A Drastic Changes in Faith

A Drastic Changes in Faith

  • Submitted By: munkies93
  • Date Submitted: 03/18/2009 1:14 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 653
  • Page: 3
  • Views: 601

In Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie goes through drastic changes in his faith. At the beginning he is a very enthusiastic Jewish boy who was very focused on his religion. After his ordeal, he had trouble even believing in God but his faith was still intact, by him questioning God the whole way through it shows that his faith is still there. If it wasn’t for his faith he would have became an empty shell of a life, no reason to live, and no reason to breathe. The terrors of World War 2 were enough to smash even the strongest of faith to its most primal form.
“I was almost thirteen and deeply observant.” (3) Elie states it himself; he is a very religious person. His religion was bolstered when he met Moishe the Beadle in 1941. Moishe was known as a shtibl or a jack of all trades as Elie puts it. Elie met him while praying, from right after they first met; Moishe became an inspiration and explained many things that furthered Elie’s faith. “Together we read, over and over again, the same page of the Zohar. Not to learn it by heart but to discover within the very essence of divinity.” (5) Elie is constantly on a religious journey starting with the times like that with Moishe when they study and study their faith.
There are many incidents that test Eliezer’s faith. This first became apparent when he said, “Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the eternal and terrible Master of the Universe, chose to be silent. What was there to thank him for?” (33) it was a really powerful statement. It is clear evidence that Eliezer is shaken by the horrors he sees even after he has only been there for a few minutes. But a few pages later he say “I thanked God, in an improvised prayer.” (38) so only a little while beforehand Eliezer was asking himself why he would sanctify His name but he now has an answer. As a symbol for the death of God, the camp is forced to watch a hanging and Eliezer comments to himself that God is hanging from the Gallows where a child was...

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