“Elie [Wiesel], when you ask, "Why do I want to know," I'm trying to grab the holy. And I'm getting thrown back.” Quote by Frank Moore Cross
“What [Franz] Kafka says about the Tower of Babel: In the beginning there were actually many languages, and then as a punishment God gave the world a single language. And then they stopped understanding each other.” WorldLanguageUnderstandingPunishmentTowersBabelTower Of BabelUnderstanding Each Other Author:Elie Wiesel
“Let's face it: if you and I have the same capabilities, the same energy, the same staff, if the only thing that's different between you and me is the products we can get, and I can get a better product than you, I'm going to be a better chef.” IfsI CanDifferentFacesEnergyProductsCapabilityStaffChefBetween You And Me Author:Thomas Keller
“Josiah has a tremendous reputation in the text. He rediscovered the Book of the Law; you remember how Hilkiah the High Priest somehow found it [2 Kings 22:8].” BookRememberLawFoundKingsReputationPriests Author:Elie Wiesel
“[The Book of the Law]was lost for so many years. And then Josiah decided to celebrate Passover. The text says that "The Passover sacrifice had not been offered in that way ... during the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah" [2 Kings 23:22]. What do you mean? Not in the days of David and Solomon? Never before? And what of the days of the prophets? What happened? That's what I'm anguishing over. If the Book of the Law could be forgotten for so many years, who knows what was done to it during those years? Maybe it was lost later, too.” IfsKnowsWayYearsMeanBookDoneLawLostHappenedSacrificeKingsDecidedForgottenIsraelCelebrateProphetSolomonJudah Author:Elie Wiesel
“If the Book of the Law could be forgotten for so many years, who knows what was done to it during those years? Maybe it was lost later, too. And another one replaced it, and that one is no longer the original text. These are questions that perturb me much more than whether it's history or not history.” IfsKnowsYearsBookDoneLawLostOriginalsForgottenReplaced Author:Elie Wiesel
“We know, for instance, of "The Book of the Wars of the Lord." It is mentioned in the text [Numbers 21:14]. There was a book: Where is it? One day you will dig and you will maybe find it. [Laughter]” KnowsBookWarNumbersLordOne DayLaughterInstance Author:Elie Wiesel
“We didn't really differ [with Frank Moore Cross] because we have the same love of the text. We share that love.” ShareCrossesFrankSame Love Author:Elie Wiesel
“As for the discipline, we [me and Frank Moore Cross] belong to two different disciplines. One involves research and archaeological materials. Mine is more interpretive. But it is the love for the text that is there, and that is what makes the whole adventure of reading and studying and sharing worthwhile.” TwoDifferentWholeReadingStudyMinesAdventureMaterialsDisciplineResearchCrossesWorthwhileFrank Author:Elie Wiesel
“I respect scholarship. But I don't like to do things half-heartedly.” HalfScholarship Author:Elie Wiesel