How we cite our quotes: (Page.Paragraph)
Quote #7
'The artists who will care about your payos are not worth caring about. You want to cut off your payos, go ahead. But do not do it because you think it will make you more acceptable as an artist.'(257.3)
Jacob Kahn is directly telling Asher that it's going to be difficult for him to find his place in the artistic community, a process that will involve reconciling his two very polarizing identities, and that he's got to stick to his guns if he wants it to work. Good, tough advice from a lapsed Jew and eccentric painter—everyone should have one in their lives.
Quote #8
'Asher Lev, you will take French. You will take four years of French. And you will earn for yourself excellent marks in French. The Rebbe specifically requested that we make certain you study French.' (267.9)
In the Ladover community, everyone takes orders from the Rabbi. Since Asher has always had problems with authority, he has a difficult time doing this. In this quote, the high school registrar informs him that he must take French in order to be a productive and compliant member of the community.
Quote #9
'If you have time, come and visit.' He gave me his name and phone number. 'I will show you the yeshiva your father built.'(314.14)
Asher is traveling on his own for the first time in Paris when he meets one of the yeshiva-building people his father worked with while he was living in Vienna. This serves to remind Asher of the importance of his father's work and the fact that all Jewish people are connected in a way that would be totally impossible without the framework of the Jewish community.