Kabbalah and numerology don’t add up on Obama’s political fate

Barack Obama’s family, his biography, his body – they have all recently come under the microscope. But what if to go a step further and try to answer Shakespeare’s question – what’s in a name?

Rabbi Rafael Mamo can tell a lot from a name. He’s a master in Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystic knowledge.

“He [Barack Obama] has a very interesting name. One part of his name is Muslim, another part Jewish, and the third part – I don’t know where it comes from,” Rabbi Mamo says.

Thousands of people come each week to ask his advice, political leaders of Israel among them.

According to Rabbi Mamo, ‘Barack’ means ‘he is shining’ and ‘Hussein’ means ‘power’.

“Because of these two names he was very successful in his election campaign. But I think the Americans and the world are going to be very surprised that his presidency is going to be confused and unstable. This is because of the third part of his name – ‘Obama’ which is what most people call him. From this part of his name I see someone who has difficulties making decisions, who cannot see a clear path where to go, and who is very confused in every way,” Rabbi Mamo says.

In Nazareth, Muslim Sheikh Mohammed Khalil uses the ancient knowledge of numerology to check Obama’s name. 

He sees only ‘Barack’ and ‘Hussein’ – the name ‘Obama’ is not important to him.

“The name Barack Hussein puts him on the seventh number on the numerology map and it is a very special number. It says that he is a very brilliant man who likes the world to see him in that way. A man like this can reach places that nobody has reached before,” expert in numerology Sheikh Mohammed Khalil says.

After his inauguration, Barack Obama will face the challenges of the Middle East.

And here the ancient signs don’t agree again.

Sheikh Mohammed Khalil says that although in the beginning Obama is going to have a lot of difficulties bringing Jews and Arabs together, then he will succeed.

“In this almost impossible situation, from what I see, he is the man who will manage to make peace in a way nobody else has succeeded so far. After a lot of difficulties, somewhere in the middle of his term of office, he will have a lot of success and will start to lead the peace process to a better ground,” the numerology expert says.

Rabbi Mamo’s point of view is quite different.

“I see Obama continuing America’s policy to be pro-Israeli because he has no choice. But he will be much more confused in decision making concerning the Middle East than George W. Bush because all the time he will try to satisfy both sides. I hope it won’t bring disaster because we need a strong decision-maker and not somebody who is nice to everyone,” he says.