The aim of this article is to show that there are some interesting connections between the itinerary of Etty Hillesum and the spiritual path of Russian Orthodoxy. These links are not casual. Recall that Etty Hillesum inherited a love of Russia from her mother Rebecca, who was born in Pochep (Почеп), about 450 km from Moscow. Moreover, Etty Hillesum became deeply interested in Russian literature of the nineteenth century, a literature steeped in the orthodox mysticism radiating out of Russian monasteries.

In fact, there are some aspects in common held by both her spiritual development and Russian mysticism, which in her case could have been channeled through the literature. It is for this reason that Etty Hillesum could metaphorically be considered a staretz, a man of God dwelling in these monasteries. But Etty Hillesum's monastery was a Nazi transit camp called Westerbork.

The more relevant aspects are addressed below.

The Ascetic Battle

Orthodox religious practitioners take care of the corporal dimension of their spiritual advancement through physical and breathing exercises. They pay attention to the heart area, concrete bodily postures, and fasting, among other things. Etty Hillesum, advised by Julius Spier, assumes similar practices, thus marking the beginning of her spiritual itinerary. Moving forward on her spiritual path, however, soon demanded an attitude of deep listening or, as she called it, “hineinhorchen.”

Orthodox wisdom would say that Etty Hillesum was in the stage of the “common man,” in which many thoughts or pomysly fill the mind when one is silent, and thus one avoids reaching the core of the self: the heart.