Danny’s willingness to raise his son in silence, if it were necessary, seemed like a shock at first. However, looking into it a little more, it was easy to understand why he felt that way. His childhood may have been painful, growing up without speaking to your father unless it concerned the Talmud, but it taught Danny some very important life lessons. These lessons would be important for him to go on and become the next tzaddik, and even continue in the world as a good and righteous person. Danny didn’t completely understand his father’s reasons for raising him in silence for most of his life. Danny mainly understood that his father, Reb Saunders, had his reasons. Danny completely trusted the decisions Reb made, going with what his father wished, mostly. Danny tried to explain to Reuven that Reb probably had his reasons, but Reuven just couldn’t understand. Reuven went to his father, David Malter, who just said that Reb was a very good man and had his reasons. When Reuven came into Danny’s life, he became a bridge for Reb to be able to …show more content…
The boys hadn’t realized that Reb had not only done this from old tradition, but also from personal experiences. Reb’s older brother was not raised in silence, and he became an apikorose. Reb was trying to keep his own son from following that path. Reb also had another reason to his silence. For Danny to become a good tzaddik, he had to understand his people’s pain and suffering. Reb wouldn’t always be there to help Danny out of his problems or give him advice, so Reb taught him how to be as independent as he could be. In not being able to go to his father for help on everything, Danny had to turn to other means. Not only did Danny need to look to God for help and direction, but also in himself. He has to know what he feels about things to be able to give other advice. When Danny realizes this, he is grateful for his father’s