Une rencontre avec le Roi

Pour ceux qui comprennent l´anglais.



by Rabbi Shoshan Ghoori.


Meeting the King of Morocco opened up new vistas in my understanding of God.



News that the King of Morocco was arriving in Chile was fairly low-key, since only a week earlier world leaders -- including President Bush -- were in Chile for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Conference. So when my friend Maurice came running into Aish Chile with a big smile on his face, he explained that he was part of a delegation of local Moroccan businessmen who had been at the airport to greet the king, 41-year-old Mohamed VI.

Meeting the king is a childhood dream for any native of Morocco, a country on the northwest tip of Africa, just across the strait of Gibraltar from Spain. And now, many years later in Chile, Maurice finally got his chance. So half-joking, I asked him, "How come you didn't get me a meeting with the king?!" He answered that he was going to have a dinner cocktail with the king's right-hand man, Andre Azoulay, a Moroccan Jew. So I said, "See what you can do -- I'd love to meet the king!"

Less than two hours later, Maurice was on the phone with the news that a meeting with the king was being arranged. I thought he was joking. But the next morning I received a phone call from the Moroccan ambassador in Chile, politely confirming my meeting with the king, on Friday at 11:30 a.m.


Be careful what you pray for; you might just get it.

Oh, great! Now what do I do?! There's an old Jewish expression, "Be careful what you pray for; you might just get it." Now that the meeting was a reality, I had no idea of how to utilize this opportunity. I've met heads of state before (I'm so popular!), but meeting a king from an Arab country somehow made it much more overwhelming.

Morocco's monarchy has a family tradition of respecting the Jews. The previous king, King Hassan, tried to protect Jews from riots that broke out in the wake of Israeli independence, and his predecessor, Mohammed V, is widely credited with having saved Morocco's Jews from deportation during World War II.

In Morocco -- although the Jewish population has dropped from 265,000 in 1948, to about 5,500 today -- there is one of the most tolerant environments for Jews in the Arab world: Moroccan Jewish emigres, even those with Israeli citizenship, freely visit Morocco, and Moroccan Jews hold leading positions in business and government.

So I started consulting all over as to the protocol of this encounter. Can I bring my wife Myriam (whose parents both happen to be Moroccan)? Do I bring a gift? Do I double-kiss his cheek? Kiss his hand? Bow down? What do I wear? What will we talk about? Should I ask for an invitation to Morocco? Can I speak about the Middle East conflict? And most importantly -- can I bring my camera?!

Then I stopped to think: If this is so exciting, then I should feel at least this much excitement when meeting God, the King of Kings. So why don't I feel such a surge every time I pray the Amidah, three times a day?

I began to realize that this opportunity to meet a king is more than just the meeting itself -- it would also be a profound lesson on how to relate to Almighty God.

Glory to Human Beings

At 9:30 Friday morning I started getting dressed. I figured an hour should be enough. My wife -- who was allowed to accompany me as far as meeting the government ministers -- kept wondering why I was trying on so many different combinations of clothes. (I was trying to find the right colors for the mood...)


Blessed is the One Who has given of His glory to human beings.

Forty-five minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go. I had to laugh at myself, since this was the first time that I wasn't the one saying, "Honey, what's taking so long to get dressed...?!"

We got to the hotel an hour before the meeting was set to begin. I had my siddur, with the blessing that one says when meeting a king:


Blessed is the One Who has given of His glory to human beings.

I had also brought a beautiful present for the king: a silver-framed blessing that Jews say for the welfare of the king.

It is so important to have the king's support. In May 2003, when a series of suicide bombers attacked Jewish targets in Casablanca, the king immediately visited the site, urged the Jewish community to rebuild, and pledged to guarantee the community's safety. The government then organized a large rally in the streets of Casablanca to demonstrate support for the Jewish community.

We pray for God to continue to grant His kindness, by sending rulers that are benevolent to our people. And ultimately it is all in God's hands, as King Solomon wrote, "Like streams of water is the heart of a king in the hand of the Almighty. Wherever He wishes, so He directs it." (Proverbs 21:1)

Floating Toward the King

Upon arrival we were greeted by a Moroccan government official who took us to a waiting area. I was told that the meeting would be delayed until 1:30 p.m. So we sat for two hours, in fascinating conversation with the king's advisor, Azoulay. We were also interviewed by Moroccan TV, and we met with the man who introduced Menachem Begin to Anwar Sadat.

Actually, Morocco is perhaps Israel's closest friend in the Arab world. King Hassan often encouraged the peace process from behind the scenes, and in 1993, Yitzhak Rabin paid a formal visit to Morocco -- the first Arab nation outside of Egypt to officially receive an Israeli leader.

The big moment finally arrived and I was escorted upstairs to a room that was prepared for the royal reception. I was surprised to recognize this as the same room I have used dozens of times before -- as a reception room for the groom before the chuppah. Incredibly, in Jewish tradition, a groom on his wedding day is also regarded as a "king."

At least 30 uniformed Moroccan guards saluted as I entered the room where the king was waiting. The feeling at this moment was powerful and mystical, as I felt like I was floating toward the king.

I realized I needed God's help to succeed, to say the right words and to make the right impression. I silently prayed to "find favor in the eyes of God and man."

As I reached the king, I kissed his hand, and quietly recited the blessing for seeing a king. He welcomed me warmly. I offered him the present, and proceeded to sing the prayer for the king, using an old Yemenite melody. He was very moved and thanked me.


He explained that protecting the Jews is his duty to God.

The king said that he heard my wife was from Morocco. I told him how fortunate I was to have married into a Moroccan family, and how fortunate the Jews in Morocco are to have a king like him. I thanked him for his family tradition of protecting the Jews, and he explained to me that it is his duty to God.

I knew that my meeting was going well when he said, "I want to personally invite you and your wife to visit me in Morocco." I thanked him for the honor and said, "Shalom." I walked backward a few steps, and was escorted out by a guard.

Azoulay told me that of all the people who had met the king, I was the only one invited to Morocco. Azoulay made clear that I obviously had to accept the invitation. I was again interviewed by Moroccan TV, and then said goodbye to the ministers.

Lessons Learned

This experience was much more powerful than I ever thought it would be. Among the many lessons and insights, here are a few:

1) The preparations I made to meet the king will definitely enhance my prayer preparations, and make my relationship with the King of Kings much more real. Sometimes during services we may space out. But if we are conscious of the fact that we are speaking to the King, that is not possible.

2) Even though the king doesn't need my presents, the fact that I prepared something showed that I cared about him. So too, God doesn't need us to follow His commandments -- but we need them, to show that we are respectful, appreciative, and care enough to make the effort.

3) I had to wait for two hours to meet the king, and arrived an hour early. The Almighty is always ready for us to talk to Him. We should take advantage of this open door policy, and come to synagogue on time. It's a lack of respect to come late to such an important meeting.

This was a wonderful opportunity, and I am looking forward to my next meeting with the king in Morocco. But most of all, I am looking forward to meeting with the King of Kings. Which reminds me -- I gotta go -- Mincha starts in one hour!

POUVEZ VOUS TRADUIRE SVP . MERCI.
AMITIES ALBERT E

bonjour albert,

comme toujours c ´est un plaisir de lire tes sujets

said

sorry, andré not albert

BONJOUR LAGROU C EST ANDRE QUI A ECRIT LE SUJET EN ANGLAIS QUE JE NE COMPREND PAS. MERCI .
AMITIES ALBERT E

Bonjour Andre, bonjour Albert.

Effectivement c'est un article assez fort et qui nous prouve encore une fois les sentiments d'amour et de respect que la presente monarchie marocaine a toujours eu pour leurs citoyens juifs.
S.M.Mohammed VI reitere cette proclamation de ses parents et grands parents que c'est un devoir divin qu'ont les monarques marocains de proteger les juifs habitant leur royaume.
Albert, l'article parle du meeting international APEC qui se deroula au Chili, il ya quelques semaines. Ce rabbin Shoshan Goori qui doit faire partie de cette grande yeshiva americaine Aish Hatorah , puisqu' il a ete invite par Aish Chili pour etre present durant ces ceremonies, ce Rabbin donc a ete invite ,durant sa visite au Chili,par le bras droit du roi Mohammed VI, Mr.Andre Azoulay a rencontrer S.M.Mohammed VI pour une audience speciale. En bref, la rencontre entre ce rabbin marie a une juive marocaine et le Roi du Maroc a ete emouvante et S.M.Mohammed VI a invite le rabbin Ghoori a venir le visiter au Maroc. Mr.Azoulay a recommande fortement au rabbin d'accepter et de venir a Rabat comme invite du Roi, d'autant plus que le roi a rarement l' habitude d'inviter des personnes qu'il rencontre pour la premiere fois lors de reunions internationales. Ce rabbin a ete tres emu, et il pense que c'est notre D. Roi de Rois qui devait etre a l'origine de cette rencontre si importante et imprevue.
C'est un tres beau recit.
Andre il y a juste ce passage qui n'est pas tres clair:

"The previous king, King Hassan, tried to protect Jews from riots that broke out in the wake of Israeli independence, and his predecessor, Mohammed V, is widely credited with having saved Morocco's Jews from deportation during World War II."
Je comprend que ce rabbin n'est pas un historien et qu'il a du mal s'exprimer au sujet de cette periode en question, au sujet de HassanII , ayant joue un role lors de manifestations dues a l'independance d'Israel.
N'empeche qu'il declare que SM Mohammed V a sauve les Juifs Marocains de la deportation pendant la 2eme guerre mondiale.
Je vais chercher quelque part dans le site , les messages que l'on s'est echanges toi et moi l'ete dernier au sujet de Vichy et son role envers les juifs du Maroc, comme cela Michel Castel saura que tu en avais assez parle sur le role bienfaiteur et protecteur des juifs que S.M.Feu Mohammed V a joue.

Encore une fois, tres interessant article qui m'a certainement appris de bonnes choses.

merci Andre de le partager avec nous.

elie cohen

ELIE JE TE REMERCIE INFIEMENT DE TES EXPLICATIONS . MERCI.
AMITIES ALBERT E

Bonsoir Elie, Lagrou, Albert et tous les dafouineurs (euses).

C´est en lisant un article semblable que mon coeur se réchauffe et qui me rend encore plus orgueuilleux de mes origines.

amitiés

"A"

est ce que serait possible d'avoir un peut de
background sur la vie de la femme du rabbin et de sa famille

A Andre,

Merci pour cet article si emouvant!
Il y a de quoi etre fiere!!

Comme toujours, c'est un plaisir de te lire!

Bises,

Emeraude,

Merci,

C´est un article que quelqu´un m´a envoyé et que j´ai "Copié-Collé", car je suis persuadé que nous autres, Juifs du Maroc, lisons ces lignes avec le plus grand plaisir et nous ne pouvons qu´être fier de notre pays natal.

Je t´embrasse.

"A"

Bonjour,

Il n'y a pas grand'chose dans l'article au sujet de la belle famille du Rabbin Shoshan Ghoori.
J'ai un peu plus de temps aujourd'hui et je vais brievement essayer de donner plus de details tels qu'ils apparaissent dans l'article.
S.M.Mohammed VI etait tres heureuse d'apprendre que le rabbin etait marie a une juive dont les deux parents sont Marocains.
La femme du rabbin se prenomme Myriam.
Le rabbin a appris qu'en 1948 il y avait au Maroc 265, 000 juifs ( c'est ce que mon pere m'a toujours dit lorsque j'etais jeune a Rabat).
Aujourd'hui , au Maroc il ne reste que 5.500 juifs et plusieurs ont des positions importantes au gouvernement et dans le monde des affaires.
Ce rabbin Ghoori a un ami de Aish (Hatorah) au Chili qui se nomme Maurice.
Ce Maurice est un bon ami a Andre Azoulay, conseiller et bras droit de SM Mohammed VI. Et c'est ainsi que la rencontre solemnelle avec le roi a pu etre organisee assez facilement, ce qui prouve et d'ailleurs on le ressens tout au long de la lecture que le Roi du Maroc est tres interesse a participer au dialogue entame par son predecesseur et pere Feu SM Hassan II, entre les juifs et les arabes.Il va de soi , que son interet est porte particulierement sur le Bien Etre des Juifs Marocains ou qu'ils se situent et il semble tres interesse a ce que les juifs marocains habitant en Israel viennent visiter leur pays natal.
Le rendez vous avec le Roi a ete fixe au Vendredi a 11h30 du matin.
Le Rabbin etait arrive une heure avant car ,comme il le dit ,quand on a rendez vous avec un Roi, ou le Roi des Rois a la synagogue il faut etre en avance.
Le meeting a eu lieu a 1h30 pm. Pendant les heures qui ont precede, le Rabbin Ghoori a eu des discussions avec les ministres du Roi presents et la Television Marocaine.On lui a fait faire la connaissance de la personnalite marocaine importante qui presenta Menahem Begin a Anwar Sadate. Cette personne ainsi que beaucoup de ministres marocains etaient venus pour cette conference tres importante " APEC", Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, comme son nom l'indique " Conference de Cooperation Economique des Pays d'Asie qui cotoient l'Ocean Pacifique". Pourquoi le Maroc a ete invite , vu que ses cotes sont sur deux mers: l'Ocean Atlantique et la Mer Mediterranee? Je suppose que les Americains qui sont, a l'ordinaire,les dirigeants de ce Sommet ont du inviter le Maroc pour des raisons tres importantes.
La femme du Rabbin Myriam a rencontre tous les ministres, mais elle ne put etre presente au dialogue que le Rabbin eut avec le Roi.
La rencontre avec le Roi etait comme dans un reve ( c'est ce que le rabbin decrit), le Roi etait digne comme dans une ceremonie de mariage( d'ailleurs ce rabbin a celebre des mariages juifs avec houpa dans cette meme salle) et le rabbin etait devenu tres emotionnel , voici comment Shoshan Ghoori decrit ses emotions:
"The feeling at this moment was powerful and mystical, as I felt like I was floating toward the king. "
" Mes sentiments a ce moment precis etaient tres forts et impregnes d'une vague mystique , et je me sentais( transporte par elle et )flottant vers le Roi (qui l'attendait)."

Il y avait dans la grande salle trente gardes ,de la garde royale, en uniforme de ceremonie, qui firent le Salut au Rabbin.
Le Rabbin baisa la main du Roi et lui offrit un tres joli cadre en argent , qui encadrait la fameuse priere juive pour le Bien Etre de leur Souverain.Le Rabbin chanta cette priere dans une melodie ancienne yemenite.
Le Roi fut heureux, demanda des nouvelles de l'epouse juive marocaine de Ghoori et invita le couple a venir le visiter au Maroc.
Apres cette visite solemnelle Andre Azoulay dit au Rabbin qu'il etait la seule personne que le Roi invita officiellement au Maroc, durant toute la duree de la Conference. Ensuite le Rabbin Ghoori donna a la Television Marocaine , qui etait fortement interessee, une interview.

Les trois dernieres lignes sont des commentaires de moralite et d'etique juives , decoulant de cette experience, que le Rabbin nous donne.

Et voila c'est a peu pres tout.

Amities a tous,

elie cohen

MES AMIS
ET POURTANT NOTRE DAFOUINEUSE DES L OUVERTURE DU FORUM SOIT ANGLAIS A GAUCHE SOIT FRANCAIS A DROITE
SVP NE NOUS IMPOSEZ PAS UNE LANGUE QUE L ON IGNORE PLEASE
HYASSAN

Hassan mon ami,

Il n'y a pas d'ouverture pour la Darija...qu'es ce que toi et moi allons faire alors? nous cogner dans le mur du milieu?

Je ne vois pas de mal a poster un texte en Anglais, surtout quand Elie a eu la gentillesse de le traduire.

Amities,

TOUTES MES FELICITATIONS COHEN ELIE . MERCI BEAUCOUP POUR LA TRADUCTION.
ALBERT E

MES AMIS !
Pour tous ceux qui ont des difficutes en anglais ,vous avez la possibilite de traduire a 80% d'exactitude ,directement de l'anglais au francais par le traducteur de google !
j'ai pris le 1 paragraphe lance par Andre pour vous montrer le resultat de Google

ANGLAIS
*******
News that the King of Morocco was arriving in Chile was fairly low-key, since only a week earlier world leaders -- including President Bush -- were in Chile for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Conference. So when my friend Maurice came running into Aish Chile with a big smile on his face, he explained that he was part of a delegation of local Moroccan businessmen who had been at the airport to greet the king, 41-year-old Mohamed VI.

Traduction Google :
**************

Les nouvelles que le roi du Maroc arrivait au Chili étaient assez discrètes, puisque seulement des chefs plus tôt du monde de semaine -- comprenant le Président Bush -- étaient au Chili pour la conférence d'cApec (coopération économique Asie-Pacifique). Ainsi quand mon ami Maurice est venu courant dans Aish Chili avec un grand sourire sur son visage, il a expliqué qu'il faisait partie d'une délégation des hommes d'affaires marocains locaux qui avaient été à l'aéroport pour saluer le roi, 41-year-old Mohamed VI.

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le site de traduction :[www.google.com]

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Bonjour Chalom,

Merci beaucoup pour ce lien qui va s´avérer être très utile pour beaucoup de personnes.

"A"