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The Holocaust is a sacred subject. One should take off one's shoes when entering its domain, one should tremble each time one pronounces the word.
Elie Wiesel
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The Holocaust should be treated with deep reverence and respect, recognizing its profound impact.

Elie Wiesel emphasizes the sanctity of the Holocaust, urging people to approach discussions about it with utmost seriousness and reverence. By likening the act of discussing the Holocaust to entering a sacred space, he highlights the importance of remembrance and the weight of the memories associated with this tragic event in human history.

Themes

HolocaustRememberanceSacredRespectHistory

In practice

Example use cases

During a memorial event for Holocaust victims, one might quote Wiesel to emphasize the significance of remembrance.

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The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
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With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
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We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
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No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
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My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead

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