The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
And I, the former mystic, was thinking: Yes, man is stronger, greater than God. When Adam and Eve deceived You, You chased them from paradise. When You were displeased by Noah’s generation, You brought down the Flood. When Sodom lost Your favour, You caused the heavens to rain down fire and damnation. But look at these men whom You have betrayed, allowing them to be tortured, slaughtered, gassed, and burned, what do they do? They pray before You! They praise Your name!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the perceived indifference of God towards human suffering and the resilience of faith amidst atrocities.
Elie Wiesel's quote grapples with profound philosophical questions about the nature of God and human suffering. Through a series of poignant examples, Wiesel illustrates a dichotomy where humanity demonstrates unyielding faith in the face of overwhelming adversity and betrayal by the divine. He provocatively suggests that despite the historical sufferings and injustices inflicted upon humanity, people continue to adorn their hardships with prayer and praise, raising important reflections on faith, morality, and the human condition.
Themes
FaithSufferingGodHumanityPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about faith during difficult times, one might quote Wiesel to illustrate the strength of belief.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
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Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
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We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
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No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
Elie WieselRead
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead
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