Novel “The Chosen” by Chaim Potok Essay Sample

you, it is important to listen and forgive them. On the second occasion, Danny visits again.

Upon hearing Danny's explanation for throwing the ball, Reuven's anger subsides and they engage in a genuine conversation about school and the baseball game. This unexpected turn of events has a lasting impact on both their lives.

Post the initial event, Reb Saunders approves the union between Danny and Reuven. Though both boys belong to the Jewish faith, they follow different traditions - Reuven being a modern Jew and Danny, a Hassidic Jew.

Their contrasting beliefs and values deem an unlikely friendship due to the distinctly different appearances of Hassidic people, characterized by black hats, long black coats, black beards, and earlocks.

According to an individual's definition, Hasids assert their superiority over other Jews and believe that they alone have God's favor, while all other Jews are considered wrong and sinful.

"The Chosen" categorizes someone as a dissembler, an apikoros, and doomed to fire in hell.

On page 28, the rabbis study the Talmud, which contains both civil and spiritual Torahs and is a collection of opinions and decisions. Reb Saunders finds it hard to accept his son's friendship with Reuven when it comes to history.

Danny invited Reuven to his house to meet Reb Saunders, Danny's father. During their visit, Danny and his father conducted a Talmud survey session which Reuven attended. Later, at a Shabbat meal with Reb and members of Danny's community, Reb gave a speech and quizzed Danny and Reuven on gematriya. Reuven noticed an error and corrected it, stating that the Gematriya for 'prozdor' is five hundred and three.

On page 134 of The Chosen, it is written "not five

hundred and thirteen". This creates a feeling of relief.

After their survey session, Reb Saunders expresses his contentment with Danny's choice of Reuven as his friend, as if Reuven has passed some trial with him. This event becomes significant as Reb's approval is essential for their friendly relationship to achieve its full potential. Another important event in their friendship occurs when Reuven visits Danny, and Reb Saunders asks him to share what Danny reads. This is because he knows that Danny spends a lot of time in the library and cannot ask his son directly.

According to Danny, it was Reb who would have confronted David Malter about Danny's reading, not him. However, Reuven informs him about how Danny's father recommends books for him to read and how they meet.

Reb talks about the importance of psychology, referring to it as the "Maestro of existence" and incorporating the fields of psychological science and Darwinism. Danny's interest in German and desire to read Freud is not mentioned. This information is conveyed through a single HTML paragraph element.On page 158 of The Chosen, there is a quote that says "I can no longer talk to my own son".

Reb asks Reuven to promise not to exclude his son because he is not Jewish. Reuven informs his father about Reb’s request and reveals that Reb has already been communicating with Danny through him regarding his books, though Reuven adds that he doesn't like being in the middle of things. (The Chosen)

On page 161, Reb tells Reuven that in order for Danny to become the next tzaddik, he needs to have empathy for his suffering people. Reb trusts that Reuven's silence

will be effective with his son.

One crucial event in the novel involves Reuven's role in helping Danny find himself, ultimately leading to a resolution between Danny and his father. However, another important event occurs when Reuven is cut off from the Saunders family due to his father's actions.

David Malter firmly advocates for Zionism, while Reb Saunders staunchly opposes it. Malter delivers a speech asserting that the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust will only find true significance once a Jewish state is established. The day after, Reuven notices Danny's pale and resolute demeanor. Danny refuses to speak to Reuven until they are alone in the bathroom, where he confesses that his father had come across Malter's speech and prohibited Danny from having any association with Reuven.

Reuven refers to Reb as overzealous, but Danny notes that this same fervor has kept their people alive for thousands of years in exile, just like Danny's father. Danny believes that if the Jews in Palestine possessed even a fraction of this passion, they could quickly establish a Jewish state. Following this conversation, Reuven and Danny do not speak for the remainder of the semester. As time passes, Reuven develops a strong dislike for Reb Saunders' insistence on separation. This animosity carries over into the following year.

Upon returning to college, Reuven encounters Danny, who does not recognize him, prompting Reuven to vow to forget about him. However, he is placed in Rav Gershenson's Talmud class where Danny's constant presence is felt. Meanwhile, David Malter's health continues to deteriorate, resulting in him becoming increasingly emaciated.

The approval of the Partition Plan for Palestine by the United Nations brings a strong

sense of relief, followed by a calming silence at the college in the weeks to come. Reuven's academic performance sees an improvement from the previous year, scoring all A's. However, Reuven deeply misses Danny and looks to him for support when dealing with his father's second heart attack. This situation highlights the strength of Danny and Reuven's friendship.

The reader is informed about four significant events that take place in the friendship between Danny Saunders and Reuven Malter. These events hold importance in their friendship as they endure through various challenges and difficulties. Regardless of such obstacles, their strong bond and admiration for each other remain forever ingrained within them.