Why Did Elie Stray So Far Away From His Beliefs

1941, Elie Wiesel was a thirteen year old Jewish boy in Sighet, Transylvania, who spent his days learning about his God. The relationship between the boy and God was vigorous. A hopeful young Elie with a great love for God was cast into a harsh, cruel world where the Almighty’s presence is unknown. How did Elie stray so far away from his beliefs? In the beginning, Elie was completely dedicated to studying Jewish beliefs. On page 3, he tells us, “ By day I studied Talmud and by night I would run to a synagogue to weep over the destruction of the temple.” Elie was so consumed by the knowledge, when he wanted to find a master to teach him Kabbalah, his father told him he was too young. However, that didn’t stop the thirteen year old, with the constant

I had never asked myself that question. I cried because… because something inside me felt the need to cry. That was all I knew. “ Why do you pray?” he asked after a moment

Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?” (page 4). Elie didn’t see a life without God, to him it was unimaginable. About a year later, the Germans had invaded Transylvania and were currently moving Elie and his fellow Jews into concentration camps. While leaving the haven of his home town, Elie prayed to God, on page 20, he says, “Oh God, Master of the Universe, in your infinite compassion have mercy on us…”. After they arrived at the camp, Ellie was ripped away from the innocence that he and God walked together in. When the Jews arrived at the concentration camp, humanity seemed to slip right out of grasp, opposed to when they first arrived at the camp.Guards were doing unmentionable acts to babies. Elie wondered where his God was and why he wasn’t protecting them. “ For the first time, I felt anger rising within me. 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?” ( Elie, page