I've long had complex feelings about my Judaism.

I am a Conservative Jew, and was extremely observant during my childhood and adolescence. However, for several years, I drifted away from my religion. But over the past year or so, I have started to recommit to it.

My mother converted to Judaism before marrying my dad. Strangely enough, it has always given me an inferiority complex among my fellow Jews.

The Promise, similar to The Chosen, emphasizes the inter-religious discord among Jews. We follow Reuven's studies. His teacher, Rav Kalman, disagrees with the method of Talmudic study that Reuven and his father employ.

Reuven also spends a significant amount of time with Michael Gordon, a troubled boy, and his father, Abraham Gordon, who is also a controversial Jewish scholar.

Reuven's old friend Danny treats Michael, resorting to an intensive period of isolation when other therapies prove ineffective. Michael and Reuven developed a close bond the previous summer when they attended a disastrous carnival and went sailing together.

The various characters grapple with issues that many Jews (and people of other faiths) still encounter: modernity and tradition, family expectations and personal ideals.

Danny marries a modern Jewish woman in his father's synagogue. He discovers the cause of Michael's illness and helps him regain balance.

Reuven uses his own type of Talmudic interpretation during his examination, and Rev Kalman grants him smicha (ordination) despite his disagreement with that methodology.

Reuven's father leaves his job under intense scrutiny and commences a new one.

This book truly resonated with me. Chaim Potok is a masterful writer, and the topics he covers are captivating. I eagerly look forward to reading more of his books, especially Davita's Harp.

Well-written and with great insight into the Jewish religion, this book explores how a parent's choices can pressure their children.

I was particularly struck by the message about anger. It's okay to feel angry towards those who have harmed us, and it's also okay to feel angry at God. Michael was angry at his father, and Rabbi Kalman was angry at God for the loss of his parents in the Holocaust.

There's a profound subtext here. Even though the bad things that happen aren't God's fault, God can handle our emotions. Feeling them keeps us from closing off from others and from life.

I'm not sure I even caught all of what was being communicated - it's that kind of book. There's something really compelling about the way Potok writes. It drew me in, and I felt like I was settling in to hear a story from a friend.

I do wish I had re-read The Chosen before reading this. I read it as a kid, and that was just too long ago! One downside to the book is that it was a bit slow in parts.

Overall, it's a thought-provoking read that offers a unique perspective on the Jewish religion and the human experience.

A beautifully written, thought-provoking book that delves into the profound themes of faith and reason, loyalty and community, and, of course, the complex relationship between fathers and sons.

It is not quite on par with the prequel, The Chosen. However, it must be noted that the bar set by The Chosen is perhaps impossibly high. Interestingly, Potok poses many of the same questions in this book as he did in The Chosen. Just as Reuven related to Abraham Gordon, I find myself appreciating Potok's questions. Yet, I don't value his answers in this book nearly as much as those in his earlier work. This book places a much greater emphasis on the psychological aspect of man's problems and the purported solutions that psychology presents, mainly in the form of recognizing and admitting our deeply ingrained hatreds.

Overall, I am glad to have read it. However, if I were to recommend one, I would毫不犹豫地 recommend The Chosen over its sequel.

So much of the religious world presented in this novel feels familiar and is similar to my own experience.

Reuven Malter finds himself at the crossroads of the Old World, ultra-Orthodox Judaism and the modern world. As the protagonist of the story, he largely manages to successfully bridge these two worlds and earns the respect of both. I am envious of his ability. However, not everyone is as adept. The other main character is driven insane by the intense and terrible tension between what cannot be preserved and what must be respected.

“I had never in my life come across a man who was so fanatical a protector of Torah that he didn't care whom or how he destroyed in its defense. I had never imagined that Torah could give rise to such a grotesque human being” (259).

“How can we teach others to view the tradition critically and with love? I grew up loving it and then learned to look at it critically. That's everyone's problem nowadays. How to love and respect what you are being taught to analyze” (298).

“They are remarkable people. There is so much about them that I find distasteful. But they are remarkable people.

“I wish they weren't so afraid of new ideas.”

“You ask for a lot, Reuven. The Messiah has not yet arrived. Will new ideas allow them to continue singing and dancing?”

“We can't ignore the truth, abba.”

“No,” he said. “We cannot ignore the truth. At the same time, we cannot quite sing and dance as they do.” He was silent for a moment. “That is the dilemma of our time, Reuven. I don't know what the answer is” (312).

The Promise

The Promise builds upon the themes explored in The Chosen. It delves into the relationships between fathers and sons, the complex issue of Jewish identity in the USA after the Holocaust, and the world of textual criticism. Just like The Chosen, it is a profound and moving work that展现了深刻的内心世界和诚实. However, in The Promise, we encounter Danny and Reuven as young adults rather than adolescents. Potok has crafted a sequel that is well worth the read.

I remember clearly the moment when I realized that particularity in literature is the key to true universality. It was while studying a poem that I understood that the more specific an author is with their characters, scenes, and language, the more room they create for readers to connect. Although I have no personal experience of attending a yeshiva in New York City in the late 1940s with a professor who survived a concentration camp, I can relate to the personalities, the faculty politics, and the tendency to take every idea to its extreme through my own educational experiences. After all, people are people.

Recently, I have picked up several of Potok's books, including the sequel to My Name Is Asher Lev. Based on The Promise, it seems that Potok writes sequels that are not essential to his standalone works but add a great deal of depth and richness to the world and characters he has created. While The Promise cannot be read without The Chosen, for those who were put off by the numerology and Talmudic tangents in the latter, I found the textual criticism passages in The Promise more interesting (albeit somewhat vague). Having studied biblical textual criticism (albeit very little and years ago), I had a frame of reference that helped me understand these passages better. I also recognized several of the medieval Jewish scholars mentioned in The Promise, which gave me a sense of accomplishment. However, I found that footnotes would have been more helpful than Potok's explanations of Hebrew/Yiddish/et c. words when characters use them in conversation. Sometimes the words are left in the original language and translated in the following sentence, while other times English words are used but Potok notes that the character used a different word in the next sentence. This can be a bit distracting from the narrative, although I'm sure it makes the audiobook easier to follow.

There is a challenging aspect of psychological treatment in The Promise that Potok handles with great care. A young boy who is a danger to himself and others is isolated as a last resort before institutionalization in an attempt to force him to reveal the truth of his problems. While this approach works in the novel (with an unsurprising reveal that I could have guessed at a young age), I couldn't help but wonder why they didn't try the opposite and, for example, take him camping or send him to a warmer climate to live semi-feral (under supervision) for a while. Starving someone of their connection to nature seems cruel, even as a last resort. I found myself siding with Rav Kalman (the Majdanek survivor) when he questioned this method.

“‘We’re all full of rage. That’s something I’ve begun to think about these days.’
This statement reflects a profound thought that has crossed the mind of the speaker. In our modern and often chaotic world, it seems that anger and rage are emotions that many of us experience to some degree.
[…]
‘It would begin to teach you how to become aware of yourself. That’s what the soul is, I think. Self-awareness.’”
Self-awareness is indeed a crucial aspect of our inner selves. It allows us to understand our emotions, our thoughts, and our actions. By becoming more self-aware, we can better manage our rage and other emotions, and make more conscious choices in our lives.
The concept of the soul being related to self-awareness is an interesting one. It implies that our souls are not just some intangible essence, but rather something that can be cultivated and developed through self-reflection and self-awareness.
In conclusion, the ideas presented in these statements offer us food for thought and encourage us to explore our inner selves more deeply.

Percorsi di vita
"
There are many good souls among them. They help to keep the world alive."
(C. Potok)

"The Chosen", a beautiful book, is exactly the continuation of "The Promise".
The author, C. Potok, a New York Jew (the city where the two texts are set), seems to immerse himself so deeply in his narratives that he cannot easily detach himself from the characters. It happens in more of his written works that the destiny continues further, always with remarkable results.

Here, the two young protagonists, now on the threshold of adulthood (we are in the 1950s of the 20th century), with their talents and the dedication they have put in, are realizing long-cherished choices: Reuven as a rabbi and teacher; Danny embarking on the activity of a psychiatrist.
A young woman comes to insinuate herself between them.
To these characters is added an intelligent and fragile adolescent, emotionally disturbed, the son of a famous Jewish intellectual in positions of secularism. Almost as a counterbalance, in the diverse American Jewish world, there is a teacher of Reuven, who has come from the horrors of the Holocaust, whose severe orthodoxy finds a motivation in the shocking loss of all the people of reference: "Rav Kalman is trying to save what little is left of his world. (...) The extermination camps destroyed much more than the Jews of Europe. They destroyed man's faith in himself."

As I have said, the book is beautiful, an absolute superlative that is attributed sparingly. However, here we are faced with one of the best writers that contemporaneity has offered us.
The reader is led, with an almost protective hand and in an enveloping climate, in the meanders of the socio-cultural history and not only, but even more in the depth of the human being, of his secrets and his responsibilities.

The Promise presents a complex web of relationships and beliefs. Reuven and Danny have grown into young men with different career paths. Reuven is training to be a rabbi, while Danny is on his way to becoming a therapist. Danny is dating Rachel Gordon, and her troubled cousin Michael lives with them. Michael clearly needs professional help, and Reuven tries to assist, eventually enlisting Danny.

Danny, though still technically a Hasid, has made some changes. He has shaved his beard and forelocks and lives apart from the community. Reuven remains Orthodox, but discovers there are different degrees of orthodoxy at his yeshiva. He had previously studied with Rav Gershenson, a gentle and pious man, but now he studies with Rav Kalman, who has a very different approach.

Rav Kalman survived the Holocaust and has extreme views. He is a fundamentalist who believes the Torah is without error. This conflicts with Reuven's father, a renowned scholar who thinks there can be errors in the text. Reuven agrees with his father but is hesitant to oppose his professor. Rav Kalman is a difficult professor, but he believes he is fighting a battle of good versus evil to preserve the sanctity of scripture.

Adding to the complexity, Michael's father, Abraham Gordon, is a successful religious writer with views opposite to Rav Kalman's. The Orthodox congregation considers him excommunicated. Reuven, however, appreciates the spirit of his work and becomes involved with the Gordon family to help Michael.

Reuven faces numerous moral choices. If he is loyal to his father's views, he may lose his chance to be a rabbi. Associating with the excommunicated Gordon family could also disqualify him. And to make matters worse, Rachel, Reuven's love interest, falls in love with Danny.

Despite the complexity, Potok manages to hold it all together and bring it to a satisfying conclusion. Even Michael's severe mental illness is being treated by the end. The story may seem specific to a certain time and place, but the emotional issues are relevant today.

Chaim Potok finds common ground among the characters, even if not everyone is happy. In a world where everyone is shouting and not talking to each other, Potok shows that it is possible to come together.

[1] Sentiment is an appropriate part of a novel, but sentimentality can go too far.

[2] There is a small quibble about the opening scene involving baseball or softball. Danny's ability to hit the ball directly at the pitcher's head seems a bit unbelievable for a Hasidic kid who doesn't spend much time on sports.

I read this book immediately after finishing The Chosen. As a sequel, one might expect "more of the same" or perhaps even less from The Promise. However, while the novel may not be as thematically and symbolically profound as the first book, it still retains the warmth and authenticity of The Chosen. I was drawn to this book because I had fallen in love with the main characters, Danny and Reuven. The Promise is once again written from Reuven's perspective, but it seems to focus less on Danny and more on the newly introduced characters. Nevertheless, I felt that even though less time is spent on Danny in the text, one still gains an equally in-depth understanding of his life and experiences. This is due to the awareness of his character that was established in the first book. In that sense, it satisfied my desire to follow these two characters.

Both The Chosen and The Promise are not highly adventurous, exciting, or thrilling stories. In fact, they are quite the opposite: calm, rational, and seemingly simple accounts of events and thoughts. Yet, I couldn't put them down. There is something about Chaim Potok's writing style that not only makes you want to read his stories but also respectfully invites you to become intimate with the characters' thoughts and feelings. It's not that other books have made me feel like an intruder; rather, these two books have simply made me feel openly welcomed.

It's a wonderful story about life and personal growth. I highly recommend it to any reader who enjoys introspection while reading.

A beautifully written book that manages to be both powerful and tender simultaneously. Even though I don't claim to be an expert on a complex theme like the Talmud, I found myself completely riveted from the very first page. The exploration of a theme such as the mutual relations between different sectors within Judaism is not only of great significance within the religious context but is also extremely relevant to the day-to-day life in Israel. It delves into the intricacies and nuances of how these different groups interact, coexist, and sometimes even conflict. This book offers a unique perspective that allows readers to gain a deeper understanding of not just the religious aspects but also the social fabric of Israel. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Judaism, Israel, or simply in exploring the complex relationships that exist within a community.

The Promise is a remarkable novel penned by Chaim Potok. It serves as a sequel to The Chosen, which was published two years prior. Originally published by Alfred A. Knopf in New York, The Promise, although not quite on par with The Chosen in terms of impact, is still highly commendable. It is skillfully crafted with a depth that many modern books lack.

The story of The Chosen is set in Brooklyn, New York, among the diverse Jewish sects that inhabited the area in the 1940s. It begins with Reuven Malter, a 15-year-old Jewish student and the son of the prominent Talmud commentator David Malter. He has lived among the Hasidim, an extremely orthodox sect, and has not known Danny Saunders, who lives just 5 blocks away and is the genius son of a Hasidic rabbi, Reb Saunders. They meet during a baseball game and become friends, encouraged by David Malter. As they grow together, Reuven discovers Danny's strong desire to pass on the role of rabbi to his sickly younger brother and become a psychologist, while Reuven himself is working towards becoming a rabbi. Their lives are affected by various conflicts within Judaism, World War II, Hitler, and the Holocaust. Danny's religion and his father also have an impact on Reuven's life, as he witnesses a deep-rooted struggle between father and son.

In The Promise, Reuven and Danny are both engaged in their studies. Reuven is working towards his smicha and a degree in philosophy, while Danny is pursuing a degree in psychology. They come into contact with a mentally ill boy named Michael, who is the son of Abraham Gordon. Gordon's writings have caused significant controversy among Jewish Talmudists.

The Torah is a book of law and prophecy given to Moses by God Himself, while the Talmud contains the interpretations of the Torah by ancient scholars. Although it is a sacred book, it often contradicts itself and is subject to emendation, leading to constant controversy among modern Talmudists.

Reuven must work towards his smicha under the strict guidance of Rav Kalman, who is extremely orthodox and believes it is his duty to guard "the spark," which represents Yiddishkeit or Judaism, as well as the ancient teachings and the privilege to teach. Rav Kalman is opposed to both Reuven's father and Abraham Gordon, yet Reuven still has to努力 earn his smicha under him. Meanwhile, Danny is put in charge of Michael's treatment and resorts to a desperate experiment to get Michael to talk in therapy.

The writing style of The Promise is not overly descriptive but rather straightforward and honest, which is what makes the novel so successful. Certain scenes are so vividly realistic that the reader is left with a heavy heart for the pain of the characters or filled with joy for their success. Additionally, Potok seems to focus more on the events happening around Reuven (since the story is told from Reuven's first-person point of view) rather than on Reuven's own actions. This approach makes the book less simplistic and repetitive compared to some others that are constantly filled with sentences beginning with "I." It is both interesting and highly realistic.

Although there may not be an abundance of detailed descriptions per se, the descriptions that are present are extremely realistic and artfully done. They do not try to force-feed the reader but simply present the truth, which captivates the reader's attention.

Symbolism plays a prominent role in this book, especially in nature. Symbols such as clouds, trees, stars, and colors all have hidden meanings and play a significant role in the lives of the characters. The reader is compelled to question and, in doing so, gains wisdom from the book.

The Jewish lives depicted in the novel are shown to be both wonderful and challenging, and the dedication to religion is truly astonishing to the layperson. The reader not only gains wisdom from the various themes explored but also develops an appreciation for the rich religion and its passionate followers, as well as their mastery and dedication to scholarship. While being entertaining, this book is also enlightening.

Chaim Potok's The Promise masterfully portrays the passion of Jewish scholars in America. In a seemingly simple manner, it reveals the truth while intertwining classic themes and archetypes that can be interpreted differently by each reader. Potok's writing breaks free from the monotonous and overly descriptive works that are highly praised today, offering the reader a fresh perspective that many contemporary authors struggle to achieve. A modern classic, The Promise will leave readers both enlightened by its wisdom and breathless at the sincerity of its narrative.

For all those who are struggling through religious issues, especially my LDS friends, this book is truly a game-changer.

It has the remarkable ability to put so many complex religious concepts and questions into a clear and understandable perspective.

The book doesn't just scratch the surface; it delves deep and explains everything in a comprehensive manner.

Moreover, it has the potential to bring about a great deal of positive change in one's understanding and perception of religion.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a must-read for anyone who is seeking answers and clarity in their religious journey.

Whether you are a devout believer or someone who is simply curious about different religious beliefs and practices, this book has something valuable to offer.

It will open your eyes and expand your mind, helping you to see religion in a whole new light.

So, don't hesitate. Pick up this book and embark on a journey of discovery and enlightenment.

You won't be disappointed.