The Promise

by Chaim Potok

There are times when those who fear God make themselves very unpleasant as human beings.”

How might one not believe literally in the Bible and still remain a traditional Jew? Are total belief or complete abandonment the only available choices, or is it possible to reinterpret ancient beliefs in a way that will make them relevant to the modern world and at the same time not cause one to abandon the tradition? The problems he raised fascinated

“Do not talk that way, Reuven. It is disrespectful.” “I’m sorry, abba. I’m angry.” “Yes. I can see that. You will be a lot angrier before this is over. It is when you are angry that you must watch how you talk.”

It would begin to teach you how to become aware of yourself. That’s what the soul is, I think. Self-awareness.” “The soul,” I said. “The crust is self-delusion. The soul is self-awareness.”

“How do I convince him that the way we study Talmud is not a threat?” “But it is a threat, Reuven. I just told you it is a threat. In the hands of those who do not love the tradition it is a dangerous weapon.”

“Of course, that’s the problem,” he said to me once. “How can we teach others to regard the tradition critically and with love? I grew up loving it, and then learned to look at it critically. That’s everyone’s problem today. How to love and respect what you are being taught to dissect.”