Elie Wiesel's Souls on Fire had a profound effect on me, the only non-Christian book I can think of that I would say that about. Even after learning that Night is fiction, and known to be so when it was first published, I was still fascinated by what Wiesel had to say about the Hasidic masters. I have given the book as a gift several times, but I don't think it has affected any I gave it to very much.
One episode in particular has reoccurred to me many times, the year that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev went silent. He had been sociable, humorous, and a great advocate on behalf of the Jewish people to God Himself. He argued on behalf of both individuals and Jews as a whole without rest, imploring God to forgive, because they also had many fair accusations against Him!
The rabbi returned to his previous personality overnight, and the incident is not mentioned anywhere else I can find. Wiesel states in his text it is barely mentioned since, as if no one could bear to think that R. Levi-Yitzchak could be downcast, even for a moment. Today we would simply call it endogenous Depression that remitted on its own and not look too hard for deeper explanations if none presented themselves. The Hasidim are not like that. Still, there are no stories. Did Wiesel make this up as well? I would be on the far end of the continuum that says that such things should not be done. When we are speaking of the encounters between God and Man even small details might be critical and should not be played with. Yet with the stories of the Hasidic masters there are already porous boundaries between this world and any others. Time, distance, causality, motive - all of these are flexible.
I have always taken comfort in that unexplained year of the rabbi's. Silence strikes, but it ends. It may have twenty explanations or no explanation. Day follows night.
Be at peace whatever your lot. This too has been noticed.
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