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My Rav Ovadia/ Sagit Deri

Friends, I want to tell you about my one and only encounter with Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef.

When I was 19 my family underwent a very serious crisis which led to my mother demanding that we move.

But for my family, " moving" was not just any event - from the day my parents married, they lived together with my grandparents on my father's side, and my parents were "inheriting sons" of the farm.

In addition, in our native Moroccan family, my father has, as a first born and as the apple of my grandfather's eye, the right and duty to be linked to his parents and treat them with devotion (as he does until today), including - to live by them.

In every normal situation the scales would immediately tip to my grandfather, but in this case the crisis was so strong (literally criminal law), that mother 's position had real weight.

So, after long discussions, it was decided that in a great crisis one needs a great judge and the selected character which was great enough to decide, was Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. A meeting was set and a whole entourage went to Harav Ovadia - my grandfather, father, an important Rav from the glorified Abuchatzeira family, another important Sephardi Rav and... me. And why me? Because my soft and quiet mother could not even think that she would have to stand and represent her position, so she sent me.

The entire entourage entered the room of Harav Ovadia, who was sitting behind a heavy desk with stacks of books. My beloved grandfather, a venerable man, spread the story and concluded that "now everything is fine, we went back to normal and there is no reason for them to move their apartment." The distinguished rabbis supported his position and agreed – they should remain in place. My father was silent and did not dare to speak. The speakers created an atmosphere of "all is well, business as usual."

I stood there alone. I knew I had to speak now or forever be silent. I said, "But Harav, it's not like that." I told about the terrible fear. About my mother who fainted, a family of seven persons who slept in one room out of fear at night, the 11 year old brother who needs support when he goes to the bathroom because he was afraid to go alone, for fear of leaving home, the fear to stay home.
I talked and cried and talked and cried.

Harav Ovadia called me over to the side of his desk. He pulled a stool and told me to sit down on his at the desk. All the bearded and dignified men were on one side and Harav Ovadia and I were on the other side. He assured me that "it will be fine, will be fine. Now tell me everything." I told and told.

When I finished, he turned to them and ruled - "They are moving!"

My father said, "But Harav, what about my father? We are so connected... " And Harav Ovadia said: "First worry about your family and then your parents."

The decision was firm. Then the Rabbi from the Abuchatzeira family called and said, "Harav! She studies law!" (Meaning me ... and maybe you should rebuke her that kosher Jewish girls do not study law, and maybe she is not so innocent as she looks... a great trial to tilt the decision and to to blacken the face of a 19 year old girl in four short words ... )

Silence

I still sat beside him. Then Harav Ovadia turned to me and said, "Good luck to you. Just always remember whose are the real laws."

We left his room. I came out not like I had gone in. I went out with tremendous support to the way I chose. I went with strengthening to my way of life as a religious woman who wants a profession and career. Who wants to have a voice in the world of bearded and distinguished men. With support from Gadol Hador who actually said to the bearded men – do not doubt her innocence, honesty and sincerity, even if she chooses ways which are unacceptable you, not to your opinion, and only that in your heart, in your way with all its twists and difficulties, be faithful to the truth, the Torah, the Ribono shel Olam.

And since then I love him so. "Avi, avi, rechev Yisrael u'parashav".

(Posted on Facebook)

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!