--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like his optimism,' I said. 'I like the…" description: "\"“I like his optimism,' I said. 'I like the way when he and some other rabbis saw a jackal in the ruins of Jerusalem, and the others began to cry, he la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/chaim-potok-2254_israel_i-like-his-optimism-i-said-i-like-the-wa_1937801.png" --- # I like his optimism,' I said. 'I like the way when he and… ![“I like his optimism,' I said. 'I like the way when he and some other rabbis saw a jackal in the ruins of Jerusalem, and the others began to cry, he laughed and said that just as the prophecy of the destruction of the temple was fulfilled, so the prophecy of the rebuilding would also be fulfilled…” quote by Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/chaim-potok-2254_israel_i-like-his-optimism-i-said-i-like-the-wa_1937801.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/chaim-potok-2254_israel_i-like-his-optimism-i-said-i-like-the-wa_1937801.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/chaim-potok-2254_israel_i-like-his-optimism-i-said-i-like-the-wa_1937801.png) > ““I like his optimism,' I said. 'I like the way when he and some other rabbis saw a jackal in the ruins of Jerusalem, and the others began to cry, he laughed and said that just as the prophecy of the destruction of the temple was fulfilled, so the prophecy of the rebuilding would also be fulfilled. I like that.”” [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism can transform tragedy into hope, seeing prophecy as a cycle of destruction and renewal. **In simple terms:** Optimism turns loss into hope. Key Takeaway Find hope in adversity. Themes hope resilience faith Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grieving loss - spiritual crisis - leadership challenges - creative problem solving Key Concepts prophecy psychology humor Questions to Reflect On - How can humor aid healing? - When does optimism become denial? A Different Perspective Optimism may ignore real pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jewish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewish/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophecy/) [Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temple/) ## Related quotes > [“Now speaking of fulfilled prophecy, God Himself used those many fulfillments to prove His very existence. Eight hundred years before Jesus Christ was born,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/now-speaking-of-fulfilled-prophecy-god-himself-used-those-many/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Americans like optimism, and 'Once' walks a tightrope: you feel uplifted at the end even if you're crying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carney/americans-like-optimism-and-once-walks-a-tightrope-you-feel-uplifted/) [John Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carney/) > [I ceased using words like optimism and pessimism a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-ceased-using-words-like-optimism-and-pessimism-a-long-time-ago/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/optimism-said-cacambo-what-is-that-alas-replied-candide-it-is-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ Chris\[topher\] Reeve wisely parsed the difference between optimism and hope. Unlike optimism, he said, 'Hope is the product of knowledge and the projection of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/chris-topher-reeve-wisely-parsed-the-difference-between-optimism-and/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “An especially powerful type of historical evidence \[for the Bible and Christianity\] is that of fulfilled prophecy - historical events written down long before… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris-iii/an-especially-powerful-type-of-historical-evidence-for-the-bible-and/) Henry M. Morris III > [“The divine reproach Jesus felt so exquisitely, because of His meekly standing in for us, fulfilled yet another prophecy: ‘Reproach hath broken my heart;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-divine-reproach-jesus-felt-so-exquisitely-because-of-his-meekly/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [“Likewise, for centuries, scriptures prophesying that the sovereign nation of Israel would some day be re-born were generally not believed. That is, until May…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/likewise-for-centuries-scriptures-prophesying-that-the-sovereign/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [To be fulfilled, a prophecy needs lots of flexibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/to-be-fulfilled-a-prophecy-needs-lots-of-flexibility/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Fulfilled prophecy demonstrates the following: • God knows the future. • The Bible really is the Word of God. • God is in sovereign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rhodes/fulfilled-prophecy-demonstrates-the-following-god-knows-the-future/) [Ron Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rhodes/) > [“My body is a temple. A temple of decay. Yet I shan't give in to the dismay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narcissismus-decimus-maximus/my-body-is-a-temple-a-temple-of-decay-yet-i-shan-t-give-in-to-the/) [Narcissismus Decimus Maximus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narcissismus-decimus-maximus/) > [“Rolanth Temple is a weather queen's temple, open to the east and west, the roof supported by beams and thick marble columns. Air moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/rolanth-temple-is-a-weather-queen-s-temple-open-to-the-east-and-west/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) ## More by Chaim Potok > [“DW: Some critics have written that they don’t admire your so-called simple style. You have contended that your writing is a result of much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/dw-some-critics-have-written-that-they-don-t-admire-your-so-called/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“I cannot pray. I talk to God through my sculpture and painting.' 'That's also prayer.' He smiled faintly, the morning sun on his face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-cannot-pray-i-talk-to-god-through-my-sculpture-and-painting-that-s/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [I don't work on my Sabbath. I write five-and-a-half or six days a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-don-t-work-on-my-sabbath-i-write-five-and-a-half-or-six-days-a-week/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [And these two elements are at odds with one another because Freud is utterly adversary to almost all the ways of structuring the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/and-these-two-elements-are-at-odds-with-one-another-because-freud-is/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“How should a Jew feel? There we went through the seven gates of hell for matzos. Here I stand in matzos over my head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/how-should-a-jew-feel-there-we-went-through-the-seven-gates-of-hell/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“In our time... a man whose enemies are faceless bureaucrats almost never wins. 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Art is whether there is a scream in you wanting to get out in a special way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/millions-of-people-can-draw-art-is-whether-there-is-a-scream-in-you/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“When the alternative is possible disaster, a man must gamble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/when-the-alternative-is-possible-disaster-a-man-must-gamble/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [I will go wherever the truth leads me. It is secular scholarship, Rebbe; it is not the scholarship of tradition. In secular scholarship there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-will-go-wherever-the-truth-leads-me-it-is-secular-scholarship-rebbe/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [… the world will indulge you just so long Asher Lev. Then it will stop. You will simply have to grow accustomed to that truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/the-world-will-indulge-you-just-so-long-asher-lev-then-it-will-stop/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate, that's the way the world is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/no-one-knows-he-is-fortunate-until-he-becomes-unfortunate-that-s-the/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) [Explore all 175 Chaim Potok quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) ## More Israel quotes > [Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/humanitarian-goods-and-people-must-flow-in-both-directions-gaza/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. 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