Madonna enlists Kabbalah rabbi to help for Mercy

Apr 26, 2009, 11:00 GMT

The \'4 Minutes\' singer - whose bid to adopt four-year-old Malawian orphan Mercy James was rejected earlier this month - begged Kabbalah leader Eitan Yardeni to come to New York to help her pray for a miracle in the case.EPA/PETER FOLEY

Madonna has flown her London rabbi to the US to pray for success in her adoption appeal.

The '4 Minutes' singer - whose bid to adopt four-year-old Malawian orphan Mercy James was rejected earlier this month - begged Kabbalah leader Eitan Yardeni to come to New York to help her pray for a miracle in the case.

A source told Britain's News of the World newspaper: "They have been praying at every waking hour. The adoption process has been stressful for Madonna. She's been telling pals it's felt as painful as childbirth."

Madonna's bid to adopt Mercy was rejected because she had not lived in the African country for 18 months, as is required by law.

The 50-year-old star will plead her case to three judges at Malawi's Supreme Court of Appeal on May 4.

Joseph Chigona, Registrar of the High Court, said: "As with all court cases involving infants, this one will be in chambers, not in an open court."

Madonna - who already has a three-year-old adopted Malawian son, David, as well as her daughter Lourdes, 12, and eight-year-old son Rocco - was devastated by the ruling and immediately revealed she would appeal.

Her lawyer Alan Chinula said: "We believe the lower court judge erred by basing her judgment on an archaic law of over 50 years ago."