Customer Reviews

Messengers of God

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Wiesel has conceived an amazing and important set of human beings from several Biblical figures. People, strong and weak, right and wrong, very much flesh and bones, are presented from the unique perspective of a Holocaust survivor who sees human natures in the extremes of good and evil. What was it like for Job? How flawed were the Forefathers? And how did their personal relationships with the Almighty lead to inner peace? Most remarkably, a portrait of the Lord emerges as few scholars have painted. The juxtaposition of, for example, Moses and Abraham, with their individualities crisply drawn is a new level in Biblical scholarship, and most relevent for us today. When faced with the challenges of life, the people of the Bible are as human as each and all of us. This book is truely a gift to mankind.

Elie Wiesel is one of the most important thinkers of the modern era. His insights into the human condition are possibly the most profound to come from the Holocaust

In Messengers of G-d, Wiesel takes classic characters using classic midrash and make them utterly modern. This book might be a surprise to those familiar with Wiesel only through his Holocaust texts, but it should also be a pleasant surprise. From Adam to Yitchak to Job, Biblical characters are infused with a universality largely forgotten by modern commentators.

While this is essentially a Jewish book, it should be enjoyable to anyone who's wanted to study either Classic or Biblical texts.

Elie Weisel has a very descriptive style. He is able to describe the many possible interpretations of the characteristics of Adam, Cain, Abel, Isaac, Joseph, Jacob, Esau, Moses, and Job. Especially interesting is the description of how G-d created Eve. Why from the ribs as opposed to the eyes, head, neck, etc.. Interesting stuff and I won't spoil it by giving you readers the analogy. The snake's role in Eve leading Adam astray is dealt with from many interesting points of view. The punishment of Cain is quite unique according to Weisel's theory.

Anyway, the parables are a little hard to interpret and some of the stories ramble a bit without comming to a point. But there are many captivating parts and the beautiful imagery makes me rate this four stars.

For those familiar with Elie Wiesel only through his Holocaust literature, "Messengers of God" may seem like a departure. It is a book that examines the Biblical portraits and legends of Adam, Moses, Job, and others. To do so, Wiesel uses a mixture of Bible and Torah stories and the rabbinical commentaries (or midrash) to examine the life and legend of each profit.

Wiesel beings with Adam, the first man, examining his relationship with God, before and after the Fall. He naturally follows course to Cain and Abel, an example of the frist genocide as he calls it, and raises some interesting questions concerning the borhters' relationship with each other and with God. He examines the sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob's struggle with the angel, and Joseph's education and purity. The final two portraits are those of Moses, an unlikely leader of the Jews, and Job, a man who would fit in very much with our contemporary time period. For that is exactly what Wiesel tries to accomplish in "Messengers of God": by examining the pasts of these characters he tries to explain how they are still alive in the world today. And for the most part he succeeds.

Each portrait, except the last, is followed by a short section of parables and sayings that illuminate what Jewish scholars have had to say about each of these Biblical figures. Some of these help further Wiesel's purpose, while others seem out of place. Wiesel draws from a variety of sources to paint his portraits and also mixes in his own thoughts and opinions concerning these figures, especially that of Job, whose predicament is easily understood and sympathized with by a Holocaust survivor. "Messengers of God" is a quick read, but one that is best deliberated over after each portrait is complete. For anyone looking for a more diverse sketch of these Biblical characters, "Messengers of God" is an excellent place to start.

Most of this book rehashes midrashic legends- and does so without enough detail for the reader to fully understand the context of those legends. Maybe if I was less knowledgeable I would find this book more interesting.

Having said that, the book does occasionally come to life when Wiesel brings in his own perspectives. For example, he asks why Joseph is so often described as a "tzaddik" and points out that Joseph's uniqueness lay in his ability to get past the suffering he experienced at the hands of others, despite the absence of the kind of Divine revelation that his ancestors benefitted from.

Amazon's ease and convenience of purchase and delievery made it a pleasant purchase. The book is a great wry and whimsical analysis of the core Biblical stories. Wiesel delves into both poignant as well as seldom pondered nuances of these oft repeated, but seldomly critiqued and analyzed staples of both Judaic and Christian theology. This book is idylic for any thorough study of liberal arts such as history, sociology, theologhy, and philosophy.

Received quicker than I thought. Book looks to be brand new! MORE than pleased. Thank you for your more than prompt service.

Elie Wiesel is a learned and learning Jew, a poetic storyteller whose work is rich in meaning and beauty. In this book he retells the stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Job. His method is to read the Biblical story and the Midrashim and from them retell each Biblical hero's story. The retellings are interpretative and suggestive. He will often raise one set of possibilities and then move on to another. He will often prefer leaving us with a set of questions rather than with a definite answer.
Yet throughout his readings there is a strong feeling of his great love for and devotion to the Biblical text. He reads with respect and a sense of sanctity. He can wonder and protest as he does for instance at Job's acquiescence to God's answer from the Whirlwind but he maintains always a closeness and loving relation to the Tradition.
I read these retellings with very great pleasure. The poetic beauty was one element of this. But another was the sense of searching for and enriching the meaning of stories I myself have since childhood read and reread. I learned much I did not know.
I believe any person who has a feeling for the Bible, or anyone who simply cares for the question of Man's relation to God will benefit greatly from reading this very meaningful and beautiful book.

In this book, Wiesel tells of seven Bible characters from several different viewpoints: the Bible, the Talmud, Midrash, and his own. The most intriguing of these views is his own because each character is viewed through the lens of the Holocaust. Wiesel identifies with different forms of suffering that each character goes through. Also, the way he portrays God seems to come from an understanding of the Holocaust rather than pre-Holocaust Jewish tradition alone. This book is a definite good read because of the different angles that it attempts to view each character.

There should be a warning posted in the front cover of this book.

Warning: The author blames God for everything. Wiesel takes an extremely humanistic viewpoint of God. He portrays God as having doubts and being defeated by Adam's sin. He excuses Adam, and blames Eve for everything, even going so far as to say that Adam didn't know what he was partaking of. He tries to get Adam off the hook by saying God set him up to fail.

In one analysis of the story of Cain and Abel, he feels pity for Cain and blames Abel (pg 56) for the crime. At other points, he makes excuses for Cain, as if he was an innocent victim manipulated and picked on by God. Wiesel states that Cain is not responsible and had not done anything wrong. Meanwhile he missed the entire point that God was not pleased with Cain's offering because Cain was "doing it his own way", not God's way. He was offering fruit of the cursed earth, rather than a lamb, which points to the Lamb of God. We must do things God's way, not our own way. But Wiesel does not understand, instead he blames God, blames Abel and excuses Cain.

And sure enough, he sympathizes with Esau's plight, without realizing that Esau thought of his birthright at such low esteem that he sold it for a bowl of beans. Sure, Jacob shouldn't have tricked his father, but then his father shouldn't have gone against God's stated will of blessing the younger before the elder. God already foreknew that Jacob/Israel would desire the blessings of God and spiritual, and that Esau would reject God, being fleshly and worldly. Hence God is entirely right in choosing who he will bless and who he will set aside.

After meandering through Genesis and the life of Moses, he finally lights on Job, saying "I'm offended by his surrender in the text. Job's resignation as man was an insult to man. He should not have given in so easily. He should have continued to protest." Wiesel missed the entire spiritual application here. Job did not sin with his lips, Job submitted to God's plan, and Job discovered that he had too much pride, and put his hands over his lips.

40:1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
40:2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that
reproveth God, let him answer it.
40:3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand
upon my mouth.
40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will
proceed no further.

Wiesel was so disappointed with Job's submission that he wishes that this ending was not in the Bible. He speculates that maybe it was added later, preferring to leave Job suspended in dust and ashes, scraping boils with a potsherd. "I prefer to think that the Book's true ending was lost. That Job died without having repented, without having humiliated himself; that he succumbed to his grief an uncompromising and whole man."

Wiesel ends the book with "What remains of Job? ... An example, perhaps." Yes, Job is an example and a good and wise example. But Wiesel sees Job as a personification of man's search for justice and truth, "to transform divine injustice into human justice and compassion." In Wiesel's eyes, humans are above God. Hence the warning label needed. He should follow Job's example instead, because Job is rejoicing that he will see God. I wish Wiesel could repent and have Job's hope and joy.

19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth:
19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh shall I see God: