Reb Saunders personifies the Hasidic rebbe (from “ rabbi ,” or teacher) and personifies strict, traditional, Orthodox Judaism
Why does Danny have to become a rabbi?
However, by the end of the novel, he is able to find a balance between the religious and secular worlds , which is why his father can release him from his obligation to become a rabbi and accept his becoming a psychologist.
Where is Reb Saunders from?
Reb Saunders has had a very difficult life. He is from Russia and was there during the anti-Semitic Cossack raids during which his first wife and child were killed in front of his eyes. After this he took his entire Jewish community through Europe to America to start a new life.
Who is Danny’s father in the chosen?
Danny is the son of Reb Saunders and heir apparent to his father’s Hasidic dynasty. He is a brilliant scholar with a photographic memory and a deep interest in Freud and psychoanalysis. Danny attends his father’s Hasidic yeshiva, but he reads secular books in secret at the public library.
Is Reuven’s father a rabbi?
Malter commanded Reuven to be ordained a rabbi , perhaps Reuven would have rejected his father’s wish, much like Danny seems to do. Reuven experiences a great deal of growth throughout the novel. At the beginning of the story, his left eye is injured during a softball game.
Why is the chosen called the Chosen?
The novel’s title refers to the idea that the Jews are God’s chosen people and therefore hold special privileges and responsibilities . Both Danny and Reuven fulfill their duty by studying Jewish liturgy, and they derive great pleasure from Jewish traditions.
Is the chosen a classic?
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It is the now- classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each.
Why did Reb Saunders not talk to Danny’s childhood?
Why did Reb Saunders not talk to Danny’s childhood? Reb Saunders reveals that the silence he imposed upon Danny was a way to teach him compassion, to teach him to feel the suffering of others . His own father raised him that way.
Why does Mr Malter want Danny and Reuven to be friends?
Mr. Malter tells Reuven that he has a brilliant mind but that Danny is a “phenomenon.” He says that he is happy that Reuven and Danny have become friends. Because of his great intelligence, Danny is terribly torn and lonely. Their friendship cannot but help both of them.
Why does Mr Savo warn Reuven against Danny?
Savo that Mr. Malter teaches the Talmud to high school students. Mr. Savo warns Reuven that he shouldn’t become friend with someone like Danny, who hit him .
How does Reb Saunders determine whether Reuven is fit to be his son’s friend?
How does Reb Saunders determine whether Reuven is fit to be his son’s friend? Reb invites Reuven to a dinner , and tells a long speech using quotes from the Talmud. When he quizzes Danny about the mistakes in the speech, he missed one.
What good things has Reb Saunders done?
Reb Saunders personifies the Hasidic rebbe (from “rabbi,” or teacher) and personifies strict, traditional, Orthodox Judaism . He led his followers out of Russia to the United States to escape physical persecution by the secular authorities.
Why is Tony Savo in the hospital?
A prizefighter in the eye ward with Reuven. He loses his eye just before Reuven gets out of the hospital. He’s a completely flat character, meant to help Reuven see how precious his own eyes are, and maybe to show us that Reuven is capable of empathy.
What is the name of Danny’s sister?
Portrayed by. Krista is Danny’s sister, with whom she’s abnormally close. She was portrayed by Julie Lauren in “The One With The Inappropriate Sister”.
Why does Danny’s team call Reuven’s team Apikorsim?
Danny, speaking to Reuven at second base, asks, “Your father is David Malter, the one who writes articles on the Talmud?” When Reuven confirms that David Malter is his father, Danny promises that his team will “ kill you apikorsim ,” a word originally used to describe a Jew who denied basic tenets of Judaism.
Why is Danny’s father so strict about what he reads?
When he wakes up, Danny Saunders is standing at his bedside. ... The next day, Danny tells Reuven about the books he reads unbeknownst to his father, who is very strict about what Danny reads. Danny reads so much because he gets bored studying only Talmud .
