Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — As a native of San Francisco, I have always been a Giant fan since the time I first started collecting baseball cards as a young child. I remember watching the 1962 World Series when the Giants faced the dreaded New York Yankees, led by Roger Maris and […]
Giants know the meaning of working together as a team Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Travel and FoodBy 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
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
Transcripts tell story of White House and Benghazi Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy 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
When Jews seek spirituality elsewhere Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Noah was a remarkable man. Just how remarkable was he? How would he compare to Abraham or to Moses? Rabbinical tradition grapples with this question. Rashi cites the midrashic text that offers an answer to our question. Two rabbinic scholars differ on how they interpret the
That remarkable man, Noah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –In Pakistan, this past week, the Taliban shot a young fourteen year old woman named Malala Yousafzai in the head. She is fighting for her life. She was no average target; this was not a random act of gratuitous violence that we read about in the paper.
Standing against the Taliban’s war on women Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — According to rabbinic tradition, in order to impress upon Adam the need for human companionship, God brought him all the animals so that he might notice that each one had a partner. This parade of God’s creatures was intended to lead to a deepening of Adam’s own consciousness
The woman who stood against Adam Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Simchat Torah is a relative latecomer to Judaism. Historically, the first mention of Simchat Torah is found in the 13th century work known as the Zohar, which is a mystical commentary on the Bible.[1] Sometime in the 9th century, European communities would begin reading Genesis immediately after
Why and when we celebrated Simchat Torah Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiThe 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
‘The Good Friday Prayer’ challenges Catholic theology Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Today in the news I came across the following article: · On September 18, 2012, Muhib Ru’yat Al-Rahman, a senior writer on leading jihadi forum Shumoukh Al-Islam, suggested that Muslims living in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.S. kill Westerners and display their decapitated heads
Religion like rain: sometimes soft, sometimes murderous Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California– Some of you may think that today’s lesson on forgiveness will be a little boring. If so, I ask that you please forgive me. Just like a picture says more than a thousand words, parables, too, also convey lessons that are timeless as they are obvious, requiring
Forgiving adultery Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Richard Nixon had many shortcomings, but compared to Barack Obama, he looks like a saint. I do not ever recall seeing Nixon attempting to subvert the 1st Amendment that guarantees freedom of speech, but recently with the release of the Innocence of Muslims film that came
U.S. must not give up 1st Amendment to please Islamists Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Nittai the Arbelite said: Keep your distance from a bad neighbor; don’t socialize with scoundrels. Mishnah—Avoth 1:7 Our parents often taught us, “A person is judged by the company he keeps.” Jewish tradition reaffirms this message, for people then to gravitate to others who
Beware the company the President keeps Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —The streets of Europe and the Middle East are burning as we prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah. Life in Israel is making everyone nervous as the President is doing nothing meaningful to prevent Iran from developing the bomb. One gets the impression that Iran will finally “cave
Blame Obama’s amateurism for Mideast chaos Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East