Change Of Religion In Night By Elie Wiesel

60 million dead in World War II. 11 million captured and killed. All due to one man’s prejudice and hate. Adolf Hitler started a war over prejudiced ideals and beliefs. In that war: concentration camps, and in those camps: people like Elie Wiesel. Wiesel had a bad relationship with his father, very strong faith, and a curious and observant personality, but, due to the Holocaust, he gained a strong relationship with his father, lost his faith, and became hollow, idle, and uncaring. Wiesel’s personality changed due to his time in the concentration camps. He was “deeply observant” (Wiesel 1), and would study the Talmud, then “weep over the destruction of the Temple” (1). He was also very determined and wanted to extend his religious learning, but his father would not find a master for him. This caused him to seek one out on his own, eventually leading him to Moishe the Beedle, who would become his teacher and friend. But then, when his father dies in the concentration camp, nothing matters to him anymore (113). He becomes idle and uncaring, and never thinks of his family; only food. The camps stole his personality, and also his beliefs.

He was originally an incredibly dedicated religious believer and followed every custom in the book. He even went against his father’s wishes and found a master to further his devotion to God (4). As the Holocaust went on, however, Wiesel simply could not believe that God would allow this sort of thing to happen, and accused Him of it, then lost his faith (68). He even did not fast on Yom Kippur to please his father and rebel against God (69). But, even after all that happened, there was still a part of him who believed in God, and that part showed itself when he prayed to God to “give me the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done” (91). Even as his faith diminished, however, his relationship with his father