Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.

His books, available on Amazon, include:

Is God’s real name ‘Anochi?’ Author and reviewer disagree

Rabbi Wayne Dosick, The Real Name of God: Embracing the Full Essence of the Divine; Publisher: Inner Traditions; Date 2012; ISBN-10: 1594774730: 224 pages; Price $19.95. Rating: **** ___________________________________________________________________________ Rabbi Wayne Dosick responds to the review below: https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2012/12/05/r-dosick-responds-to-book-review-of-the-real-name-of-god/  __________________________________________________________________________ By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Hassidic interpretations have an endearing quality that is often ignored by […]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

What Judaism says about revenge

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —  Is revenge or vengeance permissible in Judaism? Has the view of revenge  changed over time? Answer: You ask a difficult question and the answer is far from simple. Numerous laws and passages proscribe revenge and vengeance. Conversely, revenge plays an important role in rectifying injustices that occurred. The

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

In spirit of Halloween, here’s the Witch of Endor

By Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Most of you are familiar with Macbeth, which is considered to be one of the most psychologically gripping plays by Shakespeare. Macbeth tells the story about a Scottish lord named Macbeth, who chooses evil as a means of attaining power. He commits regicide to become king and

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

The power of one

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —There is hardly a day that passes when I don’t marvel at the power of individuals to move mountains and change history. Abraham believed he could change and transform the world.  It is all the more remarkable, when we consider Abraham’s age. The Torah tells us that

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Transcripts tell story of White House and Benghazi

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — It’s a pity that gentiles don’t study Talmud. While there are a number of arguments in the Talmud that are pedantic and unexciting, the study of this ancient rabbinic work teaches people how to critically examine a text. During the second debate, President Obama called the

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East

When Jews seek spirituality elsewhere

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Obviously Jewish survival must depend upon something more than empty sentimentalism. There must be something more than a cultural Jewish identity that finds Jewish fulfillment in bagels and lox. While many Jews live a nostalgically religious life, at least an equally large number have become ambivalent

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

‘The Good Friday Prayer’ challenges Catholic theology

The Good Friday Prayer by Howard Rubenstein (San Diego: Granite Hills Press, 2012); ISBN-10: 1929468237; 520 pages; $24:95; Rating 4* By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — When one considers all the new books that have appeared in the news about Jesus, Howard Rubinstein’s book, The Good Friday Prayer is one of the

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi