Exciting Encounters
When I was a young boy, the king of Morocco was scheduled to visit our city. I was so excited that I could not sleep the entire night before. I kept tossing and turning in bed, until I finally gave up. I decided to reserve a good spot for the next day’s celebrations. I wanted to see the king in all his majesty.
- A letter from Muhammad VI, king of Morocco
All night long, I stood sentry at my post, until the sun cast its rays. As the king made his entrance, enthusiasm and admiration were palpable in the air. Everyone was eager to see their beloved king, who had deemed their city worthy of a visit.
When I grew up, this excitement translated into something more exalted. If we are so fired up when a human king visits, a man of mere flesh and blood, how much more enthusiastic should we be when we visit the King of kings in the Beit Hakeneset. Each morning, we should prepare ourselves diligently and hurry off to our meeting with our Maker. Minchah and Ma’ariv are additional opportunities to personally speak with our King. Let us regard these encounters as at least as significant as when we face a mortal king.
