Laura Griffin RLS 101 The Chosen Friendship and The Sacred While attempting to unite science and

religion, William James explicitly described religion as, Consisting in the belief that there is an unseen order, and that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves thereto. (William James, 1997). Jamess definition of religion is a paradigm that separates the sacred and profane (Coogan). Religion plays a critical role in how we perceive friendships. Both have similar characteristics such as unconditional love, forgiveness, faith in another, and acceptance. However, religion can strain a friendship depending on how strongly one believes, how significant of a role religion plays in ones daily life, and how open one is to other traditions and belief systems. The Chosen is centered on the themes of friendship and reverence for the sacred: coexisting with each other as an ongoing struggle and eventual triumph. The importance of friendship begins with the spontaneous meeting of Reuven Malter, an Orthodox Jew, and Danny Saunders, a Hasidic Jew, who live in close proximity, yet are completely unaware of one another (The Chosen, 11). For the most part the Hasidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn alienated itself from outsiders (Sparknotes). During a ferocious softball game against Reuvens high school team and Dannys yeshiva team, the two boys begin their rocky relationship with a serious eye injury resulting in Reuvens stay at a nearby Hospital. To Reuvens surprise, Danny visits him to apologize for hurting his eye, which Reuven impolitely dismisses. Despite Reuvens indifference, his father responds, You must

remember what the Talmud says. If a person comes to apologize for having hurt you, you must listen and forgive him...What I tried to tell you, Reuven, is that when a person comes to talk to you, you should be patient and listen" (The Chosen, 68). This statement is just the start of many in which Danny begins to inspire awareness of how their religion can be implemented in daily living. Reuven wanted to hold grudges towards Danny, but David Malter advised Reuven that he was being unfair. Upon Reuvens visit to apologize, the two instantaneously begin a deeply committed friendship. It is through this friendship that Danny has the strength to go against his fathers commands and study psychology instead of succeeding his father as a Rabbi, and that Reuven learns to become more spiritual. The characters in The Chosen have differing views of the sacred. Although they all remain loyal to the importance of their strong Jewish faith, Reuven and David Malter have a different understanding of the sacred than Danny and Reb Saunders. The characters reaction to the major historic events, such as the Holocaust and the Zionist movement, creating the state of Israel for those who survived the Exile and Holocaust, forms the two opposing perspectives displayed in the novel (Coogan). Although the two families response to the Holocaust is initial the same, with David weeping and Reb Saunders expresses his sorrow, their resolutions are drastically different (The Chosen, 180). David Malter responds to the Holocaust and Zionist movement with action that they must make a difference and one cannot wait for God (The Chosen, 182). The Malter family assimilates their Orthodox Jewish traditions with the modern American culture. Like most Orthodox Jews, they devote themselves to causes within the Jewish world and spend time with

their families studying the sacred texts such as the Torah and Talmud (Zohar). Reb Saunders and Danny are Hasidic Jews who believe that they must accept the will of God (The Chosen, 181). Reb Saunders relies greatly on Gods word and that God will come back and take them to the Promised Land. "The Hassidim believed that the tzaddik was a superhuman link between themselves and God" (The Chosen, 111). Reuven and Dannys friendship is impacted greatly by their view of the sacred in the Jewish religion. Both stress the significance of friendship but are tested while remaining loyal to the importance of their religion and families, which remains their highest priority. David Malter encourages Reuven to experience the lifestyle, and strict sacred customs of the Saunders even though he doesnt agree on the way Danny has been brought up, to allow him to grow as an individual and to widen his mind. He believes that friendship and religion go hand in hand, and that finding a good teacher and good friend are important. Danny comes from a very authoritarian Hasidic background, which is extremely foreign to Reuvens flexible Orthodox traditions. Dannys father, Reb Saunders has a completely different perspective on the sacred and how it relates to the value of friendship. He stresses the importance of the sacred and anyone who is an outsider of his Hasidic community has a negative influence on his sons life. When David Malter protests in the Zionist movement, Reb Saunders an anti-Zionist, no longer allows his son to speak with Reuven. "That was all he said. Not a word about Zionism. Not a word about the silence he had imposed upon Danny and me. Nothing. I found I disliked him more when I left than when I had entered. I did not see him again that July" (The Chosen, 261). With his excommunication from Danny, their friendship

remarkably lives on through their silence. Although the silence imposes difficulties, especially for Reuven, they learn that this is Reb Saunders way of teaching them to be compassionate. Religion and the differing views of he sacred, play a key role in the theme of friendship throughout the novel. Although Reuven and Danny have different understandings of the sacred, they learn from one another and both value their friendship. Danny indirectly teaches Reuven to be more spiritual, while Reuven teaches Danny to be more open minded.

Works Cited Coogan, Michael D. The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. New York, N.Y: Oxford, 2003. GORDON MARSHALL. "profane versus sacred distinction." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Sparknotes on The Chosen. 11 Nov. 2012 <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/chosen> "William James." DISCovering U.S. History. Detroit: Gale, 1997. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. Zohar, Zion. "Judaism: Orthodox Judaism." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. Ed. Thomas Riggs. Vol. 1: Religions and Denominations. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 462-468. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 29 Nov. 2012.