“I was treated with special care, for I was the son of Aryeh Lev.” (51). Aryeh’s hard work for the Rebbe also makes him a powerful person in the Hasidic community.Īsher is treated with respect toward the beginning of the novel due to his powerful father. It is because of Aryeh’s hard work ethic that he looks down on Asher when he is not doing all he can in school. Aryeh decides to lose sleep and go to work rather than get to relax at home with his family. Most people would probably take that Friday, and the weekend, off. “He arrived from Washington late Thursday night and went to his office Friday morning.” (73). “The next morning, my father went to Washington for the Rebbe.”(77) Aryeh never complains about having to leave his family, even though the reader can see that deep down Aryeh wants to stay.Įven when Aryeh comes home, his work is never done. For example, Aryeh would go to Washingon DC, most likely to discuss Jewish politics, for the Rebbe. Often, Aryeh would have to travel for the Rebbe, and made it his duty to comply to whatever task he was told to complete. Aryeh being strict on Asher may have originated by Aryeh’s own strict discipline.ĭiscipline is one of Aryeh’s strong points throughout the novel. Due to Aryeh being absent, there was no one to keep Asher in line, so to speak, and Aryeh feels like Rivkeh is not raising Asher correctly. During this time, Asher had started to go to the museum, which was against Hasidic tradition. “‘Your father came home and saw your drawings and your school marks and was very upset.’” (167). Asher’s performance in school disappoints Aryeh, for Asher is not able to follow his father’s strict guidelines.Īryeh does not want Asher painted, but would rather him be learning in school.

‘Did you know what you were doing?’” Aryeh’s uptight tone helps represent him as a strict individual. “‘The mashpia called me’… my father said, without preliminaries. An example of this is on page 124, for Aryeh confronts Asher after he draws on the Chumash. Aryeh, Asher’s father, is very strict, and makes Asher work hard in school.

My name is asher lev book