Critical Essays
Elie Wiesel and Mysticism
Early in his exploration of self, young Elie ignores his father's warning about the cabbala and studies a mystical philosophy that demands a maturity and sophistication that come only from experience. According to the dictates of Moses Cordovero, the cabbalist is expected to imitate thirteen divine qualities, cultivated through daily prayer:
Forbearance of detraction or insult
Patience in facing evil
Forgiveness of evil
Understanding of other human beings
Control of anger in thought and deed
Mercy toward all, even the persecutor
Denial of vengeance
Concentration on the good in villains
Uncompromising compassion for those in pain
Honesty
Mercy on people who do good
Nonjudgmental reproof of villains
Respect for the pure, unblemished self that existed in infancy
The culmination of this mystical regimen is the egoless self, a Jewish parallel of the tao, the path to sublime oneness with God.