The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
Man’s strength resides in his capacity and desire to elevate himself, so as to attain the good. To travel step by step toward the heights. And that is all he can do. To reach heaven and remain there is beyond his powers: Even Moses had to return to earth. Is it the same for evil?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the importance of striving for self-improvement and recognizes the limits of human capability.
Elie Wiesel emphasizes that while humanity has the intrinsic strength and desire to improve and achieve goodness, there are inherent limitations to what one can attain, especially in terms of perfection or eternal bliss. The reference to Moses serves as a reminder that even the greatest figures in history faced the necessity of returning to the realities of life, suggesting that moral and spiritual elevation is a continuous journey rather than a permanent state.
Themes
StrengthSelf-ImprovementLimitsJourneyGood
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth.
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.
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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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