Why does Wiesel begin his story with Moshe the Beadle?

Moshe is a poor, humble man who works at the Hasidic synagogue in Sighet, Moché is well-liked by all the townspeople. He helps Eliezer to study the cabbala, and he teaches him that it is more important to ask God the right questions than to try to find the right answers. Early in the war, Moché is deported to Nazi concentration camps because he is a foreigner. He manages to escape and tries to warn the townspeople of the horrors of the Holocaust. They ignore him and think he's mad. Moshe foreshadows not only the horrors that are to come but also highlights the complacency of many of the Jews in Sighet.

Source(s): http://www.gradesaver.com/night/study-guide/character-list/