Responsa for Yevamot 48:7
אי הכי לכתחלה נמי משום דרב אסי דאמר רב אסי (משלי ד, כד) הסר ממך עקשות פה ולזות שפתים וגו'
Our Rabbis learnt: No proselytes will be accepted in the days of the Messiah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When Israel will be Prosperous and Prospective proselytes will be attracted by worldly considerations. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> In the same manner no proselytes were accepted in the days of David nor in the days of Solomon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During Israel's heyday. V. previous note. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> Said R. Eleazar: What Scriptural [support is there for this view]? — Behold he shall be a proselyte who is converted for my own sake,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or who is converted while I am not with you (v. Rashi, a.l.) i.e., while Israel is in exile and forsaken by God. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> he who lives with you shall be settled among you,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. LIV, 15, according to the Midrashic interpretation of R. Eleazar. The rt. [H] which E.V. renders 'to gather' is here interpreted 'to become a proselyte', 'to be converted'. ');"><sup>27</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Rabbi Hezekiah b. Jacob, to whom the question was first submitted, ruled that L be forbidden to A.
A. One judge is not at liberty to permit what another has prohibited. Were I present at the time when Rabbi Hezekiah received the query, I would have argued the case with him. A woman is not forbidden to her husband unless either: a) the husband is jealous of a certain man, and warns her against private meetings with this man, and the wife disregards this warning in the presence of witnesses; or b) they actually be found in a position indicative of fornication. But, heavy breathing itself is no indication that illicit sexual intercourse took place. Therefore, I shall wait till Rabbi Hezekiah recuperates from his illness, whereupon I shall discuss this matter with him.
SOURCES: Pr. 98; Am II, 63; Rashba I 832–3; Tesh. Maim. to Ishut, 8; Hag. Mord. Kidd. 549. Cf. Asher, Responsa 32, 11; Weil, Responsa 8; ibid. 88; Israel Bruno, Responsa 5; ibid. 7; Isserlein, Pesakim 222.