Tuesday, November 21, 2017

What evidence suggests that Eliezer is devoutly religious?

The main character in Elie Wiesel's novel Night is a young boy named Eliezer. This story is about Eliezer's experiences during World War II. Throughout the story, Wiesel presents evidence that support the idea that Eliezer is devoutly religious.
In chapter one, Eliezer states that he studies the Talmud daily and also goes to the Temple every night. The Talmud is the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law. Despite his father believing that he is too young, Eliezer also wants to study Kabbalah. Kabbalah is a Jewish school of thought. One night when he is at the temple, Eliezer meets Moishe the Beadle who happens to know a lot about Kabbalah and begins to teach him.
As the novel progresses, Eliezer mentions his faith multiple times and continues to pray regularly. Eliezer is forced to see many horrific things while living in a concentration camp called Auschwitz and his faith is challenged. He wonders if his God is a just God, a God who can be indifferent to the suffering he is witnessing, if his God is a good God. Despite having these thoughts and feelings, Eliezer remains devoutly religious and continues to pray for strength.


At the beginning of the novel, Eliezer mentions that he devoted his life to understanding the Talmud and studying Kabbalah while living in Sighet. Eliezer says that by day he would study the Talmud which is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism, and at night he would weep over the destruction of the Temple. Although Eliezer's father discourages him from studying Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah, he becomes friends with Moishe the Beadle who teaches him the Zohar. Eliezer mentions that Moishe the Beadle would spend hours on end explaining the mysteries of Kabbalah. Even after Moishe the Beadle is deported by the Hungarian police, Eliezer continues to visit and pray in the synagogue. As the novel progresses, Eliezer becomes a prisoner who is forced to work in the inhumane concentration camps. He experiences horrific tragedies but continues to pray to God. Unfortunately, Eliezer loses his faith after witnessing innumerable tragedies such as the death of his father. 

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