Months ago I was introduced to “King” Francois Ayi. I was invited to a dinner party to meet an extraordinary individual originally from Togo who claimed to be a King and have Jewish roots. There was a few of us there. Francois Ayi was personable and appeared to be genuine, but concerns persisted and yet many of us shelved them.
Over the next months and many meetings, Francois Ayi and I became friends and yet a quiet discontent grew within me. I kept my feelings to myself as he became the focus of media attention in Israel as a “Jewish King.” At one point members of the nascent Sanhedrin even called him the King of Africa.
I of course challenged them on this and still gave Francois the benefit of the doubt that it was us Jews so enamored to be loved by an African King that we ourselves embellished his story. At the end that was not the case. Francois Ayi used everyone he met differently. He met with government officials and religious leaders. His targets wre believers and those yearning to bring dedicated Israel loving Africans closer to the truth.
Yesterday as Rav Daniel Asur, one of the rabbis who brought Francois Ayi into notoriety here in Israel came out against Ayi, blasting him for using us and misleading many who met with him. The “King” it seems may have royal blood, but his goals were at the end nefarious. The rabbi had caught him using his phone on Shabbat although Francois Ayi claimed he had begun to keep the Sabbath. Messages were made on his phone by him exalting the use of voodoo and other witchcraft. The list goes on.
My main issue with Francois Ayi is essentially his incessant need to ask for money and to promote himself to many as the ultimate leader. This got to the point where in fact he began to build multiple followers here in Israel that actually still believe he could be the Messiah.
Bending the Light of Redemption
The question isn’t if we were fooled or why many of us did not listen to others’ “wisdom” in this case. It is clear none of us, even the great sages are perfect. We all make mistakes and many times let our desire to do good get in the way of staying on the middle path. The question is how did this charlatan get away with this and why?
We understand that as Israel has returned to its ancient homeland as prophesied in the bible a great awakening has occurred. This awakening is the light of redemption or otherwise known as the spirit of the Messiah (Ruach Mashiach). It is potent and powerful. Yet it comes with such heightened spiritual energy it attracts many who bend it and use it for their own gain.
Make no mistake this dark side holiness only has power by virtue of this light that is increasing daily in our world. It is why there is global chaos at the same time as this redemptive consciousness keeps growing.
I expect more and more of these leaders will arise as we continue within our redemptive process, which is a global process. We must filter those who seek to harm us and our friends from within and connect with those forces who are like-minded in seeing a world that is rectified.