Elie Wiesel: A Short Story

I woke up at about five in the morning, did my prayers, did the house chores, then left for the synagogue to start my work. If you can think of anything to do for a synagogue, I’ve probably done it; I clean, prepare, and just about everything else.

A good friend of mine, Elie Wiesel (I’d say I’m like a mentor to him), asked me a question today.

“...Why do you pray, Moishe?” he asked.

“I pray to God within me for strength to ask Him the real questions.” I replied.

Elie always asked me questions such as these. I paid not much attention, but just answered truthfully. One evening he told me that he was sad because he couldn’t find a master of Zohar, Kabbalistic works, and Jewish mysticism in Sighet to teach him. After a while I told him, “There

We’d all get up and drink the “coffee” the Germans had for us (it was just water with a little bit of dirt). After that, we’d march to our next destination: the work site. They had us lift these huge blocks, and for what reason? The answer never came to me. Once we arrived back at the camp, we had a selection; who’d stay among us and who’d go into the chambers and come out motionless. I didn’t write this past week, because nothing happened. People have been dying horrible deaths; sadly, I’ve grown immune to it. At least fifty people have died in the chambers in this past week, and about another 100 or so, because they were “not fit to work” and were shot on the spot at the work site. It’s now been about a month, and luckily I haven’t been selected to perish in the chambers. I haven’t been writing much because by the time we finish working in the day and eating our last meal of the day, I’m exhausted, and decide to sleep. I’ve heard lots and lots of rumors of a possible return to Sighet. I really hope it’s true. And if it is, I hope I don’t die before; so I can warn the

Finally they had been through the selection. We were on our way. Our way to freedom! To food! To informing the people of Sighet. Days later I returned to Sighet. I’ve been telling everybody about what’s going on! People in the temple. People in the streets. People everywhere! They don’t believe me! “Jews, listen to me!” I said, “That’s all I ask of you. No money. No pity. Just listen to me!”

I told Elie, but even my student wouldn’t believe me! They thought I was mad.

“Why do you want people to believe you so much? In your place I would not care whether they believed me or not...” Elie said.

“You don’t understand,” I explained. “You cannot understand. I was saved miraculously. Where did I get my strength? I wanted to return to Sighet to describe to you my death so that you might ready yourselves while there is still time. Life? I no longer care to live. I am alone. But I wanted to come back to warn you. Only no one is listening to me...”

If only they believed me.

Years later, the germans came and took them. I had resigned to France I only heard about the news about Sighet through word of