Elie Wiesel, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, studies four different rebbes in eighteenth-century Eastern Europe, delving into their lives, their work, and their impact on the Hasidic movement and beyond. In Four Hasidic Masters and Their Struggle against Melancholy, Jewish author, philosopher, and humanist Elie Wiesel presents the stories of four Hasidic masters, framing their biographies in the context of his own life, with direct attention to their premonitions of the tragedy of the Holocaust. These four leaders—Rebbe Pinhas of Koretz, Rebbe Barukh of Medzebozh, the Holy Seer of Lublin, and Rebbe Naphtali of Ropshitz—are each charismatic and important figures in Eastern European Hasidism. Through careful study and consideration, Wiesel shows how each of these men were human, fallible, and susceptible to anger, melancholy, and despair. We are invited to truly understand their work both as religious figures studying and pursuing the divine and as humans trying their best to survive in a world rampant with pain and suffering. This new edition of Four Hasidic Masters, originally published in 1978, includes a new text design, cover, the original foreword by Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., and a new introduction by Rabbi Irving Greenberg, introducing Wiesel’s work to a new generation of readers.

The compassion of Reb Moshe-Leib, the vision of the Seer of Lublin, the wisdom of Reb Pinhas, the warmth of the Ba’al Shem Tov, the humor of Reb Naphtali–to their followers these sages appeared as kings, judges, and prophets. They communicated joy and wonder and fervor to the men and women who came to them in the depths of despair. They brought love and compassion to the persecuted Jews of Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania. For Jews who felt abandoned and forsaken by God, these Hasidic masters incarnated an irresistible call to help and salvation. The Rebbe combats sorrow with exuberance. He defeats resignation by exalting belief. He creates happiness so as not to yield to the sadness around him. He tells stories to escape the temptations of irreducible silence. It is Elie Wiesel’s unique gift to make the lives and tales of these great teachers as compelling now as they were in a different time and place. In the tradition of Hasidism itself, he leaves others to struggle with questions of justice, mercy, and vengeance, providing us instead with eternal truths and unshakable faith.

Reflections by the Nobel-winning philosopher and novelist on the prophets, scribes, and rebbes who comprise the histories and myths of Jewish folklore. Most of these essays were originally given as lectures at the 92nd Street Y in New York, and even in written form they preserve the tone and tempo of extemporary speech. The style is anecdotal rather than scholarly, and Wiesel does not hesitate to bring his opinions to bear.

Explores how Jewish American writers have grappled with the enormity of the Holocaust.

The academic study of religion recently has turned to the investigation of emotion as a crucial aspect of religious life. Researchers have set out in several directions to explore that new terrain and have brought with them an assortment of instruments useful in charting it. This volume collects essays under four categories: religious traditions, religious life, emotional states, and historical and theoretical perspectives. In this book, scholars engaged in cutting edge research on religion and emotion describe the ways in which emotions have played a role in Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions. They analyze the manner in which key components of religious life -- ritual, music, gender, sexuality and material culture -- represent and shape emotional performance. Some of the essays included here take a specific emotion, such as love or hatred, and observe the place of that emotion in an assortment of religious traditions and cultural settings. Other essays analyze the thinking of figures such as St. Augustine, Soren Kierkegaard, Jonathan Edwards, Emile Durkheim, and William James. This collection offers a range of critical perspectives on the academic study of religion and emotion, in the form of syntheses, provocations, and prospective observations, that will inform the work of those already engaged in the field. Taken together, the writings included in this handbook serve as an ideal entry point for anyone wishing to familiarize themselves with the new academic study of religion and emotion.

This volume shows pastors how to be spiritually prepared for the myriad tasks of pastoral ministry: preaching, pastoral care, church administration, worship, teaching, and more. Thomas R. Swears demonstrates that study, reading, and prayer are three essential disciplines that lead to a more intentional and focused spiritual life. Swears shows: —How to use time more creatively and holistically —How to keep track of gleanings from daily life —How to faithfully prepare for preaching —How to keep a professional journal —How to create a balanced reading program —How to develop a personal devotional life

Elie Wiesel is a master storyteller with the ability to use storytelling as a form of activism. From his landmark memoir Night to his novels and numerous retellings of Hasidic legends, Wiesel's literature emphasizes storytelling, and he frequently refers to himself as a storyteller rather than an author or historian. In this work, essays examine Wiesel's roots in Jewish storytelling traditions; influences from religious, folk, and secular sources; education; Yiddish background; Holocaust experience; and writing style. Emphasized throughout is Wiesel's use of multiple sources in an effort to reach diverse audiences.

Polls through the '90s show that many Americans believe the nation is in a period of spiritual decline, yet public religious display and discussion often is deemed politically incorrect. Philosopher John K. Roth feels that more outward sharing of religious beliefs, thoughts, and ideas would bridge the gap between our private needs and our public selves--and would give Americans of differing faiths a common identity.

Since it was written nearly 50 years ago, Night (1958) has changed world perception of the Holocaust experience. Wiesel's oeuvre, including Holocaust narratives such as Dawn (1961), novels, essays, tales, and plays, has also altered the critical and aesthetic landscape through which we view literature, placing themes of religious identity, hope, survival, devotion to family, and humanity ahead of distinctions of fiction and nonfiction. This volume offers critical analysis of all of Wiesel's major writings, with full chapters on Night, Dawn, The Oath, and four other full-length works. His most recent five novels, including The Testament (1980) and Twilight (1987), are also covered. Plot, character development, thematic concerns, and style are discussed, as are historical contexts and alternate critical perspectives. This volume is an indispensable tool for students, whether they are encountering Night for the first time, revisiting Wiesel's literary contributions, or discovering the author's recent works, such as The Judges (1999). A biographical section relates the tragic events of Wiesel's life to his inspirational writings. A literary heritage chapter offers an overview of his achievements and situates his works within the Western literary tradition and the historical and religious frameworks. A separate chapter covers Wiesel's nonfiction writings, including his most important essays, tales, and studies. A bibliography of selected sources is included.

Upon presenting the 1986 Nobel Prize for Peace to Elie Wiesel, Egil Aarvick, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee, hailed him as "a messenger to mankind--not with a message of hate and revenge but with one of brotherhood and atonement." Elie Wiesel: Messenger to All Humanity, first published in 1983, echoes this theme and still affirms that message, a call to both Christians and Jews to face the tragedy of the Holocaust and begin again.