--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Moses] Mendelssohn was a religious Jew…" description: "\"[Moses] Mendelssohn was a religious Jew. I felt sorry for him.\" — Elie Wiesel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/elie-wiesel-341_felt_moses-mendelssohn-was-a-religious-jew-i_1164649.png" --- # \[Moses\] Mendelssohn was a religious Jew. I felt sorry for… ![“[Moses] Mendelssohn was a religious Jew. I felt sorry for him.” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/elie-wiesel-341_felt_moses-mendelssohn-was-a-religious-jew-i_1164649.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/elie-wiesel-341_felt_moses-mendelssohn-was-a-religious-jew-i_1164649.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/elie-wiesel-341_felt_moses-mendelssohn-was-a-religious-jew-i_1164649.png) > “\[Moses\] Mendelssohn was a religious Jew. I felt sorry for him.” [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels sympathy for Mendelssohn, noting his religious identity. **In simple terms:** Pity for Mendelssohn's plight. Key Takeaway Recognize and empathize with others' struggles. Themes empathy identity history Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - discussing cultural heritage - teaching history - supporting artists Key Concepts religion music personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - Why does the speaker feel sorry? - How does religious identity shape artistic work? A Different Perspective Sympathy may overlook personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Mendelssohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mendelssohn/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Sorry for him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry-for-him/) ## Related quotes > [One day - I remember it was a Sabbath afternoon - I came to the synagogue with a book in my hand. I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-day-i-remember-it-was-a-sabbath-afternoon-i-came-to-the-synagogue/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ I became one of \[Moses Mendelssohn\] defenders. But then I heard the words "Biblical criticism" again. And, of course, afterward, I studied it more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-became-one-of-moses-mendelssohn-defenders-but-then-i-heard-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ I developed an anger at \[Moses\] Mendelssohn. Later, I read the book. I realized there was nothing subversive in it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-developed-an-anger-at-moses-mendelssohn-later-i-read-the-book-i/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“If, as Moses Mendelssohn maintains, Judaism is not a religion but a revealed legislation, it seems strange that such a God should be its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/if-as-moses-mendelssohn-maintains-judaism-is-not-a-religion-but-a/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [It is very difficult to be a non-religious Jew outside Israel. The synagogue keeps Jews together in the Diaspora. In Israel, you are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lapid/it-is-very-difficult-to-be-a-non-religious-jew-outside-israel-the/) Tommy Lapid > [“The religious Jew is to study Torah for the sake of studying Torah. Torah lishmah. 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I would like to help him but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-carroll/on-her-husband-the-other-day-he-woke-up-with-a-headache-i-felt-sorry/) Jean Carroll > [Avant-garde means never having to say you're sorry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ribot/avant-garde-means-never-having-to-say-you-re-sorry/) [Marc Ribot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ribot/) ## More by Elie Wiesel > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-more-stab-to-the-heart-one-more-reason-to-hate-one-less-reason-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-all-these-victims-need-above-all-is-to-know-that-they-are-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-feel-that-books-just-like-people-have-a-destiny-some-invite-sorrow/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. 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