Religion is a really huge deal in this book. Perhaps the hugest deal. And that's because Asher Lev is a member of a community of Orthodox Hasidism who don't take kindly to painting, acting out, or anything that's considered less-than-religious. Asher is constantly butting heads with his own religion, and this head-butting comprises the major tension in the book. How do you solve a problem like Asher Lev? Maybe his Rabbi could have taken some pointers from The Sound of Music.
Questions About Religion
- What role does religion serve in Asher's life? Aryeh's? Rivkeh's?
- Jacob Kahn used to be a religious Jew, but then he lapsed. Why do you think this is?
- How does religion define the daily lives of the members of the Ladover community?
- Imagine you're the Rabbi. How would you feel about having someone like Asher Lev in your congregation?
Chew on This
Asher's religious background is the inspiration for his paintings Brooklyn Crucifixion I and II, the very paintings that lead to him being excommunicated from his religious community.
It can be argued that the Jewish religion is another character in Chaim Potok's My Name Is Asher Lev.