Messengers of God: A True Story of Angelic Presence and the Return to the Age of Miracles

by Elie Wiesel

Book Overview

Elie Wiesel's classic look at Job and seven other Biblical characters as they grapple with their relationship with God and the question of his justice.

"Wiesel has never allowed himself to be diverted from the role of witness for the martyred Jews and survivors of the Holocaust, and by extension for all those who through the centuries have asked Job's question: 'What is God doing and where is His justice?' Here in a masterful series...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 067154134X
• ISBN13: 9780671541347
• Release Date: March 1985
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Retelling Biblical stories A most meaningful and beautiful book

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.

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Elie Weissel is SO talented, his words dance across the paper and will be rememberred for a long time.

Biblical figures as real people

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.

Some Vivid Imagery

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.

Classic Midrash in the Modern Age

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.