Book Review: The chosen by Chaim Potok
This book started out super slow for me. The author is very detailed oriented and at first, it was a bit difficult for me to get into it. I am so glad I kept reading because I really did love this book. The characters are very interesting and I loved learning more about The Jewish faith and different sects within it.
I especially loved learning about how the different sects within the Jewish faith view God. I also loved the forgiveness aspect in this book.
quotes:
"Human beings do not live forever, Reuven. We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life. There is so much pain in the world. What does it mean to have to suffer so much if our lives are nothing more than the blink of an eye?
"I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span, he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. Do you understand what I am saying? A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life. "
"It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning. That I do not think you understand yet. A life filled with meaning is worthy of rest. I want to be worthy of rest when I am no longer here.”
"No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate, that's the way the world is."
God is everywhere, he told them, and if it seems at times that He is hidden from us, it is only becuase we not yet learned to seek Him correctly. Evil is like a hard shell. Within this shell is the spark of God, is goodness. How do we penetrate this shell? by sincere and honest prayer, by being happy, by loving all people."
I especially loved learning about how the different sects within the Jewish faith view God. I also loved the forgiveness aspect in this book.
quotes:
"Human beings do not live forever, Reuven. We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life. There is so much pain in the world. What does it mean to have to suffer so much if our lives are nothing more than the blink of an eye?
"I learned a long time ago, Reuven, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span, he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. Do you understand what I am saying? A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life. "
"It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning. That I do not think you understand yet. A life filled with meaning is worthy of rest. I want to be worthy of rest when I am no longer here.”
"No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate, that's the way the world is."
God is everywhere, he told them, and if it seems at times that He is hidden from us, it is only becuase we not yet learned to seek Him correctly. Evil is like a hard shell. Within this shell is the spark of God, is goodness. How do we penetrate this shell? by sincere and honest prayer, by being happy, by loving all people."
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