Asher starts out the chapter by stating that he misses his father, he misses the Shabbos that he and his father would do. "My mother and I were alone in the apartment and the absence of my father's zemiros was like an emptiness gouged out of the Shabbos by the Other Side."(147) I don't understand how Asher could be so upset to have his father gone. He was used to not having his father around. However, it was like for the first time Asher was feeling sorry for something that he some how caused. If Asher had agreed to go to Vienna he would be with his father and mother. Instead his father has to leave Asher and his mother behind. For once in Asher's life he feels that he has caused pain in the family. He even states that he wishes that he could go to Vienna, but cannot say the words. He says that he wants to go, but doesn't. Asher is actually felling sorry for the separation of his family. This separation is tearing his mother apart and also the family.

Asher's mother takes Asher to the museum. Asher shows his mother paintings on the wall. He asks what some of the paintings are. He does not understand what so of the paintings mean. Asher shows his mother Picasso and Chagall. He also shows his mother nude paintings. His mother says that she would like to leave and that she will explain the other paintings outside the museum. The paintings that Asher was referring to were paintings of Jesus. The crucifixion. His mother tells his father about the trip to the museum. Asher's father forbids him to see any more of the paintings in the museum.

Asher disobeys his father any way. He copied the pictures line for line. The nudes and the paintings of Jesus. The reason for Asher copying the paintings was so that he could learn new painting techniques. Many people stared at Asher when he was in the museum. I don't understand why Asher would go against his father's wishes if he knows that his father disapproves of She painting Jesus and nude women. Especially sense painting nude women and Jesus is against their religion.