over my flock, taking them out in the morning and bringing them in the evening until they were grown; but this one grew up in the wildernesses and the forests and came of its own accord into my flock — therefore I love it. So too the Holy One, blessed be He: How much have I labored over Israel — I brought them out of Egypt, I gave them light before them, I sent down the manna for them, I drove up the quail for them, I raised the well for them, I surrounded them with clouds of glory until they accepted My Torah; but this one came of his own accord, therefore he is weighed before Me as Israel and as a Levite.