Elie Wiesel, Notre Dame, 1978
One of Wiesel’s little-known works, this book is a study of four great Chassidic Rebbes (Rabbis Pinchas of Koretz, Baruch of Medzebozh, Naftali of Ropshitz and the Chozeh of Lublin), and their struggles with depression. A most unusual book, it is based on a lecture series to a Christian group at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and carries a forward by a Catholic theologian. It is written in Wiesel’s familiar style, slightly poetic, with ideas streaming into each other; it is psychological and thoughtful in its approach. Most interestingly, it views the melancholy of these leaders as central to their identity, as the medium of their communication with God and man. These leaders, in common with other geniuses, saw the world in a particular way, often largely defined by their tendencies to depression. Wiesel does a great job of describing their ups and downs and their effect on their ability to lead their followers. It is also packed with interesting Chassidic ideas and insights; at the back of the book one will find a ‘synchronology’ most useful genealogies and maps linked to events in the world at large.
Four Hasidic Masters
