Talk:The Trial of God

Original Research in Section on Book of Job?
There are no references concerning The Trial of God's connections to the Book of Job, aside from citations of biblical verse. While these observations seem very astute, I think they should be verified through citation of a third party (biblical or theatre/drama scholar?). Also, it's difficult to compare Trial and Job based upon the section's quotations of the play; because French was the original language of publication. Very glad this play finally has its own article. Original author, please consider either a section or separate article on Wiesel's only other play, Zalmen or The Madness of God. Jymlarin (talk) 01:25, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

Differences Between Job (Yo'av) and The Holocust Trial
The tendency of making comparisons between the Biblical story of Job and that of the Jews who were killed during the Holocaust, is a mistake. The bigist difference between them is that Job was made to suffer as an individual at the hand of God, whereas the Holocust was genocide of a large population, apparently being collectively punished.

The first kind of individual punishment was expressed as a test of faith, to illustrate the failure of the Devil's claim, of Man's lack of this faith. On the other hand the genocide caused by the Nazis during the second world war, (as material for this play) is examined as God's collective punishment, possibly for a prior lack of obediance on the part of most of the Jews to follow God's laws.

Many Jews (including this writer) have yet to completely forgive God for allowing the Holocaust to occur, which adds to the intensity of feelings of those who see this play. Yet the subject is a bit obscure. It is told of a certain Jew who on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, (when Jews ask God directly for forgiveness) prayed:

"Father of the Universe, you have deprived mothers of their babies and small children of their parents, surely it would not be too much for You to help us in our present hour of need?"

"Why did you let Him off so easily?" questioned the Rabbi. If you had continued in this way you could have preserved the future of the entire Jewish people!" Macrocompassion (talk) 13:05, 6 June 2013 (UTC)