* GeniusBonus: It ''really'' helps to have a good grounding in Judaism, not just basic observance but the factional disputes of the Yeshiva world in the 1950's. Oh, and modern literature as well.
* HoYay: It's significantly toned down from the first book between Danny and Reuven, but Michael's obsession with Reuven is [[StalkerWithACrush unsettling]] and borders on the sexual.
* ValuesDissonance: Putting Abraham Gordon under ''cherem'' (the Jewish equivalent of excommunication) seems incredibly harsh, not to mention Reuven's father getting canned from his longtime job for using scientific criticism and being chummy with Abraham Gordon. And then there's Rav Kalman nearly refusing Reuven's ''semicha.''


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