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Jewish Christian Contact in the Shtetl


They don't care what else a man is: if he is great, they idolize him." .
             In these lines alone Singer's attitude towards Christianity is revealed here; it is threatening. He causes his readers to get the impression that the Gentile livelihood is based solely upon idolatry. He makes it plain that to be a Christian is to believe in a host of various things and to have no real root or foundation. And the character Zeidel is susceptible to this kind of faith because since the Christians "idolize anything that is great" and he is great than he can be seen as a sort of God among men. .
             Inevitably Zeidel falls into the devil's snare and he converts to Christianity. Zeidel then becomes so very steadfast and unmovable that he studies day and night and masters everything he possibly can, getting greedier each time he opens up a book to read. He then is given another proposition and is told to change his name to Zaidlus and then to work for the title of Pope. He then becomes rather ill, none of his work is completed, he is robbed by the old woman that was taking care of him, and most of all loses faith and believes in nothing. As a result the Satan comes to take him into hell, slashes him with his sword, and is greeted by band of demons. .
             Ultimately, Singer is conveying the message that venturing off into Christianity will inevitably destroy your life. In his character Zeidel we as the readers were able to see how his conversion sent him straight to hell. But interestingly enough, there was a point where Zeidel was quoting Jewish Law, "passers-by thought that he was praying to the Christian saints, but actually he was reciting the Gemara, the Mishnah, and the psalms. The Gentile theology he had forgotten as quickly as he had learned it; what remained was what he had acquired in his youth." Singer is getting across the point that even though many were conforming to Christianity, the Jewish tradition and the Laws is always going to be inside of you, that is your foundation.


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