Pete Yemc
Period 7
Asher Lev’s father desires Asher to succeed him in the job of freeing Jews in harm throughout the world, just as his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had done. Asher, however, exhibits an unique art ability, that if developed, could make him a prominent artist. This occupation would anger his father and disrupt Asher’s Jewish life or heritage. This is the situation that faces the Rebbe at Asher’s bar mitzvah, when the Rebbe places Asher under the tutelage of Jacob Kahn. The question is why would the Rebbe condone such an occupation and endorse Asher’s desire to draw and/or paint, rather than to force Asher to follow the path of his ancestors.
There appear to be two different reasonings of the Rebbe’s actions. The first approach could be that The Rebbe feels that Asher might actually do better in the world if he were an artist. The Rebbe might feel that Asher has already promoted too much controversy and Goyish feelings to become an agent of the Rebbe. If he would be forced into a job he did not like, a dangerous job as well, he might be harming himself and those who he attempts to save. Thus, it might be in the best interest of Asher and the Hasidic community if Asher were allowed to continue his study of art (a perfectly legitimate study, if not one preferred by the Hasidic community), rather than pursue a job which he would not enjoy or be beneficial at.
The other, maybe more sinister reasoning behind the Rebbe’s actions could be that the Rebbe is attempting to test or scare Asher straight. By allowing, Asher to study non-Jewish art and potentially commit numerous sins in the Hasidic view, Asher might by scared out of his desire to be an artist. If God truly meant for Asher to be an agent of the Rebbe, he would not allow Asher to be persuade by the Other Side and therefore become an artist. Also, the Rebbe might be trying to test Asher’s loyalty and faith. If Asher was truly the strict, learned Hasidic Jew that he had been raised to be, he would cringe and leave upon being faced with Goyish activity (the crucifix, painting nudes). The first part of Asher cringing actually did occur as he had began reluctantly to draw the nude model. Either way, the Rebbe probably expected Asher to come back to the Hasidic community, beaten but willing to try his role in the community again. On another note, the occupation of an artist is a good cover for an international agent (Like Aryeh Lev is).