Night Elie Wiesel Faith

Eliezer in ‘Night’, by Wiesel a Jew had immense faith in God and showed strong commitment to God. He sought to do study Kabbalah- the ancient custom of explaining holy texts through mystical means. He urged his father to search him a master who would teach him that. He wanted to spend his life focused more on Judaism and devoted all his time and energy to religious texts. He found a teacher in Moishe the Beadle who thought him about God and faith. “Together we would 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) In the course of those evenings he became convinced that Moishe the Beadle would help him enter eternity.

When Eliezer witnesses the horrors of the concentration camp in Auschwitz Eliezer faith was shattered. It was not quick or immediate as it was not easy for Eliezer to question the existence of God. Initially he said that it is a trial by god to see how strong their faith is. But at a later stage Eliezer becomes disillusioned with God’s power. “A truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies!

No longer were the praises to God uttered by Eliezer. He starts to revolt against the religious teaching he had followed all his life. “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.” (34) Along with Eliezer a number of other people around him were also losing faith. Akiba Drummer experiences similar loss of faith in God and a Rabbi feels horrible guilt at doubting God’s mercy. On the other hand Eliezer subconsciously prays to God reflecting the incompleteness of his loss of faith. He starts looking to God when he is doubtful of his ability to control himself. “And in spite of myself, a prayer formed inside me, a prayer to this God in whom I no longer believed.”