Traditions In The Chosen By Chaim Potok

Much of the differences in culture have to do with superstitions. Many of today’s traditions and superstitions date back thousands of years. It is

Traditions such as homemade decorations, Grandma’s banana pudding, and ugly Christmas sweaters often remain close to the hearts of family members. Candles, decorations, food, and outfits, the list of customs never terminates! Two families, who practice traditions in the book, The Chosen by Chaim Potok, include the Malter family and the Saunders family. David and Reuven Malter enjoy habits of weekly services, prayer, and special articles of clothing in their lives as Orthodox Jews. Because the Saunders family practices the Jewish sect of Hasidism, the family hosts traditional feasts while the father lectures on Jewish texts; he also plans on bestowing the role of tzaddick to one of the male children. Both families participate in studying holy Jewish scriptures each Shabbat, or Sabbath day, despite their contrasting habits. Although the Malter’s practice unique traditions that differ from the the Saunders family’s customs, the families share the tradition of studying holy Jewish books.

If he hears something he does not agree with, he counters it, and this brings growth into his friendships. It first happens when Reb Saunders makes his mistake in gematriya and Reuven, despite severe misgivings, corrects him. Though it turned out to be a test, Reuven showed that he was willing to contradict errors when he found them, and in the process won the respect of Reb Saunders. In the Talmud debates with Danny and his father, Reuven shows that he can and will argue vehemently against points that he disagrees with. Though both of the Saunders know much more about the Talmud than he does, Reuven can still keep up with them and add his own contributions to the discussion every now and then. And when Danny starts reading books that criticize his own faith, Reuven warns him not to believe everything he reads, and to talk about the controversial books with someone who knows more about it. “‘You ought to discuss it with my father first,’ I told him, ‘before you go believing any of that’” (114). Reuven’s willingness to refute concepts he does not agree with make him a solid friend for

Potok emphasizes the difference in the way they dress because it shows how each team makes quick judgments about other without getting to know them first. Another striking difference is the Hasidic team’s coach, who appears to be a “rabbi” instead of an athletic coach. Potok portrays the rabbi as having “obvious uninterest” and carrying a “book” with him to illustrate why Reuven doesn’t think the Hasidic team is taking the game seriously. Reuven doesn’t know Danny, but remembers his father, Rabbi Isaac Saunders, because his father had “no love” for the Hasidic communities and their “rabbinic overlords”.

Reuven continues to explain his new perception of Danny and explains, “I was fascinated just listening to the way perfect English came out of a person in the clothes of a Hasid” (67). While Reuven is in the hospital he is gradually healing physically and growing as a person as is Danny. Reuven and Danny’s ability to understand and grasp information concerning ones’ own identity and the world as a whole is key in regards to understanding one another. The novel is interspersed with unyielding animosity and misunderstandings. This is overcome when both boys open their minds or eyes to one another’s personalities and thoughts. Reuven talks about how Danny defies all of the generalizations and expectations he has about Hasid’s. Danny asks Reuven why he wants to become a Rabbi when there are so many other options out there. He begins to display his true identity in little pieces to Reuven in the hospital. Danny unconsciously is trying to understand why Reuven would choose a job that Danny is being forced into. As Reuven learns more about Danny he starts to gain a sense of empathy and compassion towards him in a way he probably never would have otherwise. Through each other they gain an understanding of the choices that they can or may not be able to make for the future and the misconceptions of each other sects start to

reader to try to understand that certain customs and traditions that were seen as 'usual' can be very

Why does Reb Saunders exclude Danny from his life? One of the first things Danny says about his father is “He doesn’t like to talk too much, either. Oh, he talks plenty when we’re studying Talmud together. But otherwise he doesn’t say much say much he told me once he wishes everyone could talk in silence” (Potok 72). What Danny says is an understatement. Danny’s father never speaks to him except when the two are

Religion plays a large part in the formation of both Danny and Reuven’s personal identities and contributes heavily to the overall theme and setting of the

Danny, Reuven, and their families are tolerant to different religious beliefs when Danny and Reuven become friends, when they both go to college, and finally when Danny goes his own way. Danny and Reuven's families are very different in many different ways, which means they both have to be tolerant of the other. Reuven is raised by only his father as his mother died when he was young. He has no brothers or sisters, his father is a teacher, and they are not orthodox Jews. Danny, on the other hand, has a brother, a sister, and his father is a rabbi.

Reuven Malter is the son of David Malter, who is an activist in the Zionist movement, and is rather secular in his religious practices. Even though he is an extremely religious man, David Malter is also a practical, scientific man, often coming up with his own interpretation of the Talmud, and taking initiative for what he feels is important instead of leaving it up to God (the master of the universe?). Because he strives to be open-minded to all people and ideas – even ones he does not necessarily like – Reuven is raised with more freedom with his education and opinions. On the other hand, Danny’s father Reb Saunders is extremely traditional with his religious outlook/ideals and is a devout Hasidic Jew. Even though Danny has great respect for his father, he also believes his father is too restricted in his view of the world, stubbornly sticking to tradition and rejecting any foreign ideas. Reb Saunders’ life revolves around his religion, so much that “he would die for them both quite gladly” (Potok 188). Because of how devoted Reb Saunders is to Hasidism and the religion’s hierarchy, his son Danny becomes conflicted between following his people’s expectations to take over his father’s position when he comes of age,

With 7.3 billion people on earth today, some of us still encompass ourselves with traditions from thousands of years ago. The pursuit of tradition is wired in the heads of the future and carried from one generation to the next; thus breaking family customs is impractical. On the contrary, breaking traditions can create a more desirable future. Tradition does play a role in my life. However, I learned to part from family customs and see the world for myself.

He openly opposed the idea, and he even started a group whose primary purpose was to spread propaganda against the Zionists who were in support of the Jewish state. Reb Saunders even went as far as to tell Danny that he could not be friends with Reuven any longer because he did not agree with what Reuven’s father was rallying for. Finally, Reb Saunders and David Malter differ in the way in which they decide to raise their boys. David and Reuven have a very open relationship, and they talk about almost everything. If Reuven needs help or advice, he goes to his father, and they discuss it. Reb Saunders has decided to raise Danny in silence, and the two never discuss anything aside from their Talmud studies. Reb encourages Danny to try to find a solution to his own problems rather than relying on his father’s help. Throughout the novel, Potok develops David Malter and Reb Saunders as two opposing characters that could not be more different. Potok shows this from the beginning, and he even continues revealing it in the end. Though they are both of the Jewish faith, Reb Saunders and David Malter lead very different

The religious tradition that will be talked about throughout this paper is Sikhism. A basic overview will be given about what this tradition is all about and how it came to be. This paper will give a fair representation of Sikhism. Sikhism will also be compared and contrast to another religious tradition. The other religious tradition is Christianity. Christianity is a religious tradition that I practice. These two traditions will be evaluated carefully and will have a fair comparison to one another as well.

Genuine human identity and tradition are closely linked together especially in the literary works we have read. Traditions which are created through experiences and culture influences greatly contribute to the person one will become, as well as one’s reaction to such change in tradition. (THESIS) Traditions act as a building block for one's life; they take time to develop since they are passed down from generation to generation. Patriotism and The Doum of Wad Hammud, truly embrace not only a community or culture’s traditions but emotions one may experience due to tradition

Throughout the chapter, the most interesting part for me was about the Haredi culture. This is because I have always wanted to know their purposes of their dress code. The reason that Haredi individuals dress a specific way would be because they “trying to preserve centuries-old East European Jewish traditions”(Rosenthal, 2008). Also, these individuals dress modestly because they are ultra-Orthodox Jews. In this specific portion of this chapter, it describes the various ways of how men, women, and children dress. For example, men “wear sashes over their long black coat and black pants tucked into their socks and they wear kippot”(Rosenthal, 2008). As for women, they have to “cover up from the collarbone to wrist and barely reveal their stocking