The chosen
The chosenBy: timbo
The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, is a book about friendship between two boys from vastly different religious Jewish backgrounds. Their initial distrust and hatred for each other because of their differing backgrounds gives way to undestanding, and develops into a deep friendship. Danny Saunders is brought up in a Chasidic environment. His father is the Rabbi of his synagogue and sect, and is well respected as a great Tzaddik and a Talmud Scholar. His ancestors for the past five generations had been very honorable and respected rabbis in their own synagogues, and Rabbi Saunder�s son, Danny, is expected to follow in their footsteps. Danny too, is a great Talmud scholar and deeply religious person, but his friendship with a less religious boy draws him into a more secular world, changing many of his viewpoints. Reuven Malter is brought up in a modern orthodox Jewish environment. His father is the rabbi of his synagogue, and a teacher in high school. Reuven is a very modern Jew who learns a wide variety of Jewish subjects. Though he invests much time in Gemara, the amount he learms is nothing compared to what the Chasidim learn. This difference in education and religious attitudes causes friction between the Chasidim and the modern orthodox Jews. The Chasidim believe that the modern orthodox are corrupt in their beliefs- they should be studying the Gemara a lot more, and be much more religious in everything they do, such as praying to G-d. It is not expected to find a...
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