Morocco is a place where many rabbis and saints have both lived and are laid to rest, so it’ only fitting that Rabbi Pinto thinks of the country as one that’s blessed with spiritual transcendence and encircled by divine lights.
In fact, during a recent live lesson broadcast featured on his social media platforms, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto discussed the announcement of normalization between Israel and Morocco. He called it a blessed day because it also happened to fall on the lighting of Hanukkah’s first candles which itself is an esteemed celebration for the world’s Jewish population.
Rabbi Pinto is originally from Essaouira, Morocco, and he believes that everything in life is predestined. According to him, although we live in this world, God “directs it with wisdom,” and “all events that happen are from God.”
Rabbi Pinto’s Community Contributions in Morocco
Rabbi Pinto is known for providing services to his country. He is successful with persuading families of Jewish descent living in Israel to relocating to Morocco, convincing students to study at his Yeshiva in Beth El in Casablanca, and influencing Jews living in other parts of the world to not only move to Morocco, but also to invest in the country.
Thanks to the Rabbi, Morocco’s Jewish community once again believes in kashrut and kosher foods, which is a large part of traditional Jewish religion and culture. He is known to personally supervise animal slaughters and bless the food for his people before it reaches the Jewish stores within his Kingdom.
Finally, the Rabbi has also inaugurated a Moroccan Orthodox religious school in Casablanca for Jewish kids. This school is just one of numerous projects Rabbi Pinto has used to help his community since he was appointed president of the Hebrew court.
Yet, his teachings reach outside of children in schools, as he gives regular religious lessons that are attended by many people in his community, and over a million additional Jews around the world. At one point his lectures were live, but the Coronavirus has forced him into a virtual world where he broadcasts via social media.
Rabbi Pinto is also authored over 100 religious books. One of his books, Kabbalah, expresses his admiration for HM King Mohammed VI, whom the Rabbi mentions a lot in his teachings.
Rabbi Pinto And HM King Mohammed VI
As president of the Hebrew court in Casablanca, the Rabbi advised all Jewish people to see the good in Morocco. He reminded his fellow citizens that if it weren’t for Sultan Mohammed V the Moroccan Jews may have ended up in the holocaust. Instead, he refused to give his people to the Nazis during WWII, as he declared they were citizens of Morocco and no different from the Kingdom’s Muslims.
He continued on by explaining that it’s been 2500 years of religious tolerance and cultural coexistence between the Kingdom’s Jews and Muslims. In fact, Morocco has witnessed the birth and death of numerous Rabbis who are respected by the Jews.
According to the famous Rabbi, Moroccan Jews who still live in the country aren’t lacking anything and have good living conditions. He attributes these conditions to the attention they’re provided by HM King Mohammed VI.
So, thanks to HM King, Morocco is a great place for Jewish people to live today. Rabbi Pinto has much respect and admiration for the King, and he regularly prays for him and reminds his community to do the same.
