If Not Higher | Question Answers

IF NOT HIGHER - Written By: Isaac Leib Pertez.

Questions and Answers Of 'If Not Higher':

Question No. 1: Retail the plot of "If Not Higher" in one paragraph. ( यो कथाको कथानक एक अनुच्छेदमा भन्नुहोस्। )
Answer: As the Rabbi of Nemirov would vanish in the previous night of Penitential prayers, people had a strong belief that he ascends to heaven for welfare of the people. But once, a Litvak came there and laughed at them. Pointing out the story from Gemraha, he mocks at them and said that Moses was suspended two and half feet below the heaven. Then, the Litvak decided to test the Rabbi, and secretly entered into the room of Rabbi and hid under the bed. Next morning, the Rabbi woke up realizing the sorrow of people in Israel. He disguised himself as a simple peasant. He took an axe and a bundle of rope and got out of the house, the Litvak followed him. The Rabbi, passed by the village checked every house and headed towards the jungle, cut the firewood, and came back to the village. He stopped in front of an old hut of a lonely old woman. The Rabbi sold the firewood for her but the woman was very weak and unable to put the fire on. So, the Rabbi helped her to burn the fire. When he put the firewood in the oven, he recited the first portion of the penitential prayer. When the fire was in flame, he recited the second portion of the penitential prayers, and recited the third portion of the penitential prayer when he set the fire. After observing all the events, the Litvak knew the reality of heaven and became the disciple of the Rabbi. He said if he could not reach the heaven of higher, he reached it on the earth.

Also Read:

Four Levels Of "If Not Higher"

Summary of "If Not Higher", Word Meanings and Translation In Nepali

Question No. 2: One interpretation of "If Not Higher" may be: Doing good deeds on earth may be more exalted activity than doing God's will in heaven. Offer another interpretation of "If Not Higher". ( यस लोकमा असल काम गर्नु स्वर्गलोकमा ईश्वरको इच्छा पूरा गर्नु भन्दा पनि बढी आनन्ददायी हुनसक्छ भनेर यो कथालाई व्याख्या गर्न सकिन्छ। यो कथाको अर्को अर्थ के हुन सक्छ लेख्नुहोस्। )
Answer: The story "If Not Higher" written by I.L.Perez gives the message that selfless service is the path that leads someone to heavenly glory. The person who is dedicated to social service achieves heavenly glory on the earth. It also may is trying to tell us something about the true spirit of religion and reality of god or heaven. People generally think that heaven is very high and there dwell the gods and goddess and they become happy only by their prayer and worship. Worship and prayers are necessary a sincerely religious person. Going to the temple or the holy place and reciting the holy books are enough for them. But people do not understand the reality of virtue and try to apply what is mentioned in the prayers and the holy books. The Rabbi of Nemirov knows that there is virtue in the help of the poor and the needy spirits, so he goes to the forest and helps the poor sick woman by bringing fire wood for her. Only then he starts reciting the Penitential Prayers. The more he serves the humanity, the more pleasure he gets. Even heaven is not important for him. It is not necessary for him to go to the Synagogue and to conduct the prayers to reach heaven. To him the house of the sufferer is the holy place, and to help the poor is the real worship of God.

Question No. 3: Explain whether the Litvak is a critical thinker. In your view, does he carry his skepticism too far ? Why or why not ? Note that at the end the Litvak is converted into a staunch supporter of the Rabbi, but that he has his combative nature into the intact as he must still see things a bit differently from the rest. ( ब्याख्य गर्नुहोस् की लिटभाक एक विश्लेषक वा केलाएर विचार गर्ने व्यक्ति हो। तपाईको विचारमा के उसले अति शङ्का गर्छ ? किन गर्छ वा किन गर्दैन ? कथाको अन्तमा लिटभाक धर्मगुरुको कट्टर अनुयायी भएर निस्कन्छ, तर उसको लडाकु स्वभाव यथावत् नै भएकोले अरुको भन्दा उसको हेराइ अलिकति फरक छ। )
Answer: A critical thinker always sees things clearly and objectively to find out the truth. A skeptic habitually doubts the truth of the accepted beliefs. In this connection, we can say that the Litvak is a critical thinker. As all others are thinking doubtfully or just guessing he tries to know where the Rabbi of Nemirov goes at the time of Penitential Prayers. Unlike the ordinary people, he is not satisfied with the accepted belief that the Rabbi goes to heaven at that time. He wants to see skepticism to the end. When he sees the Rabbi recite the Penitential Prayers after helping the sick Jewish woman, he understands the true spirit of religion and becomes his disciple. Then he knows that the pleasure one gets after helping the person in trouble is more delighted than the pleasure one gets in heaven. As a critical thinker, he shows some different behaviour and thought after being the disciple of Rabbi. Always he used to love and have a doubt. At last though he becomes a disciple of Rabbi says that if not higher. This shows that still he does not support solely ( पूर्णरुपमा ) all things as other say. He makes a conditional support. This is the nature of a critical thinker.

Question No. 4: The title of a piece of a literature often captures its key point and serves as an invitation to the reader. In small groups, try to brainstorm a few appropriate and inviting titles to "If Not Higher". ( प्राय साहित्यिक कृतिको शीर्षकले प्रमुख कुरा समेटेर पाठकलाई आकर्षण गर्छ। सानो समुहमा यी दुई वटा कथाको उपयुक्त एवं आकर्षक शीर्षक के के हुन सक्छन् सोच्ने प्रयास गर्नुहोस्। )
Answer: It may have many different titles because the theme of the story gives many ideas about religion, god and heaven. Therefore we can suggest these titles:
a. Real meaning of virtue or heaven.
b. A Critical Follower of Religion.
c. True Heaven.
d. An Ideal Devotee.
e. Service help of humanity; true heaven. etc.

Question No. 5:. Share your best title for "If Not Higher" with the class. The teacher will write the best title of some groups on the board, and then the class as a whole will vote on which the best title. In the end, the class will vote on which is the better title - "If Not Higher" or the best one proposed by the class. ( सोचिएको विभिन्न शीर्षक मध्य भोट हालेर सर्वोत्तम शीर्षक छान्नुहोस्। )
Answer: " The Heaven In The Earth "

Question No. 6: Nepal has a rich folktale tradition. Have someone tell yo an old folktale in a language other than English, then translate this tale into English. ( लोककथा परम्परा नेपालमा उत्कृष्ट छ। अंग्रेजी बाहेकको कसैले एउटा पुरानो लोककथा भन्न लगाएर यो कथालाई अंग्रेजीमा अनुवाद गर्नुहोस्। )
Answer:
Folktale: Title - Nepte
There is an interesting tale about the nose of the leopard. It is famous in Sindhupalchok. The leopard is called there Nepte, or Flat-Nose.

Though the leopard seems very active like a cat, in the beginning it was unable to climb trees like the cats. One day he persuaded a cat to show him how to climb. But once the leopard got on the climb of a tall tree, the cat quickly ran away. The cat did not tell the leopard how to get down the trees.

The leopard was unable to get down the tree. As he made clumsy efforts to reach the ground, he fell down on his face. He bumped his nose flattening forever. To this day, he is called Flat-Nose. Thereupon, the leopard swore eternal vengeance against the cat.

Question No. 7: Mark the followings as "True" or "False". While doing so, an in preparation for class discussion, write down in your notes the phrases in the text which support your answer. ( तलका वाक्यलाई साँचो वा झुटो भनेर चिनो लगाउनुहोस्। त्यसो गर्दा र कक्षामा छलफलको तयारी गर्दा आफ्नो उत्तरलाई टेवा दिने शब्दावलीलाई आफ्नो कापीमा लेख्नुहोस्। )
Socrates felt that his friends' genuine expression of grief (sobbing after he drank the poison) would ease his transition from this world to the next.
Answer: False

a. They are/is beautiful.
Answer: are
b. They/Them were/was beautiful.
Answer: They, were
c. There are/is/am not nothing like home.
Answer: is
d. She were/was an excellent writer.
Answer: was
e. If I were a toad, I'd eat/ate flies.
Answer: eat

f. You/them was/were great.
Answer: You, were
g. You is/are great.
Answer: are
h. This story/stories are/is for the birds.
Answer: story, is
i. These story/stories was/were for the birds.
Answer: stories, were
j. Them/These thieves are/is heartless.
Answer: these, are