Hgr"o Yosef: "Mitzvah to try and see Obama"

The State of Israel holds her breath, given the important state visit of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Disciples of Hgr"o Yosef asked him about it, and collected a number of rulings of books relating to how one should react to the visit and if one should making a blessing upon seeing the President.

According to Hgr"o, anyone who sees the President should say the blessing "He who gave of his glory to flesh and blood" The reason for this is because he is considered a King, since he declared war on the enemy country and also because he has in is his authority the pardon for those condemned to die ".

The blessing should be said only when seeing him with the human eye, ie when you see him face to face, or even if he sees the President through the window of his house or car windows where he was going.

Anyone who watches the President on one of the means of media, even if it's live, it is clear he should not make the blessing.

"The blessing of the King" is also said for the Queen. This ruling includes seeing the President's wife Mrs. Michelle Obama. This important aspect requires reserve of modesty, and "in any case one should not look through the observation but short vision."

Hgr"o quotes the words of Chazal and poskim, that it is a mitzvah to try and see the King at this time, even if he is of the nations, since if he merits he will be able in the future to draw the difference between their glory and the glory of Hashem and Mashiach."

We as Jews must remember, that when we bless in the morning 'shelo asani goy' we must have in mind, 'for not making me President of the U.S.', since even the greatest and most powerful gentile is nothing opposite the Jewish soul."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!