A Writ of Holiness
The French president, Jacques Chirac, was once invited to visit the home of the Chief Rabbi of France, the Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sitruk, shlita, to participate in the brit of a grandson. He wished to express his appreciation for the Jewish vote in recent elections, and surprised the people by his attendance. Toward the end of the celebration, the president asked for my blessing.
I blessed him in the Holy Tongue for success and all things good. Then he asked for the blessing to be translated into French. He also asked for it to be committed to writing, so that he could keep it as a holy memento from the Jewish nation.
I was deeply impressed by this. Here stood a gentile, at the helm of a great nation, revered by thousands, recognizing where the truth is found and requesting a keepsake of it.
