Torah For Today! This week: Princess Latifa
Rabbi Zvi Solomons takes a topical issue and delves into Jewish texts for a response
In recent weeks, videos have emerged of Princess Latifa accusing her father, Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, of holding her hostage. So, what does the Torah say about this?
In our deepest tradition, there is a concept that parents are responsible for their children and ultimately have power of life and death over them should they step out of line.
This is expressed in the law of the stubborn and rebellious child who, if found guilty, is stoned. The rabbis discuss whether this actually happened – the Talmud says it never did, but Rabbi Yehonatan speaks of at least one example.
Women are ascribed autonomy with respect to their personal and matrimonial lives. At the very earliest time in Jewish history, our mother Rachel is asked if she wishes to leave home and be with Isaac, a man she has not even met yet. Her answer is that she will go.
Women are not limited in halacha in their ownership of property, nor in any other rights in law. Although some authorities have said a man may chastise his wife, this is not our general ruling – beating one’s wife is considered gross and grounds for divorce by many authorities.
When we see the kidnapping of a woman, who is held incommunicado in her home country, we have to say this is an abuse of law. No legal system should be operated to gratify one person’s will, and we are rightly disgusted.
The princess has inalienable rights to freedom unless she has committed a crime, which is most certainly not the case.
In halacha, kidnapping is punished as a capital offence, under the Ten Commandments. The behaviour of the Crown Prince is an outrage against justice and an abuse of the ruler’s power to make such drastic decisions. A biblical prophet would doubtless have condemned the sheikh who behaved so vindictively and coercively to his own daughter.
Royals are used to having their own way, yet the Torah principle that there should be one law for every person is something we should all support.
- Rabbi Zvi Solomons serves JCoB, the Jewish Community of Berkshire in Reading
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
