Portraits: The Hasidic Legacy of Elie Wiesel

Description

Explores Elie Wiesel’s portraits of the sages of Judaism and elaborates on the Hasidic legacy from his life and his teaching. Elie Wiesel identified himself as a Vizhnitzer Hasid, who was above all things a witness to the testimony and teaching of the Jewish tradition at the core of the Hasidic tradition. While he is well known for his testimony on the Holocaust and as a messenger to humanity, he is less well known for his engagement with the teachings of Jewish tradition and the Hasidic heritage that informs that engagement. Portraits illuminates Wiesel’s Jewish teachings and the Hasidic legacy that he embraced by examining how he brought to life the sages of the Jewish tradition. David Patterson reveals that Wiesel’s Hasidic engagement with the holy texts of the Jewish tradition does not fall into the usual categories of exegesis or hermeneutics and of commentary or textual analysis. Rather, he engages not the text but the person, the teacher, and the soul. This book is a summons to remember the testimony reduced to ashes and the voices that cry out from those ashes. Just as the teaching is embodied in the teachers, so is the tradition embodied in their portraits. Contents Preface Acknowledgments A Post-Holocaust Hasidic Legacy The Portrait of the Who The Hasidic Legacy of the Who The Recovery of Human Relationship Portraiture: Elie Wiesel’s Hasidic Response to Auschwitz Portraits from the Torah Portrait of Adam the First Portrait of Cain and Abel Portrait of Noah Portrait of Lot’s Wife Portrait of Abraham and Isaac Portrait of Jacob and the Angel Portrait of Joseph the Righteous Portrait of Moses Our Teacher Portrait of Miriam Portrait of Aaron Nadab and Abihu Portraits from the Prophets Portrait of Samuel Portrait of Elijah Portrait of Isaiah Portrait of Jeremiah Portrait of Ezekiel Portrait of Jonah Portraits from the Writings Portrait of Daniel Portrait of Ruth Portrait of Esther Portrait of Job Portraits from the Talmud Portrait of the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel Portrait of Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa Portrait of Rabbi Ishmael Portrait of Rabbi Akiba Portrait of Shimon ben Azzai and Shimon ben Zoma Portrait of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah Portrait of Rabbi Tarfon and the Meaning of Humility Portrait of Rabbi Hananiah ben Teradyon Portrait of Rabbi Meir and Brurya Portrait of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai and his Son Rabbi Eleazar Portraits of the Hasidic Masters Portrait of Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov Portrait of Dov Ber the Maggid of Mezeritch Portrait of Rebbe Pinhas of Koretz Portrait of Rebbe Aharon of Karlin Elimelekh of Lizensk and His Brother Zusia of Onipol Portrait of Moshe-Leib of Sassov Portrait of Rebbe Levi-Yitzhak of Berditchev Portrait of Rebbe Nahman of Bratzlav Portrait of the Holy Seer of Lublin Portrait of Rebbe Menahem-Mendl of Kotzk The Messiah: Portrait of an Anticipation The Messiah in Jewish Teaching: A Brief Background The Portrait Notes Bibliography Index