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Quote by Elie Wiesel

“For nearly 3,500 years Exodus has left such an imprint on people's memories that I cannot imagine it had been invented just as a legend or a tale.”

Quote by Elie Wiesel

Author

A renowned Jewish author and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Elie Wiesel is known for his profound literary achievements and for recording and spreading the history of the Holocaust as a survivor. His works deeply reveal the terror of the Nazi Holocaust and the universal nature of human suffering. more

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“Even if people tell me they have historical proof [that it is not historical], that doesn't really bother me.”

People Ifs Historical Proof Bother

Author:Elie Wiesel

“I read the text; and then I come to the Shirat ha-Yam, to the Song of the Sea [Exodus 15], to the poetry. Who could have written such a poem except someone who went through it? It is so full of life, so full of truth, of passion, of concern. And the thousands and thousands of commentaries in the Talmudic tradition that have been written on it. It had to have happened. But even if not, I would attribute the same beauty to the text as I do now.”

Ifs Has Beens Song Passion Written Happened Sea Concern Tradition Attributes Commentary Exodus Yams

Author:Elie Wiesel

“[Shirat ha-Yam ] is one of the earliest, if not the earliest, pieces of Biblical literature that we possess. It is much closer to history than later traditions of the Exodus.”

Ifs Literature Pieces Tradition Biblical Exodus Yams

Author:Elie Wiesel

“As you know, I describe Shirat ha-Yam as part of an epic story that has qualities of history and which also has qualities of the mythological, of an epic.”

Knows Stories Quality Epic Yams Epic Stories

Author:Elie Wiesel

“I have a tremendous respect for Professor [Frank Moore] Cross.”

Crosses Professors Frank

Author:Elie Wiesel

“If you read Exodus 15 carefully, it describes a storm at sea. This is the old Yahwistic source. In the retelling of the story in the later Priestly source, it is more miraculous: The water stands up on either side like a wall. There are walls of water standing up. As you move back in time, oddly enough, the story becomes more historical.”

Ifs Enough Stories Moving Sides Water Sea Source Wall Standing Historical Storm Miraculous Retelling Back In Time Exodus

Author:Elie Wiesel

“We're both [with Elie Wiesel] a long way from the position of the so-called Biblical minimalists. Some of them see no history in the Bible until Josiah.”

Way Long Position Biblical Long Way

Author:Elie Wiesel

“Personally, as a student who loves words, who loves texts, I am concerned with finding something in the text from within.”

Students Findings Concerned

Author:Elie Wiesel

“I am looking for the word which is there and shouldn't be there. I wonder, why is it there? Or I look for problems: the Akedah [the Binding of Isaac - Genesis 22]. It still baffles me. Each time I read it - and I read it at least twice a year - each time I discover new layers in it. Always. So this is of more concern to me than the minimalists.”

Years Looks Stills Problem Wonder Concern Layers Genesis Binding Isaac

Author:Elie Wiesel

“Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not approaching it from the scientific point of view. I'm saying: Why do we need that? It's a sordid story, a depressing story, a dark story. Why should I believe that I'm a descendant of either Cain or Abel? Thank God there is a third son! [Genesis 4:25]”

Needs Should Believe May Stories Given I Believe Dark Views Son Thirds Point Of View Explanation Thank God Depressing Should I Genesis Descendants Cain Abel Cain And Abel

Author:Elie Wiesel