Essay: The Chosen by Chaim Potok

Hasidism is a denomination of the Jewish religion with very strict and conservative ideals. Founded by Baal Shem Tov, members blindly follow their tzaddik, or leader, who they believe is a direct relative to the founder. The group’s core faith and beliefs revolve heavily around the Torah and firmly believe that the Torah is God’s word. The messages sent within it are what should guide our lives and what gives them significance.
In comparison to my life, the Hasidic Jews lead a very different lifestyle, however, there are some shared characteristics. Both Hasids and I go to schools that center around a religion, and we both pray often. We both ask God for assistance throughout our lives, and we both attend service weekly. However, the Hasidic Jews are much more stern with the way they carry out their lives. Members must wear the same attire, consisting of “black hats, long black coats, black beards, and earlocks” (Potok 11), unlike Catholics. Although we Catholics find guidance through the Bible, we are not required to have an extremely in-depth study of its writing and a knowledge of outside writings about the faith to actively participate. Most notably is this reliance on the liturgy of the word.
Danny, a Hasidic Jew, is often discouraged against him reading books on psychology and other secular forms of writing. His religion states that all the answers he will need to live and go through life are contained in the Torah. This explains his fear of his father’s thoughts, should he get caught in the library. In our faith however, we are encouraged to explore all forms of ideologies to better understand what we believe in. As an example, in Theology class, we sometimes question the Church to grasp the reasoning behind our worship. Another example would be the fact that we are reading a book on Hasidic Jews for our Theology class, something that would be looked down on if we were members of the Hasidic order.
2.  How do Danny and Reuven change in the course of the book? How have you changed in the past year?
Danny and Reuven both change both in their own ways. Danny does not undergo a major change, however he gains valuable traits such as courage and independence from Reuven. Although Danny highly respected his father, he seemed to be intimidated by him and was quite fearful of being caught venturing into German and psychology. Reuven acts as an outlet for Danny, someone who he can confide his exciting new information with. Through this relationship, Danny is able to freely explore his hunger for learning without feeling judged or uneasy. This allows him to act onto his love for psychology, eventually giving him the bravery to come to terms that he will choose to reject the role of the next rabbi. Without Reuven there for him to encourage his curiosity, Danny would not have stood up against Reb and would have become an unhappy rabbi.
Reuven changes greatly throughout the course of the novel, growing up very quickly. His eyes are “opened” and his mind becomes broadened due to a number of reasons. One factor is the time period. Taking place in the 1940’s, Reuven is exposed to one of the biggest massacres of humans in history, and it doesn’t help that those killed were mostly Jews. This shifts Reuven’s view of his religion, giving him a sense of the tragedies of life at a young age. This forces him to be strong and mature, making him seem older than he is. Reuven also changes through his encounters with Danny. Danny shows Reuven a new side of Judaism, full of new methods, beliefs, and ways of living. He also exposes Reuven to new ways of thinking, derived from his fanaticism of Sigmund Freud. Their discussions about his philosophies as well as the “battles” about the Talmud improve his intellect. His father says, “You are no longer a child Reuven. It is almost possible to see the way your mind is growing. And your heart, too … You have become a small giant since the day Danny’s ball struck your eye.”
Over the course of the year, I feel like I have greatly changed as well. Because I chose to attend Regis, I have taken on a lot of new responsibilities that have made me more mature and responsible. The commute forces me to be self-sufficient requires me to be on top of my things. I have become better at time management and prioritizing, and I have definitely limited procrastination. My interests have changed as well. Just a couple days ago, I did not go trick-or-treating for the first time. Although I used to like watching TV a lot, I find myself less and less interested in it. Up until recently, soccer was quite boring to me, but now I experience the fun I had when I was just beginning to play.
3. Why does Reb Saunders raise his son in the way that he does? Why do parents take a stance that is different than that of their children? Give an example from your own experience.
I think that Reb Saunders raises his son the way he does because of his expectations for him. Reb automatically assumes that Danny will be the successor to his rabbi position. He raises him in silence, just as his father did, because he thinks that that is the best way to raise a tzaddik. He says, “When people would ask [Reb’s father] why was so silent with his son, he would say to them he did not like to talk, words are cruel, words play tricks, they distort what was in the heart, they conceal the heart, the heart speaks through the silence. One learns the pain of others by suffering one’s own pain… And when I was old enough to understand, he told me that of all people a tzaddik especially must know of pain” (Potok 278).
Parents often take a stand different to their children because they know better. They most likely went through the same scenarios as children and had different stances from their parents. They have experience, and although they want the best for you, sometimes the best isn’t what you think it is. As an example, last year during soccer, I was scoring goals left and right. It wasn’t necessarily a challenge, and because my parents like to make things difficult, they forced me to move out of my comfort zone. They told me to get ready and dropped me off at a tryout. Little did I know that it was a tryout for Cedar Stars Academy, the highest ranked soccer team in the nation. Surprisingly, I made the team. However, at my first practice, I quickly realized soccer became a challenge, so naturally, I wanted to quit. My parents did not let me, and made me stick it out for the rest of the season. I complained the entire time, asking what the point of playing was if I wasn’t the best. They always responded, “It’s for your own good.” I never understood that until the season ended. They let me quit, and when I did, I found that I had improved a lot without realizing it. It made me faster, stronger, better on the ball, and overall a better player. I wanted to take the easy way out and just give up, but by not allowing me to stop right then and there, they were helping me in a way I could not see.
4. What roles do intelligence and compassion play in the novel? How do they motivate Danny and his father in their final choices? What goals / values motivate your choices?
Intelligence and compassion are two key themes within The Chosen. Compassion is what drives the plot along, beginning with Reuven’s stay in the hospital. Danny feels terribly about what he has done, so he goes to visit Reuven and offer his sympathy. As the visits become more frequent, they quickly become close friends. Without compassion, Danny would have most likely become a rabbi and Reuven would stay isolated in his secular Jewish world.
Danny wants to continue learning about psychology and pursue intelligence, yet he encounters a roadblock: he is destined to become a rabbi. Throughout the book, he is consistently at odds as to what he should do. He does not want to upset his father, but he knows that if he becomes a rabbi, he will be wasting his potential. In the end, compassion and intelligence are what motivates his decision.
Danny concludes that he cannot ignore his love of Freud and psychology, and he makes the choice to reject becoming a rabbi. This puts Reb Saunders in a difficult position. He must choose to be compassionate and allow Danny to go after happiness, or remain rigid in his stance and keep Danny on the track to becoming a rabbi. Reb eventually chooses to accept Danny’s wishes and lets him go off into the world.
5. How would you describe the friendship between Danny and Reuven? With whom do you most identify? Have you ever had a friendship that was as meaningful to you as the one between Danny and Reuven?
I would describe the friendship between Danny and Reuven as unlikely, unique, and necessary. Although they lived within 5 blocks of each other, they had never come into contact with each other before the softball game. Due to their religious divisions, you would not expect a pairing like Reuven and Danny’s, yet it operates well.  Their two personalities compliment each other, bringing out the best from both sides.
In this friendship, I identify with both sides. I see myself in Reuven through his love of logic, using reason and sensibility to take on a situation. I also see myself in Danny, full of ambition and drive to accomplish something great.
I have about two or three best friends, but these friendships are not meaningful in the way of Danny and Reuven’s. While these friends may be my friends for life, they won’t necessarily have an impact on my career or suddenly bring a change about my personality. Danny and Reuven certainly have something special, yet my friendships are special in a different way. I believe that Reuven had such a close-knit relationship with Danny because of how his circumstances forced them to be together. I have never had my friend’s father speak to them through me, nor have I ever had to impress them through religious debates.