The Chosen-Comparison of Christianity and Hasidism essays

The Chosen-Comparison of Christianity and Hasidism essays In The Chosen by Chaim Potok, the once separate communities of the Hasidic and Orthodox Jews come into close contact with another when two boys of each religion become close friends. While both religions have some practices and customs in common, they are very different in a lot of ways. The Hasidic religion especially has unique customs and practices, some of them strengths and some of them weaknesses. My own religion, Christianity is in some ways similar to Hasidim and in a lot of ways very different. The Hasidic religion is very unique in its nature mostly because of its extreme devoutness. Very few religions have had the fervor of this group. Such practices include keeping the kosher laws, which can be found in the Old Testament. They take this practice so serious, and will not eat at non-Hasidics houses. This can be seen through a conversation between Danny and Reuven. Reuven says to Danny, You can live with us. No you cant. You wont eat at our house. (257) Hasidics also go through extensive readings of the Talmud on a daily basis. Their outward appearance is even influenced by their religion. They grow out their hair on the sides of their faces right near their ears in curls. They always wear a skullcap and clad shoes, and they can be seen in a suit and jacket even in everyday activities. This can be shown through Reuvens portrayal of Hasidic teenagers playing baseball. There were fifteen of them, and they dressed alike in white shirts, dark pants, white sweaters, and small black skull caps. In the fashion of the very Orthodox, their hair was closely cropped, except for the area right near their ears from which mushroomed the untouched hair that tumbled down into the long side curls. Some of them had the beginnings of beards, straggly tufts of hair that stood in isolated clumps on their chins, jawbones, and upper lips. They all wore the traditional undergarment beneath their shirts, and t...