Quiz on Book One: Choose a central theme from book one of The Chosen. Write a good paragraph (8 sentences, Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail, Commentary, Commentary, Concrete Detail, Commentary, Commentary, Concluding Sentence) that explains/explicates/analyzes that theme. Try to choose a different theme or concept than one you may have used in your thought exercise.
Homework for next time: Read chapters 5, 6, and 7 (to page 148). Think about Rebbe Saunders (Danny's dad) and contrast him and the Hasidic life to what you see in Reuven's life. They are parallel, but are they the same? How would they be different?
Pick out 5 interesting ideas or concepts. Bring the quotes, and write good questions about them to share in group discussion. You don't need to write a thought exercise for this class period, but you will use these questions to write an essay later, so make sure you have good quotes you can use later so you don't have to re-read this section.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hasidism http://annettelaselle.com/2008/09/20/hasidic-ultra-conservative-jewish-customs.aspx
Lubovitcher Hasidim, however, do not wear payos, except for the young boys until the beard grows in. And some non-Hasidic Orthodox wear them also, including many Sephardic and Yemenite Jews. In fact, the website of Ohr Sameach (a non-Hasidic Orthodox org) even has instructions for how to curl your payos properly. So you really can't tell if someone is a Hasid based on whether or not he has payos.
Judaism 101 (Judaism FAQ's) here: http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm
Keeping Kosher ideas here: http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm
Donin also points out that the laws of kashrut elevate the simple act of eating into a religious ritual. The Jewish dinner table is often compared to the Temple altar in rabbinic literature. A Jew who observes the laws of kashrut cannot eat a meal without being reminded of the fact that he is a Jew.
General Rules
Although the details of kashrut are extensive, the laws all derive from a few fairly simple, straightforward rules:- Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden animals.
- Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law.
- All blood must be drained from the meat or broiled out of it before it is eaten.
- Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten.
- Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs
- Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be eaten with meat).
- Utensils that have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not be used with kosher food. This applies only where the contact occurred while the food was hot.
- Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten.
- There are a few other rules that are not universal.
Separation of Meat and Dairy
On three separate occasions, the Torah tells us not to "boil a kid in its mother's milk." (Ex. 23:19; Ex. 34:26; Deut. 14:21). The Oral Torah explains that this passage prohibits eating meat and dairy together. The rabbis extended this prohibition to include not eating milk and poultry together. In addition, the Talmud prohibits cooking meat and fish together or serving them on the same plates, because it is considered to be unhealthy. It is, however, permissible to eat fish and dairy together, and it is quite common (lox and cream cheese, for example). It is also permissible to eat dairy and eggs together.This separation includes not only the foods themselves, but the utensils, pots and pans with which they are cooked, the plates and flatware from which they are eaten, the dishwashers or dishpans in which they are cleaned, and the towels on which they are dried. A kosher household will have at least two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy. See Utensils below for more details.
One must wait a significant amount of time between eating meat and dairy. Opinions differ, and vary from three to six hours. This is because fatty residues and meat particles tend to cling to the mouth. From dairy to meat, however, one need only rinse one's mouth and eat a neutral solid like bread, unless the dairy product in question is also of a type that tends to stick in the mouth.
Notes on Yiddish: http://www.jewfaq.org/yiddish.htm
