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Apersonalretrospective:WasElieWieselhappy?TheJPost

Apersonalretrospective:WasElieWieselhappy?
ByYOSEFI.ABRAMOWITZ
Sun,03Jul2016,00:57AM

TokeepdescribingWieselinalltheobituariesasasurvivordoesaninjusticetothetotality
ofhislifeandaccomplishments.

Photoby:REUTERS

Youcameforme?askedabewilderedMikhailGorbachev.
AsaJew,Ioweyouthatmuch,respondedElieWiesel.
FrenchpresidentMitterandsentWieselaboardagovernmentplanetoMoscow,wherehemet
Gorbachevimmediatelyafterthe1991coupfailure,severalmonthsbeforethedissolutionofthe
SovietUnion.
WhenGorbachevsawmehewasmoved.Iaskedmyself,whywashemoved,withtearsinhis
eyes?Becausehehadjustrealizedthathisfriendswerenothisfriends.Everysingleonehad
betrayedhim.Thosewhomhehadelevated,abandonedhim.Ihaverarelyseenamanaslonelyas
hewas.AndherecomesayoungJew,andsaysImheretohelpyou,togiveyousupport.Iwas
thinking:ImayeshivabucherfromSighet,andallofasuddenIminvolvedwithpresidents,bringing
personalmessages,andtravelingingovernmentplanes.Iwassurprised.
WieselslifelongselfimageasayeshivabucherfromSighetprovidedimportanthintsnotonlyinto
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hispreHolocaustlife,butalsoinsightsastohowthe1986NobelPeacePrizelaureateviewed
himself.Wieselhasbeendescribedasamodemprophet,amovingwriter,abrilliantteacherand
evenaJewishsuperstar.Heisbestknown,however,asasurvivorofNazihorrors.Yettokeep
describingWieselinalltheobituariesasasurvivordoesaninjusticetothetotalityofhislifeand
accomplishments.ElieWieseldidnotmerelysurvive,hetriumphed.Andifhewouldhavepaused
longenoughtoconsiderittowardtheendofhisremarkablelife,hemightevenhavesaidhewas
happy.
Passingawayat87,Wieselmarkednearly60yearssincethepublicationofthebestsellingNight
andalmostthreedecadessincebeingawardedtheNobelPeacePrize.Icantbelieveit,hesaidina
conversationwiththiswriter,smilingandshakinghisheadattheincrediblepathhislifehadtaken.
BookswereeverywhereatWieselshomeonthe26thfloorofanondescriptUpperEastSide
Manhattanapartmentbuilding.AvisitorisfirstconfrontedbythousandsofbooksinHebrew,Yiddish,
French,andEnglishthatcovernearlyeveryinchofspacebetweenthefloorandceilingoftheL
shapedlivingroom.Oneuppershelfinacornerisdevotedtothemorethan30titlesbearingWiesels
name.PeoplearenotawarethatwhenhewasacandidatefortheNobelPeacePrize,hewasalso
beingseriouslyconsideredfortheNobelPrizeinLiterature.
Twoframedpicturesaretheloneexceptionstotheotherwisebooklinedwalls.WhenWieselsatat
hislargedesk,hefacedonthefarwallasketchofJerusalem.Whenheturnedaroundtousethe
computer,helookedrightintoadarkblackandwhitephotographofthehouseinSighetwherehe
grewup,whichisfeaturedinhismemoirsalongwith16pagesoffamilyphotos.
SinceIbeganwriting,Ialwaysfacethathouse,hesaidinatelevisioninterview.Imustknowwhere
Icomefrom.
EliezerWieselwasborninthepicturesquetownofSighet,belowtheCarpathianmountainsthatwere
oncehometotheBaalShemTov,thefatherofChasidism.TantalizedbyChasidictaleshis
grandfathertold,WieselshappiestchildhoodmemorieswerepunctuatedwithsingingShabbat
songs,eatingchocolatesandstudyingapageofTalmudunderatreewhiletheotheryoungsters
playedball.
Hewasalittlesicklyandcertainlywhatwecallbookish,recalledProfessorDavidWeissHalivni,who
studiedinchederwithWieselinSighet.Halivni,aformerprofessorofreligionatColumbiaUniversity
andoneofWieselsclosestfriends,saidthatevenasachild,Wieselwasartisticallymoresensitive
tothemysticalteachingsoftheirteacher.HalivnibelievedWiesel'ssenseofhumorwasconditioned
asachild.Maybehehadapremonition,hesaid.
Wewereintheghettotogether.Hewasonthelasttransport.Iwasonthefirst.IleftonMonday,he
leftThursday,recalledHalivni.SowecametoAuschwitzatdifferenttimes.
WemetinAuschwitz,saidRabbiMenasheKlein.WearingablackChasidicrobe,tzitzit,whitebeard
andsidelocks,KleinstrikesoneasWieselsOldWorldalterego.ThisisperhapshowWieselhimself
mighthavelookedhadhislife,hisstudies,andhispreoccupationwithmysticismnotbeeninterrupted
byhistory.SomehowwegottoBuchenwaldandwereliberatedtheretogether,hesaid.Wewentto
Francethen,andProfessorWieselattendedtheSorbonne.I,ontheotherhand,keptdwellinginour
Torah.
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RabbiKlein,whosestudyinBrooklynwasalsocrowdedwithreligiousbooks,explainedthatWiesel
tookadifferentpathafterthewarasaresultoftheshockofhisexperiencesduringtheHolocaust.
Afterthewar,WieselstudiedinParis,whereheearned
moneydirectingachoir.LaterhebecametheParis
correspondentfortheIsraeldaily,YediotAharonot,
earning$30amonth.Hisbigbreakcamewhenhe
movedtoNewYorktoworkwiththeYiddishForward,
earning$175amonthasacopyeditorwriterand
translator.Irememberwhenhelivedon103rdStreet,
saysHalivni.Hehadonlyasmallroom,narrow,dark
youcouldseethepoverty.Irememberhimsittingonthe
floorsurroundedbyrecordsofBach.Atthattimehewas
practicallystarving.
In1956,WieselsteppedoffacurbinTimesSquareandwasstruckbyaspeedingtaxi.Followingthe
accident,whichlefthimhospitalizedforsevenmonths,Wieseldesperatelyneededmoneyandtried
coveringtheUnitedNationsoncrutchesforYediot.GoldaMeir,thenforeignminister,tookpityonthe
youngjournalistandwouldinvitehimbacktoherhotelsuite,whereshewouldprepareomeletsand
teaandbriefhimonthedaysevents.In1967,hisbooks,whichhadbeencommercialfailures,began
tosell,andWieselwasabletoleavedailyjournalismtoconcentrateonbookwriting.
SopowerfullyembeddedinthepopularpsycheisWieselsassociationwiththeHolocaustthatmany
wouldfinditsurprisingthatthetopicrarelycameupinhisclassesorinhiswritings.
WhenpeopledidnttalkabouttheShoah,IfeltIhadto.Somanypeoplearedoingitnow,Idont
needtoanymore,heexplained.Infact,healwaysthoughttwiceaboutraisingtheissue.Imafraid
ofmakingitintoaroutine.IwantitthatwheneverImentionthewordShoah,Ishouldstopfora
secondandmyvoiceshouldtremble,mywholebeingshouldtremblebeforepronouncingthatword.
HalivnileftpublicspeakingabouttheHolocausttoWiesel.Butwhenhecomestoseeme,hesaid,
HelistensandIshout.
WhiletheHolocaustrarelyfiguresprominentlyinWieselspubliclifeinthelateryearsofhislife,his
sensitivityasasurvivorgavehimanappreciationforeverymoment,andforlifesfragility.Heandhis
wife,Marion,usedtotravelonseparateflights.Justincase,hesaid,likeaquickprayer,eyes
flashingtowardHeaven.
Italsodrovehimtoworkhard.
Therearepeoplewhowanttodomorethantheycan.Wieselisoneofthem,saidRabbiKlein,who,
likeWiesel,wenttosleeplateandwokeupearlytostudyandwrite.ForWiesel,theNobelPeace
Prizeisnomorethanaladder,astep,towardfulfillingagoalforwhichheremainedalive:todoforthe
Jewishpeople.
Apersoncannotlivewiththefeelingthattheyhaveachievedthehighest,saidHalivni,whoclaimed
thattheNobelPrizehadbeenamixedblessingforWiesel.

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TheNobelPrizedidnotbecomeanend,ratheranewbeginning.HerealizesthattheNobelPrize
wasgiventohimasMr.Jew,andthereforeheowesittotheJewishpeople.Inasenseitentailsa
greaterresponsibility.Ithasimposedaburdenonhimthepossibilityofextendinghelp,becauseof
hisconnections,ismuchbigger.Thereisnothingmorefrighteningforasensitivepersonthanhaving
power.
WhileNewYorkisfarfromSighet,ElieWieselwasneverfarfromtheforcesthatmoldedhis
childhood:chasidismandtheHolocaust.Andthestruggleofthesetwoforcestocoexistinonesoulis
whatshapedElieWieseluntilhislastday,providingthecreativetensionforhisachievementsand
writings.DeepwithinhimlayayoungyeshivabucherfromSighetdeepwithinhebelievedhe
survivedtheNazihorrorsforapurpose.
***
CladinawelltailoredgraysuitandhuggingavelvetblueTorahscroll,ElieWieseldancedinatight
circlewithhisfriendsandsangsongsofpraisetotheGodhehadsooftenchallenged.Wieselwas
glowinggonewasthetrademarksomberlookthatisnaturallychiseledinhissullen,handsomeface.
ItwasSimchatTorahfortheJewishpeople.YetforWieselitwasmoreitwasalsohisbirthday.
Wenevercelebratedbirthdaysathome,Wieselsaidofhischildhood.Herarelycelebratedthe
occasionbecausetomeeveryminuteisavictory.
Wieselcreditedhissanitytohisfamilyandfriends.Iread,Ilistentomusic,Ispeakwithfriends.My
lifeisfull.Themainthingisnottowastetime.Butthenheadded,SometimesIthinkthatItooam
insane.Iwasalwaysintheminority,likethemadman.WhenIbegantotalkabouttryingtoteachthe
Shoah,howmanyotherswerethere?WhenIbeganforRussianJewry,howmanyotherswerethere
then?WhatkeepsWieselsane?ponderedRabbiMenasheKlein.Wesingtogether,eattogether,
daventogether,walktogether.Hecomesherebeforeeveryholiday.Mostlywemeet,wetalk.Klein
saysthatWiesel,whosanginachoirasachild,stilllovedtosingChasidicmelodies.Hewouldbegin
singingFridaynightat5:30p.m.andwouldntstopuntilafter2a.m.
WieselsaidthathisdailystudyofJewishtextswasessentialforhim.Ilovetostudy.Itgivesyoua
goodsenseofproportion.Afterall,whatRambamsaysmaybeismoreimportantthanthearticleI
wroteforTheNewYorkTimes.
Wiesel'spreoccupationwithbooksbeganearly.Whenotherswerehordingfoodandvaluables,the
youngWieselbroughtbookstostudyontothecrampedcattlecartoAuschwitz.
Dr.DavidWeissHalivniandWieselexpressedtheirfriendshipbyalwaysspeakingHebrewtoeach
other.HalivniwasoneofthefewwhocouldreallymakeWiesellaugh.Thelightestmomentswe
havearewhenwebringupcharactersfromSighet,hesaid.
Whatkindofcharacters?Therewastheshadchan(matchmaker),Ziegenfeld,whoalwayswalked
withanumbrella.Andthentherewasthetallshochet(ritualslaughterer)andhisshortwife.Andmany
others.HardlyaconversationpasseswhenwedonttalkaboutSighet,Halivnisaid.When
describingthesethings,recapturingthecomicalaspectsofSighet,thenIseehimhavingahearty
laugh.

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WasWieselhappy?Tohisfriends,thequestionseemedirrelevant.Weneverthinkinthoseterms,
saidHalivni.HeexplainedthatChasidicspiritualitygaveWieselfreedomasecondliberationand
thatWieselneedsthejoyofChasidutbecausehecannotalwaysliveintheshadowofthe
Holocaust.
Wiesel,hesitanttoallowanaffirmativeanswer,gaveatraditionalresponse.Wedontspeakabout
happinessinourfaith,wespeakaboutsimchavesasson(joyandgladness).Whatdoweaskfor?
Shalom,yes.WemainlyaskforYiratshamayim(fearofheaven),forstudy,forchaimshelTorah(life
ofTorah).WhatisTorah?Meaning.Mylifehasbeenthepursuitofmeaning,notjoy.
ForWiesel,withoutaJewishcontexttherewasnoenjoyment.Whenasked.aboutsimchavesasson
inhisownlife,hepausedbriefly,andthenhiswordsflowedinhissoftFrenchaccent.Nineteenforty
eight,whenIsraelwasborn.IrememberthatShabbatinParis.Ifeltjoythatcamefromhistory.Then
the67war.ShichrurYerushalayim(theliberationofJerusalem),somethingthatremainswithme.And
SimchatTorahinMoscowwithyoungpeople.
Yetthereissomethingmissing,andwhensomethingismissing,happinesscantbepresent
becausehappinessmeansnothingismissing.Whatismissing?TheBostonUniversityprofessor
pausedandthenansweredthequestion.Certainty.Youhavethehauntingfeelingthathistoryis
tryingtopurgeitselfofitsdemons,ofitsnightmareswiththepursuitofviolenceofbloodshed,of
hatred.
Inthisgeneration,thepursuitofpleasureisattheexpenseofhappiness.Pleasureisinstant
pleasure.Everythingweareobtainingisinstant.Instantmeaning,instantlove,instantphilosophy,
instanttruth.
TheGaonofVilnasaidthatthehardestmitzvahtoaccomplishisvsamachtabechagecha'(rejoice
inyourholidays).Donotsteal,donotkill,everythingiseasy.Vesamachtabechagecha!Tomake
surethatyourejoice,Wieselsaidenergetically.
Wieselsvoicethenbecamebarelyaudible,hisdownwardgazewassteady.Hisconsciousness
seemedtohavebeentransportedtoanothertime.Anotherkindofjoy,evendeeperthanthat,and
morepersonal,wasthebirthofmyson...evenmore,thebritofmyson.Tomeinmylife,ithasthe
importanceofthebirthofIsrael,thereunificationofJerusalem.Ifeltitinmybody,ineverycellofmy
body....
Thephonebrokehistrance,andWieselwalkedovertohisexecutivesizemahoganydesktoanswer
it.Onitsittwophotographs:OneofhimwithhiswifeandtheirsonShlomoElisha,andoneacloseup
oftheirson,bothtakenatleast35yearsago.Wieselnamedhissonafterhisfather,whowasinthe
campswithhimanddiedonlyweeksbeforeWieselsliberation.Iwas16yearsoldwhenmyfather
died,writesWieselinhismemoirs.
Myfatherwasdeadandthepainwasgone.Inolongerfeltanything.Someonehaddiedinsideme,
andthatsomeonewasme.
Myfatherhadnoofficialpositioninthecommunity,hewasakindofintercessorinthecommunity,he
wasagrocerystoreowner,Wieselsaidinatoneofgreatrespect.Somehow,Idontknowhow,he
alwaysdefendedtheJewswiththeauthorities.Therefore,whensomethingwouldhappen,they
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wouldcometomyfather.AttimeshisfatherwassobusywithJewishcommunalbusinessthatthe
youngWieselwouldonlyseehimathomeontheSabbath.
WieselhimselfhadnoofficialpositionintheJewishcommunity,yethehasservedasanintercessor
withheadsofstate,includingPresidentReaganpriortohistriptoBitburgandPresidentClinton,to
askhimtodomoretohelptheBosnians.AsPrimeMinisters,bothEhudOlmertandBinyamin
NetanyahutriedconvincingWieseltoacceptthepositionofPresidentoftheStateofIsrael.The
needtohelpJews,IthinkIamfollowinginmyfathersfootstepsandIthinkhewouldhavewantedit
thatway,saidWiesel.Wieselsaidthathehasonlyrecentlyrealizedthesimilaritiesbetweenhimself
andhisfather,andexplainsthatittookalongtimetocometothisconclusionbecauseofkibbudav
(respectofonesfather),Ididntdarecomparemyselfwithhim.HesavedJewishlivesIdidnt.Itryto
teach,buthesavedJewishlives.Hewasarrested,hewastortured.Iwasnot.SohowcanIcompare
myselftohim?JustasWieselstruggledwithbeingason,healsowrestledwithbeingafather.The
hardestistobeagoodfather,alwaysconfessedWiesel.Halivnisaysthatitisnoteasybeingthe
sonofagreatman.ShlomoElisha,aYalegraduatewhonowworksinfinance,hadbeenheardto
say,halfjokingly:Itshardgrowingupinahousewhereyourdadisthearbiterofmoralityinthe20th
century.
Wieselbelievedthatthefathersonrelationshipisatest,bothforthefatherandfortheson.When
thesonleaveshome,itisharderforthefatherthanfortheson,hesaid,hopingnottobetraythe
privacyofhisfamilylifewhiletryingtoconveytheloveandunderstandinghehadforhisson.The
sonhastofreehimselfontheonehand,andatthesametimebeloyal,hesaid,speakingperhaps
aboutbothhisrelationshipwithhisfatherandhissonswithhim.Thehardestthingsarethemost
rewarding.
YosefI.Abramowitz,ElieWieselsstudent,servesasCEOofEnergiyaGlobalCapitalandcanbe
followed@KaptainSunshine

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