BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

SAUDI RAPE/ LASHING CASE PROVOKES CALLS FOR REFORMS Anyone taking bets that this will happen? Or are we going to have another spate of fatwahs declared again those taking a stand? By RASHEED ABOU-ALSAMH The case of a 20-year-old woman who was sentenced to be lashed after pressing charges against seven men who raped her and a male companion has provoked a rare and angry public debate in Saudi Arabia, leading to renewed calls for reform of the Saudi judicial system. The woman, known here only as the Qatif girl because she comes from the Eastern town of that name, was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being alone with a man to whom she was not married. Her outspoken human rights lawyer appealed the sentence and brought down the wrath of the court, which doubled the woman’s sentence and stripped her lawyer of his license to practice. The case is now being appealed to the kingdom’s highest court. Human rights activists said the treatment of the woman, the man who was raped with her and ...

Self-Trial The Baal Shem Tov taught that in the heavenly court there is no one who can judge you for what you have done in your life on earth. So this is what they do: They show you someone’s life -all the achievements and all the failures, all the right decisions and all the wrongdoings -and then they ask you, “So what should we do with this somebody?” And you give your verdict. Which they accept. And then they tell you that this somebody was you. Being now in heaven, you don’t recall a thing. Of course, those who tend to judge others favorably have a decided advantage. Better get in the habit now. A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe -words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman PLEASE CLICK HERE TO JBLOG ME